by Amber Garr
“Well, I’ll introduce you and Kain and then join the other sponsors.”
Each individual or couple had a family sponsor who took responsibility for the actions, behavior, and training of their syrenkas. Since Kain and I were to be married, the Matthew family sponsored both of us together.
“It’s not so bad the first year,” Harlan continued. “Most of the guests will be meandering with the second year syrenkas, trying to gain political support. You two just enjoy yourselves.” He smiled at me and my heart broke. He looked really and truly happy for us.
Before I could reply, the bathroom door opened and Kain emerged from the steam. “Dad, what are you doing here?”
“Nice to see you too, son.” Harlan tried to stand and Kain and I instantly jumped to his aid.
“You know what I mean,” Kain continued. “I didn’t think you were going to make it.” He was standing now, so I placed the cane in his hand. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Harlan gave Kain’s shoulder a squeeze and nodded in my direction. “She told me about your primping sessions…and the bed.” I must have looked horrified because Kain and his dad laughed together. Harlan’s voice sounded a bit strangled, but he still enjoyed himself. “You’ve got a good one here, Kain. Take care of her.”
I marveled at how much they looked alike, when I realized what he’d just said. Kain stared at me with so much emotion that I couldn’t hold his gaze.
“I will, Dad.”
In order to avoid having them see the tears in my eyes, I dropped my head and opened the door. Kain loved me so much and I was going to run away with Brendan when we got home. It would certainly break his heart.
Harlan Matthew shuffled out the door and promised to catch up with us when he could. Kain sat on the bed after he left, staring at the floor.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
He took a deep breath then blew out all of his air. “Yeah. He just looks bad.” He ran his hands through his hair, effectively messing up the carefully styled look he was going for. I walked over to him and began putting the hairs back in place.
“He’ll be all right. He’s lived with this for a long time and he knows how to handle himself.”
I finished fixing his hair but before I could pull away, Kain wrapped his arms around my lower back and pulled me into his body. His head nestled against my stomach and I thought I felt him sobbing. Instinctively, I rubbed his back and tried to soothe him even though I didn’t know what I could possibly say that would ever make this situation any more bearable. His dad was dying and from the looks of Harlan, it would be sooner rather than later.
After a couple of minutes, Kain abruptly pulled away and wiped at his eyes. He stood and walked toward the bathroom. “We have to go soon,” he said and then added, “You should put some clothes on.” His smile teased, so I stuck out my tongue and told him to hide in the bathroom while I changed.
The dinner tasted fabulous. Lobster, fresh fish, shrimp and conch made up the main dishes with rice, beans, baby potatoes, and a steamed vegetable medley rounding out the sides. Dessert was key lime pie, and although I’d never tried it before, it quickly became one of my favorites. They served all of us wine with dinner. I didn’t usually drink much of anything, but it was good and I had to stop myself at one glass. After all, it wouldn’t be a good idea to stumble all over the place when they announced us.
The syrenkas were seated at one side of the room, almost like we had our very own kid table. But as soon as dinner finished and Pegotty announced it was time for our introductions, the room cleared and we became the center of attention. She ushered us to an adjoining room to await our turn. Each first and second year syrenka would be announced and we had a formal greeting to say once we arrived. There was a long open staircase that joined the first two floors and we had to walk down it into the middle of the room and speak out loud. I was terrified.
“You look really beautiful tonight,” Kain whispered into my ear. I’d been frantically bobbing my foot and looking around the waiting area making myself crazy with nerves.
“Thank you.” I smiled up at him and his blue eyes. “You aren’t so bad yourself.”
He grabbed my hand I’d wrapped around his arm and held it there for the rest of the wait. I could barely hear Pegotty’s voice until someone propped open the door. She gave a five-minute introduction of which I listened to about three seconds of it. Carissa and Lily stood in front of us with Daniel a few spots behind. I swallowed hard when Pegotty announced the first name.
“Liliana Marie Shannon. Unpromised by the Shannon clan.” Lily gave a small wave to all of us then stepped through the door to make her entrance.
“They actually say promised or unpromised?” I asked Kain.
“Yep.”
I thought it sounded rather rude to be introduced as unpromised. It made it seem kind of sad.
Pegotty’s voice boomed again. “Carissa Ishi Nakamo. Umpromised by the Nakamo clan.”
We were up next. I squeezed Kain’s hand again and sighed. Why was I so nervous? We prepared to hear Pegotty again, but a quiet, deep male voice made the announcement instead. Harlan Matthew.
“Eviana Anne Dumahl promised to Kain Harlan Matthew by both the Dumahl and Matthew clans.”
We walked around the door and began our descent. Harlan stood at the bottom of the staircase with one hand on his cane and the other on the banister holding him up. He still looked ill, but his smile helped to lighten his face. The room was full of adult merfolk dressed in formal attire. The ceiling fans and air conditioning couldn’t keep up with the number of bodies and many of the guests used their pamphlet about the syrenkas to fan themselves.
Once we got to the bottom of the stairs, Kain kissed his father on the cheek and then placed his arm on my back. We walked to the center of the room and he said, “It is an honor to be here. We are bound by duty and family to protect the clans, support the people, and further our existence.”
He nodded his head and I gave a small curtsy. This was a formal tradition that had continued throughout the centuries. A syrenka swears duty to the merfolk and basically promises to procreate and protect. It seemed quite a bit outdated to me, but at least they didn’t make us take a blood oath anymore.
I vaguely remember hearing Daniel Phillip Zane being introduced, but before we knew it, the formalities were over and the dancing began. It was overtly proper at first, with waltzes and foxtrots filling the room. Most of the younger syrenkas stayed off the dance floor at this time, but unfortunately I managed to grab someone’s notice.
“May I have this dance, Miss Dumahl?”
I turned to see a man about my father’s age, who had golden blond hair pulled back into a low ponytail that fell down his back. His light blue eyes were almost grey and completely lacking any shine. I looked up to Kain who gave me a slight shrug. He wasn’t going to stop me…or save me.
“Um…okay, sure.” I held out my hand and the man ushered me to the dance floor. The classical music gave way to a waltz timing. “I don’t know how to do this,” I said, suddenly aware that people would be watching me.
The man laughed and pulled me into the correct position. “Don’t worry, I’ll lead.”
His large but soft hand clasped mine and the other wrapped behind my lower back. His hold was forceful but not so strong that I felt uncomfortable. We began to move around the floor, following the few other older couples still dancing.
“My name is Lucian Sutherland and you are Eviana Dumahl, correct?” He already knew my name, so I was a little perplexed with his question.
“Yes, I’m Eviana.” We made a few more turns and weaves before I continued. “Am I supposed to know who you are?”
“Oh no, I wouldn’t expect that,” he chuckled. “I knew your mother a long time ago, and I wanted to have at least one dance with her beautiful daughter.” Something about the way he said that made chills develop along the back of my neck. “Your parents didn’t come?”
I shook my head, tryin
g to avoid any type of eye contact with him. “No, they didn’t. Mr. Matthew is my sponsor.”
“Ah yes, the Matthews.” He stopped speaking so suddenly I had to look up. The Matthews made my dance partner very uncomfortable.
“You know Harlan and Kain then?” I pushed forward.
“Yes, I know them very well.” That was all he said. Although subtle, I noticed his muscles tense and he no longer tried to speak with his usual smoothness. At one point, I tried to find Kain to give him the signal that I had finished dancing with this man, but I was saved by another Matthew instead.
“May I cut in?” Harlan asked.
Lucian’s hand clamped around mine almost to the point of causing pain. I flashed him a glare and he instantly let go and composed his face again.
“Certainly,” he replied kindly. “It was a pleasure, Eviana,” he said, then raised my hand to kiss it gently.
Something was strange with him, but I couldn’t figure it out. Harlan pulled my attention away from Lucian’s retreating figure and set me back into a waltzing position.
“Stay away from that man,” he said.
“Why?”
“He is very bad news, Eviana. His family is a disgrace to our kind and I’m not sure what his intentions were tonight. He doesn’t usually accept the invitation.”
We started to dance again, but the moves stayed slow and small. Harlan used me as more of a support system than ballroom partner. After a few minutes, and just long enough to make sure that Lucian was out of sight, Harlan told me that he needed to sit down. I ushered him over to the section with cocktail tables and chairs. He sat with a thump and immediately began wiping his forehead with the handkerchief.
“Here dad, drink this.” Kain forced a glass of water into his father’s hands and started to wipe his forehead for him.
Harlan pushed him away and tsked. “Go away. I’m fine. Why don’t you take your beautiful fiancée for a spin on the dance floor?” When Kain and I didn’t move, he sat back in his chair and sighed. “Go. I’m fine.” We still didn’t listen. “I promise.”
He waved us on and I grabbed Kain’s hand to pull him away from his father. No sense in giving him a heart attack trying to convince us that he’s okay.
The music changed to something more young and hip. It took me several tries to get Kain to focus on the dancing. I even wrapped my arms around his shoulders and nuzzled against him, encouraging him to move. It wasn’t until Daniel, Lily, and even Carissa joined us that he seemed to loosen up a little.
“He’ll be all right,” I said when I caught him looking toward his father again. We moved slowly together now, so I could feel his muscles tense with worry. He didn’t say anything at first but then he gently kissed the top of my head and rested his cheek against it.
“Thanks.”
I hugged him tighter and fought the tears growing in my eyes. This was so hard on him and I admired his strength. I knew I wouldn’t be as strong if I had to face losing one of my parents. We continued to sway until someone abruptly knocked into us.
“Hey guys, save it for later,” Vance said as he bounded into the center of the group and began to awkwardly gyrate his body.
We couldn’t help but laugh and enjoy the break dancing battle going on between Vance and Daniel. The moves they attempted were real, but neither of the boys had the skill to execute them very well. It was quite amusing to see Daniel try for a back spin, only to get around a few inches. Vance attempted a one-handed stand, but when he kicked his feet over his head, he fell on his side with very little room to make it look cool.
By this time, all of the syrenkas had gathered and joined in with the impromptu dance competition. Cat calls, taunting, and superficial threats passed amongst the group all in the spirit of fun. We forgot about our training and responsibilities. I forgot about my upcoming decisions and Kain enjoyed himself freely. For a few moments, everything was good.
If it hadn’t been for the laughing and clapping, maybe we would have heard something. But the entertainment continued until someone screamed from the far side of the room. The music suddenly stopped and we all looked around, frantically trying to figure out what was going on.
“Someone call an ambulance!” a voice shouted.
Everyone turned their head in the direction of the commotion and the crowd began to move aside and clear a path. At first I thought it was for the emergency help, although they wouldn’t have been here so soon. As soon as I realized what was really happening, Kain ran screaming from my side and down the aisle of people.
“Dad!”
The next few days seemed to drag on through a haze of sadness and disbelief. Harlan Matthew had apparently died before he even fell to the floor. The doctors declared it a stroke and assured Kain that his death was quick and painless. I doubted those words brought any sort of comfort to my friend. His dad was gone and once that realization sunk in, he had a whole other set of obligations to deal with.
We left Florida early the next morning. I was flying back to California and Kain was accompanying his father to Massachusetts for a private family burial. He and I didn’t speak much at all after that night. I stayed near his side, helping him fend off the well-wishers and offering my silent support. He didn’t cry, didn’t get angry; he just moved like a robot. Our friends stayed out of the way, providing only passing glances to show how sad they were for Kain.
He held my hand the entire flight from Key West to Miami, and when we had to part ways in the airport, he kissed my forehead and thanked me for being there with him. Tears rolled down my cheeks as he walked through the corridor toward his own connecting flight, never once showing any sign of emotion on his face. I worried about him, but knew his family would meet him in Boston. We would see each other again in another week or so when they held a memorial service in California for all of the clans.
I felt numb and overwhelmed which made my nearly five hour flight home seem too short. Not once did I think about crashing and burning. Instead, my eyes welled up each time I remembered Kain singing to me just a few days before. Both of my parents picked me up at the airport and the ride to our house remained silent and tense.
I didn’t want to talk about anything so their multitude of questions went unanswered. Eventually, they realized that they weren’t going to get anywhere and gave me a reprieve for the rest of the afternoon. I refused dinner, even when they sent my sister in to coax me downstairs. Tomorrow would be a better day, so locking myself in a room for a few more hours sounded like a good plan.
In the middle of the night, my phone began to vibrate under my pillow. Sleepily, I tried to make my fingers move to read the message. Brendan. I hadn’t even called him since I got in and I scolded myself for being so inconsiderate.
You up? He asked. Deciding that I needed to hear his voice, I called instead of texting him back. He answered right away.
“Evs, I miss you,” he greeted me and I immediately began to cry. “Hey, what’s wrong?”
We talked for over an hour. I first explained Harlan’s passing and the events of the last twenty-four hours, and soon the sharing eased the pain in my heart so I could tell him about the fun stuff that happened as well, like the reef trip and the dancing competition. Hearing his voice was the biggest comfort for me and no one else in the world could provide that serenity.
Toward the end of the conversation he sighed and asked, “Can we meet tomorrow?”
“Of course. I don’t know what I’ll have to do here, but I’m sure I can escape for a while.”
He laughed at that and replied, “I know that you can.” I smiled. “Why don’t you come to my place in the afternoon? I’ll pick you up around three.”
“Sounds good,” I murmured and realized that sleep was quickly devouring me. My heart felt at peace for a while and my body relaxed. With the phone still in my hand, I fell into a dreamless slumber.
It was late morning before I pulled myself out of bed and into the shower. Dressed and descending down the stairs, I hear
d my parents on the phone, each talking briskly and making a variety of plans. When my mother saw me, she told the person on the other end to hold on and walked over to give me a giant hug. No words, just physical contact, but it was enough for me to know she was grieving too.
I poured myself some cereal and forced the food down. Clinking my spoon against the edge of the bowl, I stared out the window. Today I still felt sad, but it was for Kain and his family. Harlan had been a good man who wanted only the best for his son. I thought about his visit to our room before the ball and about how truly pleased he was to have me as his daughter-in-law. My stomach twisted in guilty knots again, so I pushed the bowl away before the smell of milk made me too nauseous.
“Not hungry?” my father asked pulling out a chair next to me.
“No.”
My mother sat down on the opposite side across from my father, flanking me with parental concern. “You should eat. You’re going to need to keep your strength up,” she chided.
I snapped my head up to look at her. “What are you talking about?” My tone must have been a little sharp because my father placed his hand on top of mine and patted it until I focused on him.
“You’re going to be a vital part of the upcoming ceremonies and I imagine your fiancé is going to need you now more than ever.”
I sighed and asked my mother, “What is going to happen now?”
“Well, the Matthews will have a private burial on the east coast tomorrow, but they’re coming out here at the end of the week. Friday will be the memorial, Saturday will be Kain’s appointment ceremony, and then…” Her voice faltered slightly and she cleared her throat while looking at my dad. “And then on Sunday, you and Kain will be married.”
My dad’s hand clamped down on mine anticipating a negative reaction. I suddenly couldn’t breathe. The wedding had been moved up by a week and I would have to marry a clan leader. Kain did need me to be there for him both as a friend and as a partner. Even the childish, angry side of me couldn’t argue that point. I let out the breath I’d sucked in.