Chapter 27 (Urbain) - And a bottle of rum...

Teak listened as his dad talked about some squall he'd braved out on the ocean.  Every time his dad told the story, it got bigger and bigger.  He glanced around the table.  But it was good to be home from college, surrounded by his family.

"How about you and me go celebrate your return home," Urbain suggested after the kids had gone off to school.

Allyn frowned disapprovingly across the room. "Don't you think it's a little too early?"

It's one of the things Teak loved about his dad. No rules!  They headed to Tortuga, with Urbain promising his wife he wouldn't be long.

It wasn't often that the Unsavory Charlaton gets played.  But, Teak had an unusual upbringing.  With a grin, he raked in his winnings.

Urbain wasn't interested in cards or darts this trip.  He'd found a much more diverting past-time. 

It was no surprise to Allyn that her husband and stepson came home well after night had fallen. 

"You're home!" Rogue yelled as soon as her big brother walked into the room.  "I was waiting for you all day!"

"Just went out with the old man," Teak told her.

"I can't believe you went without me!" Sailor complained, playfully smacking Teak's arm.  "Tortuga?"

Teak smirked knowingly.  "Tortuga," he answered.

Rogue cast a glance between her brothers.  "What's Tortuga?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips. 

Teak ruffled her hair.  "You'll learn when you're old enough."

Teak was eager to begin his career.  He met the newspaper boy out front in the morning.

Sometimes the early bird gets the worm!

He headed off to his new job.

Sailor couldn't believe his luck when the cutest girl in school came home with him.  Christa Thorne was so hot!

Teak was pleased he got a promotion so quickly.

But knew he needed to keep in shape if he wanted to get another promotion quickly!

"Don't worry! I'll tell you what Tortuga is when I find out!" Rogue promised.

Happy Birthday Rogue! You are definitely Urbain's daughter!

"What do you want to do today?" Rogue asked her little brother, already making up plans for snowball fights and snow forts.

"Not so fast!" mom called from the kitchen.  "Just because it's a snow day doesn't mean we can't learn!"

"Awwwwww," the kids cried in unision.

In the end, there wasn't much learning being done at school either. The tent was flooded with kids.  Probably from parents who wanted the rambunctious young ones out of their hair for the afternoon. 

On the way home, Allyn ran into her friend Brandy.  It was nice to catch up with her.

Meanwhile the kids enjoyed the snow.

Allyn gabbed.  "And that's what I said!  Just because it's a snow day doesn't mean the kids can't learn! Sometimes when you're a mom, you just need to do what's best for the kids!"

Brandy glanced over Allyn's shoulder. "Umm, don't you think your kids should go inside? They're freezing!"

OH DEAR!

Allyn quickly said goodbye and rushed the kids into the house, ordering Sailor to take a warm shower and having Quay jump on the couch.  The blue tinge faded as they thawed!

Sailor was stoked when Christa agreed to sneak out with him.  At 1 am, he snuck out to meet her, diving straight to the floor of the car.

"What are you doing?" she asked in surprise, pulling her feet up. 

"SHHHH!" he said. "Shut the door, quick!"

Moments after Kestrel shut the door, Urbain jogged down the steps and met his carpool.

As he opened the door and got in, he chuckled to himself.  Did Sailor really think he was so oblivious he didn't know he snuck out every chance he got?

Urbain was stunned.  He'd reached the top of the criminal career.  He was officially part of the family.  The mob boss himself pulled him aside and said he would leave Calamity Canyon in Urbain's hands. 

Since he made plenty of money in his less than legal pursuits, Urbain decided to get rid of the antiquated order for protection money.  The Life of Crime restriction was officially lifted!

No one was happier for this turn of events than the mailman.  All those late nights delivering veiled threats and blackmail notes was hard work! 

Teak's carpool to his Oceanography job arrived.

In his mind, he always pictured himself out on a pirate ship with his dad, learning about the sea life. 

In actuality, he was employed at the Research Facility. 

Here, he checked on a few of the water-scapes and learned more about the environments. 

There were several indoor and outdoor spots throughout the facility. 

He enjoyed learning more about oceanography, even if he was a landlubber.

"URBAIN, wake up! I heard it again!" Allyn cried, smacking her husband in the arm and jumping out of bed.

"Man the deck! Wait? What?" he asked, slow to wake. 

"It's that GHOST again!" Allyn told him.  "She was slamming the fridge again!"

"Don't mind her! We'll go to the grocery store tomorrow," he promised.

Allyn glanced around fearfully.  "I'm scared to sleep!" she told him.

So Urbain helped her get some sleep the best way he knew how.

The next morning, she began writing her own tale.

Sometimes she felt living with the ghost of her husband's first wife had aged her before her time...

"Be ready, tonight we'll go on an adventure," Urbain told Sailor.

Sailor clapped his hands excitedly.  "YES!"

Soon, the house was full of people talking, playing and laughing. 

Everyone gathered around to sing happy birthday to Quay.

"Make a wish and blow the candles out!"

Then, after dark, Urbain led his teens to his favorite place in the world.

Quay stared at the place in wonder.  "So THIS is Tortuga!"

While the kids amused themselves at the cards table, Urbain did what Urbain best.

Fifteen men on the dead man's chest—
Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!
Drink and the devil had done for the rest—
Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!"