3. Talk of the Future

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At breakfast that morning. Christopher said he had something to announce:

"We're leaving the island."

I was the first to respond. "What?"

"I said-"

"I know what you said, but-"

"We've been here for two years. I wish to leave."

Diane piped in. "Christopher, dear, you just got here. Why are you leaving now?"

"We didn't just get here, mother. We've been here for two years. I'm surprised we stayed this long. However, it's about time to leave - to get on with our lives and move on."

"How can we move on after everything that's happened?" I said, my voice rising in the heat of the conversation. "Cora just had a baby. She's still under so much stress."

"Anne, I know you care about her, but she's not your problem. Cora has to live her life and you need to live yours. Isn't that what you want?"

"What I want doesn't concern you."

"Then stay here."

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Now hold on you two, won't you just calm down for a moment. Please. We need to discuss this." Diane looked worryingly between the two of us. Even Tristian started to seem nervous. "Why do you need to leave, Christopher? I don't-. I can't seem to understand."

"Its simple, really. We've just been here for too long. What, you thought I was going to spend the rest of my days here? You know that I can't." Christopher looked toward me. "And you need to come too, Anne. I don't think that its healthy that you stay here. You're attached to Cora like a leech." 

"Well, at least I'm not insensitive! Cora just had a child. She has a lot to face, and you can just leave? No, I'm not going anywhere. No, not in the least." 

I got up from my chair and walked away. I felt everyone's eyes follow me. I didn't care, though. I felt angry, angrier than ever. 

***

Olympia was on the floor in her nursery chewing away at one of her toys. She looked up at me with an innocent smile. God, she was so clueless, so ignorant to everything that was revolving in the world around her. 

I issued the wet nurse away and replaced her spot in the rocking chair. I watched Olympia with sad eyes as I always did. She continued to chew and make gnawing noises as I watched. Her eyes sparkled as she did so, despite drool dripping down her neck and down her lacy pink dress she had on.

 I began to talk to her. "How are you, baby girl?" I started out. "How are you doing today?" There was no response, nothing more than the occasional smile that came from her in which I returned. 

"You know, Christopher wants me to leave this island. He wants me to just go and leave you and your mama here. How can I do that? How can he be so...cruel. He has no heart. You know, I liked him once. I liked him a lot. I also hated him, and now, he's like a stranger - a person that hardly talks to me. I work for him, yes, but, it doesn't feel like I do. He doesn't ask of anything of me anymore. Instead, all of us, even the crew, have grown fat from this lifestyle. I see why he wants to leave, but doesn't he care? Doesn't he care about you? About your mama? His mama?"

Over the years, it was fair to say that Christopher and his mother did grow to become closer. Despite the many times that they fought, it ended with Diane apologizing and coaxing Christopher into a hug in which he returned. He even closed his eyes hugging her - as if it would be the last time he would see her.

Though there were times when Diane did cry, she'd have a smiling face when she saw her son. She'd check up on him everyday. She'd pop into a room and ask if he'd like anything, despite there being servants walking the grounds. She'd kiss him on the cheek when he announced he was going to sleep (he somehow allowed this), and told him how much she loved him.

You would think that that would be enough to make Christopher stay, but then again, you never knew what to think about Christopher.

"And Tristan. I think he'll stay here with Jack. I'd like him too. I like the idea of them at least having a happily ever after. They're so good together. I love seeing them smile at one another. It would seem that only your mama is the only one missing in the picture. I wish she got better - better enough to see her beautiful daughter. She loves you, you know that? She just...she doesn't show it a lot. Don't worry, though. I'll show her.

That's when I made it my goal to change Cora.

***

It was decided - though through much argument on Diane's part - that Christopher and his crew would leave the day after Olympia's first birthday. I wouldn't be coming, though, and Olympia would be turning one in a week. It gave us that long for the queen to plan the whole event.

I told Cora of this plan right away to which she shrugged her shoulders to. I argued with her then. "Its your daughter's first birthday, Cora. You need to be there!"

"Why are you yelling at me! I thought you were on my side!"

"I'm always on your side, Cora, but its Olympia's first birthday. You need to be there for her, understand?"

"Why do you care? She's not even your daughter!"

I bit the inside of my cheek, then. I was starting to cry. Cora looked at , angry. She told me to get out, and I did. I walked out and sat down in the rocking chair in Olympia's room. watching her take her afternoon nap.

I cried silently.

***

The king allowed Olympia to join us at dinner, where, as promised, tried fish for the first time. Everyone ooed and awwed as I had thought. Even I cracked a smile at the whole ordeal. Christopher, though, was the most excited out of all of us as he answered questions of what he was going to do once he left the island. His mother through most of the questions, if not all as Christopher tickled the baby's cheek.

"I was planning to go back to England to check up on a few things, then I was thinking of going to India to see an old friend of mine. I might even circle back to America then and then see how Africa is doing in the summer. There was talk of there being a new mining field for gold there, and I might just strike lucky. For my birthday, I was thinking of then going to France, but then again, the south of Greece might be interesting. I do enjoy how blue the water gets."

"What do you do, then? What have you done all these years you were gone?"

Christopher laughed. It was a heartfelt one, as if pleased to get such a question. "I do what I please. I have a few drinks in the best pubs, I meet with some old friends that live on the high side and low side of things. I stir up trouble and help other get out of it. I trade and sell and see how incredibly stupid the human race is."

Christopher was smiling from ear to ear now, imaging all the things he discussed and more. He was looking forward to leaving, that much was clear, but all I could do was roll my eyes. I grew annoyed with him. 

He smiled as he used a napkin to wipe the juice from Olympia's face. "I think she likes it," he said.

"I told His Majesty of your plan," said Jack, placing down his glass. "He's already issued for supplies to start being loaded onto your ship. You should be ready to set sail in no time."

Christopher mumbled a 'he better' under his breath then smiled once again at Olympia who was now licking her fingers. Diane watched with particular interest. 

"Is there any chance you will come back to me, Christopher?" Without looking back at her, he replied that he would. 

"Have you thought about taking a wife and giving me a grandchild?"

"I don't know," answered Christopher, rather calmly. "I don't know quite yet, but things can happen."

"You want a brat like ye, Chrissy?"

Christopher shot a look of annoyance at Tristan but laughed it off. "That's right. I'll have a kid just like me. He'll be handsome and charming just like his old man. Yeah, he'll get every women that he'll ever want and more."

"My grandchild is never going to be so disrespectable. You must be out your mind, my dear."

Christopher smirked. "Nah, not disrespectful, just charismatic. My kid will be the king of smiles, that's for sure."

"Yeah? And if its a girl, what then?" I half-joked. 

Without looking at me, Christopher said, "Then she'll be the belle of all belles. She too will be charismatic. She'll have every man at her feet. Ha! She'll have all women at her feet!" He laughed something wholesome. "Ahh, but that's somewhere in the future. Besides, I'm still so young. I have the whole world to bless with my existence."




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