The Mermaid's Mirror

Chapter 22

"My friends are going to pick me up at the highway," Lena lied.

"Fine. We'll wait with you until they get here." The bearded man was relentless. He seemed prepared to stay glued to her side until she proved she had a ride home.

"No!" said Lena. "Thanks for your help. I'm fine now, okay? If my friends don't show up, I can walk. I live nearby." The thought of trudging home in the dark on noodle-weak legs, carrying a heavy surfboard, seemed impossible. But there was no way she was going to accept a ride home from a stranger.

That would be dangerous, she thought wryly. And I'm all about safety. A choked laugh escaped her throat.

The man studied her intently. "Why don't you call them?" he persisted. "Or did you have a prearranged time?"

Tears leaked from Lena's eyes. She just wanted to go home, and this guy ... this guy was so damn concerned about her, she was afraid he was going to follow her home to make sure she was okay. And once he knew where she lived, he might try to talk to her parents—he might tell them she'd been alone at Magic's.

"Look," she said, trying to project a sane, trustworthy vibe. "Thanks. But I told you I'm fine. I don't need any help."

"No, you look," answered the man, rather fiercely. "You almost drowned out there! You've been through a traumatic experience. You're shivering, you're laughing and crying, and your behavior is erratic. I'm a parent and a doctor, and I am not leaving you alone in this condition. Either you call your friends, so that I can see you're going to be okay, or you let us take you home. It's extremely important that you get warm as soon as possible."

Lena didn't answer, just reached for her duffel bag. She slid the key into an interior pocket, zipping it closed. Then she pulled out her cell and dialed Pem, walking a few feet away.

"Leen?" answered Pem.

"I need you to come get me."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," said Lena. "I mean ... it's a long story. Please, can you and Max come get me? Please."

"I thought you didn't want him to..." Pem trailed off. Lena knew she meant that Max wasn't supposed to find out she had surfed at Magic's.

"I know, but I ... i need a ride, and I don't want to call Kai."

"You'reat—?"

"Yes. You might as well tell him I'm at Magic's. I don't have the energy to walk anywhere else. I'll meet you at the highway."

"We'll be there in fifteen minutes."

"Thanks." Lena clicked off the phone and put it back in her duffel bag. She pulled out a big towel and wrapped it around her shoulders. "They're coming," she said to the bearded man.

"We'll wait with you," he answered with maddening courtesy.

Eyes widening, Lena looked over at the man's son, as if to say, Is he always this annoying?

The guy grinned, understanding her perfectly. "Yeah. He can't help it," he said. "He's a giver."

Lena gave him a small smile.

She picked up her duffel and the surfboard, and headed up the beach to the highway, the man and his son close behind. She no longer felt cold. She was warm with the glow of belief: there was magic at Magic Crescent Cove.

The three of them walked in silence to the man's car parked on the side of the highway. The boy glanced curiously over at her a couple of times.

"Here," said the man, handing her a jug of water. "So you can rinse off your suit."

"Thanks," mumbled Lena. She turned away, tugging off her wetsuit, conscious of the other two peeling off their own wetsuits. The three of them rinsed their suits, and the men tossed theirs in the trunk of the car, which was lined with towels. Lena dressed in the clothes she'd packed earlier, placing her wetsuit in the bag. She took the key out of the bag and slid it into her hoodie pocket, keeping her fingers loosely around it.

"I'd better call Mom," said the man to his son. "She'll be wondering what happened to us." He walked a few steps away.

The boy held out his hand to Lena. "I'm Erik."

"Right," she said, grasping his fingers briefly.

"Hey, haven't I seen you out there before?"

"Out where?"

"Surfing. With Ani. Not at Magic's, though. And not Back Yard. Farther down the coast."

"You know Ani?"

"Sure. She's a friend of my sister's."

Great, thought Lena. Does everyone in this town know everyone else? "Yeah, I guess you have seen me, then."

"What's your name?"

Lena hesitated.

"That's cool. You don't have to tell me. I was just curious. I don't know any girls who surf Magic's."

"I never have before."

"Really? What did you think?"

She shook her head. "It was too much. I probably won't do it again."

He laughed. "Yeah, I wouldn't go out there unless I had my dad with me."

She looked over at Erik's father, feeling embarrassed that she had been rude to him. "It's cool that you surf with your dad."

Erik's father finished his phone conversation and hung up. "She said they'd save us some dinner." He looked at Lena. "Listen," he said. "My name is Ray Lamott. And you've met Erik. If you ... if you need someone to talk to, I work at the hospital on Coronado. Feel free to call anytime." He made a move as if to touch her arm, but stopped himself. "You're too young to remember this, but a woman killed herself at Magic's once. I was there."

Lena's eyes grew round.

"She jumped off the rocks." He pointed to Shipwreck Rocks, where the waves crashed and retreated. "She was crying and talking to herself. So I got a little upset when you started acting so strange. I couldn't help flashing back to that day."

Lena tightened her fingers around the key. "I didn't mean to act strange," she murmured.

"What's your name?"

Lena did not answer.

"All right. You won't tell me, I get it. But promise me you won't surf alone anymore. Or I will make it my business to find out who your parents are. You understand? Because now I'm going to be watching for you."

"I promise."

"Good."

Lena had never been so happy to see Max's Mustang in her life.

Max parked, and Pem leaped out of the car before it had even stopped moving. She ran to Lena and put her arms around her. "Are you all right?" Her eyes were wide and wary as she looked at the two strangers.

"Yeah. Thanks for coming to get me."

"Take her straight home," said Ray firmly. "She needs to get warm." He lifted his hand in farewell, and got into his car.

"See you later," said Erik. He got into the car, too, looking back at Lena as they drove away.

Max strode up to Lena and took his board from her to strap it to the roof of his car.

Lena buried her face in Pem's shoulder, tears of relief filling her eyes.

"Are you sure you're okay?" whispered Pem. "Who were those guys?"

"Just some people who were out there at Magic's."

"Get in the car," said Max shortly.

"Max—" began Lena.

"You are so done with my board," he said.

"I know. I'm really sorry. And I really, really appreciate you coming to get me."

He didn't answer, just put the car in gear and drove as quickly as possible to Lena's house.

"Please stop here," said Lena, at the corner of her street. She didn't want anyone at her house to see Max's car.

Max veered to the curb and put the car in park. He turned around to look at Lena. "Hey."

"Yeah?" She waited for his fury.

He did look angry, but also curious. "Did you really surf there?"

She nodded.

"You're crazy," he muttered. Then: "What was it like?"

She thought for a moment. "It was huge. But your board performed like a dream."

He smiled as she got out of the car.

"Thanks again. I'm sorry I ruined your date."

"You didn't," said Pem. "Call me tomorrow."

"I will."

Lena carried her duffel bag in one hand and kept the fingers of her other hand around the key in her pocket. She walked to the backyard and opened the garden shed. As she stepped inside to stow her duffel bag, she heard the sliding- glass door open.

"Where have you been?" asked her father in a tight voice.