When, at last, he found me.

by Adrianna Stepiano

  Joseph and Seraphin,

  I fear that by coming here I have invited unwanted attention. I can’t thank you enough for saving my life. Your powers are extraordinary.

  Perpetually in your debt,

  Orin Bindolestiv

  I thanked Mr. and Mrs. Nulant for their neighborly care before they left. The house was quiet and for this I should have been grateful; but for some reason, I was not. When night fell, I took a walk. The moon was lost behind a few clouds. Were those clouds from me? I wondered how my gift worked—or was it a curse?

  When I finally returned to my empty house I found the copy of Den lille havfrue, that Nasani had been so excited about. Opening the page to the inscription, I ran my fingers over the elegant pen strokes that I hoped were my mother’s. Before going to bed I placed the book, my father’s poem, and the misplaced photo, inside a keepsake box along with the note Orin left behind. I longed to crawl into the box and hide as well.

  EIGHTEEN

  Mrs. Keyes first asked if I was willing to work the George Washington during Whale Tagging Week—after I turned her down, she scheduled me for the expedition anyway. She was listed to go but wanted to stay behind; Keyes’ Market Anniversary Gala was the following weekend and she felt it important to help her husband prepare for the event.

  I was reluctant to go. While my fear of water was no longer an issue, it worried me that neither Joseph nor Nasani had been on campus for several days. Going on a research mission with the lingering question of their whereabouts was disconcerting.

  Ethan and I met for breakfast in the CORE cafeteria before crew call the morning we were scheduled to leave.

  “What’s weird about this whole thing is that we’re the only ones who seem to care that Jay Mason and Perrine Canard haven’t been to work all week.” He finished his 6th link of breakfast sausage before I had time to take a bite of my oatmeal. “Dr. Radski is too wrapped up making sure we have the proper supplies that she’s neglecting the fact that we don’t have the proper people going. Nas—I mean, Perrine is the best lab tech at CORE—”

  “That’s the only reason you want her there? The fact that she’s a great lab tech—I mean, it couldn’t have anything to do with the fact you’ve got a massive crush on her?” I teased.

  “That’s ridiculous Phin. Of course I don’t have a—seriously? No. We need her help in the lab. That’s it.” He rolled a pancake around the last sausage link; eating it in less than three bites.

  “What’s with the appetite? Is it because you missed dinner last night?” I asked.

  “How do you know I missed dinner?” He was shocked.

  “I stayed late, waiting for Mrs. Keyes so she could drive me home again. I was expecting you to show up here eventually, but I was wrong. What are you up to? I’ve never known you to skip a meal.”

  Before he leaned in close, he wiped the corners of his mouth with a napkin. “I went for a jog around the island—ended up in the field. I think I found something but I didn’t want to tell you until I had time to verify. It was dark and I didn’t have a flashlight.”

  “The relics?”

  “No, but there is a flat stone that seems out of place—it reminds me of the Petoskey stone I picked up in Michigan when my parents were looking at houses last year. Look here.” On the table he placed a smooth rock covered with a pattern of six sided segments. “This is the one I brought home after our visit. It’s actually a fossil, not just a stone. They can only be found in Michigan—around the Great Lakes. So, it makes little sense that I would find one on an island along the Gulf of Maine. I was planning on checking it out this morning after breakfast.”

  I picked up the stone, studying the peculiar surface. “I’m going with you.”

  “Fine—but I’m leaving now. We only have an hour before we have to be on deck.” Without a moment of hesitation he pushed his chair back—stopping only at the trash bin to deposit his tray.

  Before leaving the campus on foot we went to the maintenance supply room and borrowed a shovel. We walked then jogged across the island to the field where the low-bush cranberries grew. Ethan led me to an even lower section that I hadn’t noticed before. “I think it’s around here.”

  We were on our hands and knees searching a 10-foot area when I felt a flat break in the earth. “Ethan, I think I found it.”

  He hurried over, we pulled the plants covering the area out by their roots—sure enough, a 4-inch long stone barely broke the surface of the soil—it was decorated with the same-segmented pattern as the one Ethan had.

  Our fingers pushed and grabbed the soil around it—I lifted it, Ethan began digging with the shovel—he was nearly 4 feet down when he stopped. “How far down should I go?”

  “Ethan—maybe this isn’t the spot. Perhaps it’s just a coincidence that stone is here. We could be wrong about this,” reasoning that my father didn’t seem the type to bury something more than 4 feet underground.

  Leaning against the shovel, he sighed. “You might be right Phin—besides, we’re running out of time, crew call is in 10 minutes.”

  We did our best to backfill the hole and returned to campus in time to grab our bags and board the George Washington. The Captain from the John F. Kennedy was manning the vessel and, I might have been imagining things but I’m certain he sighed when he saw I was on the boat.

  The crew was much larger than the one before. Dr. Radski had assembled a team of professional divers and marine veterinarians aside from the regular CORE researchers and lab techs. With only 5 minutes left before leaving port, two men and a woman boarded the vessel. Ethan ran to the maintenance cabins to give me the news that Jay Mason and Perrine Canard were among the late arrivals. He didn’t know the other man but said Dr. Radski seemed flustered that he was on board.

  “Do you think its Mr. Anonymous, the founder of CORE? Was he young? Did Joseph and Nasani actually accompany him on board?” My curiosity was high.

  Ethan didn’t know any details about the mystery man. He had to get back to the lab—Dr. Radski was on a rampage and he didn’t want to draw any extra attention.

  While it put my mind at ease knowing he was safe—I wasn’t exactly in a hurry to see Joseph. The thought made me nervous—when it came to him, the only thing I knew for sure was that I was unsure of everything.

  Throughout my cleaning rounds, I didn’t see Joseph, Nasani, or the mystery man and during lunch in the cafeteria, they were all absent. Ms. Radski hurried her researchers and techs through their meals so it was impossible to catch Ethan before he was rushed back to work. I cleared the tables, realigned the chairs and went back to patrolling the main deck for bird-droppings. As the day wore on, my curiosity grew. Where were they staying? Why hadn’t Joseph sought me out? Why wasn’t Nasani working in the lab?

  Before dinner I was called to the lab to help clean a frozen block of krill that someone dropped—it shattered into mushy melted pieces. It was my only chance to see Ethan.

  While Dr. Radski had her back turned he filled me in on what he heard. “The guy is someone important—I’m just not sure who he is. Earlier he came through the lab but only stayed a few minutes. He speaks with a thick accent but I don’t know where he’s from; definitely not Maine. Nasani walked beside him the whole time and didn’t say a word. Can you believe she didn’t even acknowledge me? I mean, I thought we had something but I guess I was wrong.”

  “You do like her.” I whispered while I cleaned.

  “Well yeah. Isn’t it obvious?” Ethan hurried to assist a researcher while I picked up the last bit of krill

  The cafeteria was empty during dinner. Dr. Radski ordered the food to be brought into the lab so the researchers could finish assembling and activating the tagging devices that were to be used if a whale happened to swim up to the George Washington. Instead of eating alone in the cafeteria, I opted for eating alone in my cabin; with a baked potato in one hand and a coke in another I made my way through the tiny hallway. Before I could see him, I knew he was there waiting. I sens
ed him. What would I say? Was he upset with me—was I upset with him?

  His eyes caught mine as I rounded the corner and my heart skipped. Wearing a light gray shirt and a black thin tie, he stood with one hand in the pocket of his straight charcoal trousers and in the other he held a neatly folded sport coat. The corner of his mouth raised into a curious smile as he glanced at my pathetic dinner. “Eating alone?”

  “Do you have a better idea?” I tilted my head; allowing a smile to crack through to the corners of my lips.

  “As a matter of fact, I do.” He looked me up and down. “Not that you don’t look fantastic but is there a chance you have anything other than a green MOLE shirt to wear?”

  I glanced down at my dirty work shirt where a few small pieces of krill remained. “I must have forgotten about the Whale Tagging Ball—silly me.”

  “I’ll take that as a no.”

  “Oh wait, I know.” The sarcasm was apparent in my voice. I closed my eyes. “Bippity-boppity-boo!”

  His arm linked around my bent elbow. “Come with me, I have something better than a fairy godmother—I have a Nasani.”

  While leading me through sections of the George Washington that I didn’t know existed; he remained silent. I asked him where he had been; where we were going; why he was avoiding my questions, but he said nothing. After riding in an elevator I had never seen before, we arrived at room #2. My cabin was #348. Across the hall was a door marked #1. Joseph knocked and Nasani answered the door to room #2. Instantly she smiled and squealed—hugging me and pulling me into the room, leaving Joseph to the hallway. She wore a long fitted gray satin skirt with a slight flair at the bottom—reminding me of her mermaid form. Her top was a simple purple sleeveless v-cut blouse and her hair was braided and twisted on top of her head in an elaborate up-do.

  “I have the perfect dress for you!” She exclaimed. “But first you need to shower because you smell like a dirty fish tank.”

  “It’s that bad?” I asked, curling my nose.

  She only nodded her head.

  Cabin #2 was a large space with a couch and two leather oversized chairs. A glass wall faced the black ocean. A small balcony hovered over the water. The Japanese inspired paper shade separated the main living space from the sleeping area and a bathroom larger than room #348 ran adjacent to a not so small kitchenette. Taking my baked potato and coke, she pushed a fresh-thick towel into my arms and shoved me into the bathroom. I showered with hot water and used lavender scented soap to wash. It must have been her favorite aroma.

  I wrapped myself in a towel and called for Nasani. Not once did I complain as she plucked and primped me to perfection. Several times I asked her where we were going—but she didn’t answer other than to say, “We can’t very well leave the boat without ruining your hair?”

  When she finished I was wearing a light gray wrap dress with a plunging neckline but a conservative fold around the collar. The sleeves cut off just before the elbows and my knees hid under the slight flare of the skirt. She tied a sapphire blue sash around my waist—made me slip on a pair of matching slides—tucked one side of my long wavy hair behind my ear and shoved me into the hallway where Joseph leaned against the wall patiently.

  I turned quickly back to the door—wanting to ask more questions but she was gone and the door was shut.

  “Are you ready?” Joseph asked softly.

  When I turned, his hand awaited mine. I placed my hand in his and he led me to door #1. With a quick glance I noticed he had put the sport jacket on. His hair was still the usual mess and I found it charming, “Ready for what?”

  “Dinner, I hope you don’t mind but I already ordered.” He reached for the door handle, twisting it. Placing his hand on the small of my back he gently pushed me forward. “Oh and by the way, you look absolutely amazing Seraphin.”

  The door opened into a waiting area with a shiny white tile floor. The room had a potted evergreen in each of its four corners; they were more like sculptures than trees with their branches twisted and trimmed. A long rectangular platform with a thick white cushion was suspended from the vaulted ceiling. Ivy twisted through the chains holding the unusual swing in place.

  Joseph led me to the swing—gesturing for me to sit. “I’ll let him know we are here.” Before I could speak he passed through a sliding electronic door that closed tightly behind. The space was in great contrast to the rest of the George Washington décor and for a moment I forgot that we were on a boat in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

  It took Joseph just a few minutes to return. “Alright, let’s go in.” He stood waiting by the door.

  I didn’t move.

  “Oh.” Walking over, he held out his hand. “I’m sorry, not much of a gentleman, huh?”

  I only turned my head away from his gaze.

  Frustrated he took a step back and dropped his hand, “WHAT!?”

  “Who is in that room? Why are we dressed up? What did you order me for dinner? I want all of those questions answered before I move from this fancy swing couch.” I was stubborn.

  “The man who’s bank account your paycheck comes out of; because he’s fancy, like his couch; fettuccini alfredo with a side of steamed asparagus. Is there anything else you’d like to know? I really don’t think we should keep him waiting. He’s a busy man.” His hand reached for mine again but I ignored it.

  When the electronic door opened I sauntered through in front of Joseph. I was going to meet the man on my own terms. The suite was extravagant and again I had to remind myself that we were on a boat. Two crystal chandeliers lit a dining area with a long table set for only two though eight chairs surrounded it. Instead of going to the table—as Joseph did, I wandered around the living area. Renaissance paintings of women decorated the walls; a sculpture of a mermaid was the centerpiece of the room. I blushed slightly when I realized that under the marble swirls of hair she was topless. Thank goodness she had long hair.

  An incomplete painting of a woman caught my attention—part of her hand and pieces of the background remained colorless sketches while the rest of her body was fully rendered with deep hues. It was difficult to take my eyes off of her.

  “Great choice, that one is my favorite as well—so, is an unfinished masterpiece still a masterpiece? Does it deserve to be next to those finished works of art or should it be unframed; forever trapped in incompleteness?” A deep voice with a thick accent traveled across the room—it was smooth and slow, every syllable accounted for. “What is your opinion?”

  Without turning, I spoke. “The simple fact that the painting is incomplete, in my opinion, makes it a surprising success compared to the others—we are given a rare glimpse at the painter’s process; train of thought and raw abilities.”

  The man moved closer to the painting, disregarding my personal space. For a stranger he stood too close but I didn’t move. “Interesting observations for such a young, uneducated girl—so you’re saying that it’s perfectly acceptable to not finish something that has been started?”

  Uneducated? “My words did not suggest anything of the sort.”

  “Do you know who I am?” He stood closer than a foot from me and he was nearly two feet taller. I finally looked at the middle-aged man. His black hair was longer but neatly pushed out of his face, the color of his skin was darker than tan with a yellowish tint and his eyes were shadowy and accusing.

  “I do not.”

  “Do I know you?” He asked.

  “While I am certain I’ve never met you, I cannot be sure if you know who I am or not. I work at this company and since, I think, you are the founder of CORE. My best guess is that you have come across my employee paperwork before. But does that constitute knowing someone? I barely think so.” My voice was unwavering and I was proud.

  “So you do know who I am?” He asked.

  “My answer is the same, I do not.”

  Joseph entered the room and I caught his face from the corner of my eye. He shook his head from side to side—I did my best to i
gnore him.

  “You know that I am the founder of CORE,” trying to catch me in a lie, he responded.

  “That was a lucky guess based on the fact that no other person would be staying in such an elaborate suite. For example, I am the lowest ranking employee on this boat—so my cabin is the size of a small walk-in closet. Just to clarify, I am not complaining—simply comparing.” I stated my observations.

  The man smirked. “Ms. Shedd, as it turns out I do know you and I knew your father as well. The man made poor choices and for that you are much like this painting; incomplete. Had you been born my daughter—a masterpiece you would surely be. Instead, we were cursed with families that are inferior to our own worth.”

  Joseph turned his attention to the electronic door.

  I couldn’t take my awareness off of the unpleasant man. How did he know my father?

  “Father,” A voice came from the half open door. “I am sorry to interrupt, but your helicopter is waiting.”

  Nasani stood with her shoulders back, her head high and a face that was vacant of emotion.

  “Thank you darling,” the man was polite to his daughter.

  He turned to me, lifting my chin to meet his eyes. “If only God had gifted me with the female Guardian—she would have been perfection. Ms. Shedd, make wise choices and try not to let your raw abilities go to waste.”

  Walking to Nasani he bent and kissed her on the top of the head. Before the electronic door closed he added one last thing. “Ms. Shedd, you may stay in my suite for the remainder of this research mission. Please, consider this your home at sea.”

  The three of us were silent for several moments, afraid to move in case he came back through the door. It wasn’t until after the chopping of the helicopter blades passed that Nasani left the room. A tear rolled down her cheek as she left. Looking back, I wish I had said more, but I didn’t and Joseph didn’t. We let her leave without knowing the truth about what was troubling her.

  A woman was standing on the other side of the door when Nasani passed through. She wore a white jacket and pushed a silver tray on wheels. “Room service,” she announced to Joseph.