Evermore (6 page)

After a visit to the drug store, I ran upstairs and locked myself in the bathroom. Hands shaking, I took the kit out of the bag and ripped open the package.

According to the directions, I just needed to pee on the stick. My stomach turned over. Did the test work the same for mer as it did humans?

I did as instructed, then waited, watching the stick like it would talk to me. What if I was pregnant? Then what? And how did Pearl know by just looking at me?

What did this mean for our plans? How would we have a wedding with my big, bulging stomach? I mean, we could sing away some things, but I didn’t want to be a pregnant bride.

How could I have a child? I mean, I enjoyed Nicole, but for the most part, I didn’t even like to babysit. My sister was proof I couldn’t raise anyone.

I glared at the stick, willing it to do something. Was it a dud? Did I need to do another test?

When I didn’t think I could wait another minute, a duplicate pink line began to appear on the stick.

My head felt like it would burst. How could I be pregnant? Yes, I knew how, but Fin and I had used protection. It was as if my mother had guessed and spoken this into existence. A baby. A merling.

The air rushed out of my mouth, making me lightheaded. I mean, it wasn’t that I didn’t want a child with Fin. I did. Just not right now. Not at eighteen. Not before we had time to get everything settled between our two cultures. Time together as a couple, at least.

My dreams of a wedding, of normal human life were quickly vanishing before my eyes. What was I going to do now?

Someone banged on the door.

“Ash?” Lucy whined. “What’s taking you so long?”

Wiping away a tear, I glared at the door. “Use the other bathroom.”

“I can’t. Gran’s using it.”

A sigh slipped from my lips. “Use Mom and Dad’s.”

“A-a-ash-ly-y-yn. Mom’s taking a nap. Hurry up.”

I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe.

“Ash!”

“Okay!” I yelled and stood.

Shoving the stick and the box into the bag, I wiped my eyes and opened the door.

“All yours,” I said as I brushed past her.

“Finally.” She darted inside without so much as a thank you and slammed the door.

“You’re welcome.” I pressed my eyes shut and leaned against the wall.

Lucy would be my merling’s aunt. Oh, Poseidon. This was affecting so much more now than just me.

Why was I pretending to be human? Why did it matter? Other humans turned mer had faked their deaths when they couldn’t let their human families know, like Maggie. But I didn’t want to do that to my family. I loved them. And as silly as it sounded, a wedding on the beach had been my dream as long as I had a crush on Fin.

Fin’s parents would be elated to find out they were expecting another grandmerling, especially with how they doted over Nicole any chance they got. And my mother, Poseidon help us all, she’d be over every day, wanting to raise him or her.

I just wasn’t sure my parents would be happy without some mer mojo. But then what? They’d want to show him or her off, take pictures, go on outings. And after witnessing the unpredictability of Nicole, there was no way I could allow that.

I trudged down the stairs like a zombie.

“Is that you, Ash?” Mom peeked her head around the corner from the kitchen. I jolted and stuffed the bag behind my back.

“I thought you were taking a nap.”

“Me? No.” Her smile lit her face. “I didn’t know you were home. Fin’s looking for you.” She stopped, smile melting away. “What’s wrong?”

I choked down a swallow, my mind too overloaded to be mad at Lucy for lying. Even if Fin had asked for my hand in marriage, we’d need to get married now before I showed. I had wanted more time before we sprung the wedding on them, on everyone.

“Oh, nothing.” I tried to smile, appreciative that Mom had been a lot nicer lately. A baby, as horrible as it sounded, would ruin everything.

“Are you sure?”

I opened my mouth to tell her, then closed it. All I’d ever wanted was a close relationship where I could tell my mother anything. But with this, I didn’t even think I could tell Fin.

Then my heart stopped. Pearl. I had to stop her from saying anything before it was too late.

“I just remembered something.”

Darting out of the house, I ran down the path to the beach toward Fin’s dock. Heart pounding, I scanned the houseboat, not seeing them. I let out a groan, then slumped to the sand.

Nothing was working out as expected, and though it would disappoint everyone, I knew we shouldn’t hold the wedding. What we should be doing is figuring out how to erase me from history.

“Ash?” Fin called from the houseboat.

I twisted toward him, barely keeping my tears inside. A frown disfigured his lovely face. He’d been working so hard to make everything as normal as possible for me, even to the point of convincing his dad to build us a cottage.

He crossed the yard and walked over to me. “What’s going on? Where did you drive off to?”

“I…” I swallowed down the lump growing in my throat.

He moved closer, then gently took my shoulders between his hands. My muscles stiffened under his palms.

“What’s wrong? You’re scaring me.”

“Nothing.”

His blue eyes were intent on mine. “What did Pearl say to you? Is this about the wedding?”

I ground my teeth together. If I told him I was pregnant, he’d want to sing my problems away and elope. “Where did Desirée go?”

“They went back home.”

I let out a soft sigh. Knowing the closeness of their relationship, Pearl would tell Desirée everything and then my secret would be out.

“You don’t want Girra here, do you?”

I tried to think, but couldn’t. “It’s not that.”

“It’s Tatchi, isn’t it?”

I shook my head, my heart racing.

“It is. Just tell me, Ash. I’ll do whatever to fix it.”

“It’s not something you can fix,” I blurted out.

His jaw grew taut. “What do you mean?”

My eyes prickled with tears. “I don’t think we should have the wedding.”

“What?”

“Let’s just elope and be done with it.”

His expression hardened. “Wait, what?”

“I don’t need all of this fuss.”

“Okay,” he said slowly, eyes tight. “I don’t know what’s going on, but eloping won’t solve anything. We’re technically already married in mer culture though we didn’t have a ceremony. But that’s the reason we’re having a wedding. To satisfy your human culture along with the mer.”

“Our human culture,” I corrected.

Fin took my hands. “Ash, I’m not human, and technically, neither are you. I only live here. Everything else is… pretending for us.”

“I see.” Though he was right, his words cut me like he’d rejected a part of me. I dropped his hands and swiveled away from him.

“Ash, please,” he begged.

My mom appeared on the trail, waving at me.

I pushed the tears off my cheek, then grated. “Don’t you dare sing to her. You hear me?”

I popped to my feet and left him there to greet my mom.

“Hey,” she said as she approached. “I’ve been calling…”

She stopped and frowned.

“I don’t have my phone on me.”

“Ash, what is wrong?” she asked. “You haven’t been the same since you’ve been home. Is everything okay at school? With Fin?”

She put her arm around my shoulders, and something inside my stomach fluttered. Was it the baby? I withheld my gasp and held my tummy. “I’m nervous about everything, Mom.”

“There’s nothing to be worried about. You’re growing up. This is part of life. Moving out, going to college. Responsibility.”

I sniffled. “What if I don’t want to go away to school? What if I just wanted to stay home?”

“That’s fine, honey. We’re not forcing you to leave. There are good schools here.”

“What if I wanted to go to school here and marry Fin?”

Mom pulled her head backward. “I…”

“We’ve got it all planned. Fin will work for his dad at Captain Jack’s, and I could help you run Tahoe Tessie’s Treasures.”

Mom’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “The world is your oyster, Ash. Don’t sacrifice your freedom because you’re worried about me. We’ll be here when you’re done with school, and then you can decide where you’ll settle down.”

I took her hands. “I want to marry Fin. He’s got a good future ahead of him, and… ”
I’ll make it work, somehow.

“You’re set on this?” Mom asked, face concerned.

I nodded. “I love him with all my heart. He’s the one. You knew with Dad, too. Right? High school sweethearts. I mean what did you tell Gran and Papa Frank?”

Mom sighed and pressed her lips together. “I told them the same thing you’re telling me.”

“So you made it work.”

“We had help, yes.”

“And we have help, too. Right?”

“You do,” she said, apprehensively. “It’s just… it’s not easy.”

“So you’ll talk to Dad. Butter him up?”

Mom gave me a forced smile, and I braced myself for her true self to emerge and be angry. “You know your dad loves Fin, as I do, too… it’s just you’re so young—”

“I know we’re young, but it’s like he has an old soul. And he knows me. He’s killing himself to make me happy as we speak, and… he has my heart. Please.”

Mom folded me into a hug, squeezing tight while she let go of a long breath. I waited to hear the condemnation, the plea to wait. “And that’s all I could wish for my little girl.”

I startled at her words, and then my heart bloomed with warmth. I’d blamed our disconnection on the fact I wasn’t her biological daughter, never having felt bonded to her, that was until this moment. I trembled with a sob.

“Okay,” she said, petting her hands down my arms. “None of that. Don’t worry. I’ll talk to your father.”

I collapsed with relief, sobbing more. “Thank you, Mom.”

She touched my hair, then my chin. “I don’t know where you got this red hair, but… you’re just so radiant. You’ll make such a lovely bride.”

A tear trickled down her cheek.

We hugged one more time, then she smoothed her hands down her apron. “Invite Fin for dinner. I’ll set up some time afterward for Fin and your father to talk. Okay?”

I blew out a breath. “Perfect.”

When I turned to tell Fin the good news, he was gone.

Snapping my tail, the cold water felt cool on my scales after the heated argument on the beach. Once Ash had stormed away from me, taking a piece of my heart with her, I couldn’t stand there, waiting around like an idiot.

Why did I say that about being human?

I’d caught enough of Ash’ conversation with her mom, college and me proposing, but I didn’t think that was what this was all about. She’s become impossible to please, and I was getting sick of the constant change. At least I’d thought to mind-mojo her mom to be nice to her, but I couldn’t hack it anymore. I needed the one person who’d know what to do.

Once I cleared the Tahoe Gate and swam into Natatoria, my heart picked up speed. Where would my sister be? Just then, a mermaid crossed the ridge, mad as a hornet fish.

Tatchi!
I called out in my mind

She looked up and frowned.
Oooh. You give them a fathom, they take a freaking nautical mile
.

Nicole squirmed in her arms, squealing to be freed from her tight grip. Tatch swam closer, and from her irritated look, I knew I needed to get out of her way.

“Having a day?” I asked.

“A day?” She shook her head. “Girra’s been parading it in my face all afternoon at the palace. That Desirée and Pearl visited to get permission for Girra to plan the wedding. Girra! My fin, she gets to plan my best friend’s wedding! I want to hear it from the seahorse’s mouth that that’s the truth!”

“No, it’s—”

Nicole opened her mouth and sirened.

I clutched my ears and fell over, paralyzed by the sound.

“Nicole, honey, Mommy needs to talk to Uncle Fin. You be nice.”

The girl looked mischievously over at me and started to giggle. I struggled to right myself, my head spinning. This wasn’t good that she was already sirening at such a young age.

“Something’s wrong with Ash,” I bit out.

“What?” She let out a groan. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I’m telling you now.” Needles of pain stabbed into my temples. “And another thing, when Desirée came and asked, Ash agreed, I mean, it is her mother, but just now she told me she wants to call the whole thing off.”

“What?” Tatiana shrieked. “You’re together without me for one week! One week! And you’ve let it come to this?” Tatiana ran her hand through her hair. “Oh, the poor thing. She must have wedding jitters.”

“You’ve been busy.”

“Yes, being a mom!” She gestured to Nicole. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t come find me!”

I backpedaled, hands up. “I know, and that’s why I haven’t bothered you. It’s been a little crazy for me, too.”

Nicole gave me an evil smile and for a moment I saw Azor. Chills ran up my spine.

“Crazy? This was worth bothering me for!” Tatchi hit me with her tail, spinning me sideways before she darted off to the Tahoe Gate.

Wait.

Nicole looked over my sister’s shoulder, and sirened again, freezing me in the current.

Stop her from doing that will you
?

Can’t you see she’s just a merling
?

Merling? She’s a terror. My eyes rolled backward in my head. Thankfully, Ash and I had thought to use protection when we made love. I couldn’t deal with this.

By the time I’d recovered, Tatiana had already disappeared through the gate. I followed behind slowly, taking my time. We needed my sister, yes, but bringing a merling into the public was asking for trouble.

I cleared the gate, but Tatchi was chasing after Nicole.

“You get back here,” she said.

The giggling merling zipped past me, dark hair flying behind her.

Fin!
Tatch whined in my head.
Help me
.

Why did you bring her with you
? I mind-talked but still kept my distance.

Because, she cries when I leave her
.

Nicole zipped by again, waggling her tongue out of her mouth like a dog.

And you think you’ll be able to plan a wedding
?

Shut-up and help
, she yelled in my head.

Nicole turned, then swam right for me, arms wide, and as soon as I reached for her, she sirened.

I doubled over, grabbing my ears, groaning.

“Caught ya!” Tatch said.

Nicole yelped, then giggled some more. The two turned in a circular hug of bubbles.

Good thing she’s not a boy
, I said, meaning to say it to myself.

Tatch frowned.
After everything, I can’t believe you’d say that!

“No, I… ugh.” Clearly, I wasn’t winning any contests today. “Just the tail barb issue. He’d cut you to ribbons. I’m not trying to start a fight. I just need you to talk to Ash.”

She landed a glare on me, and Nicole opened her mouth like she was going to siren again.

“Please.” I moved backward in the current, wanting to distance myself from the merling’s vocal chords. “I can bring Ash to you.”

“No.” Tatchi sculled forward with her free hand. “Get Mom. And… where are you “staying” while Dad fixes the house, by the way?”

“Dad got a houseboat.”

Tatch’s eyes brightened. “Oh, that’s perfect.”

She swam ahead and I hung back, terrified of Nicole’s vicious lungs.

When I surfaced by the houseboat, I could see Mom holding Nicole. Tatiana was already running down the beach, wearing jeans and a T-shirt. Not soon after, the child’s shrieking started, but at least it wasn’t a siren. I leaped onto the edge of the dock and quickly put on my jeans, breathing a relieved sigh. At least I’d made someone happy today.