Page 41 of Bewitched By the Siren
“Hali, you know it’s true. Even if I wasn’t sick, I’m an old woman. I won’t be around forever. And when I’m gone, you’ll be all alone. I can’t rest, knowing that. You’re going to have to allow yourself to trust someone else, eventually.”
“I’m scared,” I mumble, and she rolls her chair close enough to rest a palm on my knee.
“I know you are, honey. And I’m not saying you should blurt the whole truth to someone you met a few days ago. I just want you to be open to the possibility of trusting him. And if it doesn’twork out with him, find someone else. Make friends. Find love. Live a full life. I want that for you, honey. I want it so much.”
“I love you, Mom,” I say, the emotional hitch evident in my voice.
“I love you, too.”
Setting my coffee cup down, I lean forward and wrap my arms around her frail body. She hugs me back, whispering words of encouragement into my ear. Hopes that I’ll lead a full life. Dreams of me making the world my oyster.
We break apart when my phone chimes, and I brush the moisture from my eyes as I pull up the text message.
“It’s Brendan,” I say. “He’s asking if I can spare a few hours for him this morning.”
“Go,” she says, wheeling her chair back a foot. “I’ll be fine. Denny’s coming back to take me to my doctor’s appointment in an hour.”
“You have an appointment? I should go with you,” I say, but she’s already shaking her head.
“It’s just a scan, and I won’t get any results until next week, anyway. There’s no reason for you to go. Now, get up and get dressed. Don’t keep that gorgeous man waiting.”
I do as she says, and once I’m ready, I hug Mom goodbye and head over to Brendan’s. He answers my knock with a warm smile, then pulls me into a tight hug before taking a step back.
“Get in the car. Let’s go,” he says, pulling the rental’s door shut behind him and punching some numbers into the keypad to lock it.
“Where are we going?” I ask, following him toward the car.
“It’s a surprise,” he says with a mischievous grin as he opens the door for me.
“Will you give me a hint?” I ask after he joins me in the car, and he shakes his head.
“Patience, little songbird,” he says, his smile wide as he starts the engine and pulls out onto the road.
I stare at his profile for several long beats, mentally willing him to tell me, but he just continues to smile and keep his eyes firmly on the road in front of us until I give up and lean back in my seat. Once we leave the island, it becomes clear he’s taking us to Savannah, but for what purpose, I have no idea.
Our conversation is easy and comforting along the way. We talk about the landmarks we pass, and I give Brendan a little history lesson on the area. He doesn’t look bored for even a second, a fact that makes me smile to myself as I stare out my window at the marshy landscape.
“I suppose you’ve figured out we’re going to Savannah?” he asks, breaking the silence that had fallen between us.
I look over at him with a laugh. “Yeah, about ten minutes into the drive.”
“Okay, Smarty,” he grins, “where, exactly do you think we’re going?”
“The aquarium?” I ask, tilting my head to study him.
His face falls. “That’s…actually…a great idea. Next time.”
The slight sting of disappointment mixed with happy anticipation at that “next time” is a strange mix of emotions. I was convinced he was taking me there since he knows how much I love sea life, and now that I know I was wrong, my curiosity is eating me alive.
“Just give me a hint,” I beg, and he laughs and shakes his head.
“Patience––”
“Little songbird, I know. I know,” I grump, but there’s no real impatience in the words.
I just feel…happy. Happy to be here. With Brendan.
A short while after we hit the city limits of Savannah, Brendan pulls into the drive of a large mansion. I open mymouth to question where we are and what we’re doing here, but he holds up a finger to silence me as he lowers his window and speaks into the mounted callbox.
