“Yeah, he’ll bring her back. So how’d the lessons go?”
“They were all really good. Shannon is so brave and ready to try everything new. I think Jed has gone a long way with Calob. He didn’t even want to get out of the car the first time he came.”
“That’s really cool Lizzy, glad you guys are makin the sacrifice for em.” Robbie smiled.
“It’s no sacrifice, we really love it,” she smiled back at him again and gave him a little splash.
“Oh, you don’t even wanna start!” Robbie splashed her back with a huge wall of water.
Lizzy floated on her back and began kicking water into Robbie’s face. He swam after her and she dove down deep and tried to swim away, but he was too fast for her.
Robbie grabbed her by the waste and pulled her up out of the water and turned her to him.
Lizzy couldn’t help but smile up into his green eyes.
Robbie had waited for this moment for the better part of three years. Finally, he thought and then he gently bent down and kissed her.
Lizzy couldn’t believe it; he was so tender with his kiss, she thought. It was her first one and she would always remember it.
She and Robbie smiled to each other and then looked out as they heard Jedediah returning with the Jet Ski.
“Okay, now my turn!” Lizzy smiled with excitement.
“Sure, but let me ride with you the first time; to show you how it works,” Robbie said with a grin.
Lizzy knew that he didn’t really have to ride with her to show her how it worked, but she didn’t mind it either.
~~~
Jedediah was wading in the water, taking his time getting back to shore after Lizzy and Robbie left. He began to get a familiar feeling. He grinned and said, “Lana, you’ll have to do better than that, I can feel you smiling.”
“I told you there’d be payback little brother,” Lana said to Jedediah in her mind beneath the water.
“Then bring it!” Jedediah barely got out the words as he was quickly pulled by his ankles down into the water and out to the deep. He chuckled inside and said in his mind, “Hey, I didn’t know you brought muscle.”
“Always little brother,” said Titus and then he released Jedediah.
“Nice Jet Ski,” said Makoa as he swam beside Jedediah with a grin.
“Yeah, it’s my friend Robbie’s; she moves pretty fast.” Jedediah gave a half grin and then swam up for air.
“Not as fast as us,” Titus bragged.
“No doubt about that.” Jedediah smiled as he came back under the water.
“Did you need some air Jed?” Lana giggled.
“Yeah, especially after getting a ton of water up my nose,” he chuckled and then enjoyed a moment swimming with his extended mer family while waiting for Lizzy and Robbie to return.
~~~
Robbie did show Lizzy how to operate his Jet Ski and in no time, she was ready at the wheel. Lizzy loved having him ride with her. She also loved having his arms around her waist. She drove a little distance around the island and into the Harbor and headed towards the Marina.
“Lizzy, you probably shouldn’t do that,” Robbie said with a gulp as he saw her father ahead.
“Relax its okay.”
Cole was varnishing the deck on his schooner, the Bonnie Rose. He looked up to see Lizzy riding into the Marina with Robbie, “Hey, what’s that you’re drivin Lizzy?” Cole called out while giving an icy stare at Robbie.
“Ugh oh,” said Robbie under his breath. Of all the things you had to do Lizzy, he thought.
“Can you believe how pretty she is Dad?” said Lizzy proudly as she got closer.
“Yeah, real nice,” Cole said somewhat coldly.
“It’s alright Dad, Robbie’s teaching me how to use it safely.”
“You need to hurry up kid, your mom’s gonna have dinner ready soon.”
“Okay Dad,” said Lizzy out loud and then she said in her mind, “Its okay Dad, we’re taking things slow.”
Cole said back in his mind, “He better be and you better be gettin home.”
Lizzy turned the Jet Ski around slowly and headed back out the Marina and Harbor.
The Baldwin brother’s drove each of their Jet Skis into the Harbor; they glared at Robbie and Lizzy as they passed them and then they saw Cole and turned and went on their way. They didn’t want any hassles with Cole.
“I knew he’d be mad, I can’t believe you drove to the Marina Lizzy,” Robbie said, somewhat upset about it.
Lizzy called back over her shoulder, “Its okay Robbie, Dad will get used to the idea of it.”
“Lizzy he hates the Jet Ski.”
“I wasn’t talking about the Jet Ski Robbie,” Lizzy smiled over her shoulder.
~~~
Later that week, Lizzy sat outside on the end of the wooden dock in front of her home.
In no time, Lana popped up, “How are you doing Lizzy?”
“Does the whole mer family know how I’m feeling?” she asked with slumped shoulders.
“Well, Prince Tristan was patrolling this area and told Titus. Titus told me and brought me here with Makoa.”
“Wonderful.”
“Hasn’t he talked to you?”
“No, not since he took me riding on his Jet Ski. Jedediah said he saw him once on his dad’s boat and they waved to each other, but he hasn’t even talked to him since.”
“Humans, especially boys,” Lana giggled while shaking her head.
“Yeah, I can’t read his thoughts and it drives me crazy!”
“I can imagine; how’s dad taking it?”
“He’s not very happy about it. You know how he feels about Jet Skis,” Lizzy giggled.
“Yeah, and I remember how he felt about boys too, especially ones that his daughter’s interested in. I bet it drives dad just as crazy; that he can’t read his thoughts.” Lana smiled.
“Yeah, it does.” Lizzy gave a half grin.
Lana jumped up out of the water and onto the dock beside Lizzy. “I love you Sis and I’ll help any way I can; you know I can always have Titus drown him,” Lana giggled and hugged Lizzy.
“Yeah, not yet; I kinda like him, even if he isn’t talking, texting, emailing or even phoning me right now, not even any face time,” Lizzy said with a sigh.
“Lizzy, you kids have far too much going on these days. I say call him up and go for a swim, then if he treats you badly Titus can do something about it.” Lana smiled once more.
“I don’t know what it is; I guess that I really want it to be his idea.” Lizzy gave another sigh.
“Yeah, I remember that feeling too, after waiting so long for Titus to communicate with me again. Then I found out he was waiting for me to do the same.” Lana smiled to remember it.
“I guess I made him mad when I drove to the Marina and showed dad. I don’t even really know why I did it, especially after he kissed me,” she said with a smile.
“How special Lizzy, your first kiss.” Lana smiled back to her. “I think I know why; you love dad and you didn’t want to do anything behind his back, unlike Jedediah,” Lana giggled.
“Yeah, I guess your right about wanting his approval for riding the Jet Ski and also wanting his approval of me and Robbie.”
“That’s not a bad thing Lizzy.” Lana smiled at her.
“I know, I just have to convince Robbie of that,” said Lizzy as a tear rolled down her cheek.
“If he’s anything like Titus, he won’t stay away for long, no matter how much dad scares him. If he does, then he’s not the right one for you Lizzy.”
“I think a part of me wonders if it might be better for Robbie if he never gets mixed up with me and our crazy family.”
“You know, I wonder if he does know.”
“Lana, why would you even think that; Jed or I would never tell him anything?”
“No, not you guys. Dad had Titus and some of the guard rescue Robbie’s dad and his crew when his boat the Crustacean went down in that terrible hurricane.
Dad also made all the men swear to never tell anyone about the mer.”
“Are you serious; Dad never said anything about that to me or Jed?” Lizzy looked to Lana in shock.
“Yeah, I’m beginning to see that dad hasn’t told you guys a lot of things.” Lana grinned and rolled her eyes.
“Wow that could change everything. If he knew then it would be so much simpler.” Lizzy smiled brightly.
“Well, I’m not so sure if I should have told you or not, I don’t need dad upset with me either,” Lana sighed.
“I’ll do my best Lana, but I can’t promise anything. You know how it is to try and guard your thoughts from your family, it isn’t easy,” Lizzy giggled.
“Yeah, I do know that one.” Lana smiled and hugged her once more. “I think I better go before I make it worse for both of us.” Lana smiled again and then dove into the water.
“No Lana, you’ve made everything better,” said Lizzy in her mind to Lana and then she grinned and got up and started walking towards the house to help her mother start dinner.
When she opened up the front door, she could tell that her parents had been talking about something serious at the kitchen table.
Cole got up from his chair and said, “You girls will need to set another plate for supper. I ran into Robbie at the Marina and invited him over.”
“Dad, I can’t believe it! Thank you so much!” Lizzy went and hugged him.
Rose smiled and said, “Even though your dad can’t read Robbie’s mind, he could tell he was just as lovesick as you’ve been.”
“He brightened right up after I asked him over,” Cole chuckled.
“Thanks again Dad and Mom. We’ll have the best dinner ever!” Lizzy kissed her mother and her father on their cheek and went to the sink to peel potatoes. Her mom was making a baked cheesy augratin to go with the fresh flounder that her dad brought home.
“I don’t know why everyone’s getting so excited, it’s not like Robbie hasn’t eaten over here before. He’s probably had over a hundred meals since the time we were born,” said Jedediah as he threw a football to Willy in the living room.
“You know not to throw that ball in the living room and you’re not the reason he’s coming tonight,” Cole winked to Lizzy.
“I like Robbie!” said Willy and then he began to chant, “Robbie’s comin for dinner, Robbie’s comin for dinner…” as he walked around the kitchen table.
“Oh brother, I’ll be up in my room till he gets here,” said Jedediah and then went up the stairs with his football.
~~~
After the family and Robbie had eaten their dinner and dessert, Lizzy walked with him out the front door. The two of them walked across the sandy beach and onto the dock until they reached the end. They sat down together and put their feet into the water. A warm summer breeze was blowing and it seemed like a million stars had come out to greet them.
“What a beautiful night,” Lizzy said and then scooted closer to Robbie and took his hand in hers.
“It sure is Lizzy. I can’t believe I’m really sittin here next to you like this. I’ve dreamed this so many times. I thought for sure that your dad would never agree to us,” he said as he looked down to Lizzy and then gently kissed her.
“Really Robbie, that’s so sweet. What do you mean by us?” Lizzy turned her head upwards with a smile, staring into his beautiful eyes like she had before.
“Well Lizzy, I want you to be my girl; that is if you want to?”
“I want to.” Lizzy smiled and then laid her head on his shoulder. She began to sense her father behind her and she looked and saw him standing in the doorway. She rolled her eyes and said with a smile, “I guess I should say goodnight.”
“Yeah, guess so,” Robbie said as he quickly kissed her once more with a grin and then he began walking home while whistling a tune as he went.
~~~~~
CHAPTER 6
ROSE OF SUMMER
That next morning Lana had to smile to see her daughter Rose looking in her hand mirror. It was a gift from her grandfather Cole when Rose had turned the age of twelve. All Princesses were given a ceremony and their first crown of black pearls when they turned twelve. Prince Makoa had crafted the frame for it out of whale bone and had carved a dolphin as the handle and several shells around the mirror. Rose had always loved her dolphin Tempest and it made it all the more special. Now Lana knew her daughter looked pass the detail in the handle and only at herself within the mirror; had time changed her that much, Lana thought.
“I am no longer a child if that is what you mean?” Rose said with a grin.
“I know Rose, it’s just you’ve grown so quickly; your hair is nearly white. I can’t believe how fast time flies.”
“I agree; I just realized that today is Prince Makoa’s fiftieth birthday. Do you think he will choose a mate mother?”
“I don’t know, I don’t think he’s said anything to your father. Why do you ask?” Lana tried to guard her thoughts of the hope rising within her.
“I only wondered who it might be.”
“I suppose there’s lots of mermaids he could choose from and you know your cousin Talei is of age too.”
“She is a merwalker and greatly loved by our people; do you think he might choose her?” Rose asked as she began combing her hair.
“It’s possible Rose. I’m heading over to aunt Tarra’s; would you like to swim with me?”
“Yes, I think it would be good to see Talei.” Rose put down her mirror and swam out the door with Lana.
When Lana and Rose entered through the entrance of the cavern and surfaced, they noticed that only Tarra was there.
“Hey, where is everyone?” Lana asked as she hopped up onto the rock ledge.
“Fianna is visiting with her mother and the others have been hunting with Prince Makoa; you know it is his birthday today. Nearly all of the mermen have gone and even my Talei joined them; you know how she is about hunting,” Tarra giggled.
“Yeah, that’s good; she’ll know how to provide for her family.” Lana grinned.
“Yes, but will she be able to sew and cook if she should marry a human?” Tarra raised her brows.
“Well, maybe she’s gonna marry a mer, as much as she loves being in the water.” Lana gave a half grin and then looked to her daughter Rose as she came closer and also jumped up on the ledge next to her mother.
Rose smiled and said, “Perhaps she will.”
~~~
Prince Titus had taken Prince Makoa on a dangerous hunt for the large squid they knew had been eating their supply of herring and mackerel. He only allowed the younger ones to watch, but to stay far enough away as to not be harmed.
The squid had been hidden from the mer in a small cave well beneath an outcropping of coral. Both Titus and Makoa brought their spears and began to poke around the coral to see if they could get the beast to come out.
At first, the squid only swelled its body to a large enough size to see its grey skin with red dots sticking out from beneath the coral.
Prince Makoa stabbed at the squid and it quickly took hold of his spear with the two longer tentacles of its ten arms and began to flash a red light of warning.
Titus could not help but chuckle, “He is a feisty one!”
Makoa tried to pull the squid out from its hiding place and he nearly had him, but the squid rushed him with its full force and enormous body quickly wrapping all of its tentacles around Makoa’s arms, waist and neck stinging him with its rows of round sucking discs.
Even Titus had underestimated the size of the beast; it had to be at least fifty feet long. Titus began stabbing each arm until it released Makoa. Titus was also caught by a few of the arms, but pulled them apart with his hands.
Makoa was able to jerk loose the last hold the squid had on his spear and it began releasing ink into the water. It tried to flee, but Makoa was too quick and drove the spear home into its powerful jaws and out through its mollusk head.
“Well done,” said Titu
s with a grin and a sigh of relief.
“Thank you for your assistance.” Makoa grinned.
“Anytime.” Titus looked to the young ones and gave a nod and they all came to look at the beast.
~~~
The water began to ripple within the cavern and then turned violent and splashed them all as the mermen returned from the hunt. Titus was gripping Makoa as he thrashed his tail to get free laughing all the while.
Legend of the Mer II THE NEW GUARDIAN Page 6
