Authors: Lynelle Clark
'I know.' he said, and captured her mouth
seductively.
22
The rest of the voyage was uneventful, if you call
morning sickness between two women uneventful. Rosa-
Lee's morning sickness increased right after they started on
their trip to Portugal and Nora followed a month later. The
men were extremely careful around them. The sea's
continuous movement and the women's conflicting moods
were tiresome, but they could not avoid the smiles of
satisfaction in the private knowledge that they would be
fathers soon, an idea neither had considered possible.
Sometimes just to get out of the cabins the men
would flee to the bridge where they would talk man stuff.
The men laughed at their expense, knowing the time they
had was not always perfect.
Rosa-Lee tried very hard to control herself, but the
whole voyage had her nerves as tight as a drum. She felt
sweaty and gigantic, even though she knew. It was not true
and Roberto assured her he still loved her, all of her. She
was not convinced, and to make matters worse, when she
did not retched it out, she ate as if for an army, the hunger a
permanent resident within her swollen body.
Her clothes were long outgrown. The seams had
been let out until nothing remained. All she was
comfortable in was Roberto's shirts, but that meant she
could not go out, which was frustrating in the stifling cabin.
Not that Roberto complained about less to get rid of when
he wanted to cuddle into her.
Nora had it a bit better but not much. She was not
growing at such a gigantic pace as Rosa-Lee. Her dresses
still fit in a way, giving her more movement on the upper
deck. Her morning sickness lasted longer so that by the
time she had her wits about her, she was famished. But then
seasickness would set in and the doctor filled his days
controlling it. The cook baked special biscuits in the hopes
that it would help. Some days it was fine, other days
nothing stayed down and she cried, which frustrated Pierre
tremendously, just holding her the best he could, with a
handsome smile.
During those times, the two friends would stay on
the bridge, giving their full attention to the ship, the maps
and everything else happening. But the trip was calm, with
no real adventure to take their minds from their wives,
consoling each other, looking miserable themselves. Now
and then, the women would calm down and be the sweet
women they loved and adored, only to chase them out
again in anger.
After four months of rolling seas, steady winds in
the sails and beautiful weather they saw land beautifully
edged on the horizon. They hugged each other in relief and
the men joked with them, seeming unmoved. They watched
the land coming closer with every passing hour.
Again, dread filled Roberto's mind, wondering for
the umpteenth time how he would be received. After that
one time, he never spoke to Rosa-Lee about it again but the
nagging question remained in his head and he clenched his
teeth as he looked at the unfolding land mass before him.
As the busy harbour came into view, he felt his
shoulders tense and his rigid posture as stiff as a plank.
Pierre noticed his friend and former captain's tense
posture and touched him on the shoulder.
'You will be fine Roberto. You are making it too
much of an issue. If what Rosa-Lee is telling us is any
indication of who this man is, he will accept you.'
Dark eyes turned to him and he gave a tense grin.
His lips were stretched and even underneath the tanned skin
Pierre could see his friend was pale.
'Yes, I hear you, my friend.'
'Relax.' Pierre squeezed his shoulder once again.
'There you are, Roberto, love,' Rosa-Lee called out,
the smile on her face radiant but tired, her body
uncomfortably large as she held her back. Roberto turned to
look at her with tender love, softening the tensed features
immediately.
'Were you looking for me, Rosa?' He welcomed her
body into his arms.
'Yes love, I was wondering when we will dock?'
She looked past him to the busy harbour. Large merchant
ships lay in the overcrowded harbour, busy unloading or
loading and they could see people scurrying around in the
distance, too far away to identify.
'Not long now. By nightfall we will be there and I
will send someone to your father's place to come and get
us,' he replied, wrapping her in his arms and kissing her
cheek.
Nora also joined them and together the two couples
watched the harbour coming closer. True to his word, by
the time supper was served they had found a place and
could send one of the men with a note to her father's house,
notifying them of their arrival and requesting a carriage.
Two hours later, the boatswain announced the
arrival of Cisco Almaida and Pierre went outside to meet
the hero.
'Love, you need to relax,' Rosa-Lee said softly,
touching his thigh as he came to his feet, and he nodded,
feeling animated in his actions as he helped his wife from
her chair, her cheeks glowing with excitement to see her
father.
The moment the dining room's door opened and
Cisco Almaida stepped, in Roberto de Ville stepped back,
his eyes fixed on the giant in front of him. For the first time
Roberto really looked at the man, three inches taller than
himself. Cisco roared out to Rosa-Lee, who gave a jubilant
yelp and disappear in the big man's chest.
'Papa,' she said, 'I have missed you,' as bubbles of
laughter burst from her and a beautiful smile adorned her
face, looking up to the man who had raised her as his own.
'I have missed you, my Rosie.' Roberto thought he
was going to break her in two as his strong arms wrapped
around the protruding belly of his pregnant wife. A smile
appeared on Roberto's face. His wife's joy filled him and he
eased up a bit. Feeling tension leave his shoulders, he
unclenched his fists, but the tight jaw remained. The man
still did not notice him.
He was followed by a younger version of himself
and Rosa-Lee yelped out again. 'Manuel, brother!'
'My sister!' He took her away from their father,
kissed her soundly on the mouth, and she giggled. When
they finally let her go and she stepped back, the two men
who caused the dining room to be filled to capacity looked
down at her and stopped at her swollen girth.
'Rosie, are you in the family way?' Cisco asked, and
then he looked up to see Roberto right behind her. His light
blue eyes filled with suspicion and surprise.
'Papa, I must introduce you to my husband.' She
turned around and pulled Roberto closer. Both men's faces
turned menacing, especially Manuel's, whose face distorted
into an ugly grimace. He stepped in front of her.
'Step aside, sister,' he hissed.
'Manuel, you don't understand!'
'What is this pirate doing here?' he demanded.
'He is my husband, Manuel. Papa...?' She turned
back to her father with huge eyes, looking for support.
'Manuel, wait, let's hear what is going on.' Cisco
stopped his son.
'Papa, I love Roberto.'
'But child, he kidnapped you.'
'Yes, Papa, but he saved my life, mine and Pedro's.
Let me explain.' Her father looked down at her, his face
grim and he touched her shoulder.
'I think we need to go home. Mama is waiting for
us. Then you can explain this.' He turned his gaze back to
Roberto.
'Papa, meet Roberto de Ville.' She introduced
Roberto. Cisco stretched out a paw and Roberto took it,
feeling the strength as her father gipped his hand. He
almost flinched under the pain but kept his face blank.
'Roberto,' Cisco said, 'we will talk about this at
home.'
Roberto nodded. 'Yes, Señor.' and bowed politely.
†††
The reunion between mother and daughter was
heart-warming. Qonchita burst into tears when she saw the
state of her daughter. But her face lit as she touched Rosa-
Lee's belly with the greatest tenderness and awe. When
they introduced her to Roberto, she looked at him, then at
her daughter, and saw the love they shared. Without any
thought, she pulled him into an embrace and kissed both his
cheeks. He could not help but feel elevated by her. He
accepted her as a mother into his own life and returned her
kindness, much to the dismay of Manuel.
They had a hard time in controlling the young man,
who just wanted to floor him at every possible opportunity.
Cisco held him in and out of respect for his father, he
walked away. He came back later and joined them again.
In the meantime, they read the letter from Pedro,
who explained in detail what had happened and the plan
they implemented to bring the Falcon down. Slowly Cisco
came around, the wary look turning into one of interest.
Deep into the night, five people sat in the study of
the Almaida castle as they listened to the unfolding story
from Rosa-Lee, who sat next to Roberto, holding his hand.
When they had arrived, he had said he had wanted
to explain, but she insisted on doing the talking. Because he
knew she knew her family better, he allowed her to
proceed.
†††
Pierre and Nora were shown to their suite of rooms
and they were already sleeping in the comfortable four-
poster bed by the time the others sat down together. Winter
was already setting in and they were close to each other in
the oversized bed, cuddling. Nora's nausea had finally
subsided and she was feeling like a whole person, to the
great joy of her husband. They decided to stay at the
Almaida castle until after the birth of their baby before they
continued on their journey to his house in France.
He had already sent a letter to his mother and sister,
informing them of his marriage and the pregnancy and
wrote that they would join them before the next winter. He
explained that Nora was extremely ill on the voyage and he
did not want to cause her or the unborn child any more
distress.
†††
When Rosa-Lee finally stopped talking, she smiled
up to Roberto, tired but happy, and he smiled, returning his
gaze to the Almaida family.
'Señor and Señora, I know we have not met under
the best of circumstances but I really do love your
daughter, my Rosa. I have already handed my resignation
in, and I plan to become the farmer I always wanted to be.
With her at my side, my future is filled with promise.'
Emotions washed over his face and both the parents could
see that this man was genuine in his feelings toward their
only daughter.
'I never thought I could have this, a wife and baby
to call my own. I vow to look after her and treat her with
the utmost love and devotion. She will lead the life she is
used to, lacking nothing. My pirate days provided well for
me over the years.' She squeezed his hand in support. 'I
love Rosa-Lee. There is no other woman for me.' Rosa-Lee
wiped away a tear, yawning behind her hand.
'I appreciate your honesty, Roberto.' Cisco finally
addressed him.
'What you have done for my children put me in
your debt and I can see that you really care for Rosa-Lee
and love her. I could not have chosen better than you. I
understand why you had to come and drag her out of my
house like a thief in the night.' Roberto flinched under the
piercing gaze
'You are a good man, Señor,' Roberto said.
'No, son, just a man who has walked the path and
understands much more.'
'Thank you, Papa,' Rosa-Lee added and yawned
again.
'I want to get my wife in bed, if you don't mind.'
'Yes, of course, Roberto, she is tired after the long
journey. I will have the physician here tomorrow to look at
both ladies. In the meantime, son, you are welcome in my
family. Cisco raised himself to his full height. His wife
followed him. He clasped Roberto's hand in a fatherly
gesture.
'Thanks, Señor.'
'Papa' will be fine, son.'
Roberto swallowed at the lump in his throat.
Papa
.
When was the last time he had used that word? His eyes
misted over and the man stepped forward and gave him a
bear hug.
†††
Later that evening, with the smouldering fire in the
hearth creating shadows against the walls and thick
curtains, Roberto watched his wife's sleeping form. He
brushed away the dark locks covering her beautiful face.
The shadows underneath her eyes showed that she had not
yet recovered from the journey, but her breathing was slow
and at peace. He had one hand on the stretched belly and
one hand under her face, the pouty lips warm and inviting.
He could not help but smile, tenderly touching the soft skin