The Sisters' Secrets: Reen

by Katlyn Duncan

  #

  After a particularly taxing conversation with Jeremy in the parking lot of The Siren, during which he claimed he’d hold her job for no more than three weeks, the discussion with Salvatore was a breeze.

  ‘Take your time,’ Sal said over the phone. ‘Family is important. They need to know how much you love them.’ He went off on a tangent about how much he missed his family who lived overseas, and told stories she’d heard several times since she’d moved into his building.

  Taking a break from the phone, Reen popped the trunk and checked out her clothing situation. She’d packed light for this trip, so she needed to do some shopping.

  Text tones poured into her phone, still plugged into the charger. She closed the trunk and went to check it. She had missed messages from Darin and Yvonne. She went with her friend and co-worker, Yvonne first.

  ‘Dammit, Jeremy,’ Reen said, realizing he’d already told Yvonne Reen was taking more time off.

  Yvonne: What the hell, Reen? I thought you were going for a couple of days?

  Reen: My mom is sick. I’m staying.

  Jer just gave me some insane overtime.

  At least he’ll pay you more.

  That’s true… Hurry back, will you? You know I can’t stand working with him that often.

  I will. Sorry.

  Don’t be. P.S. I already told Darin.

  Reen pressed her fingers against her temples. Of course, she had. When Reen moved to town and got a job at the store, she and Yvonne had become fast friends. Yvonne was a few years younger but fun. She’d introduced Reen to her cousin within a few days of working together. While Reen had kept him at arm’s length for a while, she’d eventually started hanging out after his shows. While Darin was fun, he had a jealous streak. She dreaded reading his messages. If Yvonne had outed Reen, then he was probably checking up to see if she’d responded to Yvonne’s messages too.

  Darin: I heard you’re sticking around town for a while. Why didn’t you tell me?

  Reen: I decided to stay less than two hours ago.

  That’s cool.

  It won’t be for too long. I have family stuff to take care of.

  I thought you hated your family?

  Avoidance isn’t hate. I’ll call you later, OK?

  (…)

  The three dots appeared and disappeared. Reen shoved her phone in her bag. She didn’t feel bad at all. They weren’t serious, and whenever Darin tried to push the issue, she reiterated she wasn’t looking for anything long-term. Staying in The Burrow was something she needed to do, and she didn’t have to answer to anyone.

  Reen made a mental list of what she had to do, now that her plans had changed. She had to call the rental company and let them know she’d have the car a little longer. Even though it would cost to extend past the rental period, she didn’t want to rely on Rose too much. If she were asking for rides all the time, she really would jump back in time to when she didn’t have a license. While this was an opportunity to travel down memory lane, she didn’t want to strand herself on it.

  Her hands tightened around the steering wheel, and she refocused her mind on the task at hand. She needed about five or six new outfits she could mix and match throughout her time in The Burrow. When she left the first time, she took all her graduation money with her. She didn’t have much to work with and she became an expert at cultivating weeks’ worth of outfits with only one suitcase. The plan hadn’t been to stay away for good as she fully expected Mom to run after her and show her how much she mattered.

  Less than a week after she left, she’d had a particularly hard phone call with Rose. Reen had known she wasn’t coming back home when the one person she wanted to hear from didn’t care to speak to her. Stubbornness had grown roots and clawed deeper into the ground, keeping her away. Walking through the front door with her tail between her legs and Dad’s name on her lips would only prove she was the weak one. That wasn’t her. If anyone was cowardly, it was Rose. One bad experience still prevented her from doing something they all loved.

  During the entire ride to the downtown shops, her emotions ebbed and flowed. She parked at the top of Main Street and walked the sidewalks. Missy and Brody couldn’t be the only ones who knew of her arrival in town, so she expected warm welcomes from the rest of the locals.

  She walked into Chrissy’s Clothing. The bell above the door signaled her arrival.

  ‘I’ll be right out!’ a female voice called from somewhere in the back of the store.

  Vibrant fabrics assaulted Reen’s eyes as she walked by the racks. The clothes were eccentric, and she loved it. She recalled coming into the store with Mom when she was younger. The way Mom sashayed through life bled into her bohemian style. Her mother was always smiling until she stopped doing much of anything.

  ‘Hello,’ the woman trilled as she came to the front of the store. Gray-haired and thinner than Reen remembered, but she was the same Chrissy. ‘How can I help you?’

  Reen smiled at the woman, expecting more of the same welcome that she had with Mrs. Collins.

  Chrissy smiled back, but no recognition sparked on her face.

  ‘I’m Reen Barros. I used to come in here with my mom, Pearl.’

  The woman’s mouth curved into an O-shape. ‘Reen. Of course, it’s so good to see you.’ She wrapped her arms around Reen, pulling her into an impressive hug. Chrissy’s bones poked into Reen’s shoulder. ‘Your hair. I didn’t recognize you. I never thought any of you Barros girls would cut it.’

  ‘It’s been a while,’ Reen said, adjusting the sunglasses perched on her head. ‘How are you?’

  Chrissy chatted, and Reen smiled much more than she had in a while.

  They flitted around the shop, talking about the past. But when Chrissy brought up Pearl, Reen didn’t have much to say. It wasn’t for lack of want, but more for lack of knowledge. Other than where she lived now, Reen didn’t know much about Mom’s diagnosis or treatment. Of course, it was all Chrissy wanted to talk about.

  Reen gave the flimsiest excuse she could think of. ‘I just got into town.’ And then tried to change the subject. ‘It was an unexpected visit, and I didn’t pack much. I’ll need to pick up a few things.’

  ‘Absolutely,’ Chrissy said, opening her hands between them as if inviting Reen to buy whatever she wanted.

  A few customers walked into the shop, and Chrissy held up her finger to Reen, signaling she’d return soon. Most tourists looked for something different when they came to the small coastal town. They wouldn’t find many branded T-shirts, but someone might find a one-of-a-kind handmade scarf or brightly colored skirt. Like the one Reen held against her body. She’d packed several plain shirts matching the assorted colors on the fabric. She pulled that and two pairs of shorts from the rack. There were two other shops she wanted to go to, and besides, she could always come back. A tentative smile crossed her lips. She never imagined she’d think that about this place.

  Opening herself up to being surprised, she paid for her purchases and headed out the door as a lightness spread through her.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Reen avoided Rose’s apartment for as long as she could. She’d made her decision to stay but wasn’t ready to rehash her time away from The Burrow with her sister quite yet. She parked by one of the public beaches and sat in her car, allowing the breeze from the water to filter through her hair as the tourists and locals mingled on the sand. The ocean was within walking distance, and the crash of the waves filled her soul to the brim. She wasn’t ready to run into anyone she knew, so she stayed put.

  Reen considered her relationship with the ocean was similar to one she might have with a person. She’d broken it off, as she had with Brody. Ignored it for years, as she had with Rose. Even pushed it out of her mind, as she had with Mom. The close relationships in her life intertwined with the ocean. Leaving them was the same thing as ignoring the one place she’d always felt safe.

  Pushing through those thoughts, she called the car rental company. By
sheer luck she was able to take advantage of a long-term discount.

  Darin was next. She’d given him the opportunity to calm down for a while. The call was cut off after the first ring and diverted to voicemail. After leaving a quick message, she pulled out from the parking spot and faced the inevitable conversation with Rose.

  #

  When Reen returned to the apartment, Rose was home. She wasn’t sure about the parking situation, so she parked on the street, offering herself a quick getaway if she needed it. Her hands started to sweat when she exited the car. Her bags seemed heavier than before, but she trudged up the stairs, determined. Other than a confrontation with her sister, there was nothing to fear. Her entire body flushed just the same.

  Inside, Rose was at the counter chopping vegetables on a cutting board. Reen knocked on the door and waited. Her hands were too full to grab the spare key Rose had given her.

  Through the window, Reen saw Rose smile before opening the door for her. ‘Hi. Wow, did you go on a shopping spree today? I see you went to Chrissy’s.’

  ‘I didn’t bring much with me.’

  ‘Oh, well if you need to borrow anything, my closet is open to you.’

  ‘Thanks, where should I put all this?’

  ‘Over here for now.’ Rose ushered her into the small living room. ‘The couch pulls out. It’s more comfortable than you might think.’

  The memory of Brody’s bed flashed in her mind. ‘Thank you.’

  ‘I’m making a grilled chicken salad.’

  Reen rubbed her hands on her pants. ‘You need help?’

  ‘You can open that bottle of wine. I also bought some beer, and I have some liquor in that lower cabinet. I wasn’t sure what you wanted.’

  Reen was surprised at that. Mom never drank. She didn’t think there was a difference between the two of them, but apparently there was.

  ‘I’ll have a beer.’ Reen didn’t hold much nostalgia about hangovers. Once they were gone, alcohol was fair game. ‘You want something?’

  ‘Wine. With dinner.’

  Reen popped the cap off her bottle of beer, avoiding the picture on the freezer she’d seen earlier that morning. ‘How was work?’

  Rose shrugged. ‘Same as usual. The tourist season brings in a lot of fresh faces. What did you do today?’

  Reen kept the conversation brief and didn’t mention avoiding the apartment by sitting in her car near the beach. Dull and boring worked for now. At least she was comfortable enough with it. The conversation at The Siren about something important weighed on Reen’s mind. She wasn’t going to push Rose into discussing it yet.

  Reen picked at the label on the beer bottle. ‘How did you meet Scott?’

  ‘Shane,’ Rose corrected.

  ‘Sorry.’

  ‘Don’t worry about it.’ Rose’s lips pinched as her hands hovered over the knife and carrot she’d been chopping. ‘The reason I asked you to come back – Shane was involved.’

  Reen took a pull from her beer. ‘I thought you asked me here because Mom was sick.’

  ‘It’s related,’ she said.

  ‘How?’

  ‘I’ll have to start from the beginning,’ Rose said. ‘It’s the only way it will make sense.’

  Reen crossed her arms. ‘Okay.’

  ‘Remember when we were little, and I was afraid of the ocean?’

  ‘How could I forget?’

  Rose cleared her throat.

  Reen didn’t want this to go on any longer than it had to. ‘The sleepwalking incident. Right. Go on.’

  Rose gave a quick, faltering smile. ‘I wasn’t sleepwalking. That was something Mom and Dad told you so that you wouldn’t get freaked out.’

  Reen stood up straighter. ‘What are you talking about?’

  ‘That night. I heard voices. Possibly people on the beach. Somehow, they drew me to them. So, I went out to investigate. Then, I realized the voices came from the water. So I went in.’ She took a deep, shuddering breath. ‘Something attacked me. It pulled me under. I almost drowned.’

  Reen steadied her beer on the table. ‘What pulled you under?’

  Rose shook her head as if clearing her mind of the ordeal. ‘Mom saved me, but from then on, I couldn’t go back in. Mom and Dad brushed it off as if it were seaweed or netting. But unless seaweed has a mind of its own, I always knew it was something else.’

  ‘What does this have to do with Mom?’ Reen found it impossible to keep up with Rose’s train of thought.

  ‘Well…’ As she went on, Rose’s story became more unbelievable by the second. But her downcast eyes and shaky voice captured Reen. Her sister spoke of a girl jumping off the pier – a crazy stunt. Apparently, Rose couldn’t let the police handle finding out what happened to the girl, so she pushed herself into the investigation, getting in Shane’s way many times. Then, when it seemed like the girl had disappeared for good, she appeared to Rose in the ocean like a mermaid.

  ‘Wait, wait,’ Reen said, waving her hands for Rose to stop.

  ‘What?’

  ‘A mermaid?’

  Rose’s eyes were bright and clear. Excited, even. ‘I know it sounds crazy. But it was the same as the night when we were kids. She told me, well, in a way told me, she’d tried to drown me.’

  ‘A mermaid tried to drown you.’

  ‘Yes.’

  Reen expected an explanation, anything other than her sister agreeing with her that a fucking mermaid spoke to her in the ocean. ‘And what has this got to do with our family?’

  ‘She’s Mom’s sister.’

  Reen snorted and downed the rest of her beer. ‘All right, I don’t know what you’re playing at. This sounds ridiculous.’

  ‘Shane saw her too.’

  Reen tilted her head to the side, pausing to restructure the question in her mind to appear less snarky. ‘Are you sure you two weren’t on drugs?’

  Rose pulled a face and then left the room.

  ‘Wait,’ Reen said, smirking. ‘Tell me more about this mermaid. I want to know if she had a purple shell bra or a blue one. Did she have flowing, red hair like Ariel?’ Rose disappeared into her room. Expecting the door to slam in her face, Reen stayed in the hallway. ‘Are you expecting me to buy into this?’

  The door opened, and Rose held a pearl necklace between them.

  Reen waited for the big reveal, but it never came. ‘Is this supposed to prove something?’

  Rose dropped the necklace into Reen’s hand. ‘Look at it.’ The green-colored rope looked old and very delicate. She’d never seen anything like it.

  A tingling sensation rolled up her body, and her skin prickled. ‘Where did you get this?’

  ‘Syrene, that’s her name, she gave it to me. Mom named you after her sister. She went to visit Mom. She wanted her to remember her past or something. It seems impossible, but I saw and experienced it. Mermaids or whatever they are, they’re real – at least she is. It’s true.’

  Reen glanced at Rose. Her sister’s expression was tight. ‘Whatever you believe is true, what do you want me to do with this information?’

  ‘I want you to help me find out more,’ Rose said. ‘Now that you’re staying, I could use your help.’

  ‘If I weren’t staying, you wouldn’t have told me this?’

  ‘Probably not. Shane and I could have done it alone. But this is our family. You know Mom was secretive about her past.’

  ‘I doubt she’s hiding that she’s part mermaid, Rose.’ They weren’t descendants of whatever tricked-out woman swam in the ocean at night and pretended to be a mermaid, handing out necklaces.

  ‘I didn’t want to force you to stay. I know how you can be.’

  ‘How’s that?’ Reen dug her hand into her hip.

  Rose looked her up and down. ‘Like this. Anytime I tried to have you come home, you refused. Which is why I stopped asking.’

  Reen considered it and dropped her hands to her sides. ‘What did you have in mind?’ It wasn’t as if she had anything better to do. She supp
osed she owed her sister some form of rent.

  ‘We haven’t spotted Syrene in the water since that night, and there’s nothing of Mom’s past in her things. I checked. I thought we could work on Dad’s side. I’ve found addresses and contact information for them. I think it’s the best place to move forward. They might know something about where Mom came from.’

  Digging into their family’s problems wasn’t going to be easy, but at least Rose wouldn’t suffer rejection alone.

  Mom and Dad always treated questions about their families with side-eyes and excuses. Dad’s family never wanted him to marry Mom and had severed all ties with them early in their relationship. Mom never spoke about her family, but on rare occasions, Reen caught Mom staring at the ocean with a faraway look in her eyes. She always imagined relatives overseas with cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents they’d meet someday.

  ‘Why do you think they’d talk to us?’ Dad’s family had come to his funeral all those years ago, but as Reen grieved, she’d wanted nothing to do with the people who’d abandoned their family. Dressed in fur and adorned with a glittering necklace and matching earrings, her dad’s mother had barely spoken a word to any of the girls that day, and Reen cocked the same attitude toward her.

  ‘Because I don’t have another plan. Mom never mentioned her family, and she left no photographs or letters from her past. I have a feeling Syrene isn’t coming back either.’

  Reen bit her lip, holding back a remark about them casting out a wide net into the sea to catch the mermaid. Reen didn’t believe any of what Rose had said, but her curiosity about Mom’s past piqued her interest.

  ‘Did you visit Mom today?’ Rose asked.

  ‘No. Did you?’

  Rose nodded. ‘Maybe we can go again tomorrow. Together?’

  Reen rubbed her nose. ‘Maybe.’

  Rose let out a deep sigh. ‘Thanks for listening to me. I know it’s hard to believe. But we’re going to figure this out.’

  ‘I’m sure we’ll get to the bottom of something,’ Reen said. ‘Can we eat now?’

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  The next morning, Rose wanted to meet up with their cousin, Tristan, after visiting Mom. Reen recalled the funeral, seeing the blond-haired, blue-eyed kid stuck to their aunt’s side like the mold that covered the fabric of the chairs. From the research Rose had done on their family, she’d found out he lived in Rhode Island. She’d made an appointment with his secretary over email.