Page 120 of Oceansong
She reached for Bàba. With his teacup still in one hand, Bàba wrapped his free arm around her and enveloped her in a comforting hug.
Angie relished this moment with him. Tomorrow, they had a lot of work to do.
Forty-Eight
“Angie ayí?”
Angie looked down, dusting off building debris from her arm from sweeping the residual parts of the dock’s gangway.
Rosie ran up to her, her sneakers tap-tap-tapping on the boards. Gasping, Angie knelt and gathered her niece in her arms for a long hug. “Oh, tian, what are you doing here? Are you alright?”
Rosie broke away, fidgeting with the friendship bracelet on her right wrist. “Mama took me to come see you because you’re leaving next week.”
Angie squeezed her niece’s shoulder. “Yeah, I have to go back to school.”
School. With the events of the last several months, it was the last thing on her mind. Now she only had ten days to pack up her things and Lulu and get her materials ready, while consoling Mia and joining Bàba on the dock cleanup crew. She had written to Pacific Grove asking for a deferment several days ago, and had yet to hear back. There was also the matter of bringing the last of the captured mer back to the sea, dead or alive. That task had started the day after their truce, with Aurora and her lifemate the first to be released by the dockworkers.
“I know. But I won’t see you as much.” Rosie dug her small foot into a gap between the wooden planks and sniffled, wiping her nose.
“Hey, sweetie. What’s wrong?” Angie put a hand on Rosie’s shoulder.
“Mama is so sad cause Papa is gone.” At the mention of Nick, Rosie burst into tears. “And I am too. I wish he was still here.”
“I know, my love. I know.” She took Rosie’s hand in hers, closing her fingers over them. “If you or your mom ever want to talk, you can call me anytime, okay? And I’ll come back and visit as much as I can.”
“Okay.” Rosie rubbed her eyes. “But um, remember that mermaid we saw like a long time ago? She wanted me to tell you something.”
“What?” Angie loosened her grip, searching her niece’s bright eyes, still wet with tears. “Adrielle?”
“Yeah, her. Adrial!” Rosie mispronounced her name, but she looked so proud of herself that Angie didn’t bother correcting her.
“Wh-when? How?”
“Well, Iaman honorary mermaid.” Rosie fiddled with her bracelet.
“That you are.” Angie couldn’t help but smile.
“I couldn’t stop thinking of her, so Mama took me back to look for her. She wants you to meet her at the place from last time.”
“Where’s your mom?” Angie looked, but found no sign of her sister.
“She’s coming with Gonggong. They stopped to talk to some people.”
“There you two are,” Bàba said, Mia beside him, her face and lips pale and undereye shadows dark as ink. “Beibei, we have to keep going. The docks aren’t going to rebuild itself.”
“Rosie, next time, wait for me, okay?” Mia said with an exasperated sigh, before turning to Angie. “But I saw she found you. So I let her be.”
“I know, I promise I will, but I have to talk to one of the mermaids. I’ll be right back.”
Bàba looked at Mia and Rosie, and then back at Angie. “Mind if I come with you? I have not seen a mermaid up close. Alive and healthy, that is.”
“Definitely.” Angie waved goodbye to Mia and Rosie.
Stefan walked by then, giving her a wave and stopped to talk to Mia and Rosie, putting a hand on Mia’s shoulder.
Angie traced her steps to where she’d met with Kaden, Adrielle, and Cyrus with Mia. A small pocket of happiness in an otherwise turbulent time.
As Rosie said, Adrielle awaited them, her long arms folded on the shoreline and rose tail breaking the surface. She brightened when their eyes met. “I’m glad you came.”
