Maeve O'Treasaigh

"Of course Captain", she murmured. "I'll take a look at it as soon as I'm finished here with Miss Tribbiani", she replied. "In the meantime, I'm lookin' forward ta settlin' into ma quarters. It's truly much more than I'd hoped for", she said, smiling. Captain Brand returned a pleasant enough smile and welcomed her aboard yet again as he left the surgery for duties elsewhere.

The Captain arrived at the surgery to find Miss O'Treasaigh already attending her first of two patients. Miss Tribbiani sucked in her breath sharply as Maeve finished up the job of wrapping Treasure's hand. Footfall in the open doorway alerted her to someone's presence and she turned to see who had arrived. Seeing that it was the Captain, Maeve turned to face him. "Hello again Captain Brand", she said, smiling. "What may I do for ya sir?"

"No sir", she replied quietly. "The cat has no bearing on whether or not I stay. In truth, the cat belongs to Miss Kildaire, though, if the cat can't stay, I daresay she'd choose this unprecedented opportunity and my continued companionship over a cat", she said confidently enough.

She dropped a small curtsy to Captain Brand. “Sir”, she said mildly. “As you can see, I’ve arrived in good order. Miss Kildaire should be arrivin’ within the half hour and….oh!”, Maeve stopped abruptly, stooping quickly to catch Mandrake by the nape of the neck just before he darted across the weather decks. Captain Brand looked as though he was about to reply to this until the sudden commotion. Maeve stood back up, holding the kitten firmly. “I wasn’t sure if it was presumptuous ta bring aboard a…pet without askin’ yer permission first. I didn’t think ta ask ya what with everything happenin’ so quickly”.

Miss Smith and Maeve approached the gangplank of the Watch Dog. The chirurgeon felt a sudden surge of nervous adrenaline as she looked upon her new home. It bustled with activity. For a moment, she considered turning back, now truly believing herself to be mad for accepting such an assignment. The idea of being confined for unknown periods of time on a ship didn’t honestly appeal to her all that much. She’d had quite enough of it on her journey here with her father. Still…deep in her heart, she knew it was the right thing to do and so took courage in the knowledge. Miss Smith noticed Maeve pausing overly long at the gangplanks and gave her a questioning look. Maeve returned a wan smile and began pushing her cart up the plank, Mandrake mewing the entire time.

With everything hastily packed and instructions left w/ the youths from St. Louis, the three ladies stood out on the street looking at the door of the shop. Maeve handed the keys to the two boys and looked one last time upon her home here in Martinique. Briar, sensing her emotion, gripped her hand and held it quietly. BriarRose herself felt a tinge of sadness, but honestly, she felt more relief that she was finally leaving these shores. Disembarking upon a privateer, however questionable, was almost certain to make her trail go as cold as the arctic winds. They had taken great care not to let slip the name of the ship they were heading for to either Father Thomas or the two boys. BriarRose did not want them to be put in a bad position of having knowledge of her whereabouts should her pursuer arrive at St. Louis and question them mercilessly. They had both been a tad sloppy, letting Briar’s face be seen in her home, and allowing herself to answer the door while Maeve was away. BriarRose was glad of the deep cowl that hid her face from view from all but those she wished to see her. Maeve squeezed her friend’s hand and turned herself resolutely away from the home she loved, and even more so from the memory of the one that she had so foolishly allowed herself to love. I must be mad as a march hare, she thought to herself. Yet, madder still it would be to pass up an opportunity for one in a position such as herself. She could not let go this chance to erase her mistake and begin a new life. With resolve in her heart, she turned to the two hand carts they had loaded with their belongings. With a nod from Maeve, BriarRose melted off down the street, taking a different path, alone, to the docks. Mandrake mewed pitifully from the cart as she did so. Given their previous lapse of care, Maeve and BriarRose decided that they couldn’t be too cautious now. They’d decided upon a plan whereby Briar was to duck into several places along the way, changing her appearance and dress in small ways as she went until she arrived, looking markedly different, at the docks approximately half of an hour after Maeve and Miss Smith would arrive with all of their belongings. Once BriarRose was out of site, Maeve and Miss Smith set out for the docks.

Maeve was still awaiting a response from their awkward patient when Briar appeared, asking her question. She turned her attention for a moment to her friend. "All's well down here. Miss Smith has been quite helpful and is writin' a missive ta her lady friends ashore here ta see if they'd be willin' ta occupy this place, at least through December." Maeve turned now to look at the quiet, bruised woman before her. "I was just askin' Marie here where I might be able to send her since we're turnin' us all out of the place in another hour or so." Marie's face hid much of what she was thinking. Finally, she replied. "I dunna have anyplace ta go...I...I was turned out ya might say", she finished reluctantly. The chirurgeon regarded her kindly. "Well, ya'd be welcome ta stay at the church of Saint Louis. Father Thomas is very kind and you could most certainly find at least a few day's food and shelter there", she offered. It was hard to say what Marie thought of this as she turned to gather what little she had. BriarRose crossed the room in a dash, disappearing into the kitchen. A few short moments later she came back, finishing a knot she was tying in a piece of muslin around the last of their biscuits. "Here", BriarRose offered. "It's not much, but it should help out until you've settled in at the church tonight". Marie smiled weakly at this, offering her thanks as she left the little shop. She would discover, probably sometime later that day, the little bit of money that Maeve had tucked into the tattered pocket of her pants the day before.

Now that both women were decided upon their course, they quickly began to create piles and lists of items that would stay and that which would go with them. Miss Smith proved herself most helpful in sorting things, offering up her wise opinion as to what should stay and what should go for practicality's sake. To Maeve, Miss Smith was a mystery she found intriguing and decided that she looked forward to the idea of getting to know such a woman. Marie entered from the surgery room, looking tired, but somewhat recovered. It was obvious by her posture that the deep bruising caused her pain. Their patient's eyes held an unspoken question and confusion as she witnessed the scene. Maeve became suddenly aware of Marie standing in the doorway and went over to her. "Marie, I'm afraid that I am forced ta turn ya out of house today. I have been offered a commission aboard a ship called the Watch Dog and find that I must depart in haste with Miss Kildair at my side. I am willin' ta make sure yuh'r cared for by another physician if that is yer wish. I apologize for bein' arupt, but I must know where I might send you and inta who's care", she finished.

Maeve had rushed to treat the rest of the most seriously wounded patients while she explained to Father Thomas the reason for her sudden departure from this church and this island. He had looked stricken before he managed to recover himself somewhat, and was kind enough not to try to dissuade her from her decision. In return for the horribly sudden revocation of her much needed services, she offered to donate all that was left behind in her apartment to the church to use, distribute, or sell as they saw fit. Waving for the last time to the kind Father and his humble parish, Maeve hurried home as fast as she could in the company of 2 teenage boys from the church with Miss Smith in tow as well. In a short time, she was home, breathlessly explaining everything to Briar, even as she started separating items she would take and those that would now belong to the church. Briar looked stunned, not seeming to know what to say as her friend flew around the apartment in flurried haste. "And there's one other very important thing", Maeve added, stopping for a moment now to approach her friend with a smile and face flushed with heat, excitement and exertion. "You are to come with me, if you choose. You will have free passage and are to room with me. We will have private accommodations, you and I", she added, stepping in close now to grab up BriarRose' hands into her own. "And you...you can escape this island and slip away quietly from those pursuing you", she finished, her face now looking askance.

If the Captain noticed Maeve's wide-eyed surprise and disbelief at leaving within a few short hours, he didn't acknowledge it. She wondered how she would accomplish all that needed to be done in so short a time. Miss Smith waited and watched quietly as Maeve turned with a suddenly heavy heart, wondering how in the world she would tell Father Thomas that she had to leave not only within the hour, but for good.

To say that the idea of being offered shares didn't increase the temptation to accept the offer exponentially would be a lie. To be a woman and yet earn as much and more than a man would typically make...well it made the future look suddenly much more bright and full of potential. The trust and unusual respect this unusual man offered her was thrilling, even heady. Add to this the fact that she could bring along her companion and friend...it made her shiver. With this last gesture, she knew the Captain for the dangerous, shrewd man that he was. He had lain a trap for her as carefully and thoroughly as the most masterful of hunters. It almost made her angry to think that he was nearly certain that what he offered her, and in the manner that he had done so, was sure to catch its intended target. She was a smart enough to know when she should be well caught by such an offer. Maeve smiled with a wry girlish smile as she accepted the books the Captain proffered her. Then she locked eyes with him. "Very well sir. I will gladly accept your offer. When shall I report aboard ship?"

Moved below

It was indeed an impressive and covetous array of items the Captain laid before her. As they spoke, Maeve's eyes lingered on Miss Smith's face, searching for any small signs of hesitance or falsehood, but none was there. She and the Captain were, at the very least, absolute in their sincerity and appeared to be speaking the truth. Her posture softened after a moment and she eyed the baubles and medical ware again as she was hit with wave after wave of conflicting emotion. Even as she thought on how impossible and incredible it seemed to even consider accepting such as offer, she was dimly aware that God had, impossibly, opened a window for her somehow. Her jaw tightened as she held back a sudden onslaught of emotion, biting her lip to keep it from trembling. Even as she dared to hope or think that she could accept such a position, she wondered on the practicality of mundane things. She certainly couldn't take everything she owned with her. The shop's rent was paid up through December, courtesy of her father. Could she get any of that money back? If she stayed, she knew for certain she would be out on the streets after December, forced to live upon the mercy of the church she now served. If she went with the Captain and his crew, how long could she stay, even there? After another moment, Maeve cleared her throat. "I'm.....I don't know what ta say Captain. I...this is most unexpected and yet",....she trailed off. Other than her sincere love for the island that had become her home, the last reason to truly keep her here was her friend Briar, who was soon to leave herself. Captain Brand didn't say anything, merely waiting for her to continue. "And yet", she started again, but didn't finish.

Maeve stilled and stood there, stunned as she took in the full meaning of what Captain Brand had just said. A hundred hesitations, reasons, and obvious protests came to mind, unvoiced for a moment as she struggled for words. "Captain Brand, I....", she began, "I am quite honestly stunned and taken aback by such an offer and am not sure what ta say", she managed. "I'm not a real doctor sir, ya must know that. I haven't been ta'a proper school far such things and...well, I have a shop ta take care of. And quite frankly, despite what ya feel I might've done far you and yer crew, I can't really understand why ya would offer such a job ta me", she added, almost angry. An adept observer would recognize her tone for shock and perhaps a deep feeling of inadequacy . Such positions simply were not offered to women. "Besides sir, despite the fact that ya have women aboard yer ship already, just how safe could a woman expect ta be on board a ship of so many crew with...", she paused, looking for just the right words. "Questionable backgrounds and character", she continued. Maeve had crossed her arms tightly in front of her even as she leaned forward, waiting for his response.

This morning, there were markedly few people awaiting Maeve's care. It appeared as though the ministrative efforts last week of both Briar and herself had gone well. Father Thomas moved about the room, doing what he could under Maeve's instruction as she finished placing wrappings over a freshly stitched knife wound. She noted how, despite Father Thomas' help, things went much slower without Briar's assistance. She listened distractedly as the embarrassed patient blathered about how he'd lost a dispute in the kitchen with his wife. Maeve could smell stale beer all about him. Smiling with as much empathy as she could muster, Maeve glanced about the room to see who was next in need of help based upon the state of their injury or illness. All the while, she prayed silently that God might forgive her and even offer her some respite, though she knew, deep in her heart, that there was none to be had.

Hmmm...I'll have to remember this thread when I'm up in the middle of the night with Aeva....

A kind thanks to everyone for the wonderful birthday wishes. It really means alot to me. I apologize it took me so long for me to actually get around to popping on here to thank you all. My healthy daughter is indeed the best birthday gift I could have asked for, and my recovery has been rather swift. It will be nice having another little pisces in our family :-)

Yes, Happy Valentine's to everyone. I'm sharing a piece of the cake with you all that I made last night for today's special day: Chocolate-covered Hazelnut Mousse Cake. :-) Enjoy!

Mmm....a well deserved Fat Boy ice cream sammich

I've been an insomniac at gun point, in a manner of speaking. Just try to sleep in a hospital.

sippin' a Coke in this godforsaken hospital room...and waiting for the KFC to arrive. 15 more minutes!

ah...the wee one. Well, if the kitchen could order him up an appetite, that would be a start. In the meantime, we'll just take more juice and cracker.

Woot! With more HOMER awards than anyone else, let alone accomplished within 90 days, that darn well better warrant a promotion! Here's a congratulations toast to you you Syren!

Cracker Jacks.

ooh ooh! *gets in line for a slice*