Chapter 20
They appeared on the bridge of the past. But knowing the person would be disorientated, Joanne dropped the things she was holding and in one quick move turned the pulled the lever returning them to 2014. Taking a slightly confused Junior, Matthew and not to mention the mystery person with her.
“What the…?” Her father’s voice trailed off when he noticed the fourth person. Junior looked at the person but remained silent.
“Lottie, what are you doing here?”
Straightening herself out and taking a step back she gave them a cold look. “I am here to give you something.” They were not sure if she hadn’t noticed the change or was just pretending.
“What?” He asked confused. But she walked out of the boat and towards the exit. They followed her.
“She turned into a bitch when she got married,” Joanne whispered to Junior low enough so her aunt couldn’t hear. “That is why we weren’t bothered about leaving her behind.” He nodded in understanding.
“You’ll need these,” She stopped at a car and pulled out a couple of suitcases and a backpack.
“Are you just going to be cryptic? Or are you actually going to tell us what you are talking about?” The older man said growing annoyed.
“Do you know me and your father used to have sex before I married Leroy?” She asked Joanne with a smirk.
“Once, when we were drunk and you had fallen out with him, years ago,” He corrected.
“Whatever. This is yours.” She placed the bags in front of him and moved to the side of the car to reach in the back.
“I have had enough of it. I want to have children with Leroy and this is just a horrible reminder of a huge mistake.” She pulled out a terrified little girl with long brown auburn hair pulled back into a plait and big green eyes. She was wearing a long black wool coat which stopped just above her ankle.
“This is Cookie, she is two. Her birth certificate and stuff are in the cases.” She pushed the girl over to him.
“Cookie, this is your dad, you are going to live with him now.”
Matthew looked at the girl confused but picked her up in his arms. She quickly clung to him as though her life depended on it.
“You had my child and didn’t tell me?! Why the hell does she seem so scared of you?” He exclaimed.
“She is a brat, she is doing it for sympathy. And as I remember, you told me not to speak to you anymore,” She said smugly.
“SHE IS TWO! YOU ARE A BITCH. YOU KNEW WHAT I MEANT!” The little girl was crying on his shoulder.
“What’s it matter? You have her now and you can keep her. I don’t want her or to see her. Leroy doesn’t really like her and neither do I…” Before she could say anything else, Joanne launched her fist into her aunt’s face, knocking her to the ground.
“You are such a cow! What the fuck happened to you? You were so nice!”
“I grew up and you will understand when you do,” Lottie said with a glare, standing up and brushing herself off.
“You are really just going to leave her and never see her again?”
“Yes. I would have given you her ages ago, but Leroy thought I should try to look after her.” And without another word she got in the car and drove away.
They all watched in silence. Angry, but hiding it for the little girl’s sake. It was obvious without speaking that the girl was coming with them.
“Hello there, little one. I’m your daddy and that just there is your big sister, Annie,” Matthew said softly.
She peaked up and looked at the group. Her tiny face damp with tears. “And that is Junior. He is Annie’s friend.” He wiped her tears with his hand.
“Lud me?” Her voice tiny and his lips in a small pout.
“Very much, darling.” He kissed her forehead. “Annie does too. Don’t you, Annie?”
Joanne smiled and nodded, “What is not you love? You are pretty as a princess.” The little girl smiled and shied away.
“Will you let me hold you while daddy carries the bags?”
Cookie looked to Matthew, “Dada?”
His heart clenched and he kissed her forehead again. “Of course,” He handed the tiny two-foot toddler to his older daughter.
“We are going on a boat, Cookie. Do you like boats?” Joanne asked holding the girl on her hip.
Junior helped Matthew and looked at his fiancée adoringly. “She is going to be a good mother one day,” Matthew said quietly to the man noticing him watching.
“Yes, she will,” He agreed. “I cannot believe anyone would do that to their own child. It must be so upsetting for the little one. It made me so angry.”
“Lottie changed. I don’t know. But I think it is best Cookie is with me. I love her already. She is so beautiful. She reminds me a little of Annie when she was that age, in looks. I just regret I never knew her earlier.”
“How can she be certain her husband is not the father? I don’t mean to sound rude.”
“It’s alright, Junior.” He gave the younger man a reassuring smile. “You see Leroy, her husband is black. There is no way he is the father. Plus she has Annie’s hair and looks, but Lottie’s green eyes.” He looked at his daughters proudly.
“Ee see ‘ermais?” Cookie asked excitedly.
“Maybe. But you are going to meet your big brothers.”
“I ‘ave bruders?” She asked wide eyed. She spoke well for a two year old.
“Three. Two are twins,” Joanne told her as they walked to the boat.
“And you will be able to wear dresses like a princess,”
“That’s right. We can go shopping and buy you a few when we get home and you can help Annie choose some. Would you like that?” Junior offered sweetly.
“YES,” She squeals. “We pincess ‘gether.” She bounced a lot happier than before. Everyone chuckles.
“In a second something magic is going to happen, but don’t be scared. Just hold on to me,” Joanne said once they were on the bridge.
“No leave me?” She double checked with glossy eyes.
“Aw, darling. We are never leaving you. You are such a clever, pretty little girl. I always wanted a sister. Junior and I are getting married, that means you get to be a bridesmaid.”
The little girl grinned and hugged Joanne tighter, resting her head on her older sister’s shoulder.
“I can’t wait for you to be holding our children like that,” Junior whispered in Joanne’s ear while place his hand on her one which was on the wheel. Matthew did the same on her other side.
Only seconds later they were in 1875 with the three brothers, the captain and cook looking at them, then to the small girl confused.
“Who’s this pretty little girl?” Andrew asked after snapping out of his surprised state.
“This is Cookie. She is my daughter.”
All the men looked at him wide eyed. “It’s a long story. I’ll explain later.”
They all nodded in understand and looked back to the tiny girl who was shyly looking at them.
“Santa?” Cookie whispered to her sister making her laugh.
At forty-five-years-old Andrew’s hair was shockingly white and with a beard – which she knew many sailors had to keep them warmer during long trips – it made him look older than he was.
He had told her previously thought that his hair had turned white in his early twenties after an illness which he thankfully recovered from, except his hair which stayed white.
But Joanne had to admit despite his snowy hair he was actually very handsome. She could see where Junior got his ruggedly handsome looks from.
Andrew still had good skin, especially considering the years and his job. If it wasn’t for his hair and beard he may have been able to pass for Junior’s older brother. But the way his hair and beard was, it sadly gave people the idea that he was a man in his late fifties, not mid-forties.
“That is Andy senior, he is Junior’s dad. He is also captain of this boat, so maybe you can ask him about mermaids later,” Joanne suggested to the little girl earning her a chuckle from most of the room.
“I can’t wait to hear that,” Luke said laughing and gaining Cookie’s attention.
“That is Luke, the one who looks like him is Mike and that one is Adam. They are your brothers. And lastly, that is Uncle Derek,” She introduced them all to her though she didn’t expect the girl to remember all their names. She looked like she was struggling to keep her eyes open.
They all said hello.
“I think it’s time to put her to bed.”
“Yes…” He dad paused thinking where to put her.
“Don’t worry. I’ll sort her out. You tell the others what happened,” Joanne told him and without having to ask Junior took the young girls cases as though to follow.
“I have had all the stuff you brought put in the empty cabin near mine and the food to the galley,” The captain explained.
“Thank you, papa.”
“Good night, little darling,” Matthew kissed Cookie’s forehead, her eyes already closed.
Joanne carrying Cookie left the bridge only seconds, followed by Junior and Yuki.
Given the lateness of the hour everyone who was not working was either drinking in the mess-hall or asleep, meaning they saw no one on their walk.
“Can you just open that case, Junior,” She asked one they reached their quarters. “I want to find her something to sleep in.”
He complied and watched in awe as Joanne took care of the toddler as though her own. Yuki laid on the floor in the corner and fell asleep within seconds.
“It’s done,” She told him a moment later when she noticed he had turned away.
Though the child was only a baby, he was brought up respectful.
“Is it alright if she sleeps with us tonight? I know it’ll be a tight squeeze, but I don’t want her to wake up alone and fall overboard or something.”
Junior chuckled at the daft thought knowing she wouldn’t be able to get out of the room let alone to the water’s edge, but agreed anyway.
“I love watching you with her,” He said as he watched her place Cookie under the blankets before going to change herself.
He again turned to give her some privacy.
“It makes me long for a child of our own.” He turned around to see her appropriately dressed and stood frozen in place.
“You will be a great mother, princess” He drew his arms around her waist and kissed the side of her neck.
She relaxed in his arms and placed her hands on his.
“And you a great father, my love.”
Junior smiled against her neck and his arms tightened, “I am so happy I found you, my princess.”
“And I, you.”
**
Meanwhile, elsewhere on the ship…
“I cannot believe a mother could be so heartless and to a bairn!” Andrew fumed.
They were all angry once hearing Matthew’s story of how Lottie abandoned her child, but his old friend sounded ready to hang, draw and quarter the woman.
The boys reacted a lot better than he expected and were actually happy to have another sister.
“I don’t know. But the girl seemed scared of her, I have no idea why. But she is with me now. If anyone asks, I’ll tell them her mother is dead. I think it is best for us all that way.”
“Yes. She has all of us. Ettie and Tilla will be overjoyed to have another bairn around the place, as well as the rest of you,” Andrew thought out loud.
“Not to mention the fact that the little one has already made a place Jo and Junior’s heart,” He said and chuckled to himself.
“Though I expect, Junior is more thinking of the time when she will be holding his child.”
Matthew nodded his head and chuckle as well. “I suspect you are right.”
