My contribution to NANO this year, it's all really rough, writing day by day without doing any edits at this point. Please be kind but otherwise enjoy. None of the cover art is final, again, it's just a rough draft. <copyright 2015 by CRH books AKA Casey Horan> All rights reserved. No amount of this story is to be duplicated except for the use of scholarly quotes or brief mentions in media. The characters and places in this story are used fictitiously, and resemblance to actual events or locals is completely coincidental. This story is intended for mature audiances and should not be read if a person is under the age of 15.

               “Can I feel your stomach?” Lewis asked as he slowly reached towards Naida’s midriff.

                “No,” she moved away from him with a jerk.

                “But it’s not fair that you get to have the baby all to yourself,” Lewis protested with a slight whimper in his otherwise deep voice.

                Naida rolled her blue-green eyes at him in the café line as she placed her hands around her waist.

                “It’s not my fault that I have to carry her around. If you wanted to feel her you should have been born a woman,” Naida snapped back at him as she looked back up at the menu.

                She couldn’t decide what she wanted to order. Being pregnant changed so many of her preferences in food she wasn’t even sure she could hold down a cup of coffee.

                “Did you find out the gender then?” Lewis asked excitedly as he spun her back around to face him. “You know my mom really wants to know. She’s willing to throw a baby shower for you and your sorority sisters can all come.”

                She averted his enthusiastic gaze as she tried to free herself from Lewis.

                “Is that normal?” Naida finally asked.

                “Is what normal?” Lewis responded. “A baby shower? Of Course!”

                “No, that’s not what I meant,” Naida interrupted. “I mean is it normal for a guy to be this excited and happy about getting a one night stand pregnant?” She asked slightly under her breath.

                Lewis wrapped his arms around her back and pulled Naida in close to him as he kissed the top of her head.

                “Do you know what you want to order?” The nasally voice of the barista asked now that the two of them were at the front of the line.

                “I’d like the salted caramel frappe with a scone,” Naida replied as she tried to turn herself away from Lewis. “Is it sea salt?”

                “I don’t know,” the boy replied as he inched his glasses back into place.

                “I’ll just have a coffee with one of those muffins,” Lewis said as he squeezed Naida in his arms a final time before letting her go.

                She slowly walked towards an open table, when a young man placed a book on it and began to move the chair back.

                “You had better be pulling that out for me,” Naida said as she glared at the young man.

                “Oh, I’m sorry,” he replied. “I didn’t realize that you wanted this seat.”

                Lewis came by and placed his hand on Naida’s shoulder.

                “It’s alright,” Lewis began, “we can sit over there.” He motioned towards the back of the coffee shop.

                “I want to be by the window,” Naida moaned.

                “That’s fine,” the man said as he smiled at the two of them. He motioned for Naida to sit down in the pulled out chair.

                She smiled and sat as gracefully as she could and picked up the book.

                “Redwood Nation?” she read the title out loud.

                “Oh, I’ll take that,” the man whispered.

                “Is it any good?” Naida asked as she handed it to him.

                “It’s a bit dark, but one of my favorites.” He replied as his eyes met Naida’s.

                “Oh, really?” Naida began, “What’s it about?”

                “Ahem,” Lewis interrupted. “Honey I think you’d better let him go.”

                Lewis placed his coffee down on the table with a bit more force than he had intended and it proceeded to spill. Naida lifted her hand quickly so that the coffee wouldn’t scold her and then shot a cold look at Lewis.

                “You can tell me some other time,” Naida said finally as she placed a few napkins down.

                The man smiled but didn’t answer her. Lewis sighed as he sat down.

                “Aren’t I enough?” Lewis asked as he tried once again to place his hand on her stomach.

                “What are you talking about?” Naida got up before he had a chance to feel her.

                Her frappe was finished and the food was ready at the front of the shop. Naida gently placed Lewis’ muffin in front of him with two sugar packets.

                “I didn’t see you grab anything for your coffee,” Naida mentioned in her gentlest voice.

                “Why were you flirting with that guy?” Lewis asked more directly.

                “That was hardly flirting; it was more like being polite. You’re getting worked up over nothing…and why did you call me honey? I hate pet names.” She rebutted as she sat down.

                “You’re six months pregnant,” Lewis said as he took Naida’s hand into his.

                “You don’t have to remind me,” Naida smirked. “I think my little girl does a good enough job of that on her own.”

                “I wish you would have taken me with you when you leaned the gender. I wish you’d let me touch her. Hell, I wish you and I could start living together Naida.”

                She could see the pleading in his golden eyes as he said that. Naida tried to smile, but took a bite of her scone instead.

                “My sisterhood is really strict about stuff like this,” she finally said after she took a sip of her frappe to wash down the scone. “You wouldn’t understand.”

                “Then try and make me,” Lewis replied as he gave a disingenuous smile.

                “You’re just…so different from what I was expecting Lewis. I thought that if I got knocked up at a party, even if I told you about it, you wouldn’t want anything to do with me or the baby.”

                “I’m not like that,” Lewis said. “It’s not like me at all to sleep with a stranger…and I’m sorry that I didn’t get to know you first…but I’m trying every day to do what’s right by you Naida. I’d marry you if you’d let me, but all I’ve heard from you for the past six months is that you want to do this alone, and you have your sisters to help you with the baby.”

                “My sisterhood is important to me,” Naida interrupted him. “Men come and go, but the sisterhood is for life.”

                “I have a life too,” Lewis replied, “and I want to spend it with you and our baby girl. That’s why I try so hard to have coffee with you Naida. That’s why I’m here. I’m not some dead beat guy who won’t take responsibility for his actions. I may only be twenty-one but I love you-“

                “Enough.” Naida cut him off. She was fighting back tears she didn’t even know that she had.

                “I can’t do this if you just keep trying to pressure me Lewis. I’m independent, I’m free, and I don’t need you.”

                “I never said that you did,” Lewis replied. “But don’t you think you’ll get lonely when your sorority sisters all get married and have kids after you?”

                Naida laughed for a moment as she thought of that. “That would never happen. My sisters don’t get married; it’s part of our code. I shouldn’t even be meeting with you to be honest.”

                Lewis unwrapped his muffin and took a bite as he thought about what she had said.

                “I want to go where you go, and that doesn’t make me weak. That doesn’t make you weak. It makes the both of us strong. I know you don’t have any family to help you thought this, but you don’t have to tough it out alone…or with your sisters. I don’t think they’re the best people for you.” Lewis finally said. “Take me to one of the doctor appointments. Even if you won’t let me touch your belly, I’d really like to see our baby.”

                “I don’t think the doctor would let you come with me,” Naida murmured.

                “Don’t be silly,” Lewis said. “I’m the dad. If you’re doctors weird about it my mom knows someone who can do it in my hometown. It would give my parents an opportunity to meet you too.”

                “Didn’t you say your parents live some two hours away from the ocean?” Naida asked.

                “Yeah, it’s really nice. It’s a small town, everyone’s really nice. Not like this city. I think you’d really like it.” Lewis replied as he laced his fingers between hers and smiled.

                “I don’t know. Two hours is a long time. I like being able to steal glances at the sea from time to time.”

                “I’m not asking you to live there Naida, just visit…and maybe meet my family.”

                “You mean your parents, since you’re an only child.” Naida replied as she took another bite from her scone.

                “Well, my parents, yes…and also my grandma, and my cousins.” Lewis stated as the energy in his voice began to increase.

                “That sounds like a lot of people to judge me Lewis,” Naida said as she began to show her anxiety.

                “But you’re beautiful, and I’m sure they would all love to meet you,” He answered trying to calm her down.

                She broke off a piece of his muffin and shoved it in her mouth. She knew that none of her sisters would understand the thoughts and feelings that she was having swirl in her mind. It went against everything that she stood for. If any of her sisterhood knew what she had been up to with Lewis for the past six months she would be in serious trouble, but Naida just didn’t care. Lewis was different from any other man she had heard about. Even if she couldn’t bring herself to love him she did admire his enthusiasm about the baby.

                “I may be able to make a day trip out to meet your family…but I would have to be back here by dark.” Nadia squeezed his hand and smiled. “But I don’t want an ultrasound.”

                Lewis tilted his head as he looked at her. “Why not?”

                “I just don’t. I haven’t had one this whole time.”

                “But that’s how the doctor knows that the baby is healthy.” Lewis answered.

                “My doctor doesn’t need to do an ultrasound, so if I go and meet your family then your doctor shouldn’t need to do one either.”

                Naida could see the questions in Lewis’ face, and rather than try and explain anything further to him she took his hand and placed it on her belly.

                “Don’t worry so much, she’s just fine.” Naida said as his eyes lit up.

                “But if you haven’t had an ultrasound, doesn’t that mean that you don’t really know if it’s a girl or a boy?” Lewis asked as he continued to look at Naida’s belly.

                “I suppose so, but I can’t have a boy.” She said casually.

                Lewis laughed and moved his hand from one side of her stomach to the other. “Well, in that case, have you named her yet?”            

                “Brooke.” Naida replied.

                “I like it. Why did you choose that name?”

                “Well a brook is like a stream, and I like that, because all flowing water reaches the ocean somehow.”

                “Really?” Lewis asked. “So what does your name mean?”

                “Water nymph.” Naida said casually.

                Lewis looked up at her and smiled. “If it’s a boy can we name it Adrian then? It’s a name after the Adriatic sea.”

                “I can’t have a boy, remember?” Naida asked. “Not that Adrian isn’t pretty. I have a sister named that.”

                “It’s a boy’s name.” Lewis said, finally lifting his hand from her waist. “But if you can’t have a boy then you can’t have a boy.” He said jokingly.

                There was a loud roar of thunder which awakened Naida from her nostalgic slumber. She instinctually removed her covers and stared at her bare legs for a moment before analyzing the ship. It was smaller than she remembered and it wasn’t well equipped to deal with the angry ocean during a storm. She took a breath and lifted herself up from her bed.

                The ground hurt beneath her feet and she knew that she shouldn’t have pushed herself to get up, but the boat needed someone to guild it. There was a flash of lightning which illuminated the choppy sea. Thick pellets of water were falling down onto the boat as Naida made her way to the helm.

                “I know I’m not where I should be,” Naida said to herself as she took the wheel and turned on the navigation system, “but I have to see my son.”

                There was another flash of light revealing a giant wave which was cascading toward her. Naida used all of her might to adjust the small ship for the impact. Luckily the ship stayed standing, and after about two hours of rough steering through the storm the whether finally settled down.

                Naida’s feet were throbbing and her head had begun to spin, but she was out of harm’s way for now. She stepped away from the wheel and sat down as the sun began to rise on the sparkling and steadied sea.

                “I almost missed being able to see a sight like this every day. It’s so much brighter than I remembered.” Naida said to herself.

                She then glanced down at her swollen and sore feet. She took her left foot up in her hand and examined it for a few moments, to make sure that she didn’t tear a blood vessel, before she took up the right foot to do the same thing.

                “I’m getting too old for this,” she said finally. “Lewis is going to kill me when I tell him I can’t see them anymore.”

                Naida thought back to the last conversation she had had with Lewis almost a year ago. The happy young man she had raising her son had turned into an angry and coldhearted adult over the last fifteen years. She realized as time went on why the sisterhood forbade getting close to men. Her heart began to ach for a moment as she recalled the way he yelled at her for not coming to see them six months ago.

                “It’s not like he doesn’t know why I can’t see him every time. Amphitrite would get suspicious, and then all three of us would be boiled alive…it’s a delicate balance between lying to the sisterhood, and lying to Adrian. Lewis used to understand that.”

                Naida let her feet fall back down onto the floor and winced. She surveyed the room until she found the cabinet that she kept her medicine in and forced herself towards it. After downing her pain medication she walked towards a mirror to take a good look at herself.

                I could stand to dye my hair again…but everything else still looks about the same as last time.

She took out a bottle of hair dye and began to apply it to her scalp with skill. Lewis was used to her looking like a blonde so she tried her best to maintain that style when she was in town to see him. She didn’t know if he realized that she wasn’t a natural blonde or not, but she liked to keep up the appearances.

                Once she was finished applying the dye she reached for her phone and turned it on. She was expecting several missed calls from Lewis, and was surprised that there was only one, and a text from a number she didn’t know.

                Naida decided not to listen to the message, but read the text instead. It read, “Hey mom! It’s Adrian, I miss you and can’t wait till you’re in town.”

                Naida smiled and decided to store the number under, “Favorite Man”.

                She walked towards the treasures she took from the ocean floor for a moment and reassured herself that she could sell them for a hefty sum. Naida let her hand run along the rusted shields, and aged statues she brought up from her last big dive and smiled.

                She texted Adrian to let him know that she was on her way before rinsing out her hair. In her excitement Naida began to sing a soft and happy melody her mother taught her when she was small. Once she was dressed and ready to go to the port Naida glanced back at her phone. There were three missed calls from her son but still nothing from Lewis.

                That put Naida in a sour mood until she could see the shoreline. Instead of calling Lewis she decided to ring Adrian, and he picked up after the first ring.

                “Hey Mom!” his voice rang out into her ear.

                “Hello Adrian, how are you doing today?” Naida asked in a sweet and bubbly voice.

                “I’m better now, did you get my message?” Adrian asked.

                “No, I didn’t check my voicemail. Was it important?”

                “I just wanted to let you know that I’m at the docks and-“

                “Do you see me?” Naida asked, cutting him off. “The boats name is Seraphim, do you see it?”

                There was a paus from him for a moment until he finally cried out, “There you are!”

                Naida smiled as the came in to see the boy waving frantically at her. “Where’s your father?”

                “Well,” Adrian said.

                Naida could feel her face getting red with anger. “Did he drop you off to see me alone? I can’t believe Lewis would do that. I know we didn’t get along last time but he needs to grow up. I make just as much, if not more than he does a year with my diving, and I try hard to spend time with the two of you.”

                “Mom that isn’t it,” Adrain began.

                “I have to park the boat, okay, I need to focus. We can talk just as soon as I’m finished.” Naida snapped back at him and turned her phone off.

                She could feel herself getting more and more annoyed with Lewis, and rather than take it out on their son Naida decided that she would avoid talking about him for the rest of the day. It was nearly three o’clock and she could take Adrian out around town until dark without having to deal with the anger and frustration she was feeling.

                Once the boat was parked Adrian hopped onboard to greet Naida.

                “Look at you,” she began. “You’re so tall, and handsome. You must have all the girls falling in love with you at school right?”

                Adrian began to blush and gave an awkward smile to her as she smoothed down his wavy auburn hair with a kiss.

                “I think you may be in need of a haircut though,” Naida said.

                “This is popular right now,” Adrian said. “Sarah, this girl at my high school, thinks it looks really good.”

                “Just don’t break her heart,” Naida replied as she lifted up his head.

                Adrian gleamed up at her with his golden-green eyes and wrapped his arms around her back.

                “How tall are you these days?” Naida asked.

                “I don’t know something like five-foot-eight. Not as tall as dad used to be.” He answered.

                “Let’s not talk about your dad, okay?” she took him by the hand and squeezed it. “It’s just the two of us okay?”

                “Whatever you say mom.” Adrian replied as he dropped her hand and began looking through the ship. “What did you find while you were out this trip?”

                “For you, I found this really cool looking fossilized sharks tooth. What do you think?” she asked as she took it out of her pocket and held it out for him.

                “It’s huge!” Adrian replied. “I can wear it right now? You’re not going to ask for it back to try and sell it?”

                “No, it’s yours to keep.” Naida answered. “Some of the larger stuff you can’t have, but this is just for you kiddo.”

                “I love it,” Adrian excitedly exclaimed as he put it over his head. “It’s manly right?”

                Naida shrugged. “I guess so. It looks good on you at any rate. What would you like to do today?”

                “Can I come with you to sell your treasures?” Adrian asked.

                “I don’t know if that’s such a great idea,” Naida began. “I sell to museums, to collectors; to old grouchy men…you don’t want to be there for that. I was thinking we could go to the toy store or something and then maybe get some dinner.”

                “I’m a bit old to go to the toy store mom…but there’s a new video game that I’d want if you have the cash for it.” He said as he began walking down into the lower deck. “I’d need the game system too though, and that’s like four-hundred dollars.”

                “Since when did you inherit my expensive tastes?” Naida asked as she followed him down.

                Adrian had found one of the shields and was holding it up. “I don’t know. I think I’ve always had good taste. You’re staying longer than a month this trip right?”

                She took the shield and placed it on the floor again. “I don’t know Adrian. It depends on a lot of things.”

                “I think you should stay,” He said moving towards some fossilized coral. “It would be nice for the two of us to spend more time together. I feel like one month out of the year is kind of bull-”

                “Mhmm,” She said before he could finish his sentence. “Well I need to keep exploring the ocean floor. The sea is my life.”

                “Then maybe I could come with you on your boat,” he rebutted. “I could do home schooling, and travel the sea with you.”

                Naida sighed. “Maybe, we’ll talk about it later.”

                She motioned for him to join her and the two of them walked up the stairs. Naida could picture the sadness in his face if she told him no right off the bat, but she always felt a pain in her chest when he asked to come along with her.

                “You always say that when I ask…but it’s not like dad can stop me from going.” Adrian said.

                “What did I tell you about bringing up your father?” Naida said coldly. “If he’s not even going to bother to show up then he shouldn’t be a part of our conversation.”

                She took him by the hand and they walked off the boat. “Now then, if the electronics store is really where you want to go, we should get walking. They’ll close before we get there if we’re not careful.”

                Naida started walking but her feet still ached and it was clear to her son that she was unable to move quickly. He put her arm around his shoulder and walked beside her for a moment before she shook him off.

                “I can do it on my own. My land legs are coming in just fine.” Naida said as she bumped into another boater.

                “Sorry about that,” he began. “My God, Naida, is that you?”

                She smiled and nodded. “In the flesh.”

                “It’s me, Tim,” the man said. “You look great. Seriously, like you haven’t aged a day since I met you. How do you do that?”

                She laughed. “If I told you I’d have to kill you, Tim.”

                “Fair enough,” Tim began, “but maybe you could tell my wife. She’d kill to look as young as you still do.”

                “Come on, Mom,” Adrian said. “We can take a cab to the electronics store.”

                “Oh, right. Tim, do you remember my son, Adrian?” She asked as she moved him in front of herself.

                “Sure I do. I was surprised not to see your dad with you this trip. I guess he thinks you’re big enough to see your mom on your own huh? He and I usually chat while you’re watching the shoreline.” Tim said as he reached his hand out to Adrian.

                Adrian shook it. “Good to see you sir.”

                “I think a cab ride would be fine.” Naida said as she placed her hands on Adrian’s shoulders. “Are you buying or am I?”

                She laughed, “I’m only joking. Come on now. Tim, it was lovely meeting you again. Please tell your wife I said hello.”

                He waved at them as they left saying, “I will let Marie know.”

                The city smelled so much filthier than Naida remembered, and it took her a moment to adjust from the salty smell of the ocean air. At first she thought that it was just the cab ride, but even after they arrived at the electronics store there was a lingering odor of trash and decay in her nose. It wasn’t until they reached a restaurant and the food arrived that the sickening smell seemed to dissipate.

                “I was kind of hoping your dad would make it to see me for dinner at the very least.” Naida said after taking a bite of her kale salad.

                “Didn’t anyone tell you?” Adrian asked as he stared at her for a few moments.

                She shook her head with a questioning expression. “Tell me what Adrian?”

                He looked flustered and uncomfortable. Adrian raised his hand up to his head and began twisting a piece of his hair. “I mean, I knew you didn’t talk much to Grandma and Grandpa, but I figured they would have said something.”

                “Something about what?” She asked as she took his hand from his head. “You’re starting to worry me.”

                “Dad..” Adrian began. “Dad got in a car accident like eight months ago, Mom.”

                Naida dropped her sons hand and sank back into the chair. “Oh, I see.” She finally said. “That’s why he didn’t stay with you. He’s still recovering.”

                “He didn’t make it, Mom.” Adrian said after a short paus. “He needed surgery…which he got…but it caused an infection, he died a few weeks later. Grandpa said he called you.”

                “The only person who ever called me was your father,” Naida whispered. “I thought it was strange that you had my phone number, how did you get it?”

                “I broke into dad’s phone and took it.” He replied.

                “It’s funny, I thought maybe he had met someone else, and that’s why he didn’t bother coming today.” Naida said to herself.

                “He wouldn’t do that, he loved you.” Adrian said as he reached for her hand. “Dad never had eyes for any other girl but you, Mom.”

                Naida felt a sharp sting of discomfort in her chest. “That must have killed him.”

                “You loved him too right?” Adrian asked.

                Naida rubbed her suns arms as she answered, “Not as much as I love you. Where are you living right now?”

                “With Grandma and Grandpa, they said they’d watch me until you were back in town at the very least.”

                Her nurturing hands left his arms when he mentioned that. “Two hours from here?”

                “Well yeah, but it’s okay, they gave me some money for a cab ride to see you.” Adrian said.

                Naida looked out the window at the sea. The sun was beginning to set on it giving off some of the most beautiful red and orange light she had seen in months. “We should get you back to them then shouldn’t we?”

                “I could stay at your place tonight, I don’t think they’d mind,” Adrian replied.

                “Not tonight, I have to check in with a few friends of mine in a few hours…so we really should get you home right away.”

                “You’re just going to dump me off at Grandma and Grandpa’s then?” Adrian asked.

                “If you want me to try and stay in town for longer than a month then yes, I need you to stay with your grandparents tonight.” Naida said flatly.

                There was a spark of joy in Adrian’s eyes as she said that. He began to eat his food more quickly and sipped on his cream soda until he was finished. “Alright, we can go now then. I don’t mind spending another night with Grandma and Grandpa if it means that you’ll be in town longer.”

                “Can you take a cab back there yourself or do you need me to go with you?” Naida asked once she finished her salad. “It would really help me out a lot kiddo if you didn’t need me to go with you.”

                “Well, they wanted you to come home with me tonight,” he said a little disappointed.

                Naida nodded and stood up after placing some cash down on the table. “Alright, if it can’t be helped then I guess I’ll say hello to Joyce and Roger.”

                The cab ride was much more than Naida had expected as they finally made it to the town.

                “I should have just rented a car,” Naida said to herself.

“Keep it running; I’ll be back in a few minutes.”  Naiad said to the driver as she and Adrian got out.

“You are not staying with your brother?” The cabbie asked.

She laughed, “That’s my son.”

Adrian and Naida walked up to the house and rang the doorbell. She took in a deep breath as it opened to reveal a well-aged Roger.

“You’re back,” he began, looking at Adrian. “Grandma wasn’t sure she’d see you again…and Naida, you look just as pretty as the first time we saw you.”

“Is she with him Roger?” Joyce asked from inside the house.

“She’s with him, Joyce. Please, come in, come in.” Roger said as he stretched the door open for them.

“Thank you Roger, you’re so kind,” Naida said as she walked behind Adrian into the house.

It didn’t seem to smell nearly as bad as the city did inside the house, but Naida felt completely out of place surrounded by photographs of family members she didn’t know in the small two-story home.

“I didn’t think you’d be in town, but you surprised me.” Joyce said as she came into the living room with some tea. She looked startled once her face met with Naida’s. “Dear lord you haven’t aged a day.”

“That’s very kind of you to say, but it gets harder and harder to keep looking like I’m in my twenties.” Naida said. “I think all the seawater helps though.”

“No doubt it does,” Joyce said as she poured a cup of tea and extended it to Naida. “Adrian, would you be a dear and go upstairs? I think you still have some homework to do before the weekend is over.”

“It’s Saturday, I can finish it tomorrow,” Adrian began.

“Now, now, best to do what you’re grandma asks you to,” Roger said as he placed his hand on Adrian’s shoulder. “We’re just going to be talking grown up talk.”

“I’m fifteen, I think I can handle it,” Adrian replied.

“It’s alright,” Naida said. “I agree, you’d just be bored. Why don’t you take your new toy upstairs and once you’re finished with your schoolwork you can play.”

“Alright,” Adrian finally said as he took his things up the stairs toward his room.

They all waited for him to close his door before they started talking.

“I guess I’ll go first,” Joyce began. “We love Adrian, he reminds us of Lewis everyday…but we’re too old to raise another teenager.”

Naida nodded. “I understand that, Joyce, I do.”

“The boy needs his mother,” Roger boomed. “I’ve been saying that from the beginning. It’s not right that you go off and leave him to satisfy your silly wants. You have a child, and you’ll lose him if you continue your lifestyle.”

“And what lifestyle is that Roger?” Naida asked.

“Don’t think I didn’t have you figured out the moment I met you,” Roger began. “You’re the floozy that stole our only son’s heart, and walked away with it. I told him to just let you go, that there were lots of other fish in the sea, but he only ever had eyes for you.”

“Not everyone can be happily married like you and Joyce,” Naida said casually. “I’m sorry that you have such strong feelings of resentment towards me, but I’m glad you never displayed them towards Adrian.”

“That’s a very diplomatic answer,” Joyce said as she poured a glass of tea for Roger. “We love our grandson, so please don’t misunderstand.”

“I don’t think I am,” Naida said coolly.

“He does well in school, he’s polite, and more than one young lady has wanted to go with him to homecoming this year,” Joyce continued. “It would be in his best interest to stay here, and continue school where all his friends are.”

“I agree,” Naida said. “I just can’t stay here for an extended period of time, I’d die first.”

“You see it’s that kind of selfish behavior that I can’t stand,” Roger said, placing his tea cup down on the table so hard that it began to spill.

Naida lifted herself up and began looking for a paper towel to clean up the mess. “I’m sorry that you feel that way, Roger. I can send money, that’s not a problem, and if you don’t want to watch him I can see about hiring someone to do that too.”

“It isn’t about the money, Naida. We do just fine, and if we thought that hiring a nanny for a fifteen year old was a good idea then that would work, but he needs you.” Joyce replied. “Stay the night here and we can talk about it more on Sunday.”

“I can’t,” Naida said. “I have somewhere to be tonight. In fact, I’m already late to check in.”

“Somewhere more important than being with your son?” Roger asked.

Naida sighed and looked at the two of them, “I wish that I could say no…but I can’t.” She walked towards the door and opened it. “I’m sorry but I have to go. The cabbie is waiting on me in the street.”

“Don’t walk out that door young lady,” Roger angrily bellowed, but it was too late.

Naida had already stepped outside and was making her way towards the cab driver as Roger began yelling towards her. She couldn’t force herself to listen to the words coming out of his angry lips as she sat calmly in the cab. “Sorry about that, can you take me to Underworld Nightclub?” 

The cab driver arrived at the club well after ten o’clock and Naida nearly gasped at the cost of the ride. She took out her wallet and proceeded to pay the driver in hundred dollar bills until her door was silently opened. 

“Have I ever told you how much I hate the name of your boat?” a familiar voice asked as the car door proceeded to be held open for Naida.

“I only hear about it every time I see you,” Naida said as she took the tall and slender man’s hand and gracefully lifted herself from the seat. “It’s good to see you Zander.”

“You look awful,” He said as he hoisted her up. “What in the world are you wearing, flats?”

Naida bit her bottom lip as she felt him staring her up and down. “I had an errand to run in town that I really couldn’t take care of in my typical attire. You know how much I hate when old men look at me like I’m a piece of meat.”

“Yet you’re fine with young men doing the exact same thing,” Zander said as he adjusted his slicked black hair and smiled at her with his sinful blue eyes. “You’re always such an interesting sort.”

“Don’t act like you have me all figured out,” Naida said as she attempted to pull her hand away from Zander.

He refused to release her without placing his lips on her hand first. “You, never,” Zander smoothly replied. “Though it does help that I have so many years of experience under my belt…unlike you. How old are you now, twelve?”

Naida giggled, “A real gentleman never asks a lady how old she is.”

“Well then it’s a good thing you already know I’m not a real gentlemen,” Zander stated seductively. “Come with me, I need to get you out of those clothes.”

He led her around the edge of the club towards a side entrance Naida was only too familiar with. With her hand delicately placed around Zander’s bicep the two of them walked past the security without a second glance. The nervousness that Naida used to feel coming into the den had finally worn off she discovered as she was no longer taken in by the glamor of the secret world she was a part of.

“I didn’t think you were coming into this port,” Zander said as he took her to a small fitting room and pulled a curtain.

Naida proceeded to undress in the room, “I wasn’t really supposed to, I was due in Athens, but I have a fondness for this city. It’s big enough that I could come by every year and no one really remembers me.”

A swanky dress was placed along the top of the dressing room curtain.

“Don’t you think that Amphitrite will be upset with you for doing this sort of thing again?” Zander asked as he placed a pair of red pumps on the ground. “Those go with the dress dear, don’t take too long to put them on.”

“I suppose that she might,” Naida replied as she inched the shoes into the fitting room with her foot.

Zander stopped her and grabbed her foot with his long hand. “Dear me, what have you done to yourself? No wonder you were in flats. Wait a moment okay, I have something for this.”

Naida glanced down at her feet again and winced at the dark color they were turning. She had over exerted herself too soon after her last dive, and trying to force herself to ignore the pain wasn’t going to make her feet look any better.

She glided the dress over her head and began adjusting it in the small mirror that was in the fitting room.

“I’m back,” Zander called out. “Come out and let me look at you.”

Naida emerged from the fitting room with her hair parted heavily on one side, accentuating the slit in her otherwise floor length black dress. Zander smiled and lowered himself onto on knee in his fine black suit. He placed one of Naida’s feet on top of his knee and proceeded to cover it in a milk colored balm.

At first it stung and Naida was tempted to attempt scratching at Zanders eyes with her well groomed fingernails, but shortly after the pain subsided and the redness and swelling of her feet went down.

She sighed, “Much better, Zander. Thank you.”

Once Zander was finished with her other foot he raised himself up and let his light blue eyes glint in the fleeting light of the den.

“What’s the plan for tonight?” he asked.

“I want another kid,” Naida said without any indication of sarcasm.

Zander lowered his brow at her for a moment and tilted his head. “Is Brooke too old now?” He asked.

“No that’s not it,” Naida began, “it’s just that all of my other sisters have at least four kids…and their kids all have at least one or two. I want as big a family as my sisters Zander.” She lied.

“Well I always admired the fact that you were a cold hearted siren who only had one kid,” Zander said as he took her hand and placed it around his bicep again. “I suppose Amphitrite wanted you to think about more children though didn’t she?”

Naida nodded, “It’s not typical for one of us to only have one.”

“Brooke doesn’t have any kids does she?” Zander asked.

Naida shook her head, “That’s another thing I have to work on…convincing her that she should try.”

As they walked through the den Zander picked up a glass filled with crimson blood and preceded to drink it smoothly. He licked his now protruding fangs before placing it back down on a small table. “I’m glad I wasn’t born a mermaid.” Zander said finally. “I’m always here for you though, if you need me. You’re safety word this evening is, migration. Happy hunting, and please relay your spoils to me once you’re done.”

With that Zander disappeared into the crowd and Naida began her walk towards the crowded bar.

Naida raised her hand toward the bar tender and called out, “Dirty Shirley!” crisply over the crowd.

More than one head turned toward her, and Naida could feel the multitude of men taking her in. It made her feel alive again. There was such a difference between being in the sea, where there was no male species to speak of, compared to being up on shore where she felt they outnumbered women.

She smiled as she took the drink from the bartender, “What do I owe you?”

The man shook his head, “I saw you come in with Zander.”

Naida slit her eyes at the man and his well-maintained beard. “I’m not with him.”

“That’s good,” He said, as he looked at here with his hazel eyes. “The man’s no good.”

“So what do I owe you?” She asked again.

He turned his back to her and proceeded to make drinks. Rather than let herself get flustered by his brash behavior Naida decided to take her drink towards one of the lounge chairs just off the dance floor and take in her competition.

There were many other girls out tonight, and most of them had on much more scandalous clothing. Naida began to wonder if Zander may have put her in something a little too glamourous for tonight’s crowd when suddenly a blonde haired man in a dark blue shirt and a black vest approached her.

“Hey there beautiful,” He began. “I had a question for you.”

Naida batted her eyes at him, “Really? Well then I’ll try my best to answer it.”

He sat next to her on the same chair and smiled.

“If you were a pirate,” He began, “would you have your parrot on this shoulder,” he placed his hand on her closest shoulder. “or, this shoulder?” He finished as he now had his hand around her back and resting on her further shoulder.

Naida laughed, “I think I’d rather have your hand there than a parrot any day.”

“Really?” He asked. “I’m Nate, but my pirate name is Captain Jack.” He said as he stood up and placed his foot onto the chair to imitate the spiced run picture.

“I’m Naida,” She said as she stood up. “Nate’s a lovely name, is it short for Nathan?”

“Yeah,” He called out. “What are you drinking?”

“A Dirty Shirley,” She answered.

“What’s in it?”

Naida thought for a moment, “Sprite, grenadine, vodka and a cherry…I’d offer you a taste but all that’s left is the cherry.”

“I’d take you’re cherry,” He said absentmindedly.

She took the cherry out of the glass and held it out to him, “Do you really want it?” she asked in a much more seductive tone. “I’d give it to you if you really wanted it.”

She glanced down at his shoes and made an attempt to look him up and down.

By this point Nate was staring at her in the same way that a shark stares at its next prey. Naida could tell she was going to get exactly what she wanted and placed her hand around his waist.

“What do you think you’re doing?” A shrill voice asked as Nate was spun around on the spot. “I leave you alone for two minutes and you’re off flirting with some hooker?”

The voice belonged to a short and somewhat overweight girl in a dress which was at least a size too small for her. Not only was the tulle of the dress too short, it left very little to the imagination as far as the contours of her body were concerned. Naida was having a difficult time not showing her disgust for the other woman.

“We broke up, like three days ago,” Nate said to Naida in what he thought was a quiet voice. “She’s just insane.”

“No, I broke up with you,” She said. “And then I changed my mind…so we’re back together.”

Naida rolled her eyes at the two of them and placed the cherry into her mouth. “Forget it. This isn’t worth my time.”

She left the two of them to go back towards the bar. It had lightened up a little bit since the last time and she was able to find a place to sit down. No sooner as she put her glass down was the bartender looking at her with his hazel eyes again.

“Another Shirley?” He asked.

Naida shook her head, “I need something stronger than that.”

“You want an adios?” He asked.

Naida laughed under her breath as she read his name tag, “No thanks Gavin, that’s a bit too strong.”

He shrugged, “Mellon ball?”

“Can you make it strong like a martini, but put it in a tall glass?” She asked.

“I don’t see why not. This one’s not on the house though.” He answered as he began to put the drink together.

“Do you know of any single guys looking to score tonight?” Naida asked casually once the drink was placed down in front of her.

He paused, “Do I count?”

Naida smiled devilishly as she took a sip of her drink. “Sure you count. I can’t see any reason why you wouldn’t.”

“Well then…there’s one that I know of, but to be fair I don’t pay much attention to what other guys want.” He said. “I don’t think you’re my type though. You’re pretty, don’t get me wrong, but I can’t stand Zander or his buddies that run the private access room.”

“It’s not as great as it’s cracked up to be back there,” Naida said as she thought about the den.

“I bet…but people are just dying to get back there,” Gavin said as he poured a little more into Naida’s glass. “I’ve seen it during the day, place is filthy.”

“It’s like two different worlds I guess,” Naida replied as she picked at the piece of honeydew with her straw. “I’ve seen it during the day too.”

“So you know how disgusting they are back there,” Gavin proceeded to rant on as he poured a fireball shot for himself.

“Why are you a bartender here?” Naida asked once he finished.

“I ask myself that all the time. I mean, I went to college, got a degree. I’m a liberal arts major with a minor in dead languages.”

“Oh, I thought there was something special about you,” Naida said.

“What do you mean?” He asked.

“Hey, can I get a rum and coke?” a thin redhead asked as she made her way to the bar.

Rather than acknowledging her request Gavin continued to stare at Naida. “What do you mean?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Naida said. “I just thought, you seem like a really cool guy, so there must be something really special about you to be working here…like fate caused us to meet one another or something.”

She tried her best to gloss over the thought she had that he may be a vampire like Zander. She knew better, since the front of the club was run more heavily by humans than any other being.

“Liberal arts with a minor in dead languages isn’t special enough for you?”  he asked sarcastically before looking at the redhead.

“Rum and coke, I’m on it,” he replied.

Nate found his way back to the bar and sat down next to Naida.

“I found you,” Nate said with a beaming smile along his face.

“I didn’t realize I was lost,” Naida said back at him coyly. “What happened to your girlfriend?”

“She’s really not my girlfriend,” Nate said. “I was trying to tell you that before you wandered away.”

“Well I don’t like drama,” Naida said as she placed her hand on his inner thigh. “But if you say she’s not your girlfriend then I believe you.”

His face started to get red as Naida continued to move her hand into the crease of his pants. She moved her body close to his and whispered in his ear.

“I’m not a hooker…but I’m totally down to fuck if you are.”

Nate swallowed hard and looked at her beautiful face, “I umm…I don’t have a condom.”

“That’s okay,” Naida replied. “I’m on the pill.”

For a brief fleeting moment she considered the thought of having intercourse without desiring an offspring as the result, and it caused her to gag slightly.  

Nate placed his hand under her chin, “Is something wrong?”

“Not a thing.”

She turned her head towards Gavin, “It was a pleasure talking to you, Gavin. I’m sure I’ll see you around this month.”

Gavin nodded, “Stay safe, gorgeous.”

She shifted her gaze back to Nate, “So did you drive here?”

“Carpooled, with my roommates.”

As he placed his arm around her shoulder they began walking towards the exit.

I hate roommates. Nadia thought to herself before she kissed his soft cheek.

“I can’t wait,” She tugged on his sleeve and began leading him towards the bathroom.

“It’s not very clean in there,” he mentioned as she opened the door to the ladies room and several girls began to glare at them.

“I want to be dirty, I don’t care about getting clean,” She winked as she opened the handicap stall and began to hoist her dress up. “Come on.”

Naida refused to make eye contact, or face him as they proceeded to partake in their debauchery. She was starting to get annoyed with how long he was taking to satisfy himself and was about to mention her frustrations when his presence suddenly left her.

“Are you done?” Her voice was cold as she lowered her dress back down.

She turned her head and looked him in his brown eyes. Nate was looking at her with tears in his eyes.

“I shouldn’t have done this. Monica wants me back.” He began to pull his pants up.

“I’m not going to tell her what we did, but I need to know, Nate. Did you finish or not?” The green in her eyes was starting to disappear.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about her. Don’t get me wrong, you’re beautiful…but being with you was like being with my hand. I just didn’t feel any kind of connection.”

Her face began to get red, “What do you mean…you didn’t feel any connection? We were pretty much connected for almost half an hour.”

“I’m sorry,” He began. “It wasn’t you, it’s totally me.”

Her eyes were now as dark and menacing as an ocean storm. “I wanted one simple thing from you, Nate, and you let me down. I’m not going to enjoy this, just so you know.”

“I already said I was sorry,” as he shifted his gaze from her to his pants in an effort to get them buttoned. “Look, at least we found out here, and not at my place right?”

She opened her mouth and let out a small and nearly inaudible sound. Nate couldn’t even hear it over the roar of the club in the other room, and thought that the dizziness he was suddenly feeling was brought on by the alcohol.

Naida placed one hand on the door to the stall, and the other over Nates mouth. He tried to lift his arms to remove her but found that they would not budge.

“It’s too late in the game for me to find someone else today, Nate…and you screwed me over. I think the best thing for both of us would be for you to take a migration.”  She hissed, still emitting the dull sound which was growing louder in Nate’s ears.

Naida’s eyes widened as Zander emerged seemingly out of nowhere behind Nate and placed his long hands on Nate’s shoulders.

Nate looked up to see the nearly seven foot tall man and gasped.

“Just make him forget about me, he was a mistake,” Naida remarked as she took her hand off Nate’s mouth and opened the stall.

It never ceased to amaze Naida how quickly Zander could empty a room. Until he had arrived the entire bathroom was filled with young ladies checking their hair, adjusting their makeup, and even a few who actually needed to use the bathroom. Now however it was abandoned.

“Did you take his-”

She cut Zander off, “No. I didn’t.”

“What should he think happened?” Zander called from inside the stall.

Naida examined her unpolished fingernails, “His girlfriend. He should remember bumping into her and wanting her back.”

“I thought your kind hated romantics.”

“Would you just do it?” She hissed. “I don’t want him bumping into me again.”

“There’s an easy way to fix that,” Zander mentioned.

“I don’t need his soul. I still look great,” She was now admiring herself in the mirror. “Not a day over twenty five.”

“Isn’t that part of our agreement though, you take a soul I take a body?” Zander asked as he led Nate out of the stall. “I feel that with you I do a lot more work, with no rewards.”

He looked her up and down for a moment, “You do look older than last year dear. You can’t stay beautiful without them.”

“Will you take care of that for me or won’t you, Zander?”

He smirked, “It’s already done. I just have to lead him out of the bathroom and he’ll forget everything.”

“Do you know what time it is?” She realized that she would still need to go back and see Adrian in the morning.

“Nearly two, but I bet I could find you someone to go home with if you’re still in the mood,” Zander said as he shoved Nate out of the restroom.

“No, I have a long drive ahead of me,” She mentioned. “Do you have a car that I can borrow for the month?”

Zander washed his hands, “What color?”

“Blue or Green,” She said without thinking.

With the excess water on his hands he began slicking back his hair again.

“I could get you a green sports car tomorrow.”

“No,” she pouted, “I need it tonight.”

Zander gazed at her through the mirror with his pale blue eyes. “Why?”

Her blue-green eyes averted his gaze. “I have a friend of mine that lives in the country. I promised I’d see them when I was in town.”

“So you’re going to leave tonight…to see your friend…who lives in the country?” He lifted his eyebrow higher and higher with each pause. “You don’t have friends, Naida. You have sisters, and from what I hear they won’t be in town for another week.”

“Is it impossible to think that I can’t make friends? I’m always a week early from the other girls, I can’t help it.”

Zander turned and scooped up her hand in his. “I’m here to protect you, Naida. I like you, not because you’re a self-centered sea witch that can help my blood thirst. I like you because you’re different from the other sirens…so don’t lie to me.”

She jerked her hand away, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“It’s okay,” Zander said as he wrapped his arms around her, “I think it’s cute that you have a boyfriend…naturally Amphitrite would find it much less so, so we can keep it between us. Did you promise to grow up with him?”

“I don’t want to talk about this, Zander.” She was trying to remove his arms. “I don’t want for you to get into trouble. Not all of the other vampires in this city would be as kind as you are. And besides, why would I be having sex with some stranger if I had a boyfriend in the country?”

“That’s true,” Zander said as he released her. “Well I know it’s something you don’t want anyone to find out.”

She adjusted her dress, “If I ever think you need to know I’ll tell you.”

He shrugged, “I guess I can loan you a red car tonight. You can trade it out for something blue later this week if you want. Next week you need to stay at the house though, if it’s really something you can’t have the sisters finding out about.”

Naida smiled, “Thank you, Zander.”

It was slightly past two when they left the bathroom, and the majority of the club had been cleared out. Naida walked with her arm around Zander’s towards the den. As they passed the bar Naida glanced back at Gavin, he had a sad smile on his face and was shaking his head at her.

“I don’t think your bartender likes you very much,” Naida said once they made it into the dimly lit back of the club.

There were several vampires who had turned from their glasses to gaze at her.

“Yeah, we know,” Zander began, “he’s a bit of a nuisance but he’s the son of some senator or judge or something, so we can’t let him go. It’s all about the people that you know, Naida.”

“What kind of money could a bartender make?” Naida asked herself more than she was asking Zander.

“Enough to want to stay here at the club,” He led her back to the changing room. “Do you want your old nasty clothes?”

“Do you still have my bag of emergency clothes?” She asked as she closed the curtain. “There should be a nice fall blazer that would go well with what I wore in.”

No sooner as Naida took off her shoes was there a bag placed down on the floor in front of the curtain.

“Thank you,” she said as she started removing the dress.

Her pants and shirt were cold against her skin, but not as cold as the deepest parts of the ocean where she was accustomed to. She missed the darkness and the coldness of the ocean she was born into.

She felt into her pockets and realized that her wallet and her phone were missing.

“Where are they?” She stormed out of the dressing room.

“Relax,” Zander said as he reached into his pocket and took them out. “I didn’t want anyone else to take them.”

“You almost gave me a heart attack,” Naida snapped at him.

“I was hurt to discover that I’m not your favorite man,” Zander said as she took them out of his hand.

“What are you talking about?” Naida asked.

He smirked, “I’m talking about how you should learn to lock your phone so that a stranger can’t go through your contacts.”

Naida looked up at him with a start.

“It’s okay, I locked it for you too,” Zander said, placing a set of keys into her hand. “Good luck figuring it out.”

Before Naida could even begin to explain her frustration at him for breeching her privacy and locking her phone she was briskly escorted out of the den. Zander had disappeared, and Naida glanced down at the symbol on her keys and pressed the lock button until she could hear the car.

It was a bright red sports car, and probably the worst thing for her to try use for her month of trading and selling her forgotten treasures. Tonight though she would have to make due. She hopped into the car to discover that it had no navigation system, and when she tried to turn her phone on a dark screen emerged instead asking for a four digit number to unlock.

Feeling slightly discouraged Naida drove to a gas station to ask for directions into the country. The first gas station had no idea where it was that she was trying to go, and in fact it took her three more tries to find anyone that had any sense of direction.

Nearly half an hour later she found the instructions that she so desperately needed and began her long and tedious drive towards her son.

The sun was just beginning to glint over the hills as Naida made her way to the two story house she barely knew. She took a deep breath and hoped that the key Lewis had given her so many years ago still worked in the lock. Her fingers slipped and it fell back into her wallet before she finally readied herself to open the door.