115Enjoy!
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Spinning Yarns: The Tale of Tori Law
Chapter Thirty-Five - Old Habits Die Hard
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Tori fumed. She balled her hands into fists at her sides and clenched her teeth with rage. Who was that, that THING latching herself to Jahson's arm?
"Hold your horses, missy!" Nick said, snapping Tori out of it. He grasped her shoulders and shook her.
"What's wrong?" Tori glared daggers at him, and she looked so mad that his hands fell to his sides and he backed away in fear. Tori's eyes were starting to burn, and she felt a hot blush creeping to her cheeks. Every time she tore her eyes away from the scene of Jahson and his women, she looked back again. And every time Tori looked back again, her heart felt near to bursting.
Jahson ended the long lip lock, and, looking uncomfortable, turned to Tori and Nick.
"Er, may I intraduce, Zia," he said, gesturing to the tiny black woman round with child. She curtseyed gracefully and snaked her arm around Jahson's waist, just as Tori had done to Nick so many times.
Nick embraced Zia warmly, like old friends. Tori nearly exploded. What right did he have to do that?
Zia looked at Tori shyly. When she spoke, her voice was deep and smooth like the ocean. She pronounced each word a spoke as slow as molasses.
"Me and Nick have met before," she explained, "It's nice to meet you. You must be Tori. Nick has never shut his mouth about you since the minute I met him!" She laughed, and it was like rain on the roof.
Zia stuck out her hand to shake with Tori. Tori stared at the hand as if it were something loathsome, and stalked off to the cabin on the Tradewind she shared with Nick.
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Tori collapsed on the bed, her eyes brimming with tears again. The fact that Zia was so charming and kind made her even madder. She was coming along to steal her men away. Jahson and Nick were Tori's men, not Zia's!
Tori wrapped her arms around the pillow; ashamed at the way she had acted. How could she have thought that Jahson didn't have a life besides the one she knew? How could she have thought that he didn't have a lady of his own? She drowned her sorry in the sheets of the bed.
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As Nick watched Tori, skirts flying, run onto the ship and slam the door, he looked at Zia. Zia looked at Jahson, asking with her eyes what she had said to make Tori leave. Jahson shrugged slightly, watching the spot where Tori had been standing moments before.
"One of her closest friends left us today," Nick said, after thinking madly for an excuse, "I think all the excitement of you coming set her off again." Zia nodded slowly, but she was a smart woman. She knew that that was not the reason Tori had flipped off the handle.
"Let's get out of heah and have somethang to drink, to celabrate," Jahson suggested. So Nick ran up the gangplank and shouted to Tori that they were going to a local pub to get something to drink. Then the three set off, hoping that sitting down together at the pub would ease the awkwardness of the situation.
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A half hour later, Tori's eyes flew open. She had not even realized that she had dozed off for a few minutes. But now that she was awake, she wished she was still in sleep, dreaming away. She didn't want to wake and face the trouble that she had caused with her outburst.
She had mulled over why she had reacted that way for a period of time. It had felt like a dagger through her heart when Zia's and Jahson's lips had touched, and even thinking about it sent a wave of nausea over her. Was it possible that her feelings for Jahson had not entirely faded away? Could it be that she still, well, loved him?
She thought of the Jamaican and smiled. They had been through so much together. She thought of his warm eyes, his strong arms and chest that had saved her skin. She thought of his lips, and the time they had almost touched her own. . .
Then she remembered Zia, and her stomach lurched. She still had feelings for Jahson.
"Tori, Tori," she chided herself, "You always want what you can't have."
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Nick looked up at the sun. It was getting late, and Tori still hadn't shown. He knew that she was upset, but she hadn't expected her to take so long. Would she even show up? Jahson noticed Nick uneasily checking for the time. He was beginning to worry about Tori as well. Maybe it was a good idea to head back.
Nick was about to open his mouth to suggest going back to the Tradewind, but Zia beat him to it.
"Why don't we go check on the pretty girl?"
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Tori, after having admitted her feelings to herself, was feeling much better. She put on a pretty gold frock and brushed her hair. It fell nicely in waves. She had decided that she would just have to suffer through her feelings in silence. It wouldn't be too hard; Nick was there to help in that department. She still loved him, too. She would get along with Zia in public, but not get over friendly with her. If she became her friend, she would have to live with loving her husband. Tori wouldn't be able to beat it.
Tori walked out onto the deck, her patent leather shoes clicking on the wood. She walked down the gangplank and out on the dusty road, stirring catcalls from a few of the men in the street. She just kept walking.
Before long, she could see Nick, Zia, and Jahson coming towards her. She smiled sweetly - and rather falsely - at them.
"Tori, sweet, how are you?" Nick asked, something like concern in his eyes.
"Nick, I insist, I'm fine!" Tori said, shooing him away, "I don't know what came over me!"
She turned to Jahson and smiled, genuinely this time. Then she turned to Zia.
"Miss Zia, please forgive me for the way I've acted today," she said, "I gave you a truly horrible welcome, didn't I?"
"Please Tori, think nothing of it," Zia said. Tori noticed her hand grip Jahson's a bit tighter.
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When the party returned to the dock, Jahson grabbed a large suitcase that rested on the side of the road. He hoisted it up onto his shoulder.
"Now Jahson, you really don't need to carry my suitcase," Zia called to him, "the porter can do it!"
Tori spun around and looked at Nick. Then she turned again to address Jahson.
"What are you doing?" she asked, trying to keep her voice even.
"Zia's coming with us!" Jahson exclaimed, his joy evident in the way he spoke.
Tori whipped her head around to whisper in Nick's ear.
"You're letting him do this?" she hissed.
"Yes, why not?" Nick said, looking at her suspiciously, "Jahson is smitten with her, and besides, you need the female company."
"Do not," Tori muttered and, fists balled again, stomped up onto the deck.
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Tori sat, sulking, on her bed that night. She was in her nightgown, sweating. It was very hot and muggy outside, and her hair stuck to the back of her neck. She could hear the sound of the land crickets singing. She tried to treasure the noise, since they sailed tomorrow. But she couldn't; she was too angry.
With Zia.
With the world.
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
"Go away," Tori said, not wanting to see Nick just then. She just wanted to sit and feel bad for herself for a while. Was that so hard?
"May I come in?" the molasses said. It was Zia.
"Yes," Tori said reluctantly.
The door creaked open and Zia stepped in, holding a candle. She was in her nightgown as well, which was a satiny white with blue ribbons. Her hair was done in an intricate braid that held it off her neck.
"Hot night, huh?" She said, plopping onto the bed next to Tori.
Tori tried to smile, and failed.
"I want us to be friends, Tori," she said gently, prodding Tori to look up at her. Tori's head swum with thoughts of Jahson and his baby that lived within this woman. A stab of jealousness hit her.
"Let's just forget about Jahson for a while, ok?" she said, looking away. Tori gaped; it was as if the woman had read her very mind!
"What the- how did you-" Tori started, but Zia cut her off.
"Jahson told me," Zia said, "about how you two had had a bit of a secret love affair." She smiled wistfully. "I love Jahson with all my heart."
Now that Tori knew her secret, there was no point in keeping things inside. Before she could stop it, she was pouring everything out to Zia, until she had bared her soul. She told her about how she had loved Jahson, and was afraid she loved him now. She told her about her love for Nick, and how it would last forever. But if that was so, how could she love Jahson as well? She asked the questions that had been plaguing her heart, body, and mind. Zia just listened, laughing and tearing up in all the right places.
By midnight, Zia was braiding Tori's hair and they were chattering like girls.
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