Chapter 14
Two weeks later…
Today’s day 28/01/1875.
“Wake up, wake up,” Luke sang sitting on his hands and knees on the bottom bunk bouncing.
“Mike,” Junior grumbled, “If you don’t want your brother to swim home I would get him off the bed,” He warned.
Over the past two weeks the twins had become great friends with Junior and he had only grown to love Jo more. They hadn’t really had time alone, but that was alright. Junior was happy because it would stop him from doing anything before they were married.
As for the harlot down below, she had drooled over the twins on seeing them and even tried to get with them. But they surprised everyone by saying no. When asked why, they said ‘Condoms aren’t a hundred percent, we could still get something from the nasty mess.’
“You wouldn’t do that,” Luke said confidently, “Jo won’t marry you then.”
“That’s what you think,” Jo mumbled and moved further into Junior’s arms.
“Luke, get off. You don’t want him to kick your ass do you?” Mike warned him laid on the top bunk.
“Fine,” Luke sighed and flopped across the bottom of the couples bunk.
“I’ll just stay here.” Soon enough they had all fallen asleep again.
Andy had asked Luke to get them up, now twenty minutes later, nothing.
“Why is it I feel like I have four children on board instead of just one,” He mumbled to himself.
In all honesty though, he actually enjoyed having them all around. They brought some entertainment and his son was happier than he had ever seen him.
Opening the door to the groups cabin, but stopped mid-step entering the room.
On the bottom, bunk lay Jo almost on top of Junior. On the bottom, across their feet was Luke.
Finally, Mike hung halfway out of the top bunk all asleep.
He shook his head and laughed.
“Now, if your anyone else saw this they would think it strange,” He said loud enough to wake them.
“Papa?” Jo asked still half asleep.
The captain smiled at the affectionate name his future daughter-in-law had started calling him only the week before.
“Yes, Annie,” He had come to call her that when the crew weren’t around. “It’s time to wake up. I told Luke too, but…” He trailed off and laughed again.
Joanne opened her eyes to see what the pressure on her feet was. “Oi,” She kicked her feet trying to wake him up. Then she tried to sit up, but was pulled back down by her fiancé.
“Stay with me, princess,” He mumbled still asleep.
“Save me, papa!” She held out her hand to the man who she thought of as a second dad.
“Junior,” He said sharply but was smiling. His son’s eyes shot open and also seemed to wake the other two men.
“Wake up and let the poor girl go.”
“Sorry, princess, dad. We’ll just get dressed and be out.”
The captain nodded and turned to leave. He heard Luke saying as he left, “You guys are really comfortable, I think I might sleep here more often.” He chuckled and closed the door.
**
“Can’t I have a go on the wheel today?” Luke asked. It wasn’t normal, but today both twins were on the helm. The captain volunteered to show Joanne how to navigate and read maps courses, whilst Junior helped the twins.
“You can have an hour, then Mike,” Joanne said knowing how childish he could be. Mike had already been on the wheel for little over an hour.
“Yay. Just call me Captain Birdseye.” Both Andrews had grown used to the strange comments, so said nothing.
Although Junior continued to stare longingly at her most of the time, he had listened to her warnings and tried his best to continue to work.
“Tilla will probably try and steal you away as soon as she finds out about the marriage,” The captain laughed to himself thinking about it.
“And be sure she will not let you share a bed until you are wed.”
Junior groaned, “She can try,” He mumbled under his breath. Andrew senior just laughed knowingly.
“Ettie will adore you and try and have you become friends with Millie,” Captain said knowing the woman well.
“I’m not sure that will happen. If what I heard about her is true, I will probably end up punching her.” The men all laughed. “I can’t stand people who are up themselves.”
“I think we will have to stick around Annie, if only to protect Millie,” Mike thought out loud and the captain agreed, but was smiling.
“Err, I don’t care if she hits her, as long as Annie is alright,” Junior shrugged nonchalantly.
“You really are grumpy git, aren’t you?” Luke teased earning him a dead arm.
“You hit hard,” He chuckled rubbing his arm.
“Junior, play nice,” Joanne warned.
“Sorry, princess.” He was like a puppy dog around her, he wandered over from where he stood with the twins.
His father watched him knowingly and rolled his eyes.
“Do not be mad,” He stood behind her as she sat and wrapped his arms around her.
“I’m not mad,” She turned her head and pecked his lips, “Just try not to hit Luke. He is already dumb, we don’t need you making him any…” She suddenly stopped speaking.
“Daddy?” She asked in a hushed whisper looking at in the corner.
The twins and both Andrews looked to where she was looking.
She stood up from her chair and ran to one of the two men who had just appear. She jumped up into the older man’s arms and wrapped her arms and legs around him.
The man hugged her back, kissing her forehead. “I miss you, baby girl. Are you alright? The fools didn’t cause you any trouble?”
“Gee, dad, we missed you too,” Luke said sarcastically as he and his twin came over to join them.
Matthew looked up to see his sons and smiled. He let his daughter down and the other man immediately hugged her.
Their father hugged the twins. “You smell nice, Adam,” Joanne said sniffing her older brother.
“And you smell like the twins after a night on the town,” He joked.
“Gross,” She laughed.
“Mattie?” Matthew looked to see the captain.
He stared at the man for a moment until realization struck him.
“Oh my God, Andy.” Adam, the twins, Joanne and Junior watched silently as the old friends embraced.
“We thought you dead.”
“No, just lost, but then I met Juliet…” The Captain knew who she was from the twins.
“It is alright. Annie and the boys told us.”
Matthew looked to his children, “If it were not for little Annie and the boys I don’t think I would of coped. They are fools at times, but I would never change them,” He told his old friend stepping back. Then noticing Junior, who was silently standing by the wheel making sure they don’t veer off course.
“That is my son.” Matthew looked between father and son and raised an eyebrow. “This is Andrew Junior.”
Matthew walked over to the younger man and held out his hand.
“Nice to meet you, son.” Junior took the man’s hand and grasped it firmly, trying to hide his nerves.
“Hello sir. My dad has told me much of you.”
“I’m just going to get some men to cover and we’ll take a break,” Andrew senior told them, “Annie, take your dad and brother to the cabin. The twins and we’ll join you in a minute.”
“OK, Papa.” Matthew raised an eyebrow. “Let’s go.” She noticed for the first time a few large bags.
“Did you bring me something?” Her eyes sparkled as excitement.
“Maybe.”
“Cabbage?”
“Maybe.” Junior looked confused and watched the three leave.
“Dad, Adam,” Joanne sat the pair in the captain’s quarters. “Before they come I want to tell you…” She chewed her lip nervously.
“You are pregnant?” Adam said with a hard look.
“No. I am still a virgin.” He and her dad breathed a sigh of relief.
“But… I want to get married…” Adam frowned.
“No. You are…” Matthew cut his son off. “Let us meet the man first.”
“Thank you, daddy. I love and missed you both so much.”
“We missed you too.” Adam leaned over and hugged her again.
“Yes, I had to force Adam not to break into the boat too,” Her dad said chuckling.
“Speaking of the boat…”
“We didn’t break in,” Adam cut her off.
“It turns out the caretaker…” Matthew started explain, “… is Sam’s uncle.”
Joanne groaned, “Does he know what you were going to do?”
“No, he left us alone.”
“He is a dumb ass, he’ll probably think we just left,” Adam said after his dad spoke.
The door opened and twins walked in, closely followed by the Andrews.
“Daddy,” Luke sang and sat on Matthew’s lap.
“Get off, you soft git,” He laughed and pushed him off.
“It is strange to see you like this,” Andrew senior said smiling.
“Meaning I am strange now, my kids or both?”
“Yes, a little. But I mean you going to the future and then coming back. We thought you dead.”
They all squeezed in the seats around the table.
“I’m sorry about that. I couldn’t risk coming back and losing Juliet,” Matthew explained. “We fell in love, she become pregnant quickly.”
“I understand,” Andrew senior said thoughtfully, “I would do the same for Tilla.”
Matthew laughed, “I knew you would end up with her. She was always gushing over you.” Then he looked to Junior.
“I should have guessed when I heard your name. Does that mean you are married to Ettie’s daughter? If she has one?”
“No,” Junior shifted in the seat. He opened his mouth to speak, but Luke cut him off.
“He doesn’t like her. She’s up herself. Junior is virgin, you know?” Joanne punched his arm, whilst Mike shook his head.
“Sorry for him, he’s an idiot,” Matthew apologised.
“It’s alright. I am kind of used to him now.”
“I expect they have been lazy pains,” Matthew said knowing his sons.
“They have worked really hard,” Andrew senior went on to explain what the twins had been doing.
“And today I was teaching Annie how to navigate properly.”
“I’m surprised but proud to hear that. As for my little girl,” Matthew looked to his daughter and smiled, “She has always loved boats and fishing. She was always asking to go fishing when she was young.”
He exchanged a smile with his daughter but didn’t miss the way Junior almost continuously looked at her.
“She is a great young woman, I’ve always wanted a daughter. I just have Andy and Edward, he’s thirteen.” Andrew senior looked to his childhood friend.
“You are staying, are you not?”
“I wanted to speak to my children about that. We presumed that when the twins and Annie didn’t return that they were perhaps not wanting too.”
“If we wanted to stay would you?” She asked him.
“I want to be where ever my children are.”
Both Andrews were surprised at how dedicated to his children he was. Not many men in their days raised children single handed.
“What about you, Adam?”
“I would love to stay. Though I have no idea what we would do. We have no legal tender, though dad did have an idea for that if you wish to stay?”
“You will stay at house. Your sister lives just doors from us and your parents only minutes away if you wish to see them?”
Matthew looked unsure at the mention of his family.
“They would love to see you. They never forgot about you,” Andrew senior told him.
“I would love to see them and have loved seeing you again. I love you like my own brother.” Andrew would have been surprised at the way he was speaking not many weeks ago. But he had learned from listening the twins and Joanne both that people from the future are often a lot more forthcoming with their feelings than many in his time.
“But I will not abandon my children. If they wish to go back then so will I,” Matthew finished.
“Sir, may I ask for a moment of your time?” Junior asked politely.
The twins, captain and Joanne watched knowingly, whilst Adam seemed oblivious and Matthew had an idea.
“Yes, but call me Mattie, your father is as good as a brother to me anyway.”
“Mr Harris, I wish to ask for your permission to marry your daughter?”
“Why do you wish to marry her?”
Junior was expecting the question but was still surprised. “Why wouldn’t I?! She is perfect in every way. I have adored, loved her since the moment I met her.”
“Despite thinking she was a boy?” Luke teased.
“That was a little confusing but yes,” He admitted not caring what they thought.
“Junior, why don’t you, Annie and the twins go to the mess? I want to speak to Mattie and Adam alone.”
