The Tail of Emily Windsnap - Liz Kessler [31]
I washed my pebble in the water; it went all shiny and smooth. “It’s the best present anyone’s ever given me.”
Shona slipped hers into her tail and I put mine in my jacket pocket. I didn’t want it to disappear when my legs returned! I looked at the patch of light that was spreading and growing across the horizon.
“Come on.” Shona slid back into the sea. “We’d better get going.”
We slowly made our way back to Rainbow Rocks.
“See you Sunday?” I asked as we said goodbye.
Shona’s cheeks reddened a touch. “Can we make it Monday?”
“I thought you couldn’t get out on Mondays.”
“I will. I’ll make sure of it. It’s just that the Diving and Dance display is Monday morning, and I don’t want to be too tired for the triple flips.”
“Monday night, then.” I smiled. “And good luck.”
By the time I got home, I was so tired I could have fallen asleep standing up. But my head was spinning with thoughts and questions. And sadness. I’d found out where my father was, but how would we ever get there? Would we really find him? It felt like I was losing him all over again. I’d virtually lost my mom as well. If only I could make her remember!
As I tried to get to sleep, something Shona had said swam into the corner of my mind. Sometimes it doesn’t work at all, especially if you go near merfolk areas.
Of course!
I knew exactly what I was going to do.
Mom always sleeps in on Sundays. She says even God had a day of rest, and she doesn’t see why she can’t. I’m not allowed to disturb her until she says it’s morning — which usually isn’t until around noon.
I paced up and down the boat, willing her to wake up. What if she slept right through the afternoon and woke up at coffee time? Disaster! I couldn’t take the risk of Mr. Beeston showing up before I’d spoken to her. So I broke a golden rule. I crept into her room and sat on the bed.
“Mom,” I stage-whispered from the end of the bed. She didn’t stir. I inched farther up and leaned toward her ear. “Mom,” I croaked a bit louder.
She opened one eye and then closed it again. “Whadyouwan?” she grumbled.
“You have to get up.”
“Whassamatter?”
“I want to go out.”
Mom groaned and turned over.
“Mom, I want us to go out together.”
Silence.
“Please get up.”
She turned back to face me and opened her eyes a crack.
“We never do anything together,” I said.
“Why now? Why can’t you leave me in peace? What time is it, anyway?”
I quickly turned her alarm clock around so she couldn’t see it. “It’s late. Come on, Mom. Please.”
Mom rubbed her eyes and lay on her back. “I don’t suppose you’re going to give me any peace until I do, are you?”
I smiled hopefully.
“Just leave me alone and I’ll get up.”
I didn’t move. “How do I know you won’t go back to sleep the minute I leave?”
“Emily! I said I’ll get up and I will. Now leave me alone! And if you want to get back in my good graces, you can make me a nice cup of tea. And then I might forgive you.”
Mom took a bite of her toast. “So, where do you imagine we’re going, now that you’ve ruined my Sunday morning?”
I knew exactly where we were going. Shiprock Bay. The nearest you could get to Rainbow Rocks by road. I’d been studying the bus routes, and there was one that took us almost all the way there. We could get off on the coast road and walk along the headland. It must be worth a try. I had to jog her memory somehow.
“I just thought we could have a day trip around the coast,” I said casually as I popped a piece of toast and strawberry jelly in my mouth.
“What about Mr. Beeston?”
“What about him?” I nearly choked on my toast.
“We’ll have to be back by three. We can’t let him down.”
“Oh, Mom! Can’t you break your date with him for once?”
“Emily. Mr. Beeston is a lonely man and a good friend. How many times do I have to tell you that? You know I don’t like letting him down. He has not broken our arrangement once in all these years, and I’m not about to do it to him now. And it is not a date!”
“Whatever.” This wasn’t the time to tell her what I knew about the ‘lonely man.’ What did I know, anyway? Nothing that made any sense. I swallowed