cheek. “Don’t be a stranger.”
“Ash?” I asked again.
She passed me, kissing me on the cheek. “Just stay here. I’ll be back.”
I watched her cross the deck and head toward home. Then, she turned and headed toward her car. Where was she going?
“So if Girraween comes tomorrow, what should she wear?”
“We’ll give her something appropriate,” Mom said.
But I couldn’t listen. Something was wrong, and once again Ash didn’t trust me enough to tell me what.
NINE – ASH – May 20 – 4:45 p.m.
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
“Ash?” I asked again.
She passed me, kissing me on the cheek. “Just stay here. I’ll be back.”
I watched her cross the deck and head toward home. Then, she turned and headed toward her car. Where was she going?
“So if Girraween comes tomorrow, what should she wear?”
“We’ll give her something appropriate,” Mom said.
But I couldn’t listen. Something was wrong, and once again Ash didn’t trust me enough to tell me what.
NINE – ASH – May 20 – 4:45 p.m.
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
Similar Books
