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Sent an Orchid
BY: Saitaina***
You said you'd forget her, you tried I suppose But you sent her an Orchid, you sent me a Rose I'm plain as the sunshine, she wears fancy clothes So you sent her an Orchid, you sent me a Rose. Elizabeth watched silently as Will headed down the path to the docks, shaking her head. The Black Pearl had just come into port and while he tired to play it off, Elizabeth knew exactly where her husband was going. She turned away from the window, not having the energy to watch him walk away again, only to return to her in the dark of morning, reeking of rum and Jack. The flowers and gifts would come shortly after. A "surprise" from her husband just because he cared. But everyone, even the beggar boy on the street knew it was a guilty conscience. She placed a hand gently on her stomach, eyes on the roses that had been dried and stored, a memory of Jack's last visit. She shook her head, turning away from them as she turned back to the open travel bag, deciding what to add to it. The thing that really breaks my heart, is finding out you lied If you'd been honest at the start, I would have stepped aside You think it's a secret, but everyone knows That you sent her an Orchid, you sent me a Rose. Elizabeth was tired of the stares, the whispers, the giggles, the very idea that the entire of Port Royal knew what her husband was doing behind the closed doors of the Tavern. She was tired of the pity, the unwanted advice, the damned preacher who kept showing up preaching about how a wife fails in her job if her husband commits adultery. She understood, really she did. Had she not been there? She was surprised Will hadn't gone back with Jack when it was over. She had seen the looks after all, the touches. But he had choosen to stay with her, she didn't' question it. Maybe she should have. She added another dress to the pile in the travel bag and sighed softly, sitting on the bed. If he had just said something, anything.they could have worked it out, got him passage on a ship that wouldn't ask questions. It would hurt, but not as much as it did right now. She turned back to her packing, brushing a stray tear from her eyes, wondering why she was crying now, when everything was over and done with. Hours later, Elizabeth was sitting at her desk, penning a note for Will, biting her lip as she tried to express her words without damaging the already fragile friendship the husband and wife shared. She sanded and sealed the letter, choosing the rose seal as a silent, pointed message before laying it aside, putting her head in her hands, not caring that she just smeared ink up her cheek and into her hair. She frowned when she heard a door closed downstairs and stood, heading down the hall to her husband's study, watching him silently stair out the window. She moved closer to him, joining him at the window, following his line of sight to the Tavern, watching as Jack Sparrow stumbled down the walk towards the docks. "I told him good-bye," Will said softly. "And asked him not to come back." "So that's it then, time to move on with our lives." She said, wrapping her arms around his waist, laying her head on his shoulder. It wasn't bad enough to cheat and run around on me You had to go and add the insult to the injury Go buy her some diamonds, for her fancy clothes Then send her an Orchid and give her this Rose. Elizabeth knelt next to the fire in their bedroom, running her finger over the rose seal before kissing it gently, tossing the parchment into the fire, watching as the flame licked over it, burning her words, taking them from her. "Time to move on." She said softly as the paper curled, eating at the words "I love you," She turned away from the fire and started unpacking, glancing every so often at her sleeping husband who still had tears streaming down his cheeks. |
