The Mermaid's Mirror - L. K. Madigan [44]
Her mom's shoulders relaxed. "Oh. Good. At least there are plenty of other surfers there. In case you got into trouble and needed help. Was Kai with you?"
Lena hesitated only for a second. "Yes," she said. Poor Kai. Getting dragged into her family drama. But maybe her parents would be less worried if they knew Kai had been with her. She longed to slide out of this tangle of lies, like sliding out of a tangle of seaweed. "Um, there was a doctor there, too," she offered. "So even if someone got hurt—which they didn't!—he would be right there to help."
"A doctor?" said her mom. "On the beach?"
"He was surfing. Ray somebody."
Her mom stiffened. "Bones Lamott?"
"What?"
"Ray Lamott?"
"Yeah! That was his name."
Her mom frowned. "Ray was surfing at Back Yard?"
"Um, yes?" Why wouldn't he? thought Lena. "You know him?"
"He went to my high school. He's a few years older than I am." Her mom studied Lena. "Ray was always a big wave hound. As I recall, he preferred Magic's."
Crap! thought Lena. Lying is hard! "He ... was surfing with his son today."
Without answering, her mom continued to study Lena. Finally she stood up, and Lena felt as though a searchlight had been removed from her face. "You know, your dad was planning to tell you you could take surfing lessons in the spring."
"He was?"
"Yes. The waves are bigger in winter, so he thought spring would be a better time to learn."
"He was going to teach me?" Lena felt her lower lip tremble.
"No," said her mom. "He can't teach you himself. But he was going to sign you up for lessons in Santa Cruz."
"Oh, wow."
"It may not seem like it, Lena, but we do keep your happiness in mind." Her mom gave a rueful smile and left the room.
Lena waited until her mom was down the hall, then reached under her pillow for the key, anxious to feel its solid weight in her hand again. Already she knew it was her key, and she hated not having it with her.
It looked so old, but there was not a speck of rust on it. Didn't metal rust in salt water? Maybe gold didn't.
"Where do you belong?" she whispered.
The sheer profusion of possible locks in the world made Lena feel dizzy, and she lay back on her bed.
I may spend the rest of my life looking for the right lock, she thought.
She closed her eyes, picturing cupboards and trunks, suitcases and closets, attic doors and desk drawers ... millions of locks, but only one a perfect fit for her key.
CHAPTER 24
You will find it.
When Lena woke up, those words were clear in her mind. The mermaid had given her the key for a reason. She wouldn't give it to someone who had no hope of finding its lock.
Lena felt around her bed in the dark, a small wave of fear surging over her when her hands encountered only bedding. Had someone come in while she was sleeping and taken it? She sat up and pushed back her covers, relief flooding her when she found the key. It had slipped farther down in the bed.
Vowing not to lose it again, even for a moment, Lena climbed out of bed and fumbled her way in the dark to her desk. She felt in the top drawer for her flashlight. They often lost power during windstorms, so every room in the house contained a flashlight.
Shielding her eyes until they grew accustomed to the light, she shone the beam into her jewelry box. She moved things around until she found the gold chain she was looking for, and held it up to the light.
No, too delicate. She was afraid the chain might break and the key would be lost. She clutched the key convulsively at the thought.
She opened her bureau drawers one at a time, slowly, so they wouldn't make noise. When she got to the bottom drawer, she withdrew a blue scarf knitted in velvet yarn. Her mom had gone through a short-lived knitting phase when she was pregnant with Cole, creating booties and a blanket for the baby, and scarves for Lena and her dad.
Perfect. It hardly ever got cold enough to wear a scarf, anyway. Lena took a pair of scissors from her