He glances at Xavier. “Perhaps I was wrong to steer you so directly into Miss Simonsen’s arms. You may have seen her true character before I did. But still, you’ve defied me repeatedly, and lied to me. I need a word with you—alone. Come to the study.”
Robert leads Xavier out of the room, both men’s footsteps echoing down the marble hallways. I feel horrible for Xavier, and from the somber looks on Amelie and Arabella’s faces, I’m sure they’re feeling the same way.
We sit in uncomfortable silence for a moment. I strain my ears, trying to make out the conversation between Xavier and his father, but they’re just too far away for the sound waves to carry, even with my sharp mermaid hearing.
Sighing, I lean back on the couch, and Arabella asks with false brightness, “May I offer you more hot chocolate?”
“Yes, please.” Even though my stomach rumbles in protest after the overindulgent dinner, I simply can’t refuse a second helping. We mermaids aren’t used to heavy meals, and, naturally, we don’t have delicacies like chocolate on the ocean floor. I could never eat or drink this way every day, but I don’t see any harm in partaking while I’m here.
As the maid bustles in with a fresh pot of hot chocolate, Arabella asks, “So, Oceania, are your parents expecting you home, or would you like to stay the night? We have several guest rooms if you need accommodation. I’m sure that you don’t want to plunge to the bottom of the ocean again—the water is so cold.”
“Thanks for your offer, Mrs. Rose, but my parents are expecting me. And you don’t have to worry—the chill of the water is something that we mermaids are prepared for. Our body temperatures regulate almost instantly, as soon as we dive in. It’s only when we emerge onto land that we feel the cold.”
“So interesting,” Amelie says. “That wasn’t in the book that I was reading. Perhaps I could write a more thorough one, now that I’ve met a real mermaid.”
“Oh, Amelie, dear. Let’s make sure Oceania approves of being your research subject before you put her in a book,” Arabella says, her bright eyes dancing as she smiles at her daughter.
“I wouldn’t mind,” I tell Amelie with a laugh. “But, you know, since we’re all being so honest with each other, I really want to know what’s happening in the other room.”
Arabella sighs. “Don’t we all, dear?”
Chapter Forty: Xavier
Father closes the door of his study with an ominous slam, shutting us off from the rest of the house. At that moment, my entire world becomes darker—literally.
Mother chose the decorations for all the other rooms, which means they sparkle with vibrant, whimsical shades of blue, red, and gold. The study, however, is entirely the product of my father’s fancy. Hideous gargoyles leer down at me from the borders of the ceiling, while paintings of stern-faced ancestors glare over from the dark-paneled walls. Occlusive shades obliterate much of the light from the lamps, casting the entire room in a dismal, depressing glow.
The ornately-carved wooden desk is bloated and grossly oversized, like Father himself. He plops down on the overstuffed desk chair, his eyes boring holes in me.
“I’ve never been so embarrassed in my life,” he says, folding his hands across the desktop.
I clear my throat and slide into a chair across from him, waiting for him to continue. This wasn’t how I’d expected our conversation to begin—admitting to his embarrassment sounds an awful lot like showing weakness, something that he wouldn’t normally do.
“As I told you in the parlor, I can understand your feelings about Miss Simonsen. I was displeased with her character, or lack thereof, tonight. But if you knew that she was not the woman for you, why didn’t you just take up with another suitable young lady, one with good family and connections? How dare you bring that mermaid here? She’s a freak, a deformity. She belongs in the circus, not in my home, flopping about half-naked in front of everyone we know in Monterey. Do you have any idea what this is going to do to my reputation, and to yours?”
“I really don’t care. I love Oceania. There are more important things than reputation.”
Father shakes his head, his jowls lolling back and forth like the skin flaps on a bulldog’s face. “Of course you would think that,” he says, his voice low and bitter. “You’re young, and you’ve had a privileged upbringing. I came from a poor family in New York City, and I grew up with nothing.”
He gestures around at the hideous but expensive décor of the study. “Everything here, everything you so callously take for granted, I’ve had to build, by coming west to find my fortune.” He narrows his eyes. “I’m not going to let you ruin it.”
“I don’t want to ruin anything, Father,” I protest. “You had a dream of wealth, and you achieved it. But I have a different dream. I want to be a conductor and musical composer, and I want to live my life with the woman I love. I’ll never be like you, but I don’t want to fight with you, either. Can’t you just let me live my own life?”
My father releases a loud, blustery breath. “No, I can’t, because you’re immature, and you don’t know what you’re giving up. You’re spoiled, and completely ignorant of what it’s like to live in poverty. I grew up that way, and when I met your mother, she was singing in a traveling opera company, making a pittance. That’s what will happen to you and this Oceania if you pursue these foolish dreams of yours.”
“But Father, Mr. Burgholt has already offered us positions with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. Those musicians earn decent wages. I may not live as lavishly as you do, but I’ll have a life that I love.”
“I don’t understand you, Xavier,” Father says, sagging into his seat like a deflated hot air balloon.
At that moment, I actually feel sorry for him. For all his bravado and bluster, he is just a worn-out, aging man who gave his best years to the pursuit of wealth and security. I wish that he’d had a son just like himself, so that he might possibly be happy. But I know, just as strongly, that I can’t be that son.
“I’m sorry,” I say, bowing my head. “I wish I could be what you want me to be, but I can’t. I’d be miserable doing what you do every day.”
Suddenly, Father heaves his massive girth upright, placing strong fingers under my chin and jerking my face up to look into my eyes. “You would be miserable? What does that matter? Do you think I’m always happy?”
I swallow hard. “Um. No?”
“Damn right,” he spits out, releasing my face and pounding both fists on the desk. “I worked hard and built up a fortune so that you could have a better life, in all the best circles. You’re such an ingrate.”
“I’m sorry, Father,” I say, trying my best to appease him. “I don’t want you to think I’m ungrateful for your hard work—”
“I don’t think it, I know it,” he interrupts, his eyes shooting fire. “You’ve tried my patience, and you won’t listen to reason, so now, I will give you what you want. Live your life of music and poverty. But if you change your mind, remember that you’re not welcome in my life.”
I gasp, his harsh words striking me like an upper cut to the jaw. “Are you telling me that I can’t come home if I don’t agree to work for you and break things off with Oceania?”
“Oh no,” he says, his voice cool and menacingly soft. “You can come home. Your mother and sister love you, after all. But I am disowning you—no more college, and you will have none of my fortune. Amelie will inherit it all, and her husband will replace you as my true son. You’ve chosen this life for yourself, and now, you must deal with the consequences.”
Chapter Forty-One: Oceania
Xavier drags into the parlor, looking as though he’s just fought—and lost—a great battle. His gaze is trained on the floor, and his normally straight back is slumped in defeat.
Robert, however, is nowhere to be found. Perhaps, after the high emotion of the night, he simply needed to be left alone.
“Xavier, dear,” Arabella says. “What did your father say? I hope he wasn’t too hard on you.”
<
br /> Xavier raises his head, his eyes glistening with tears. “Oh no, not too hard,” he says, his voice thick. “He just disowned me, that’s all.”
Amelie laughs uncomfortably and excuses herself. After she leaves the room, Arabella says, “We’ll talk about this later, dear. For now, I’m going to find your father.” To me, she adds, “Oceania, darling, I probably won’t see you again tonight, but do take care, and if you change your mind about staying, just let me know.”
I smile and thank her as she floats out of the room, her long, swishing skirts exuding the slightest trace of rosy perfume. I admire her so much; even in all the turmoil, she’s still the perfect hostess.
As soon as she’s pulled the parlor door shut behind her, Xavier turns to me, his face tight and drawn with anguish. I immediately throw back the blankets and stand up, flinging my arms around him.
“Tell me everything, love,” I say, my voice muffled in his chest.
Xavier takes a deep breath and my mouth falls open as he discloses all the painful details of Robert’s ultimatum, and the consequences of his disobedience.
“That’s horrible.” I pull Xavier down on the couch next to me, grasping his hand.
Xavier shrugs. “I don’t care about being disinherited. Amelie’s future husband can have Father’s business, for all I care. But I feel as though Father has shut himself off from me and rejected me forever, just because I’m not doing exactly what he wants. And that hurts. It makes me wonder whether he even loves me.”
“I’m sure he loves you,” I say. “He just doesn’t understand you, and probably thinks that running the business and living in wealth is best for you, when you know otherwise.”
Xavier shakes his head. “I know you’re trying to make me feel better, but I know the truth. He doesn’t love me at all.”
A single tear rolls down his cheek; he raises his hand to swipe it away, but I beat him to it, gently stroking my hand over his cheek. “Well, I love you.”
He hugs me tightly, as though he never wants to let go. “I love you, too.”
He lowers his mouth to mine, his lips soft and tentative at first, but becoming raw and passionate as he deepens the kiss. All the stress and sadness of the party fades away, and for a moment, the only sound I hear is the roaring in my ears as Xavier entirely takes over my senses.
“You know, I can’t stay with my family, not after my father said those things,” Xavier says breathlessly, after we finally pull apart. “Of course I’ll come back to visit them, but that will be mainly to see Mother and Amelie. Mr. Burgholt’s offer came at exactly the right time—for both of us.”
He pauses, his dark eyes suddenly becoming intense. I gasp as he rises from the couch and drops down on one knee, clasping both of my hands in his.
“Oceania, I love you, and even though we haven’t known each other for long, I feel as though I’ve been waiting to meet you forever. We’re bonded, in spirit, in love, and in music. Will you please do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
I gape at him for what feels like a minute straight, startled and unable to even formulate a response. I’ve been dreaming of this moment all my life, but now that it’s here, with the right man, I’m speechless.
Swallowing hard, I clear my throat and finally open my mouth to respond.
Part V: The Choice
Chapter Forty-Two: Xavier
I hold my breath, waiting for Oceania’s answer. This wasn’t the way I’d planned my dream proposal; I know that Oceania is the right girl for me, but the day has been so tiring, and so dramatic, and so terrible for both of us. Perhaps she’s taking such a long time to reply because I chose the wrong moment. Or maybe—
Before I can indulge my imagination further, Oceania gives me a shaky grin and says, “Yes.”
I exhale like a gust of wind, popping up from my bent knee and collapsing on the couch next to her. “I’m so happy,” I say, taking her in my arms. “I was afraid for a second that I’d picked the wrong day—”
“No, you didn’t,” Oceania says, nuzzling her nose into my neck. “You picked just the right day. Today was horrible, but now it’s the best ever.”
“You’re right. I can hardly wait to start our lives together.”
For a few minutes of pure bliss, we sit there on the couch, alternating sweet kisses with long interludes of staring into each other’s eyes. But after a few minutes, Oceania stiffens.
“What’s wrong?”
“I just…don’t know how I’m going to break the news to my family. I’ve thought a great deal about choosing land, even before you proposed, but there’s a finality to it, too.” Her voice quivers a bit as she adds, “Even though you’re choosing to leave your family, you’re not going away forever. You’ll be able to come back to visit whenever you want. But because of the curse, I’ll never be able to see my family again once I’ve committed to life on land with you.”
My heart goes out to Oceania as she wrinkles her forehead, looking young and scared. She’s just come out of a totally sheltered life on the ocean floor, and she loves her family so much. Suddenly, I have an idea.
“What if we forgot about San Francisco, and you chose the sea instead?” I ask. “You can see your family as much as you want, and we’ll both live underwater. Can humans change to mermaids? It might feel weird at first, but I’d become a merman for you.”
Oceania laughs and kisses me on the cheek. “Oh, Xav, you’re so sweet. I really appreciate that you’d do that for me. But, unfortunately, you can’t become a merman—you’ll never grow a tail, or be able to live down there permanently. Humans can only visit the mermaid realm the way you did before, with the magic of a mermaid’s kiss. And if I choose land, I’ll lose my tail and my immortality as well. I’ll be a human like you are, but if we have a daughter, she’ll become a mermaid at age eighteen.”
“That’s insane. What about a son?”
“The curse extends to women only, not men. So our son would be born human and mortal, and would stay that way.”
It feels odd to be discussing our unborn children when only a few minutes ago, we weren’t even engaged. But somehow, I’m exhilarated. Suddenly, my father’s rejection doesn’t matter; nothing does, except Oceania and our future together. We’re destined for each other.
Oceania, however, looks a bit less sure of herself. “I don’t know how I’m going to tell my parents.”
“We’ll tell them together,” I say, squeezing her shoulder. “I’ll come down with you again.”
“Tonight?” she asks.
“No, tomorrow. Why don’t you just stay the night here?”
“I told my parents I’d be home. And I really should keep my word, especially considering what I’m about to tell them.”
I nod. “You’re right. Okay, we’ll tell them tomorrow. For now, let’s get you safely to the water, my fiancée.”
Oceania giggles, and for a moment, she’s as carefree as she was when we whirled across the sand a few days ago. “I like the sound of that, my fiancé.”
Chapter Forty-Three: Oceania
By the time I return home that night, my parents are already asleep, and I curl up in my seaweed hammock, trying to rest as well. But it’s no use. I toss and turn for hours until I finally fall into a fitful slumber.
Early that morning, Mother floats into my bedroom to awaken me for the sunrise swim. She leans over the hammock, lightly shaking me. For a brief, blissful moment, my mind is entirely blank, and I don’t remember any of the happenings of last night. But after an instant, all the details of Xavier’s proposal and my decision to live on land rush back to me, and I fight back tears as I look into my mother’s beautiful eyes. How could I agree to leave her forever?
The decision feels even more heart-wrenching as I swim alongside my parents, admiring the brightly-colored fish, dodging a stingray, and gathering seaweed for breakfast, plus a collection of new shells and coral to decorate the table. Mother and Father smile at me, and I realize how little time I’ve actually spen
t with them since I turned eighteen. Somehow, even though I’m with them now, I feel oddly homesick and nostalgic for the past. I never knew that becoming an adult would be so hard.
Ula, Nereus, and little Doria come over for breakfast, and after we devour the spread of seaweed and help Mother to clean up, I corner Ula in the hallway.
“Ula? Can I talk to you?”
She nods; everyone else is still sitting around the table.
I lead Ula to my sleeping chamber, and we lower ourselves side-by-side onto the hammock. “I have so much to tell you. I don’t even know where to begin.”
Ula wrinkles her nose. “This has to do with the land boy, doesn’t it?”
“How did you know?” I try to laugh, but it comes out as a pitiful little giggle.
Ula drapes her arm around my shoulder. “You’re sad,” she says, her face somber. “Mother may have always said that we can face anything with a smile, but you don’t have to put on a brave face for me. It’s all right to cry, you know.”
My sister’s words are all the encouragement I need; I crumple into her arms, weeping softly as she strokes my hair and hums a soothing tune.
Finally, I raise my head. “I’m so happy, and so sad, all at the same time. Xavier proposed to me last night, and I told him that I’ll live on land with him, in a place called San Francisco. I’ve never been there, but after we performed at the party last night, a man offered us both positions in the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra.”
Ula’s eyes widen as I disclose all the details of the party. “I’m proud that you’ve discovered your special talent, but how could you ever think of living on land? How could you give up your mermaid powers, and your immortality? You remember what happened to Grandmer Genevieve.” She shivers as she adds, “She got old and shriveled up and died.”
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