by J Turbett
"I love you, Aly," he said. After freezing stiff for a moment, unsure of how to respond, she wrapped her arms around her little brother. In his embrace she felt as calm as she did in the water. It was a small step, but it was a step all the same, and a big one for Alice. No one had been able to touch Alice in a long time. Alice smiled a real smile.
Chapter 10
A Fish A Day
October began, refreshing breezes blew off the water, and everyone was out on the beach. The water was absolutely perfect in the rising temperatures. Alice was never herself more than when she was alone and swimming through the wonders of the blue. She liked to swim with one whale in particular; it sang to her, told her of wonders she hadn't explored. The mer world touched her occasionally, but, for the most part, she kept to herself. It was becoming harder to avoid their world when she knew so little about it.
This was how she found herself on a mission after work one day. She had a destination in mind, so she single-mindedly set out for it. She walked straight into the clinic.
"Is Adam in?" She asked the receptionist, idly noticing the gaudy nameplate that said Natalie.
"Yes; he's just stitching a cut on a boy's leg." Alice moved to go in through the back door. "But you can't go in there!" Natalie called after her. Alice didn't notice; she certainly wasn't listening. She walked past one of the rooms, lucky that the door was open. Inside, Adam was carefully lecturing a young boy.
"Let's try not to do any more dangerous stunts, Johnny. You could’ve broken a leg." Johnny, clearly not paying much attention, looked past Adam and smiled, a sucker perched precariously in his mouth. Adam, confused, turned to follow the little boy’s gaze.
"Alice!" He yelped in surprise. It was a good thing he had been done stitching: he hadn't seen Alice since her haircut and shopping spree. At that point, Natalie caught up to them, out of breath; she must have been at least thirty years older than Adam.
“I’m sorry, she just barged in. I couldn’t stop her.”
“It’s okay, Natalie. Alice is a friend. Would you mind taking Johnny back out to his parents?” Natalie agreed and began to usher the boy out.
“Alice…what are you doing here?” Adam asked as Natalie turned to leave. He knew a pretty girl had hidden under all that hair and clothes, but to see her in person blew him away. It was a drastic change.
"I want to know more," she demanded. They both knew the office wasn’t a good place to talk, so Adam invited her to walk with him.
"What do you want to know?" he asked as they started down the sidewalk. It made him slightly uncomfortable to stand next to the person she was now. The change in her was palpable.
"Anything you do. Finn's posse talked about mating. What’s the deal with that?”
"Honestly, it's like an animal in heat..." Adam said awkwardly, looking Alice up and down out of the corner of his eye. "I mean they just, it's just...I don't know how to describe it,” he rubbed some of the building sweat off his brow. “The folk mate for life, and somehow they know."
"Know what?"
"Well, you know the old sayings about kissing a ton of frogs before you find the right one? Well with the folk, you know the instant your lips connect that you're destined to be."
"How is that even possible? I mean, with all the people divorcing these days…"
"Yeah, humans divorcing, sure. But, like I was trying to say, with the folk, they know. Something about the electrical current, I think. I really have no idea. You guys won't really let me study you, after all."
"How would one mate with a human, then?"
"You know, a human has a low current, too.” He paused, sighing with frustration. “I honestly don't know. Half of what the folk are is pure magic to me, because my science can't grasp it."
“So now you’re calling me magic?”
Adam stopped and looked at her. He wasn’t quite sure if she was joking; he couldn’t read the tone in her voice. She just stared back at him with no hint of what she really meant. He shook it off and just continued.
"Somewhere between winter and spring, I guess, is the peak for mating, but I don't know much about the social aspects. I mean, certain members of the folk I'd know...You're really talking to the wrong person,” he scratched his head. She was confusing the issue with the way she was looking at him; she seemed so different from the woman he had seen so often in the bar. “All I really do is treat the wounds from your fights."
"Knife fights?"
"Yeah, territorial, female or male disputes, they're all settled by your weapons. That's why it was so important you had one. Where is yours, anyway?" he said, trying to change the topic.
"Under my pillow."
"You should find a better place for it." They were continuing their walk, and it was all Adam could do not to just stop and stare at her. Why were all the folk so gorgeous, anyway?
"Why are all the women chasing Finn? He's an asshole. I don't care if his grandmother is dying." Adam stopped in his tracks. That was one way to get his attention.
"How do you know that?"
"How do you?" Alice countered.
"I treat her."
"He told me."
"Finn told you about his grandmother? Brassila?" Finn didn’t talk to anyone about anything, let alone someone who was completely new to their clan.
"Brassila?" Alice’s eyes widened with surprise.
"Yes."
"I didn't know." Alice said, shocked. Brassila had just been a story that a guy in a bar told her. She hadn't really applied Adam's story to what was happening to her now. Adam shook his head, clearing some line of thought he wasn't going to discuss.
"The girls chase him because he's a prize: the mansion will go to him, which means he has a safe landfall. He also has a lot of human wealth and power. And because he's waited far longer than usual to choose a mate."
"How old is he?"
"Around 26. His brother's about 18: this is Tommy's first mating season."
"They don't pair before?"
"Well, I know they kiss people, maybe experiment some, but they can't feel that spark before 18." He eyed her suspiciously, "You're not planning on going after Finn, are you?"
She looked shocked. "Me? Finn? No offense, but he's a pampered brat. Besides I don't need anybody." He stepped away from her as he watched a spark reflexively travel across two of her fingers. "No man gets that close to me," she said, slipping back into her old clouds briefly. It had a different effect when she was all cleaned and primped like one of the other maids. He watched the current travel across her fingers again: she was dangerous but beautiful, but she was also one of them. Somehow he just couldn’t get his mind on one track.
"Please, don't do that near me. It was bad enough when you were drunk; I don't want to know how bad it is sober." Alice turned to him, seeing an odd fear in his eyes. For a moment they stood there, looking at each other, before they both burst into mild laughter. Alice looked around as she recovered: they were at his doorstep. She hadn't even noticed which direction they had been going..
"Why do you care if I go after Finn anyway?"
"I have a feeling some of those maids think Finn is their territory. They'd defend it with their knives. Which is why you should always keep yours on you. Your haircut could be enough to set them off, let alone...the rest," he said, pausing and looking away. At the mention of knives, Alice's hand instinctively went to her scar. Adam noticed but said nothing. "You, uh...wanna come in for dinner?" Adam asked awkwardly. She looked up. Was he asking her on a date? She couldn’t be sure, and she certainly didn’t trust the doctor who was paid to deal with her kind. Adam didn’t even know why he was asking her; he certainly didn’t want to get involved with the mer, it just seemed like the courteous thing to do.
"No, I should go home," she said after a pause. "My family, they just, they need me right now. I'll see you later. If I have more questions."
"You know, there're people in the underwater city like Misa who will answer your questions. Not to mention s
he would know way more than I could ever tell you." Alice froze for a moment, then continued on her way. She didn't tell him that she wanted nothing to do with either humans or merfolk, that she wanted little more than being left alone. Just because she had changed her appearance didn't mean she wasn't still the scared and traumatized woman inside.
Alice looked better, but it was for herself, and her family’s benefit. It was a start, but it wasn’t the solution. Alice didn't want anyone else. The only reason she was curious about the merfolk was because she figured she should probably know more if she was going to survive. The only thing she cared about was the ocean, and her family. Her family hurt for her, hurt with her, hurt because of her, and needed her to put back together what she had torn apart. She walked home that night and ate dinner with her family. Eating with her family was a singular act that did nothing but bring smiles to her parent’s faces, and that was reward enough. She had put them through enough suffering.
Chapter 11
Snowless Christmas
"This is stupid, Dad," David said, hanging an ornament on the artificial tree as Alice looked for music on the radio and her parents attempted to take pictures. It was December now, and David was out of school. It was a little late for their tradition of putting up the tree, but the season had crept up on them. The holiday was different when occurring amidst the heat, grilling on the barbies.
"This isn't Christmas-like at all! I mean, there's no snow...there's not even rain! Or clouds. It's sunny and hot outside!" David continued.
"I think it's a great Christmas: no shoveling and I can still go swimming," Alice said. Truthfully, it was much more difficult to go swimming, considering the beaches were growing a little crowded.
"You two are ridiculous. It never snowed in Portland for Christmas." Sarah put in while trying to get a picture of the two kids together.
"Welcome to the tropics, kids," Ron said coming in from getting the mail. Alice returned to helping David with the ornaments. "Hey, Aly, you have something here."
"What?"
"Looks like an invitation of some sort." Her mom walked over first.
"The Caraway mansion! When did you meet the Caraway boys?" her mother asked.
“Finn?” Alice stepped over the boxes full of Christmas decorations in their cramped living room. With both parents looking over her shoulder, she opened the invitation.
"It’s addressed to you and a guest," her mother said. She eyed Alice, looking for some reaction. Alice didn't always react, but she figured her daughter might have told her she had met one of the Caraways.
"Live band...wow," said her father.
"It’s just a Christmas party," Alice shrugged.
"A Christmas party, at a mansion, on a private beach," her mother's eyes looked misty.
"That's not fair!" David said. "Why Aly and not us?"
"I dunno, must be really exclusive," Ron replied.
"They probably want a younger crowd," said Sarah, sounding mildly disappointed. “I mean, the Caraways are pretty young, and they have a huge mansion all to themselves.” Alice choked down a grunt before it came out. The Caraways were rarely alone. With their private beach and large mansion, they frequently housed several members of the mer community whenever they chose to stay on land overnight.
"I'm young!" David said.
"How'd you meet the Caraways?" Ron asked curiously, ignoring David.
"We've run into each other once or twice. I didn't think much of it."
"Apparently they did," her mother said. Alice wasn't about to tell them that it was probably a party where he invited the local merfolk. Because then they'd have a conversation something to the tune of: so, mom, who in our history was a mermaid? Because somehow I'm one, too.
"Our daughter, friends with a millionaire!" her dad said, patting Alice on the back. She didn't say that “friend” was probably the last thing she would call either Finn or Tommy.
"I probably won't even go. It's in a week…right on Christmas day? I should probably spend that night with you."
"Oh, no you don't, honey. You don't get invited to a fancy formal dress party by a millionaire and not go. I'll even buy you a dress! You don't have anything formal enough for a mansion." Alice rolled her eyes at her mother’s obvious excitement.
"Please, Mom, don't buy my dress."
"Honey! There's nowhere in town to get a fancy dress. You'd have to go to the city."
"If, and I mean if I'm going, I'll figure out a way to get to town, mother. Anyway, I have to go. I told Adam I'd go sailing with him today," she said, throwing the invitation at the kitchen counter. Her mother smiled at Ron knowingly. Alice had been spending a fair amount of time sailing with Adam. Of course, Alice wasn't necessarily always spending that time with Adam, but it was a good excuse when she went on long swimming excursions.
"What about the ornaments?" David cried.
"I thought we were done, little brother?"
"I guess we are," he said grudgingly.
"I'll catch you all later."
Alice all but ran down the road. She couldn't wait. The water this time of year felt great. No one was down on the beach just now. There were some people surfing, but it didn't matter, no one was watching her. As she ran for the shore, she was reminded of her grandma, cheering her on more than anyone at the competitions. She hadn't told her parents the whole truth. When she did meet Adam, she frequently swam to him. Unless, of course, the beach was crowded, then she did bum a ride from him. This time, Adam had left an hour or so ago and was already a couple miles out to sea, but Alice would catch up soon enough.
Alice twirled and danced among the life in the water. It was divine; she could tell why the people were out on surfboards. Perhaps the reason their little beach was so empty was because most people went to nicer beaches. The local beach wasn't that great because the shore was fairly rocky, but it didn't stop everyone. Alice had to be more careful that she wasn't seen in daylight.
Still, the ocean was perfect. The fish and other creatures of the deep were around her and the water was heaven. It didn't take her long to swim out past the surfers toward a boat. She knew it was Adam's, so she wasn't afraid. She arced out of the water, making sure to splash the captain in his summer turtleneck. Alice was wearing her green bikini top. She bobbed to the surface.
"I knew it was you. More questions?" he asked.
"Just one," she yelled up.
"Which means somewhere around ten. You coming up?"
Alice thought about it a moment. It would be easier than screaming up at him, though she didn’t really want to leave the water. "If you've got a towel and some pants."
"I might have something around here somewhere, it’s not like I do this all the time now or anything." He smiled. His smile still unnerved her, but less than before. She and Adam had developed a tentative friendship over the past couple of months. She was trying very hard to be human again, and Adam was trying to get over the fact that she wasn’t human. It wasn’t an ideal situation, but it was sort of working, for now.
Minutes later, Alice found herself on deck. The towel was draped over her shoulders and she wore an old pair of Adam’s sweatpants, with a hole in one knee. He quickly offered her a beer and she took it. It was hard for him to be around her without something to do.
"So, what question you got for me?" Adam asked. He lounged back in the booth, watching her carefully. He felt if he played things too quickly, she would slip through his fingers like an eel, but the soft smiles that lit up her green eyes were something he lived for.
"Could my family be transforms?"
He stared at her, "Why would you ask that?"
"I'm just curious."
"Your brother probably is, and one of your parents probably carries the gene. But how could you even think of that?"
"Could I ever tell any of them about this?" She said gesturing at the ocean, the stupid smile that she always carried after swimming painted on her face, the one that lit her green eyes the way nothing else did.
"What? Hanging out on a boat belonging to the local doctor without your own pants? Swimming two miles in the ocean, without taking a breath, mind you, to intercept my boat? I knew you weren't only going to ask one question." He tried to play it off sarcastically, but part of him liked that he could share this with her. Even though she was a mer now, once upon a time she had been human. He liked to flatter himself that this was why she came to him.
"You know what I mean," she said frowning.
He lost the sarcastic smile on his own face. "No, you can’t tell them. Not unless you got approval from a clan leader."
"A clan leader? We have clan leaders now?"
"Of course you do,"
"Why did I not know this?"
“You never seemed interested in their politics before, and you do seem pretty adept at avoiding them…especially your suitors…” he stifled a laugh; she frowned in his general direction.
“Who are the leaders?”
"Who do you think, genius?"
"Finn. Finn's the leader."
"No, his grandmother is. But when she does finally pass, he will be the next clan leader."
“So I’m supposed to ask Mr.-smarty-pants-stay-off-my-island jerk?”
“Stop, stop, stop. Let’s just back up a second. What are you looking for? Hasn’t your family suffered enough without knowing all this? I mean, do you know the consequences of what you’re asking?”
She stared at him in response, waiting for him to tell her.
“Alice, this is your burden to carry, you can’t…”
“I can’t bring my brother into this? I can never really get close to my family again? I can’t ever have the sibling I remember?”
Adam sighed. “I didn’t say that, it’s just… Alice…the consequence if Brassila did say yes, and that’s a big if, mind you…”