case if I go so I probably deserve anything she has to dish out. I fell asleep with a bit of clarity shining through in the whole mess I’ve made. I can actually help Ever if I do go. I can actually play the Sara card so to speak. It will be hard and just judging from yesterday, I’d easily fall under her spell but it will be worth it if I can help Ever out and Jack.
I hear a slight knock on my bedroom door.
“Come in.”
My mom peeks her head through as the door swings open, “Hey, you awake?”
I nod, “Yep, what’s up?”
She frowns and comes into the room, stopping a few feet from my bed. The look on her face is one I know so well. One of her troubled, heartfelt talks is coming. I push myself up to a sitting position leaning back against my headboard. I grab a pillow and squeeze it under my arm, bracing for the guilt that is coming or the tears.
“James, I was just wondering, we haven’t heard from Ever in a while. How did she seem before you left Gam-aw’s?”
Oh, so that’s what this is about. Ever isn’t keeping a very good façade for the parents. And once again I’m here to smooth it all over.
I tell her soothingly, “Mom, don’t worry. I’m sure she’ll call soon. She was really busy when I left.”
Her frown smoothes a little and she seems sad.
I add, “I know she misses you. She’s just taking a class and working, so she is tired when she gets back to Gam-aws.” I kick myself, Damn James, you’re giving out too much info, sounding like a girl.
This seems to do it though.
“Maybe I’ll call her tonight, see if I can catch her.”
I nod, agreeing with her.
She backs out and turns to the door but stops and turns back toward me asking, “What are your plans for today?”
“I um… have practice with Garrett and Davis tonight but that’s about it.”
Really now I have to let my sister know a phone call is in order. Why do I have to always do the right thing? This decides it for, me; I’m going back with Sara. This is the right thing, I know, but to everyone else it will seem wrong. I can handle that for a while.
My mom brings me back from my thoughts, “Dad wants your help out in the yard. He’s building a raised bed for me to start a garden.”
“Yeah, I’ll help. Tell him I’ll be down in a little bit.”
Leave it to my mom to get my dad to build a garden in the middle of summer in the desert. I know he does it just to appease her but come on. What a waste. Nothing is going to grow.
I sigh and get out of bed as my mom leaves. Suddenly I have a shit ton of things to do today.
I glance at my watch as I climb back up the steps, three o’clock, after helping my dad all day. I have a little bit of time before I have to be at Garrett’s. Really, after the hard labor, all I want to do is go to bed but I steer to the shower. The water refreshes me and I decide a visit to Ever is in order.
After getting dressed and letting my parents know I’m going to Garrett’s I head for the jeep. Hopefully Sara won’t be at the lake.
***
The lake and field are empty again. I climb out and focus on Amber’s dwelling. Hopefully they are there. I really have no desire to confront Jaspen on my short visit back. As the air around me turns to cool saltwater, I shift my legs to my fin. As soon as the water hits my lungs, I take a deep breath and savor the feel of the water. I didn’t realize I missed this. It feels so good to be back in this form. If I had to describe how I feel as a mer-man, it would have to be singularly, free. No other word captures everything it gives me.
I swim up to the dwelling in front of me and knock. I’ve decided not to tell them about my decision. It would do nothing but bring arguments and anger. Both of which my sister doesn’t need right now.
The door swings open but no one is there. I smile, she must be home.
“Ever, you around?”
I see her face peek around the corner. A smile spreads and she bounds through the water knocking me back out the
I hear a slight knock on my bedroom door.
“Come in.”
My mom peeks her head through as the door swings open, “Hey, you awake?”
I nod, “Yep, what’s up?”
She frowns and comes into the room, stopping a few feet from my bed. The look on her face is one I know so well. One of her troubled, heartfelt talks is coming. I push myself up to a sitting position leaning back against my headboard. I grab a pillow and squeeze it under my arm, bracing for the guilt that is coming or the tears.
“James, I was just wondering, we haven’t heard from Ever in a while. How did she seem before you left Gam-aw’s?”
Oh, so that’s what this is about. Ever isn’t keeping a very good façade for the parents. And once again I’m here to smooth it all over.
I tell her soothingly, “Mom, don’t worry. I’m sure she’ll call soon. She was really busy when I left.”
Her frown smoothes a little and she seems sad.
I add, “I know she misses you. She’s just taking a class and working, so she is tired when she gets back to Gam-aws.” I kick myself, Damn James, you’re giving out too much info, sounding like a girl.
This seems to do it though.
“Maybe I’ll call her tonight, see if I can catch her.”
I nod, agreeing with her.
She backs out and turns to the door but stops and turns back toward me asking, “What are your plans for today?”
“I um… have practice with Garrett and Davis tonight but that’s about it.”
Really now I have to let my sister know a phone call is in order. Why do I have to always do the right thing? This decides it for, me; I’m going back with Sara. This is the right thing, I know, but to everyone else it will seem wrong. I can handle that for a while.
My mom brings me back from my thoughts, “Dad wants your help out in the yard. He’s building a raised bed for me to start a garden.”
“Yeah, I’ll help. Tell him I’ll be down in a little bit.”
Leave it to my mom to get my dad to build a garden in the middle of summer in the desert. I know he does it just to appease her but come on. What a waste. Nothing is going to grow.
I sigh and get out of bed as my mom leaves. Suddenly I have a shit ton of things to do today.
I glance at my watch as I climb back up the steps, three o’clock, after helping my dad all day. I have a little bit of time before I have to be at Garrett’s. Really, after the hard labor, all I want to do is go to bed but I steer to the shower. The water refreshes me and I decide a visit to Ever is in order.
After getting dressed and letting my parents know I’m going to Garrett’s I head for the jeep. Hopefully Sara won’t be at the lake.
***
The lake and field are empty again. I climb out and focus on Amber’s dwelling. Hopefully they are there. I really have no desire to confront Jaspen on my short visit back. As the air around me turns to cool saltwater, I shift my legs to my fin. As soon as the water hits my lungs, I take a deep breath and savor the feel of the water. I didn’t realize I missed this. It feels so good to be back in this form. If I had to describe how I feel as a mer-man, it would have to be singularly, free. No other word captures everything it gives me.
I swim up to the dwelling in front of me and knock. I’ve decided not to tell them about my decision. It would do nothing but bring arguments and anger. Both of which my sister doesn’t need right now.
The door swings open but no one is there. I smile, she must be home.
“Ever, you around?”
I see her face peek around the corner. A smile spreads and she bounds through the water knocking me back out the
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