Undiscovered Melody |COMPLETED|

Chapter 4

The next day Jagged stood at the foot of the plank that led to the Liberty, Anarka's houseboat. He really wanted to be anywhere but where he was but he knew Penny was watching him from the car and would drag him back if he tried to make a run for it. He was having a hard time taking that first step toward the answers he wasn't sure he really wanted to know about.

Jagged took a quick look behind him to check to see if Penny was still there.

"You'd think she didn't trust me," he muttered to himself as Penny pointed him back toward the houseboat. "Fine. I'm going," he said, giving her a small wave. He pulled his Eiffel Tower glasses down off his head and put them on- he was pretty sure that Penny was rolling her eyes at him as he knew she hated when he wore those when he wasn't performing as they hid his eyes from her. But, it was the only way he could keep her from reading his mind- she was just too good at knowing what he was thinking. Nanarky was just the same way and he felt like he needed the protection of the glasses.

"Nanarky!" shouted Jagged toward the houseboat. He didn't see any movement on the boat- maybe he would luck out and she wouldn't be home! But, since he knew Penny wouldn't let him leave unless he really tried he shouted even louder "Nanarky!".

"Who's makin' all that racket out here? I'm trying to write my music and I don't appreciate any landlubber— Oh, it's you!" She snorted derisively, looking down on him from the boat's deck in more ways than one. She put her hands on her hips and her eyes focused and narrowed on his face, annoyed by his ridiculous glasses. "Just because you did the right thing by apologizing and then hiring that poor girl back on the other day doesn't mean I have even one more thing I want to say to you today. Go home, Jagged, and leave me alone," said Anarka and then she turned around and started heading back down into the boat.

"Nanarky! Anarka, wait!" yelled Jagged. "Please!" he added as he watched to see if she would come back. When she didn't appear, he tentatively put one foot on the gangway leading to the boat and waited to see if she would suddenly come and push him into the water. He really hated getting wet. When nothing happened, he carefully walked onto the boat and looked around. The boat was so Anarka- the colorful decor, half painted wood planks, the mess and disorder that somehow seemed purposeful. All unexpected yet so like the forceful woman he had fallen in love with long ago. He headed toward the stairs and walked down into the living area of the boat where Anarka was lounging on one of the couches, strumming away.

"What are you doing here, pirate? Couldn't you tell yer not welcome," she said as she continued to strum, not bothering to give him her full attention.

"Well, you were always a bit facetious. Or is it sarcastic?  Not sure of the word. But, you know I never could tell when you meant it or not," said Jagged.

"Go away," she said. "Is that direct enough for you?"

"Yeah, I think I got it, but I need to ask you something first, something I need to know, not that I exactly want to know, but your kids—"

"What about my kids?" said Anarka, who suddenly sat up straight and put her instrument to the side. She gave Jagged a sharp look and then stood up and strode over to where Jagged stood at the bottom of the stairs. Her expression was so fierce that Jagged quickly backed up and tripped on the stairs, causing him to sit down, making him Anarka's height. She quickly took her advantage and put her face right in his.

"You leave my kids alone!" she said, jabbing her finger into his chest.

"I would like to, if they . . . they'd let me," he stammered. "But, between them and Marinette and Penny no one was letting me and so here I am and I'm just going to ask my question and go so here it is- am I their dad?" asked Jagged, squinting his eyes and turning his head away slightly in preparation of a possible attack from Anarka who was still painfully jabbing him in the chest.