Epilogue
CYRUS
The weather is too bright and sunny for how I’m feeling this morning.
Watching everyone prepare the ship for leaving, whilst I’m down on the dock doing nothing of notable value, hurts.
I’m excited to stay, I want to stay. I just don’t want them to leave either.
Mabel barks out orders as she walks off the ship, heading towards me with a grin. “I think I’m quite good at this first mate business.”
“You are good at barking at people.” I agree. When I chose to stay on the island, it didn’t take Amara long to assign my old position over to Mabel.
With the way she attacked after Hago’s attempts, and how bossy she can be, she’s a good replacement for me. She’ll have this crew in line with no trouble.
“It’s so much fun, I tell people what to do and they immediately do it. Amazing.” She giggles.
I silently laugh alongside her. “Don’t let the power get to you too much.”
She laughs more, coming to stand next to me and joins me gazing at the ship.
We’re silent for a while, just watching people run around the top deck making sure everything's ready, acting like they aren’t hungover as hell.
Mabel breaks the silence with a gentle whisper. “We’ll miss you.”
I blow out a long breath, trying to stop the tears that have been brewing all morning. In all honesty, they’ve been sat there since last night. Drinking and laughing with everyone has only made me realise how much I’ll miss them once they aren’t here. “I’ll miss you guys too.”
“Remember to send letters please, I’ll be making sure Amara keeps you updated too.” She says it with a flare of authority, as if that’ll work with me, it’s my position she’s just filled.
“Yeah, you’ve already let that power get to your head, huh.” She smirks up at me.
“That she has, I’m going to have to remind her who’s Captain soon.” Amara grins as she exits the ship too. “Although I think she might enjoy the punishment too much.”
I feel my face scrunch up at the thought of them fucking. I’m actually grateful I don’t have to hear that anymore. It’s extremely weird to me now that I ever thought I wanted this with Amara. “I don’t need to hear anymore of that, if you don’t mind.”
Suddenly a small, gentle hand traces along my spine. “What don’t you want to hear about, dove?” Tally appears beside me, resting her arm along my waist as she grins up at me.
“She doesn’t want to hear about Mabel and I’s sex life. And the funishment Mabel’s going to receive later.”
I watch Tally’s face scrunch up just like mine did moments ago. “I don’t blame her, hearing you got at it is bad enough.”
Mabel’s face blazes red. She awkwardly clears her throat. “Well I’m needed back on the ship. Look after each other.” Then she comes close with arms out stretched, without a second thought I step into her, offering her a goodbye hug.
She pulls back, giving Tally a hug and slightly pulling her away to the side.
Then there’s just me and Amara.
Wasting no time, she grabs me and wraps me into a bone crushing hug. I pay it back tenfold, holding on as tight as possible, whilst trying to hold the tears at bay.
“I’m going to miss you so much.” I whisper, so low I doubt she’ll even hear me.
Of course, she hears me anyway, squeezing me tighter. “We’ll be back around before you know it.”
Finally, I release her, catching Mabel and Tally muttering something to themselves.
I watch as Mabel and Amara meet in the middle, ready to get back on the ship.
As sad as I am, this feels right.
I’m not meant to be going with them this time. I don’t think I was meant to be going with them last time. The thought of getting on that ship right now and leaving Tally behind makes me want to vomit. Staying is the right choice. It always will be.
It’s surreal watching them walk back up the plank. How normally I’d be following, but now my feet remain stuck to the floor– happy with their decision to stay.
Just before they disappear, Amara turns and shouts. “Now that you live here, you best get us cheaper docking rates.” She grins as she disappears inside.
It’s the perfect last thing to say, leaving me laughing instead of crying.
“Cheeky bitch, like she doesn’t get better rates than everyone else anyway.” Tally mumbles between her own silent laughter.
I pull her back into my side, needing her close. Even though I can’t see the top deck, I can hear when Amara and Mabel make it up there. Hear their commands from down on the dock.
For someone who’s not been on a pirate ship long, Mabel’s not doing half bad. She’ll do well as first mate. A smile blooms on my face despite the welling tears. Couldn't have picked a better replacement, Amara.
There’s no reason to stand here as they unmoor, it’s not like I can speak to them anymore, however my feet don’t understand that, they’re stuck to the ground. Cruelly making myself watch as they leave.
They’re only a few inches further from the dock when the first tear drops, even with a smile still plastered to my face.
I watch until they are out of the cove and back into open waters, too far to catch now even if I wanted to.
A strange sense of rightness fills my bones knowing I made the right choice. This was always the right choice.
I’ll miss my family, but there’s no part of me that wishes I was on that ship right now. Not whilst I have my whole life in my arms right now.
Tally is my reason for being me, for being alive. I won’t waste that chance again.
“We can go up to the cliffs, we can watch them for longer if you like.” Tally asks, squeezing my middle closer to her.
“Yeah, let's go.” My palm moulds with hers and I let her lead me away.
Tears silently fall, ones of gratitude, sorrow and love. Tally was right when she said this moment is bittersweet.
Tally
The walk to the top of the cliffs is silent, filled with quiet tears of tough choices.
She needs this time to decompress. There’s no argument that this is truly her decision, that she doesn’t want to leave. However, I know it’s still a lot for her. Even tears spring to my eyes as I lead her along.
By the time we make it up to the top of the cliffs, the ship is no bigger than a gold coin on the horizon.
Cyrus immediately takes a seat on the grass, pulling me down until I nestle into her lap.
It’s no hardship to mould every part of my body into hers. Laying my head on her chest and listening to the smooth, rhythmic beat of her heart. The calmness of it relaxes me.
We stay seated in silence until the ship resembles an ant on the water.
Even when it disappears, I have a feeling we’ll still spend the rest of the day here. Purely watching. I can sense she has no regrets staying. If she had regrets she’d be angry.
Instead, she’s serene. There’s tears but that gentle smile has yet to leave her face. I’m eternally grateful she was willing to change her entire life just to be with me. I love this woman so much it hurts.
After the way things ended before, I didn’t ever think I’d get the chance to receive her love back. Now I can feel it in everything she does. The silent moments of her love are more powerful– more meaningful– than when she says the words themselves.
Cyrus is the first to move when the ship can no longer be seen, the hours having moved past like sand on water.
“Thank you for giving me a second chance, even when I didn’t deserve it. I love you, Tally. You are my whole life and I promise to never do anything that requires you to give me another chance. I’ll never put you in that position again.”
My hands come up to cup her cheeks, and stare into those beautiful tear stained eyes. “The thing is, you did deserve a second chance. We both did.”
Not leaving her room for a rebuttal, I seal my lips with hers. Running my tongue along the seam of her lips, desperate for the heat only she can provide me with. When her tongue slides against mine, letting me taste the flavours only she can give, it seals something deep within me.
She is mine, and I am hers.
The End.