Chapter Eight
T he Saltwater Sisters Cafe was exactly where I needed to be. I felt the energy shift when I walked in and heard a siren song playing. My feet relished the cool stone beneath them, instead of the burning ground we walked on. The women didn’t have more feet covers for me, but they guided me to the cooler parts of the ground as much as possible.
Three sisters buzzed around, talking to humans and poking at machines I’d never seen before. I saw their energy, the spirit of the waves in them immediately. Relief rushed through me so intensely I nearly tripped.
There were clear boxes filled with little foods that did not look appealing and whirring noises like boat motors that poured out little potions. The humans were excited for them, and even the women that brought me here seemed to perk up when they breathed in the scent of them. It was pleasant, but I didn’t know what it was.
“I can’t stand salt water taffy, but everything else in the place looks and smells amazing,” the older one said. Had she said a name? Their names felt thick on my tongue, like I choked out the sounds instead of saying them with purpose .
“What do you like here?” I asked, proud of myself for asking a question that didn’t seem weird. They smiled, like they were ready to tell me all of the things about this place that they enjoyed. I surveyed the space, looking at the other humans bringing small bowls to their mouths and sip. I watched as they took bites of the strange looking foods, and chatted. There was so much noise on the land, it was hard to sift through it all. My head buzzed from all the noise.
The siren song had relaxed the tension in my back, until one of them asked what kind of music this was, and they all shrugged their shoulders, looking confused.
“Whales maybe? It’s probably some new folk band trying to be different. The vibe is nice, but it’s kinda weird,” Steph said. I wanted to snap that it most certainly did not sound like a whale, but I didn’t say anything.
“What can we get for you?” the women asked us, standing near the machine. It was lit up, like there were lights stuck inside of it. I wanted to touch it, but she seemed to be the only one who was allowed to do so.
“Four iced coffees, please, for Beth,” the older one said. “Is that alright with you, Merrow? Sorry, I should have asked you.”
“Yes, thank you.” I nodded my head a little, remembering this was a normal human thing mid-speech.
“Let’s get a table,” Steph said, guiding my arm to get me to follow her. The woman with the bright machine locked eyes with me, and I saw it then: the tides still roaring in her eyes. I found them.
“Merrow, was that that girl’s name? How lovely. It sounds like it should be a mermaid’s name, don’t you think?” she said, smiling widely at me while talking to Beth.
“Oh, you’re right. It does sound quite whimsical now that you mention it. ”
“My mother loves mermaids. I’m sure she would be thrilled to hear that,” I said, trying to tell them that I was one of them. Please recognize me, I pleaded silently.
“You’ve got the look of a mermaid!” she said, winking.
“My mother’s name is Pasha. I always thought it suited her too.”
“Wait, you’re Pasha’s girl! Tia, Adara, come here! Look who came in, it’s Pasha’s girl!” she said, gathering the other sisters. Relief slammed against me as they saw who I was–what I was I–and welcomed me.
“Merrow, you know them?” Beth asked defensively, searching my eyes for safety. Perhaps this fellowship I felt with them was not a human or merfolk thing–perhaps it stemmed from our womanhood.
“Yes, they are friends of my mother’s, and after the incident at the beach, I knew I should find them.”
“Poor child washed up on the beach without a stitch of clothing on. She’s probably got a sunburn. And I think she might have hit her head,” Beth said, whispering that last part.
“Oh gosh! You know what, since you’ve helped our friend out so much, the coffees are on the house. Thank you so much,” she said. They chatted a bit longer, and I wasn’t sure if I should stay and listen or move to where the others sat together.
“Merrow honey, since you’re in good hands now, we’re going to head out. I’m so glad we found your friends,” the unremarkable one said. They came back over to me, hugging me and patting my back. I thanked them again for their help and kindness and off they went.
“Come with me,” the woman with tides in her eyes said. I nodded, and followed silently. The others–Tia and Adara–followed, creating a box around me until we disappeared to a back room where they locked the door behind them .
“I’m Serita of the White Tides, and these are my sisters, Tia and Adara. Welcome, sister,” Serita said, opening her arms and I practically fell into them.
“Sister,” I said, and they nodded, pawing at my hair, poking at the dress.
“Is it already a birthday? We didn’t know. We would have been waiting. There’s been so few of you over the years that we try to keep a record of when to expect another sister on the land,” Tia said. Her hair was sea green and hung in waves. She had the same green eyes that I’d seen in the oceans on my tribemates. She looked like home . Adara had black hair and blue eyes, and I saw the waves in them too. Serita’s soft, pale hair and soft, pale blue eyes reminded me of Lilia, and my throat seized at the thought. It had been less than half a day since I left the seas and I missed the water.
“Let’s get you some proper clothes. You’re doing well at keeping pace with them and just watching. Just keep watching the humans,” Adara said.
“One of us needs to watch the cafe,” Tia said, nodding to her sisters before ducking away.
“How long have you been on the land?” I asked, and they smiled.
“Oh child, we have been here for centuries. We stay near the White Tides, and when it’s time to help our sisters, we are here. We’ve made the land our home.”
“That sounds so lonely,” I said before I could stop the words.
“At first, but now we have built a life, and we are happy. Don’t fret over us child, you don’t have the time for it. Tell us about who the Pearls saw for you. Tell us his name so we can help you find him,” Serita said, pulling the dress up and off of me. Adara handed me more clothes to put on, but I didn’t know where to start with putting them on. She seemed to sense this and helped, gently guiding my limbs, settling the fabrics around me.
“Owen, his name is Owen Harper.”
They considered the name. The sisters stood huddled close together. Once Adara got my clothes settled, I felt better. I felt more like the humans, and even more like them. The silence around us weighed heavily in the air. What should I say? Anything? Nothing? I stayed quiet waiting for their cues.
“I think I’ve heard that name,” Serita said with Adara nodding.
“You have? You know who he is?” I asked, feeling hopeful. Maybe this would all be over suddenly. Owen Harper would be this awful human, gullible and easy to lure to the water and it would all be over.
“Yes, look, he’s part of the new art gallery. He’s got some of his work on display this weekend,” Serita said, grabbing some thin, flimsy thing.
“Look at this paper,” she said, handing it to me. I looked, but the drawings on it were hard to understand. There was an image of a building on it, with a lot of colors and shapes. I had no idea what any of this was supposed to be.
“What does this mean?” I asked.
“It’s a flier for the gallery. They are having an art show this weekend. Look at the name,” she said, pointing to some little swirly marks. “Owen Harper.”
“I don’t understand the human languages, I don’t know how to interpret the pictures.”
“Of course she can’t read, Serita. It’s not like she has human books in the ocean. Tell me child, are you a singer?” Adara said, swatting at Serita.
“Yes, but I’m training to be a storyteller.”
“Ah a bard, then you are also an artist, and I’m sure Owen will connect with you. Let’s get you ready for the exhibition,” Adara clapped her hands, and dragged me with her.
“It’s starting in about an hour, that’s plenty of time,” Serita said. When Tia came back to the little back room, they quickly filled her in.
“I’ll prepare a room for her upstairs. We can’t have our sister homeless while she’s on the land,” Tia said. She stroked my hair like my mother would, and the knot in my heart eased .
“Alright girl, let’s have a little crash course on human mating. You need to be enticing for this man to notice you. You’ve got a good face, and human men are easy to impress. Hold your face to the side a little, it makes you look sweeter,” Serita said, tilting my head this way and that until she was satisfied.
“Don’t forget the breasts,” Tia said, winking.
“Oh yes, they do like them.” Tia and Serita held their bodies in different positions, showing me how to look appealing for him. My gut twisted. It’ll be over soon, I told myself over and over again.
“Little touches, humans connect with touch. Look at his face, his eyes. Be kind, pretend he is a merman that you’d want to spend your days with. Make him laugh!” Serita and Tia babbled so much advice until my eyes felt like they were crossing.
I tried to remember Owen Harper’s face, and all I could think of were those bright, ocean green eyes. It’ll all be over soon, just don’t forget that . My mother’s lovely face came to me then, her voice telling me that I wasn’t alone. Without the Saltwater Sisters, I’d have been so lost. My tribe protected me even when the sea couldn’t.