“Thank you, over there please.” He pointed to the dining room table.
Wheeling the tray to the table, she placed two covered plates at each setting, asked if we wanted iced tea or Coke; what kind of salad dressing we preferred; lit the candles then left. Joseph led me to the table, pulling out the chair.
It felt like a date and I was suddenly very aware that we were alone in a beautiful penthouse suite, impeccably dressed. “Why isn’t Nasani joining us for dinner? We should invite Ethan up, he’d love this place.”
“Nasani ate with her father earlier.” He took the seat directly across the table from where I sat. “If you’d like to invite Ethan, that’s your decision—though I’m not certain Dr. Radski will let him leave the lab for more than 5 minutes at a time.”
“Good point. She has been working the crew extremely hard. He probably wouldn’t be able to sneak out.” I took the silver lid off of the smaller plate first. It was a spinach salad sprinkled with walnuts and cranberries. My favorite—I noticed that Joseph had a house salad. “Did you order this salad for me?”
“Is it alright? I kind of guessed. We haven’t had many meals together—well other than cafeteria food—if you don’t like it you can have my salad.”
Feeling bad for having said anything and fearful that he took my question the wrong way, I assured him. “This is perfect. If I had to, I wouldn’t have known what to order for you.”
His shoulders relaxed a bit and he took a sip of his iced tea. “I’ll tell you what I like.” Lifting the cover off of the larger plate and holding it on a slight angle so I could see the entire dish. “Eggplant parmesan is my favorite—or roasted portabella mushrooms or a black-bean burger on an onion roll. Actually, I’ll eat just about anything—anything but an animal, that is.”
“Good to know.” I laughed. “I’m a little pickier, which is why I’m so impressed.”
“It’s much better than that baked potato.” He laughed as well.
Dinner with Joseph was peaceful. We avoided any conversation that might be unpleasant—mainly anything having to do with being Guardians; recovering lost relics; flying bird ladies; Orin Bindolestiv; Ms. Z; mutant fish people; my father or his. Though, I did have questions, I held back until after we were done eating—I was certain he had his as well. We were nothing more than two friends sharing a meal. I would have thought it impossible for us to have a conversation about regular, everyday things but we did and I enjoyed myself.
Joseph talked about vacations he’d been on with his family. A trip to the Swiss Alps; an African safari; but his favorite, he said was when his mother brought him to Maine. He was only 10 the year they spent a weekend in a seaside bed and breakfast— the trip was a memory he cherished.
Marietta Merrick was from my hometown of Bar Harbor; her parents were buried in the same cemetery as my grandmother. Suddenly, Joseph seemed real—a person, with a family.
“It was just my mom and I. That weekend was the only time I had her all to myself.” When he spoke of his mother his eyes changed to a soft blue. “She used to be great. I hope one day she will be again. Then you can meet her. Truth be told, not a day goes by that I don’t miss her.”
My life wasn’t quite as exciting to talk about. I had never been on a vacation and the first time I left the shores of Maine; Joseph had been with me on the John F. Kennedy. I found myself, instead talking about my neighbors—sharing the memories I collected watching their lives from my front porch.
“…then there was this one time when Mr. Rigby was trying to trim the tree in his front yard. He didn’t have a ladder high enough so he tied an arrow to a portable, hand chain saw and tried to shoot it up into the tree with a bow. It ended up going through his second story window screen—pinning his cat by the tail to his bedroom door. My father spent the rest of the day trimming Mr. Rigby’s tree for him while he went to the emergency vet with the cat.”
“Your father was great. Don’t bother with Dr. Caro’s opinion of him. He kept you in hiding in order to protect you, and that’s admirable.” Joseph stood and walked around the table, taking my hand—he led me to the living area. “I may just decide to keep you in hiding—only a fool would want to share you with the world.”
An uncomfortable smile crossed my face and I quickly changed the subject. “Nasani’s father—does he know what a powerful daughter he has?”
“He couldn’t possibly know and if he does, he’s an idiot to not appreciate her.” We should have been telling Nasani those things but instead we were too wrapped up in each other. That was our mistake.
Joseph and I forgot about everything that evening. For the first time we simply enjoyed the other’s company. Our conversation carried on into the early morning hours. It was easy to lay my head on his chest and I began to drift to sleep when he asked, “Do you think I should finish school?”
I was surprised and my answer was honest. “I think you should do what makes you feel fulfilled and happy.”
Then he asked if still planned on not attending college. Again, my answer was honest. “I’m not opposed to college. As a matter of fact, it seems like a very average thing to do and at the moment, I find that I’m drawn to the ordinary things in life.”
He let his opinion be known with only one word. “Good.”
I fell asleep in his arms wondering if he was beginning to see things as differently as I was.
NINETEEN
When I woke, he remained asleep. I watched him; his tie pulled far away from his neck; the top two buttons of his shirt undone; his hair a mess. He took deep breaths, perfectly at ease. My head found his chest once more and I closed my eyes and listened to his heart beat. It was perfectly tranquil those moments with Joseph—he shifted slightly until his hand found mine. What more was there in the world? No worries; burdens or lies—only Joseph. He had managed to capture my attention, and not with his amazing powers and superhero like abilities. I was drawn in by the way he listened to my pointless sharing; the softness of his eyes when he spoke of his mother, and the fact that he ordered me a delicious dinner.
Did I fall into his trap? It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered for a few perfect minutes.
With his eyes closed, he whispered. “What time does your shift start?”
A sense of comfort ran through me as I felt his voice vibrate through his chest. “Not until noon.” I answered.
“Good.” He didn’t move and took several deep breaths before speaking again. “Let’s go for a swim this morning. We’re close to where the R.M.S Titanic met her demise. I’ll take you down there. We’ll be back before anyone notices. Besides, I could use a little freedom before Dr. Radski handcuffs herself to me for the rest of the week. I’m pretty sure she scheduled the briefing for 11:00 this morning so I have a few hours.”
“Sounds like it could be interesting—and creepy.”
“Don’t worry; I’ll protect you from all the ghosts.” His arms tightened around me.
We remained on the couch, lying beside each other for another 15 minutes; neither of us wanting to be the first to move away from the other.
It wasn’t until we heard the electronic door opened and a woman shouted, “Housekeeping”, that we finally pulled away from each other’s arms. Joseph kissed my forehead and whispered, “Thank you for allowing me to act like a human again, even if it was just for a few hours.”
I wanted to ask what he meant but he disappeared into the bathroom—shouting through the door. “Seraphin, you should go down and get your bags. I’ll meet you on the balcony so we can work on your dive.” From the sound of his voice I could tell he was holding back laughter.
“I’ll have you know, I’ve been practicing.” I shouted back before passing the housekeeper and exiting through the electric door.
I could barely hear him call behind me, “Can’t wait to see it!”
The woman wore headphones and whistled—pulling a cleaning cart behind her. I wondered where she came from. She looked familiar. Wasn’t it my job to clean the
research vessel? She wasn’t even wearing a MOLE shirt. I dismissed my suspicions, deciding that Dr. Caro probably had his own staff that I knew nothing about.
On the way to my cabin, I passed Ethan; he was hauling equipment to the main deck. He looked exhausted. “Have you seen Nasani and what’s with the dress? Did you go out dancing last night while I was stuck in the lab with that evil witch of a woman?”
“Dr. Radski got you down this morning?”
“That’s an understatement. So, did you see her? Who is the guy?”
“I did see Nasani—though not for very long.”
“Did she ask about me?”
I laughed. “No.”
He looked disappointed. “Who’s the mystery man?”
“You won’t believe me but I’ll tell you anyway. He’s her father—and he’s the founder of CORE. His name is Dr. Caro.”
“You’re right, I don’t believe you. Why would she work under an assumed name at her own father’s company? That doesn’t make any sense.”
“Sure it does, it makes perfect sense. She probably doesn’t want anyone to know that he’s her father—afraid she might be treated differently or something. Plus, we’re not even supposed to know his name, so don’t go spreading it around. I don’t want to get Joseph and Nasani in trouble.”
“Have I told anyone that you’re half fish yet?”
“Ethan!”
“Well, have I?”
“No.”
“Then I think your secret is safe with me.”
Dr. Radski’s voice came over the intercom. “ETHAN COTTINGTON REPORT ON DECK”
He cringed. “It’s a good thing you’re part fish because you are going to have to dive in and save her after she gets thrown overboard.”
“Hang in there.” I patted him on the shoulder.
“I’ll try.” He sighed. “Oh, tell Joseph that Jay Mason and Perrine Canard need to be at the briefing. It’s been moved to 10:00. Everyone must attend. Well, except for me because apparently, all I’m good for is hauling equipment up the stairs.”
“You should be flattered that she recognizes your brut strength,” trying to focus on the positive.
“I’ll show her brut strength. You had better get your fins ready, Phin. I mean it, she’ll go overboard if she doesn’t back off.” With that, he lifted a large mechanical device that looked like a miniature space ship and continued up the stairs to the main deck.
I hurried to my cabin. Joseph had to attend the briefing an hour earlier, that left little time for our swim. Thank goodness I remembered to pack a swimsuit. I put it on—throwing a tank top and shorts on top. Overloaded with my poorly repacked bags, I threw Nasani’s dress across my shoulder so I could return it. Before shutting the door I noticed the Petoskey stone that Ethan and I found in the field on Great Cranberry. It was on the cot, so I grabbed it. Even though it proved to be a worthless find, I felt the need to keep it.
To my disappointment Dr. Radski’s voice came over the intercom again. “THERE HAS BEEN A CHANGE IN OUR SCHEDULE. ALL MUST REPORT TO THE BREIFING ON THE SECOND FLOOR IMMEDIATELY.”
My shoulders hunched. Our swim would have to wait. Jay Mason had to get back to work.
I passed several groups of people I didn’t know on my way back to room #1. I didn’t see Nasani or Joseph—surely they would have heard the announcement. I thought about knocking on Nasani’s door and returning her dress but instead I walked into room #1.
“Joseph, did you hear Dr. Radski? You have to be at the briefing, she moved the time. It’s starting right now.” He didn’t answer. Maybe he already went down, though I would have passed him on the way.
It felt wrong. The cleaning cart sat in the middle of the living area—I could hear the faint whisper of music. I moved over to the cart slowly—a pair of headphones played. Turning, taking in the suite my heart began to race; an overturned chair at the table; the open cabinets, drawers, and doors. What happened?
“JOSEPH?” I panicked. “Where are you?”
I ran to the balcony, Ethan was visible on the deck below. A generator was close by, prohibiting him from hearing. In my hand was the Petoskey stone—I threw it, aiming for beside him but instead it hit him on the back of the shoulder. He shot around, angry. I continued to yell his name. Finally, he looked at the stone—realizing it had come from me. Looking up, he saw me, and turned the generator off.
“Have you seen Jay Mason? Do you know if he made it to the briefing?” I tried to hide the panic in my voice.
“He didn’t. Dr. Radski was looking for him just a few minutes ago. She’s super mad—she might explode if he doesn’t get in there soon.” Then he paused, cracking a smile. “Actually, if you see him, tell him to take his time.” Ethan pocketed the stone and continued working, turning the loud generator on—but not before scolding me and rubbing his shoulder. “Next time you should aim for me so you’ll be sure to miss.”
Then, I turned around.
Ms. Z stood with her arms spread wide. “Seraphin! Thank goodness you’re alright.” She hugged me and patted the back of my head. A tear dropped from her eye. The cleaning lady was beside her. The woman had long white hair and I realized where I had seen her before. She was the woman from the diner who had been dressed in leather from head to toe.
“Ms. Z? Where is Joseph?” My arms remained at my sides; frozen.
“The briefing, didn’t you hear the announcement?” She was at ease when she spoke. “He’s gone back to work.”
I wanted to believe it, but I knew it wasn’t true. If he had gone to the briefing, I would have passed him in the hallway. The open balcony door nagged at me. There looked to be a struggle. I was confused and pulled away from her embrace. “Ms. Z, where have you been?”
She broke down, sobbing. I had never seen her so vulnerable and it caught me off guard. “It was horrible. Scientists treating me like an alien; poking and prodding. They experimented on me.” She lifted her sleeve to reveal her arms; I was shocked to see that they were covered with bruises.
“But Joseph—I mean, he was with you. I saw the two of you together. Does he know?” Immediately, I was angry with Joseph for hiding the fact that Ms. Z was indeed in trouble. He had assured me many times that she was not in danger, had he lied to me?
Interrupting and wiping her tear-streaked face, “Joseph can’t know. He can’t afford to worry about me when times are so…” she stopped talking and shook her head. “Things are bad Seraphin. The humans know about us and they want to kill us all. Thank heavens Joseph found you—I suspected you were a mermaid from the moment we first met but I would have never imagined you were the other Guardian. The world is so lucky to have found you.”
“You didn’t know? But Joseph and I thought you introduced us because...” I couldn’t finish my thought. Emotions ran wild. Who do I trust?
As if she could read my thoughts, her hands gripped my shoulders and her expression softened. “I’ve always treated you like family—you know that, right? You know that you’ve always been so special to me?”
“Of course Ms. Z, you have been a terrific teacher.” Silent, I scolded myself for being such a silly love-struck girl the night before. I should have spent the evening pressing Joseph for the truth—or his version of the truth.
“And friend?” She asked, sympathetically.
“Yes. You’ve been a great friend as well.” I assured her; meaning what I said.
My mind raced and before I could second guess anything she was saying, she had worked herself into a panic. She explained where she had been for so many weeks. And at first, it made perfect sense.
“I need your help. They are planning to take over our underwater sanctuaries. The humans know how to penetrate the shrouds—THEY WANT TO FORCE US OUT! FLOOD OUR HOMES!” Anger filled her voice. “They kept me in a lab for months. I didn’t mean to give so much away but they tortured me. Secrets were revealed—innocent lives will be destroyed. We’ll be herded into nets, captured like helpless fish.”
“Ms. Z, it can’t be true. Why would they treat us so horribly?” Adrenaline was rising; my heart raced as I began walking towards the electronic door. “We need to get Joseph and Nasani. They will help us figure out what to do. Dr. Caro too; he has resources that can be of assistance.”
The woman with the white hair laughed but said nothing.
Ms. Z turned to her, “Vanita will go find your friends dear.”
Vanita? Could it be the same Vanita who healed Joseph so many years ago? Nasani’s mother?
Ms. Z’s attention was on me again. “We don’t have time to wait for them. You have to use your powers—you have to stop them before they destroy us all.” Horrific screams came from outside. I hurried to the balcony in time to see nearly fifty heads emerge from the black surface of the ocean. Women and children held their heads in pain—they were shouting and incoherent.
“They’ve begun Seraphin! They are using sonic blasts to penetrate our hiding places. Look at what they are doing to those innocent merpeople. YOU HAVE TO HELP THEM!” She was screaming into my face and shaking me.
Trying to make sense of everything, I was numb. “How can I help them?”
“Use your anger.” She urged.
I caught the face of a child in the water, no more than 10 years old. She cried with pain—drops of blood dripped from her ears. Injured merpeople surfaced faster than I could think.
Anger overtook me; thunder exploded; wind ripped.
“Yes…yes…YES! Only a tempest can destroy their plan. You’re powerful enough; feel their pain and suffering, feed off of it.” She leaned in close, whispering. “Lose control Seraphin. Show them how mighty you can be.”
I did lose control. Power surged through my body. I created, for the first time, a storm of my own making. The George Washington and the hundreds of merpeople that continued to surface remained under protection, in eye of the storm. Wind twisted like a funnel cloud and I closed my eyes.
When, at last, he found me. Page 25
