Silver Tides (Silver Tides Series)

by Susan Fodor

  Mum gave me a towel to sit on before I relaxed into the seat of her white Corolla, one of the few luxuries we had bought with the reward money. I pumped the hot air heater the minute the engine purred into action. Daniel sullenly took a seat behind me so that I couldn’t see him; I felt burnt by his silence. It was obvious he hated me for what I was, but I wished he would say something. Give me some kind of closure instead of stoic silence.

  Mum glanced between Daniel and me, before sighing heavily. “I know that the two of you have a lot to talk about and I’m sure you don’t want to do it in front of me. I think it should wait till tomorrow morning. It’s late; you’re both cold, tired and hungry. Any discussion you have will be tempered by those factors and the drama of the events of this evening. Daniel, you need to know that Mya didn’t know what we were until after you left. I didn’t know what you were till then either. Even if I knew, I wouldn’t have forbidden Mya from being with you; on land the two of you have made each other better people, and I hope that can continue, but ultimately you need to talk it out together.”

  Daniel shifted uncomfortably, but still said nothing. I looked out my window so that Mum wouldn’t see the tears rolling down my cheeks and plopping onto my already wet clothes.

  “I’m going to drop Mya off at home to get warm. Then I’ll take you home tonight,” Mum informed us. “We’ll tell Sophia everything. She can decide if we take your personal jet to the United Kingdom or if we buy tickets on a commercial jet.”

  I was ready to object, but Mum shot me a firm look, and the shaking of my limbs convinced me that Mum had a point. We were going to spend the next week together; there would be time to talk.

  The dark scenery flashed by unnoticed. My thoughts were too full of Daniel and the Heart of the Sea. After Mum dropped me off, I walked through our house like I was seeing it for the first time. The family smiling on the walls didn’t feel like us anymore; there were so many half-truths and omissions of our lives that I felt hollow. Dad called out something about food, and I mumbled something in response before disappearing into our pink bathroom.

  I ran the shower till it was perfect and stripped my clothes off before dropping them in the bath. I’d put them in the laundry later. I glanced at myself in the mirror, and noticed tear streaks through the thick layer of mud on my face and my hair resembled a bird’s nest, complete with twigs and seaweed. No wonder Daniel didn’t love me---I was a mess.

  I stared into the mirror, the events of the evening playing through my head in fast forward. I felt dizzy and reeled over the toilet, dry retching. When the spasms in my abdomen subsided, I slunk into the shower, letting the hot water soak into my freezing skin and massage the stress of the parley from my body.

  I had always suspected that Daniel and I would be over one day, but I’d never imagined it would be under such bizarre circumstances. I’d harbored hope that we could be the couple that made it against the odds, like Julie and Blake Andrews, one of the few Hollywood marriages that had been going strong since 1969.

  If my heart weren’t tattered, the situation would have been laughable. Fighting factions of mythical creatures, keeping me, a mostly human girl from the boy she loved. The tears mingled with the warm water, making it difficult to decipher which was which; it was my favorite way to cry. Few people questioned a red puffy face straight after a shower.

  After a long time Dad knocked on the bathroom door. Mum’s hippy ways had been rubbing off on him, and he was on a water-saving kick.

  "Mya? You good?" he asked sounding grumpy; gruffness was Dad’s default worried setting.

  "Yeah," I said, turning off the water and stepping into the cloud of steam that enveloped the bathroom. I wrapped my towel around myself; it was crisp from being washed. I loved the smell of sunshine that came with freshly laundered towels. I hugged it close to my body, sucking any little comfort I could from the moment.

  "You waste water, and you have a visitor this late," he grumbled. Returning to school had made him more irritable than usual; he wouldn’t admit it, but studying was really hard for him.

  A wave of hope washed over me at the thought that Daniel had come to talk things out. I brushed my hair briskly and pulled on my flannel pajamas and nightgown with incredible speed.

  I swung the bathroom door open and collided with Charlie.

  "What the hey?" I fumed, wrapping my bathrobe more tightly around myself. The disappointment was as bitter as bile, I wanted to cry but being angry was easier.

  "I wanted to make sure you're OK," he said with a lopsided grin, making his cheeks dimple.

  "I'm fine," I replied, giving him the cold shoulder.

  "I'm sorry." He sighed, leaning against the rose-patterned wallpaper in our hallway. Despite technically being millionaires, our house was still in the same condition it had been before we got the money. The only difference was, that we owned it now, and not the bank. "I nearly got you killed; I get why you're angry at me."

  I searched my motives, and I wasn't angry with Charlie. "No, I'm sorry; I'm upset by the situation and I'm taking it out on you."

  "Two apologies make a right," he said playfully. "So let's eat."

  My stomach gurgled in agreement as I followed Charlie down the hall to the kitchen. He navigated my house as though he knew it, avoiding the creaking floorboards under the ragged carpet. I hoped that after Mum finished renovating Daniel’s house, she would turn her attention to the creaky floors and pink bathroom.

  Dad was sitting at the kitchen table with his books spread out in front of him; he all but ignored our entrance. Charlie and I set about reheating the Napolitano sauce, vegetarian meatballs and spaghetti, moving around each other like dancers. Charlie stirred the sauce, while I set the table. He tossed me the Parmesan to place on the table, and I threw him a sponge to sop up some spilled sauce. We worked quietly so as not to disturb Dad, and working together got the food ready in no time.

  "It's eleven o'clock," Dad complained as we put dinner on the table. "You get fat."

  "There'll just be more of me to love," Charlie retorted, his laughter filling the house. It felt strange to eat or sit down with Charlie when I knew Daniel hated me, but I had to be pragmatic.

  “There’s a spot for you, Paul,” Charlie offered, as though he were the host. “It’d be nice if you could say the blessing.”

  I couldn’t help but smile, clearly Charlie’s family and mine had a lot in common. Even though we weren’t big church attendees, our family was big on being grateful for all we had.

  Dad moved from being surrounded by his books to a plate piled high with food. I smiled as I sprinkled Parmesan on his spaghetti.

  Dad bowed his head and mumbled a few short sentences in Russian before tucking into his food.

  “Amen,” Charlie and I said quietly. A mischievous grin spread across Charlie’s face. He was thinking that we had no idea what we had just agreed to. Dad could have prayed that we live long and prosper, or that we would bear a thousand children, neither of us would have any idea.

  “What you do, Charlie?” Dad asked, around a big mouthful of food. Despite me having no memory of Charlie, Dad still did.

  “I’m going to university,” Charlie replied, taking a sip of his juice. “I live on the colony the rest of the time. Leo has me guarding Mya for now.”

  “Why? They attack again?” Dad asked, furrowing his brow.

  “In a manner of speaking,” Charlie replied, honestly. I kicked him under the table, “What?” Charlie asked, jumping.

  “Huh?” Paul asked, oblivious to the exchange.

  “It’s complicated,” I told Dad, while shooting a ‘shut up’ look at Charlie. There was no need to worry my physically unfit---on the verge of a heart attack---adopted father. “Tomorrow we have to go on a trip to get something for the merfolk to fix all the fighting.” I surprised myself with how nonchalant I sounded.

  “Will April go too?” he asked, looking lost.

  Dad relied on Mum for most things; she did most the housework
and cooking, but more than that, Dad needed her to keep him grounded. I wondered if I returned to the sea whether Mum would stay with Dad or come with me. The look of concern in my eyes mirrored Dad’s; whether we spoke the words or not, the fear of the future lingered.

  “I don’t know,” I shrugged, unwilling to be the one that delivered bad news to Dad. “If she comes, there’s no reason you couldn’t join us.”

  “I have school.” Dad sighed. “But I will see what April says.”

  “What are you studying at university?” I asked Charlie, changing the subject.

  “You’ll laugh.” He sighed, wiping his perfectly proportioned lips on a napkin.

  “I thought you’d be used to that, looking the way you do,” I retorted playfully, sipping my juice.

  “Ouch, good call.” He laughed. “Veterinary science.”

  “You’re going to be a vet!” I choked, squirting some juice from my nose.

  “Ha, ha, ha, you still do the nose thing,” Charlie laughed, slapping his knee.

  Even Dad laughed, as I tried to discreetly wipe my nose.

  “You’re going to be a vet—is that like a doctor treating itself?” I retorted.

  “Living on seal rock I come across lots of injured marine life.” Charlie replied a haunted look in his eyes, but he shrugged it off. “It was a tossup between marine biology and being a vet. I went the way that could help the most people.”

  “That’s very altruistic of you,” I smiled. I took all of Charlie in, his warm smile, his open playful demeanor, and the way he blended into my house like he’d always been here. I was glad that he’d turned up to lighten the worst night ever. Charlie was the first male that I thought I could really be friends with. From the moment I saw Daniel, I wanted to be his girlfriend, but with Charlie I felt safe. Like I didn’t have to protect myself from being hurt, because he would protect me. I didn’t have to try to be cool with Charlie, because he accepted me.

  “That’s me, Mr. Altruism,” Charlie replied. He gave me a goofy lopsided grin as he pushed a massive meatball into his mouth; an instant later he spat it back onto his plate having burnt his mouth. I giggled misdirecting my own my food and choking.

  “I’m surrounded by animals,” Dad said, exasperated.

  I would have laughed, except I was still fighting for air. Charlie stood up to help me.

  “Are you choking?” Dad asked, concerned belatedly.

  I coughed till the food cleared and took a sip of my drink. Charlie sat back down, sensing the danger had passed.

  “No, I always inhale my food into my lungs,” I said sarcastically, as my face turned Valentine’s red.

  Dad and Charlie laughed, causing my moment of neurosis to pass.

  “Charlie...” Mum said with warning, sneaking up on us.

  “I was just...” Charlie stood, looking at the ground like a puppy that had left a puddle on the carpet.

  “Disobeying my order to not see you till tomorrow?” Mum replied, arching her eyebrow with royal disdain.

  I didn’t know if I would ever get used to the regal version of my mother, especially after she dressed like sailor moon for one of my birthday parties.

  “I came to apologize,” Charlie said, quietly. “When you weren’t here, I decided to stay till you returned, so that Mya would be safe.”

  “What am I?” Dad asked, offended.

  “Not much of a match for an army of merfolk,” Mum said, kissing Dad’s forehead to calm him.

  “Hmft,” Dad disagreed.

  I was tempted to bring up Charlie’s failed attempt to protect me on the Mud Islands, but I didn’t want to upset Dad.

  “It’s good you’re here. We need to discuss tomorrow; Sophia wants to take the private jet and we’ll all go. What do you think of the mock meatballs; they’re vegetarian,” Mum said to Charlie, allowing him to return to his seat with a nod of her head.

  “It’s delicious, thank you,” he complimented, resuming shoveling the food into his mouth like it was his last meal.

  “What? No meat? You kill me,” Dad complained grumpily, eliciting laughter.

  “There’s room if you want to come, Paul,” Mum offered.

  “Where are you going?” Dad asked, skeptical about trusting Mum after the vegetarian meatball betrayal.

  “The United Kingdom,” Mum replied casually. “We’re going to find the Heart of the Sea and save five lives.”

  the flight

  The sun dawned too early the next morning after talking late into the night. Charlie had slept in the guest room, under the pretense of not wanting to ride home so late. I suspected it had more to do with King Leo’s order to guard me than late-night riding.

  The sun was just peeking over the horizon as we met at the airport packed for a mission that I wasn’t sure I would be able to complete. During the few hours I was supposed to be sleeping I had plenty of time to contemplate how much I would miss Daniel and how inadequate I was for the task I’d been handed.

  Everyone was expecting me to be something that I wasn’t; a princess, a shape shifting selkie, or a heroine that would return the Heart of the Sea to Atlantis---but I was just a girl with a broken heart. The expectations made my sneakers feel like they’d been hewn from lead.

  Sophia looked anxious as we boarded the plane, aware that the cost of being unsuccessful was losing her son permanently. The pleading hope in her eyes only made me feel heavier.

  Stepping onto the plane stilled my racing thoughts. I'd forgotten how lavish the Esso’s private jet was.

  To the left of the door near the cockpit was a dining area, complete with a table surrounded by four plush white leather chairs and seat belts. A long couch matching the dining chairs lined the wall opposite the table so more people could dine if the need arose.

  A small partition led to a mini theatre with twelve plush leather chairs, all with the ability to recline for napping.

  On the right of the entrance, another partition just before the door opened into a sitting area akin to a living room, and in the back of the plane were a bedroom and two fancy bathrooms.

  Daniel was still skulking around, making my chest ache with apprehension, as we boarded the plane. He ensured that we were never next to each other, keeping a person between us at all times. I assured myself that we could talk after takeoff.

  "Welcome," smiled stewardess Barbie, as we trooped into the plane. "Sit anywhere, and I'll brief you all on safety.”

  "Wow." Charlie exhaled beside me, overwhelmed. "How much did this set you back, moneybags?"

  "More than you're worth," Daniel spat, pushing past Charlie to lock himself into the bedroom.

  “He’s a keeper,” Charlie joked.

  My face fell and the pain twisted in my heart, because I would do anything to keep Daniel.

  “I’m sorry,” Charlie said, regretfully.

  “Whatever,” I dismissed, blinking a few times to keep the tears at bay. “I’m going to go watch a movie.”

  Charlie nodded, allowing me the space I needed. I plopped onto the white leather recliner and fastened my seat belt. The screen was bigger than I remembered, and reminded me of Daniel’s home theatre. The memory cured me of wanting to watch anything, but I didn’t want to talk either. I leaned my head back and tried to clear my mind.

  I could hear Mum and Sophia talking excitedly in the lounge area. Sophia was pretending we were going on holiday to ignore the fact that Daniel could be dead in less than a week; Mum was supporting her, by playing along.

  Charlie reclined on a couch near them, napping after the late night. His gentle snore was calming, like a cat purring. Dr. Conneely had fallen asleep beside the window, the sun warming his aged head.

  I drifted into a light sleep, unsure if I was awake or dreaming. Flying to Cornwall to retrieve a relic to save my boyfriends life---my ex-boyfriend’s life---seemed more like a nightmare than reality.

  Stewardess Barbie woke me with a tray of food. “Would you like to take breakfast here or at the table?” she asked
, her bright red lips smiling.

  “The table,” I mumbled half asleep. I felt guilty for seeming rude. “Thanks,” I called after her, standing up stiffly. In the brief time I’d been sleeping, my body felt like it had atrophied. Stewardess Barbie didn’t seem to notice me at all; she continued to gather the rest of the group for breakfast.

  Daniel was remarkably absent as I sat down at the table with the others.

  Stewardess Barbie informed us, “Mr. Esso is taking his food in the bedroom.”

  Mum and Sophia thrilled about the Minack Theatre and Porthcurno Beach during breakfast. They were as excited as teenage girls on a European adventure. Dr. Conneely added other noteworthy sites. I couldn’t follow the conversation or even taste my food, as my eyes kept drifting to the bedroom door. I’d promised myself to not be a creepy stalker, but I was failing.

  I understood that Daniel hated me, that he felt betrayed and that we were over. But my ears needed to hear the words, so that my heart could stop hoping that things would be different. I’d thought that all that stuff about closure was overrated, but that was exactly what I needed.

  After breakfast Charlie joined me in the theatre, and we watched scary zombie movies, which Charlie enjoyed more than I did. I could tell that he was trying to cheer me up, and having him nearby was comforting. Stewardess Barbie kept us stocked with drinks and snacks. She gathered us for lunch, which had been a rerun of breakfast for me.

  A broken heart should stop time, or in the very least slow it down, but meals kept being served, Mum and Sophia laughed, George went to work, Dad went to Tafe, life went on---it seemed wrong. Daniel hating me was monumental, yet it didn’t even still the spinning of the earth. The whole thing sucked.

  “Stop being so melodramatic,” I told myself, shaking it off.

  As mid-afternoon rolled by without any sign of Daniel, I began to get irritated. I knocked on the door but it was locked, and Daniel didn't answer. We were a few hours from refueling in Hong Kong when Daniel emerged to use one of the bathrooms. I stared at him trying to make eye contact, but he ignored me. I couldn't believe how immature he was being. If he wanted to break up, I understood, but the least he could do was talk to me. I inconspicuously made my way to the toilet area, noticing that the toilet locks could be opened with a flat instrument.