Drabble Theme: "Light"
With apologies to Mark Twain, here is my offering for the "Light" drabble challenge. (Parrot eluded me all last week, but one of these days I'll catch me some avian muse.)
This is a sequel to a drabble I wrote more than a year ago, Molly Hatter. Molly is also a minor character from The Elusive Norrington.
~ Someone Waits ~
The first time had been something of a surprise for both of them: dalliance turned to a meeting of hearts, minds, and bodies that inspired shocking generosity in him, and determined faithfulness in her.
The second time, he'd come to see the result of that inspiration: Hatter's Hattery -- Headgear for the Discerning Gentleman.
Two weeks he'd stayed, that time. When he left, he'd taken away the sweet memory of her gratitude. And a hat.
"I'll leave a light in the window for you," she'd told him, and he'd laughed and shaken his head.
But the third time, he'd smiled to see it burning there.
And the fourth and fifth, he'd expected it.
But the sixth… now that time was different.
Battle and storm had ravaged his Pearl. They'd laid up, licking their wounds, for weeks, too remote to send word of their survival. Well, he'd just surprise 'em again, that's all.
But would that little lamp still burn?
One dark night, after finally limping into port, he made his way through the town to her shop and discovered it did.
She opened the door, first to peek, then wrenched it wide. "Jack!"
There was an edge of tears to this, and his smile twisted. "Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated."
She threw herself at him.
He caught her.
When they finally paused for breath, and he said, all a-wonder, "You left the lamp burning."
"Always!" she replied, voice unsteady, but conviction firm. "Long as it was lit, there was hope."
~.~
This is a sequel to a drabble I wrote more than a year ago, Molly Hatter. Molly is also a minor character from The Elusive Norrington.
~ Someone Waits ~
The first time had been something of a surprise for both of them: dalliance turned to a meeting of hearts, minds, and bodies that inspired shocking generosity in him, and determined faithfulness in her.
The second time, he'd come to see the result of that inspiration: Hatter's Hattery -- Headgear for the Discerning Gentleman.
Two weeks he'd stayed, that time. When he left, he'd taken away the sweet memory of her gratitude. And a hat.
"I'll leave a light in the window for you," she'd told him, and he'd laughed and shaken his head.
But the third time, he'd smiled to see it burning there.
And the fourth and fifth, he'd expected it.
But the sixth… now that time was different.
Battle and storm had ravaged his Pearl. They'd laid up, licking their wounds, for weeks, too remote to send word of their survival. Well, he'd just surprise 'em again, that's all.
But would that little lamp still burn?
One dark night, after finally limping into port, he made his way through the town to her shop and discovered it did.
She opened the door, first to peek, then wrenched it wide. "Jack!"
There was an edge of tears to this, and his smile twisted. "Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated."
She threw herself at him.
He caught her.
When they finally paused for breath, and he said, all a-wonder, "You left the lamp burning."
"Always!" she replied, voice unsteady, but conviction firm. "Long as it was lit, there was hope."
~.~