Just Breathe (13 page)

Once we’re alone, I tell him with a wink, “I think I have found the key to beating you.”

I dive in not giving him a chance to respond. He dives in after me and chases me to the end of the pool. I am about to climb back out but he grabs my foot and pulls me back in. I squeal with laughter as I fall back in. Then I’m in his arms and his mouth is covering mine. Warmth spreads throughout my limbs. We fall back under water. I panic and pull away needing air. I swim back to the surface and search for him. He is still underwater. I can see him looking up at me with a giant smile. I dive back under but he swims away. He is so fast. I try to catch him but by the time I reach him, he is climbing out of the pool. I climb out and fall into the lounge chair next to him.

I ask the biggest question on my mind these days, well really the most obvious one, “So if you are a…um…mer-person…why do you have legs?”

He starts laughing at me and starts fidgeting with my hand, “I’m on land silly, so I have legs, when I go back home I have a fin.”

He grins and explains further, “I am here only because of you and your impending birthday, to make sure you stay safe to make your choice.”

I raise my eyebrows and ask, “Safe?  What am I in danger of?”

He changes the subject and asks, “Do you want to see something else?”

I nod uneasily and note to myself to address the danger issue further. Suddenly his fingers have golden light emanating from them.

I sit straight up and pull my hand away, “I knew I wasn’t crazy!” I exclaim.

The lights go out and he sits up confused.

I explain, “Right before you came to school, I went to the lake to swim and I saw your hands… light up. I thought I was crazy or you must have had some sort of flashlight.”

He looks surprised. “You saw me, but I didn’t see you.”

He smirks, “I guess you must have been really scared”

I push his shoulder. Then he lights his fingers again.

He explains, “Helpful in the water for navigating.”

I look at him amazed.

***

On Saturday we drive over to the beach again. I know what to expect this time, so I can contain myself and help him carry our stuff down. We spend almost all day in the water. He shows me how his “built in flashlights” as I like to think of them, work under water. As I look under water at him, I notice half a dozen fish swimming around him and he almost pets them. Wow, pretty cool. Did I mention the kissing too? We do a lot of that in and out of the water. I am actually partial to under water, exhilarating. By the time we get lunch, I am famished.

Soaking up some rays after lunch, I am determined not to ruin this trip like I did the last one.

I do still have some questions, “Jack, you said it wasn’t your place to tell me about all of this.” I spread my arms around us for effect.

“Who will tell me if you don’t?”

He squirms again.  Oh great, I hit a nerve again.

“Ever, your grandmother is coming to tell you about the choices. As I said before I am going against the rules, even letting you know me. My job is to watch over you, until you make your choice in a week.”

When he mentions next week, I suddenly feel very sad. Only a week away and I am no closer to knowing what to do. He notices my mood change, gets up and grabs me, tossing me up over his shoulder. He runs and plows us into the water. I could stay like this forever, but next week is looming.

I am so busy playing in the waves, I don’t notice Jack isn’t beside me anymore. I turn around to look for him and spot him on the beach at the edge of the woods. How did he get over there so fast? I slowly walk out of the waves and come up behind him, wrapping my arms around his chest. He glances around and turns toward me. Uh oh, green and clouds.

“Ever, we have to get out of here.”

I whine playfully, “But why, I’m having such a wonderful time with you.”

I kiss him but he pulls away.

I frown, “What’s the matter?”

Then something yellow catches my eye in the direction of the woods.

“Ever, we have to leave because…it’s not safe.”

He glances back towards the woods.

I remember something…“You mean like you said someone was watching me at school a couple weeks ago?”

He nods and takes my hand heading toward the water. I realize where we’re going and  plant my feet in the sand, with a terrified look on my face.

“Isn’t the car the other way?” I ask.

He says with urgency glancing behind me, “Yes, but we can’t go that way, trust me you will be safe.”

I am so freaked out. I turn around to head toward the car and scream. Coming out of the trees, three sets of yellow eyes and teeth like none I’ve ever seen…

The next thing I know, Jack is carrying me out into the water and we aren’t stopping. He slides me around to his back, so that my arms are around his neck. Suddenly we are soaring through the water, under the water. I’m not gasping like I thought would happen, if I was underwater for this long. I feel like I have plenty of air, impossible. I glance down behind us and I see a very large fin. Jack is a merman, I can feel myself slipping. I feel his grip on my hands tighten and then darkness.

***

When I wake up I am in the passenger seat of the yellow car and Jack is driving.

He glances over and grabs my hand, “Hello sleepyhead.”

I look around confused, the last thing I remember, we were swimming away. No,

Jack was swimming away from the beach, and those yellow eyes… Then I remember, I look over at him and he squeezes my hand and looks a little worried, the fin.

I ask, “What happened?”

He looks like he’s deciding what to tell me. “Well you fainted in the water and we are driving home.”

I shake my head, “No, I remember something coming out of the trees and swimming, fast, really fast, and you, you had a…fin… instead of legs.”

He answers, “Well that too.”

He gives me his melty half smile.

I say, “Okay, as long as we’re on the same page.”

I give a half smile, unsure of how I feel about the whole thing.

“By the way…um…Jack, are you going to tell me what that was coming out of the trees?”

He glances at me and explains, “Let’s just say they are the reason I have to watch over you.”

I get a chill down my spine thinking about the eyes, something familiar that I can’t wrap my mind around.

13

Gam-aw

When I get home from school on Monday, I am surprised to find my grandmother making herself at home. She is so different than any eighty year old here in Pahrump. I would venture to actually call her hip, in a way. She has leggings on with a mid-length tulle skirt and a t-shirt that says, My Boyfriend’s Back. Her hair is a blonde bob. She loves to experiment with wigs. I glance at her shoes and notice she has pink Nikes on. She never ceases to amaze me.

My parents never mentioned when she was coming. I didn’t ask though, because knowing she is here means I am that closer to eighteen. Wow, this should be an exciting time, officially an “adult.” Guess in my case that means entirely something different. She greets me at the door with a hug.

I say a little uneasily, “Hey Gam-aw, how’d you get here so fast?”

She waves my question away and complains, “I can’t believe how slow people are here. I waited an eternity for my luggage, which they couldn’t locate. Then it took a half hour to get a cab to bring me here. On top of all of that, is there more sand now than the last time I was here?”

I shake my head at her, so typical…. and head into the kitchen for a snack. She follows me in and sits at the table. Once I get a drink and an apple, she pats the seat beside her.

Here we go. I have been dreading seeing her since Jack mentioned that she knows about the mermaid thing. Don’t get me wrong, I have so many questions, and maybe I can get them all answered by Gam-aw, since Jack is so evasive.

She looks at me with a smile and says, “So what are the plans for the big birthday?”

I shrug and smile, “I thought you and mom were in charge of that; remember I was just going to show up.”

She pats me on the shoulder and walks to the fridge then she turns around and says, “Well I was thinking a big birthday party, here at the house with all of your friends and your parents and James.”

This surprises me a little. I was convinced she was going to lay into me about the mermaid thing. I silently vow to let
her
approach me about it. It is all still so confusing, what if it isn’t true and I mention it, she will think I am crazy.

My lips turn in a grin, “Whatever you want, because you are the guest.”

There is a soft knock on the front door.

I open the door and Jack is standing there with his melty smile. I feel like I haven’t seen him all day but it was really just an hour ago at school. He leans over and gives me a quick kiss.

I pull away and whisper, “Hey, my Gam-aw is here, she was here when I came home today.”

His eyes fade to green.  Uh oh, Gam-aw here is not so good I take it.

He asks, “Did you say anything to her?”

I shake my head, “No, I thought I would let her approach the subject.”

He nods and says, ”Good, wait for her to tell you.”

Then I hear footsteps walking from the kitchen and we turn at the same time. I smile and grab Jack’s hand to pull him towards my Gam-aw.

“Gam-aw I would like you to meet Jack.”

A frown crosses her face and then she smiles grabbing Jack’s other hand saying, “Well it’s a pleasure to meet you, Jack.”

Jack grins uneasily, “The pleasure is all mine.”

And he pulls his hand slowly away from her. After that we all stand around awkwardly.

Breaking the silence I tell her, “Gam-aw, Jack and I are going to the pool for a swim. Do you need anything before we leave?”

She looks thoughtful, ”No don’t worry about me, I will just watch some T.V until your parents get home.”

Jack goes out to the car to wait as I grab my stuff. Before I can make it out the door, I see Gam-aw leaning in the kitchen doorway waiting for me.

“Ever, when you get back, we need to talk.” I nod and leave not liking the tone of her voice.

Climbing in the car I tell Jack, “I think she knows that I know.”

He nods and his smile has been replaced with a miserable look.

Then a thought occurs to me, “Why does my Gam-aw still remember if she chose life on land and not the sea?”

Now Jack looks even more miserable, if that is possible.

He stammers, “Ever, I told you before I have already told you too much. There is a reason why your Gam-aw knows about the sea and lives on land but she has to be the one to tell you everything.” I leave it at that because obviously he’s not giving anything else up.