“I could give all that up because I love Xavier,” I say, twisting a few tendrils of hair around my finger. “The reason that it was so awful for Grandmer Genevieve to give up her immortality was because she did it alone—Xavier and I would grow old together. I feel as though he’s all I need, but at the same time, I can’t bear to leave you all forever. And I’m dreading telling Mother and Father today. I’m going to bring Xavier down with me later, and we’ll break the news together.”
“Good luck,” Ula says. “I’ll be here for the day, so I’ll try to keep everyone as happy as possible through the news.”
“Thanks.”
“Have you told Xavier’s parents yet?”
I shake my head. “He proposed late at night, and his parents were in another room. You wouldn’t believe how spacious their house is. Anyway, I don’t think his father is much of a factor—he did disown Xavier, after all. But I’m thinking he’ll at least tell his mother.”
“This really is complicated,” Ula says, raising an eyebrow.
I grit my teeth. “You can say that again.”
Chapter Forty-Four: Xavier
By the time I awaken the next morning, Father has already left to play a few rounds of golf with Mr. Roth, so the late breakfast consists of only Mother, Amelie, and me. Amelie barely touches her eggs and croissants as she presses me for every painful detail of last night’s discussion with Father.
After I finish telling her, she just stares at me for a moment before she finally says, “That’s awful.” Sipping her coffee, she continues, “I can’t believe that he would even think of disowning you. Do you really think he’ll stick to that? If he does, he’ll just have to donate all his money to a charity or something, because I don’t want his inheritance either.”
Mother, who has been silently nibbling her croissant, says, “I’m afraid he did seem rather determined. No matter how much I tried to talk him out of it, he remained as stubborn as a bull. He simply does not approve of this Oceania girl, nor does he approve of Xavier’s choice of careers.” She looks at me with sad eyes. “I’m so sorry. I wish that I could tell you differently, but at least he didn’t forbid you to visit.”
I pat Mother’s slender, delicate shoulder. “Don’t be sorry. You did your best. Anyway, it doesn’t matter whether Father approves of me playing in the symphony or being with Oceania.”
Just thinking of marrying Oceania and having the career of my dreams gives me a surge of energy, and my voice picks up speed. “I proposed to her last night, and she said yes. We’re moving to San Francisco together.”
Mother freezes with the last bite of her croissant midway to her mouth, her eyes wide with shock. Amelie’s reaction, however, is exactly the opposite.
“What?” she sputters, choking on a mouthful of coffee. She coughs and gags, pounding her chest dramatically.
“Are you okay, dear?” Mother asks, rising from her chair to thump Amelie on the back.
Amelie finally nods and clears her throat. “Yes, Mother. Thank you.” She turns to me. “Xav, are you crazy? I know you love Oceania—I love her, too. But you’ve barely known her a week.”
“It doesn’t matter. I know that she’s my soulmate. I don’t need to court a woman for years to know that she’s the right one for me.”
“But—but—but she’s a mermaid,” Amelie stammers. “How is she even going to survive on land?”
“She’ll become human if she chooses land.”
“That’s horrible for her,” Amelie points out. “She’s giving up the only life she’s ever known.”
I nod. “I know. But she’s doing it for love. You might as well learn this now, sister: sometimes love requires sacrifice.”
Mother smiles. “Xavier, you are wise beyond your years. I gave up my career in the traveling opera company to marry your father and raise you two, and I did it for love. It was the best decision I ever made.”
I grin at her, happy that she understands, even though I find it strange that such a free-spirited, artistic social butterfly would fall in love with a strict, unyielding man like Father.
“Come with me.” Mother takes my hand and leads me out of the dining room, down the corridor, and into her boudoir, closely followed by Amelie. “I have something that I want to give you.”
Slowly, she opens her windup jewelry box, and I gasp as she extracts an antique-looking ring that I’ve never seen before. It’s white gold with a large flower-shaped diamond cluster. The gemstones shimmer and dance in the rays of sunlight beaming through the open window.
She hands the ring to me, and I stare at it, mesmerized by its timeless and unique beauty.
“This ring belonged to my grandmother,” she says softly. “I’ve always thought it would make the perfect engagement ring for your betrothed, although I was secretly hoping that it wouldn’t go to Victoria.” Laughing, she continues, “But it’s perfect for your Oceania. It’s as elegant and lovely as she is, don’t you think?”
I envelop Mother in an enthusiastic hug. “Almost,” I reply. “Thank you so much.”
Chapter Forty-Five: Oceania
Ula watches me closely for the remainder of the Sunday morning with my family. I force my lips into a nearly continuous smile as we all sit around the table, chatting. My parents don’t seem to notice anything awry, but I’m sure that Ula knows I’m faking happiness.
Finally, before lunch, I announce in a falsely bright voice, “Okay, I’m going to the surface now. And I’ll be bringing back a special visitor.”
Doria claps her hands. “What kind of special visitor?”
Father curls his upper lip. “The land boy, no doubt. Okay, then, daughter. Bring him down if you must.”
“A land boy?” Doria repeats, her large eyes twinkling with excitement. “I’ve heard they’re very handsome.”
“Not another one,” my father mutters under his breath.
Nereus laughs and mumbles back, “Hopefully she realizes mermen aren’t so bad either, at least by the time she reaches eighteen.”
I ignore the men’s banter and say goodbye to everyone, but my eyes tear up when Doria says, “I love you, auntie. Hurry back.”
How could I ever leave this sweet little mer-girl for good?
Pushing away the thought, I paddle through the passageways of the house, out the front door, and past the village of Mar. Clawing at the water, I begin my ascent to the surface.
I break through the waves to see Xavier waiting for me at his usual rock. My heart pounds at the sight of his handsome face, muscular frame, and proud upright posture. And when he smiles, love surges through my body, all the way from my head to my tail.
I ride a wave to the rock, and Xavier fishes me out of the water, covering my tail with a fresh towel and holding me tightly, with absolutely no regard to the fact that I’m soaking his day suit.
Far down the beach, I spot Victoria in a bathing costume, laughing at me as she points me out to the two friends she’d been with the other day. At that moment, I just want to disappear.
“Ignore them,” Xavier says, kissing me gently. “We don’t have time for their cruelty and jealousy. I have something for you, before we go to see your family.”
Dropping down on bended knee once again, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen. The band catches the light like a moonbeam, and a cluster of gems sparkles in the center, more brightly than crystals.
“When I asked you to marry me last night, I left out something important—the engagement ring. But I want to give it to you now. Please accept it as a token of my love for you, now, always, and forever.”
My eyes fill with tears of joy as he slides it onto my left ring finger. It fits perfectly, as though it was made for me.
“Thank you so much, Xav,” I say breathlessly. “It’s stunning.”
“I’m glad you like it,” Xavier says, kissing me gently. “Now, are you ready to do this?”
“Absolutely.”
An audible gasp cir
culates through the beach crowd as Xavier strips off his suit right there in broad daylight, revealing a pair of striped swimming trunks. Unceremoniously, he crumples his clothes into a ball, tossing them down on the top of the rock.
Then, I kiss him fast and hard, infusing him with the enchanted breath of life before I pull him down into the deep blue water.
***
When Xavier and I arrive back to my home, we find my family just as we’d left them, except that my parents’ faces are tense and drawn.
“So this is the land boy?” Doria asks, staring at Xavier’s legs and bouncing up and down excitedly. “He really is handsome.”
“Thank you, young lady,” Xavier says, smiling as he exchanges introductions with Ula’s family. “And you’re very pretty.”
Doria’s round cheeks redden, and she sticks her fingers in her mouth, looking up at Xavier shyly.
Mother brings out caviar and seaweed for lunch, and Xavier says, “Thank you for your kindness once again.” He takes my hand and gives me an encouraging smile. “Oceania and I have something important to tell you.”
Ula takes in a deep breath, compressing her lips into a thin, bloodless line, and Father’s thick brows draw together in suspicion. Mother’s eyes dart straight to my left ring finger, and she gasps; we mermaids also mark our engagements and weddings with rings, although ours are usually carved of coral or found in shipwrecks.
“You’re engaged,” she cries, before Xavier can finish. Her face crumples, and my heart seems to implode along with it.
But I force myself to remain strong, even as my eyes prickle with tears. “Yes,” I say in a shaky voice. “We love each other, and I’ve decided to choose the land.”
For a moment, everyone freezes, staring at Xavier and me.
“But you’ve only just turned eighteen,” my father says. “How can you make this choice so soon?” He glares at Xavier. “You two didn’t perpetuate Grandmer Genevieve’s mistake, did you? Please tell me there’s not a mer-baby on the way.”
I shake my head. “No, nothing like that. We just know that we love each other, and we’ve been offered positions with the symphony in San Francisco. Xavier can’t live down here, but I can’t imagine life without him, either. That’s why I have to live on land.”
Doria immediately bursts out crying. “You can’t leave us, auntie. We love you too much.”
I hug her, and my tears finally spill out, flowing over her silky golden hair. “I love you too much. But I have to go.”
Ula floats over and takes Doria into her arms, cradling her like a mer-baby. Glancing at my parents, she says, “Don’t forget, Oceania still has eleven full moons until the choice is made permanent. She can come and go as she pleases until that time.”
“A small consolation,” Father says. “But I suppose we’ll have to be content with that.” He scrubs his hand across his forehead and regards me with weary eyes. “I knew we were in trouble from the day you told us about him. There’s no force more powerful than love.” With a glance at Xavier, he adds grudgingly, “And although I don’t approve of this marriage—or this choice—I can’t deny that you two seem to be very much in love. May you feel it forever, and may it deepen with the years.”
Xavier swallows hard. “Thank you sir,” he says. “I really appreciate that.”
After the emotional outbursts, we all stare at each other, drained. In a way I’m relieved; my parents took the news much better than I’d expected, and, as Ula pointed out, I will be free to travel between land and sea for a while longer.
And who knows, maybe someday, the curse will be broken, and I’ll be able to travel freely, as my mermaid ancestors did before Grandmer Genevieve. Perhaps Doria will break the spell, or maybe Xavier and I will have a daughter who will.
The thought of my future with Xavier snaps me back to present. I look over to see his twinkling brown eyes waiting for mine. He smiles, mouthing, “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” I whisper.
I see myself reflected in the dark mirrors of his eyes—young and free, with a bright future ahead. But more importantly, I see his love, like a beacon of light guiding sailors through the rough seas and safely to shore.
At that moment, I know that whether I’m here or on land, Xavier’s heart will always be my home and my sanctuary.
The End
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Bonus Excerpt
Here’s a bonus excerpt from the next book in the California Mermaids series, The Mermaid’s Wedding, coming soon!
Chapter One: Oceania - 1912
In only ten full moons, my life will change forever, and the thought terrifies me.
I know I shouldn’t allow myself to be caught up in fear; after all, my life has already become drastically different since I turned eighteen two full moons ago. I left my mermaid home in the ocean to venture to the surface for the first time, met and fell in love with a land boy, and finally uncovered the mermaid’s curse that has hung over the females in my family for generations.
If I survived all of these trials, I should be able to make it through anything, right?
From my vantage point atop Point Joe’s jagged rocks, I gaze out over the tempestuous waters of the Pacific, shivering as the breeze claws at my wet hair with chilly, damp fingers. When I visit the land, Xavier and I always meet in this spot, since it was here that we first met and fell in love. The view is different every hour of every day; sometimes, the white-capped waves glitter in the sunshine, rolling over each other like playful seal pups, but today, they’re a violent shade of dark teal under the steely, cloud-covered sky. The aura of foreboding suits my mood exactly.
Now, Xavier wraps his jacket around my shoulders, encircling me with his strong arms. Since I surfaced a few minutes ago, he helped me to dry my tail so it changed into legs, and he held up a towel so I could slip into his sister Amelie’s corset and dress, free from the prying eyes of the fishermen and beachgoers in the distance. I must admit that, while I still find land fashions uncomfortable, I’ve become much more adept at dressing myself in them.
“What’s wrong, Oceania?” he asks.
“I was just thinking about tonight—it’s another full moon, and after that, I only have ten more moons to travel freely between the land and the sea. I know that choosing land is the right decision, and I’ve even come to terms with losing my immortality and my mermaid powers. But I just dread the day when I can never see my family again.”
Xavier squeezes me tightly, lowering his forehead to mine. “I can’t lie to you; it’s going to be the most difficult thing you’ve ever done,” he says. “And I can only understand a fraction of what you’re feeling right now. But remember that you still have some time to go back and forth—savor that. And above all, know that I love you, and I’m here for you always.”
I give him a teary smile. “I suppose that’s all that truly matters. I love you, too.”
He kisses me, and the sunshine peeks through a tiny hole in the thick layer of clouds. The ray of light only lasts for a second, but it’s enough to tell me that everything will be all right—eventually.
When we finally pull apart, Xavier takes my left hand in his, turning it over to admire the antique diamond engagement ring that he gave me when he proposed. Even in the gloom of the afternoon, each diamond sparkles like a mermaid’s tear. I should know; I’ve been crying a lot of those lately.
“Besides,” Xavier says, “maybe someday the mermaid’s curse will be broken, and you’ll be able to travel freely once again.”
“Maybe.”
I’m about to add, “If I’m even still alive by that time,” but I bite my tongue, holding in the bleak thought. I know that Xavier is trying his best to lift my spirits,
but he’s right—he only can understand a fraction of what I’m feeling. His wealthy father did disinherit him when he refused to take up the family business and marry a “suitable” girl, but at least he can still see his family, and they’re still in the same world.
“In the meantime, we have each other.” Xavier grins, his teeth bright white against the swarthy bronze of his skin. “Incidentally, my mother and Amelie have been so excited about our wedding plans. They want you to come over tonight to discuss them.”
Xavier and I are planning a land wedding before we move to San Francisco together to play in the symphony. I want him to come under the ocean with me as well, for a second wedding celebration with my family, but I have yet to actually bring this subject up with my mer-folks. I’m dreading their reactions.
But I shouldn’t think about that right now; it will only depress me. Taking a deep breath of the salty, cleansing air, I say, “Let’s do that. I look forward to seeing them.”
Other books by Kristina Ludwig
Amish Baby (Amish Couples #1)
Amish Bakery Challenge (Amish Couples #2)
Amish Awakening (Amish Couples #3)
Also, check out the Amish in College series, the prequel to the Amish Couples series!
Amish in College Box Set: Books 1-3
Amish Baker: Mercy’s Book (Amish in College #4)
Amish Scholar: Samuel’s Book (Amish in College #3)
Amish Wedding: Hannah’s Book (Amish in College #2)
Amish Faith: Rebekah’s Book (Amish in College #1)
And don’t miss the Amish Hearts series. The series that started it all!
Amish Hearts Box Set: Books 1-4 (Rumspringa Break, Amish Summer, Mercy's Fall, Amish Valentine)
The Mermaid's Curse (California Mermaids Book 1) Page 12