by Garry Hicks
Derek's mouth pops open. "I'm speechless!"
Brandon, in shock, "I have no words...nothing could express how I feel".
Derek continues. "Dad, I can't believe you never told me."
Lou shrugs his shoulders. "Would you have believed me?"
"No, I guess not...not before this trip anyway."
Kyle sighs. "I need to drink a large quantity of alcohol."
Lou pulls out a chair. "Why don't we have a seat around the table."
Brandon sits. "Good idea...before I fall down."
They all pull out their chairs and sit. They all flash glances at each other, no one says a word.
Treena finally breaks the ice. "This is such a surprise, I never thought I'd see you two again."
"I knew you'd come Treena." Jessa responds. "I felt it in my heart."
Treena smiles. "I felt you too even though I didn't expect you were going to be with anyone connected to my friends here."
"It's strange how the Gods work things out." replies Jessa.
"Strange indeed." affirms Treena. "So Jessa, how is it here...I mean...do you like it?"
Jessa glances at Lou and smiles. "It has its challenges but yes, I love it here."
Lou raises his eyebrows. "What challenges are we talking about my love?"
Jessa rubs his shoulder. "Nothing to do with you my love."
Treena asks, "No problem getting in the water? I mean, I know there's water everywhere but...any problems?"
Jessa smiles. "None at all, plus...the waters are beautiful around here. I'll take you...you'll love it."
Treena stares at the pool about fifteen feet away. "And you have your own private lagoon?"
"Yes, and it's salt water. I don't have to go anywhere if I don't want to."
Treena seductively kisses Brandon on the cheek. "Honey, can you get me one of those?"
Brandon, a bit unsettled, responds, "Uhh, uh huh, absolutely."
Treena smiles and kisses him again on the cheek.
"Well, I'm so glad everyone is sooo happy." Derek opines with just a slight touch of sarcasm. "Now I'm the one feeling like a fish out of water. Dad, how did it happen?"
Lou clasps his hands. "I imagine the same as you son. Into the storm, out the other side, and there sat the islands. How is Arianna?"
Derek smiles. "She's good. She's a fantastic lady."
"Yes, she is. I'm glad to hear that." agrees Lou.
"Oh, I forgot." Derek says as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a locket. "Arianna said to give this to you when I found you."
He hands her the locket, she stares a moment at it then pulls it close to her chest. She sighs. "This is so special to me...thank you Derek."
Lou tries to grab the locket, she pulls it away. "I'm sorry honey, no one else can touch it." she puts it around her neck, clips it on. "I can't believe my sister really sent this, but...my sister is wonderful."
Jessa looks at Treena. "Seeing you Treena is, almost, as good as seeing her."
"Well, that's a fine welcome...almost." kids Treena.
"What about the evil queen, Nemeritias?" Lou asks. "I assume you all met her?"
"She swims with the fishes." Kyle answers. "In very deep water."
"Meaning what?" questions Lou.
Brandon smiles. "I killed her."
Lou pumps his fist. "Yes! Ding dong, the witch is dead. Fantastic! Sean?"
"The fool fell in love with the witch's daughter." Derek sighs. "He stayed."
Jessa says. "Good for him. Chiron?"
Derek nods his head. "Yeah, that's another story."
Treena turns to Jessa. "You know who Chiron is, I mean who she really is?"
Jessa smiles. "Of course I do honey. I promised my sister I would never speak about it so it's a secret that had to stay locked up inside of me. When it happened, I suffered along with your mother."
Treena glances at Lou. "Did Lou know?"
"Yes, I told him."
"So everyone knew but me." Treena whispers.
Everyone has a moment of silence until Derek asks. "So Dad, what happened with you on the island?
Lou raises his eyebrows. "I imagine the same thing as you. Our big problem was the pirates...Captain Pardel killed Alex...poor soul. Did you meet up with them?
Brandon answers. "Ohhh yeahhh. The berries...beachfront battle."
Brandon stops, Lou waits, finally raises his hands, "So what happened?"
Brandon, smiles, leans down to a bag, pulls out Pardel's hat, carefully places it on his head, smiles.
Lou's eyes pop open. "You gotta be kidding me...unbelievable. You took out Pardel? And the pirates are gone?"
Brandon, cocky, purses his lips. "Yeah, yeah...we took care of business. No more pirates...ever."
Jessa claps her hands. "I'm so happy for my sister and everyone else on the island. It's been a worry for them for so long. I really underestimated you boys. You killed Nemeritias, Pardel and drove the pirates away. You were truly meant to find the island."
Brandon nods his confident head. "Sometimes destiny finds you, but this time, we forged our own."
Brandon whispers to Jessa. "Jessa, Treena has to...you know...go."
Jessa smiles. "Come Treena."
Both get up and walk through the sliding door into the living room. The TV is on, Jurassic Park is the show. Treena stares at the TV, screams, dashes behind the couch, crouches on her hands and knees. Jessa stands next to her.
Treena whispers, kind of loud. "Hide Jessa...hide!"
"Why?"
"Those beasts..." she points to the TV. "over there."
Jessa smiles. "Honey, that's just the TV...those creatures aren't real, it's like...made up pictures."
Treena looks up. "Not real?"
"No, now get up."
Slow, Treena raises just enough to peek over the couch at the TV.
"You're sure?"
"I'm sure, just make believe. Didn't Brandon have a TV at his place?"
"I guess not. I've never seen anything like that"
Back on the patio, Lou continues his story. "So we had to make up a story about Alex falling overboard which is why we never found his body. Anyway, enough of that. What's your plans?"
Derek smiles. "We brought back a lot of pirate booty. I'll sell some...chill, and figure out what I want to do. You guys?"
Kyle and Brandon both nod. "Yeah...same here."
"I'll tell you what I'm not going to do and that’s go back to that crappy, depressing twelve dollar an hour job that keeps me locked in a cell." states Derek.
"What about Sarah?" asks Lou.
"Yes...Sarah, Sarah. You know, she's a really nice person but...she's so needy. I'm sitting on that one for now."
Brandon glances inside. "It's like, after being with a mermaid, normal women are kind of boring."
Kyle rolls his eyes. "Do I need to remind you that before this trip you couldn't get a date with an eighty year old woman? Do you recall that...studmeister?"
"Yeah, but that was..."
Lou interrupts. "Pirate booty eh. You're lucky you got it. You know what that stuff's worth?"
"A lot I imagine." answers Derek.
Lou smiles. "Millions...and more millions."
"Yeah, we all figured it was".
Lou, a bit dejected, nods his head sideways. "You guys are lucky...we got nothing."
Derek glances at Brandon, nods his head. Brandon reaches into his bag, grabs the pirates medallion he got from the sunken ship, hands it to Lou.
Lou inspects it. "Yeah this is nice. Just this piece could set you up for life."
Derek grins. "It's yours dad."
Lou stares at the medallion, looks up at Derek. "Say what? Are you serious?
Brandon holds out his hand, Lou shakes it. "Just a little thank you for letting us use the Mystic. We wouldn't have anything if you didn't let us use her."
Lou nods his head. "I don't know what to say, other than, thanks guys. This calls for a celebration!"
In the kitchen, Jessa h
olds open the fridge door, Treena leans against the counter.
Jessa says, "There a lot you must learn about life here. No one must ever find out who you really are."
Treena asks, "Why?"
"Because they will take you and put you inside of a laboratory, put you in a tank of water so they can study you. You see Treena, most people in this world don't believe we even exist."
"So it is not safe here. Why do you stay?"
"The same reason you came with Brandon. I love Lou, he's a good man. Besides, so many things here we never had. Like this."
She pulls out a jar of Nutella, opens it, grabs a spoon, dishes some on, hands it to Treena. Treena, cautious, takes it, sniffs, then samples it. Her eyes roll.
"That's the most incredible thing I ever tasted. Great Gods of Zeus!"
She downs it, dips again and sucks on it. Jessa grabs a jar of M & M's, unscrews it, grabs Treena's hand and pours some in. Treena stares.
"These look like...ahhh...bird droppings...in different colors."
"Eat one."
"I shall not eat that which a bird leaves on the ground."
Jessa takes a few from her hand, pops them into her mouth, rolls her eyes. Treena stares, cautious, at the candy in her hand. Slow, she picks one up, rolls it in her fingers. She sniffs, glances at Jessa and finally drops one into her mouth. She rolls it with her tongue, then flashes a big smile.
"I think I'm going to like it here."
Lou walks in, smiles. "I see you're introducing her to our, our...better delights."
"I don't want to leave this place." Treena says. "So many wonderful things. I even just ate a bird dropping, a colored one at that. I had no idea bird droppings could be so good."
Lou glances at Treena who raises her eyebrows and holds up the candy jar.
Lou kids, "Yes, we collect them outside, in the morning, when they're fresh."
Treena says, "Then wake me in the morning so I can collect my own jar."
Lou reaches into the fridge, grabs two bottles of champagne, holds one out to Treena. "Then you're really going to love this. Honey, would you grab some glasses, we're starting a celebration outside."
He leans over to Jessa, whispers, "Bird droppings...really Jessa." Jessa sticks her tongue out at Lou.
Back on the patio, Lou stands. The rest sit as Lou holds out his filled glass for a toast.
"It's wonderful that we can all be together, so I'd like to toast to all of you our new way of life."
Brandon echoes, "To what we wanted our entire life, a life that being a millionaire brings."
Derek follows, "To being a millionaire!"
All raise their glasses, clink and drink.
Treena smiles, downs the glass. "Ohhh...ooohhh...so wonderful."
Brandon warns, "Slow down there party girl, this stuff has a kick."
Treena holds out her glass, smiles. "Kick me some more...my love."
Brandon whispers in her ear. "Say that again."
"Kick me some more."
"No silly, the other part."
"What part?"
Brandon frowns.
"You mean...my love?"
Brandon nods his head up and down with a big smile.
"My love, my very sweet love...I love you."
They hug as Brandon whispers in her ear. "And I love you so very much."