Page 86 of Oceansong
“How are you doing?” The volume of Angie’s voice dropped a notch.
Celia’s smile vanished as they pushed open the doors to the storehouse. “It’s difficult. Some days, I’m okay. Others, not so much. But I’ll make sure Mom doesn’t die for nothing.”
“I know. It took me a long time to process that my mom wasn’t going to be there when I returned from college.” Angie held back a sniffle, remembering the first time Mama wasn’t in the kitchen when she woke in the morning or in the yard on the rare days the weather was warm enough. Her absence had been stifling and overwhelming, and the Mama-shaped hole in Angie’s heart had expanded.
“I know you understand,” Celia replied. They dropped off the spearguns, and she took her leave after saying goodbye and thanking Angie again.
“You know.” Celia stopped short from opening the storehouse door. “Mom talked about having you over for dinner. You could still come, if you want.” Her voice grew thick with emotion. “I mean, so we can talk some more. And the house might not feel so empty. Now that I’m back alone there.”
Her last sentence hit Angie like a hard slap. On instinct, she took a stepcloser, but Celia hung her head and left, the door clicking as it shut.
Angie wet her lips, gaze falling on empty buckets labeled with fish species names and folded fish cleaning tables lined against the walls, unused for over a month. They were too polished. Too clean. Where the storehouse once carried a light fishy stench, now a stale smell permeated the space. The heavy hollowness in her chest expanded.
Thirty-Four
The days dragged on withoutfurther word from Nick or Bàba. Angie stood by her room’s window, staring into the beachfront for nothing in particular.
Lulu meowed announcing her arrival before hopping on her perch next to Angie’s head and stared out the window, tail twitching.
Her tail stiffened, gaze plastered on something Angie couldn’t see.
“What’s the matter, girl? You see a bird?”
The cat jumped from her perch, sprinting out the door in a frenzy. “Hey! Where are you going?” Angie bolted after her.
Lulu darted into the front yard through the ajar screen door.
Bàba must have been out here last night or early this morning smoking a cigar and didn’t close the porch door when he left. The man was certainly not in his right mind—with a house full of women, he never left an area unsecured.
She was a terrible sprinter, and when she found Lulu at the beachfront, she keeled over with her hands on her knees, wheezing and panting.
The sun’s rays bounced off scales underneath the water’s surface.
Fish? How had nobody noticed?
The scales multiplied. Kaden surfaced.
Angie cried out and lost her balance, falling onto her backside.
“K-Kaden? How did you find me?”
He motioned to Lulu, who sat upright with her head tilted to one side. “You were not exaggerating when you said your cat likes shiny things.” Lulu hadn’t blinked once. “I used my tail to lure her. I had to get her, and by extent, your attention. I wasn’t about to try to make it to your home overground.”
Angie looked over her shoulder. Thankfully, her village was so sequestered. “Why are you here? It’s dangerous.”
Kaden laid his chin in his hand. “I wanted to see you. I am sorry for doubting you. About the sanctuaries, that is. The palace guards found cameras near the palace and destroyed them, and we found the two cameras by the sanctuaries where you said they would be.”
At his words, Angie pressed a palm to her heart, and then reached for Kaden’s hands while settling into a cross-legged sitting position. He clasped them with hers, kissing her fingers, his soft lips a soothing balm on her skin. “I understand. I can see why you suspected that I had something to do with it.”
“I also wanted to apologize for not being around. I wasn’t avoiding you. I would never. I wanted to tell you about the cameras then, but,” his voice thickened, and he forced a swallow, “my father got speared. My family grieves for him, as do I.” He bit down on his trembling lip.
She squeezed his hands, running her thumbs back and forth over his knuckles. “I saw the mer-king too. I followed the divers. I wanted to warn you, tell you they were coming. But I couldn’t find you, and I even tried distracting your father. I’m sorry.” She whispered her apology, wishing it had turned out differently, feeling the sting of Kaden’s loss.
“No, do not say that. You were only trying to help.” He pulled his hand out of hers, his tail making a gentle splash in the water behind him. “I had just spoken with them minutes before it happened.”
“You did?” Angie croaked.
“Yes.” He bowed his head. “They were calm. Reprimanded me for neglecting my ceremonies, but I convinced them that I would not marry a mermaid I did not love and did not want to face their wrath. They listened. Accepted my explanation.” His chest heaved. “I asked them to release some fish for you, enough for you to cease your attacks, spare our people from more death.” His tongue darted over his lips, wetting them. “I tried to get them to see it from your point of view. That of course your people would attack, they are starving. My father agreed, and so did my mother, if begrudgingly.”
