Current Impressions (9 page)

“I’m sure you’re exhausted from the flight
and time change,” Ken said. “Please, rest. When you wake, press
that button there.” He pointed to a small box on the nightstand.
“And someone will bring you a meal.”

“Thanks,” Evan said.

“No need to thank me.” Ken resumed his
conversation with the professor, closing the door on his way
out.

Evan crossed the room and drew the curtain
back from the window. It faced the ocean, which looked vast and
endless.

Come find me, Meara
, he thought.
Soon
.

I woke to the sound of my name, but no one
was there. The voice sounded like Evan. The glow of moonlight
bathed my room in silver. It was early. Too early for the sun; too
early for me to be awake.

How many days had passed since I left
Peggy’s Cove? In the beginning, I tried to keep a mental calendar,
but I lost track. With all of my training, the days blended. I was
getting stronger, better, and yet, I still had no idea of the
extent of my power. Kieran was pleased with my progress; Brigid was
irritated. I supposed that was as close to praise as she got. She
harrumphed and sighed, but she continued to teach me, and I broke
through her mental barrier on several occasions. I learned that was
a quick way to end a training session with her. I used that
knowledge to my advantage.

Ula recovered from the shark incident, but
she was quieter than usual. I missed her bubbly cheerfulness, but I
was glad to have her back nonetheless. She added warmth that Ronac
lacked, and I really needed a friend.

I crawled out of bed and shivered when my
feet touched the ice-cold stone floor. My room could use more rugs.
Crossing to the window, I stared down at the ocean. Was Evan here?
What day was it? I knew the day he would arrive was coming soon.
Someone in this place must have a blasted calendar or know the
date. In some ways, it was positively medieval here, but in other
ways, it was modern. I’d yet to figure it out, and the oddity left
me feeling slightly uneasy.

I turned, and the picture of my mom flashed
in the moonlight. I couldn’t resist picking it up and running my
finger across the glass. “Where are you, Mom?” I whispered as I
traced the outline of her face. “I hope wherever you are, you’re
happy.” She suffered so much at the end. I wanted to believe that
she was in heaven, healthy and young once more.

Putting the picture back, I opened the
dresser drawer. I could visualize clothes, but all of my old ones
were here, thanks to my dad, so I pulled out jeans and a T-shirt,
dressed quickly, and slipped on my flip-flops. Paddy might know
what day it is, and he was bound to be awake. He started baking
well before the sun rose.

****

The sweet smell of yeast and sugar greeted
me upon entering the kitchen. Paddy stood alone, slicing fruit at
the counter. I sat on a barstool opposite him and snagged a
strawberry.

“You’re up early,” he said. “Trouble
sleeping?”

“Not really. Just woke up.” I popped the
strawberry in my mouth. The sweet tartness burst on my tongue.
Everything tasted so much better here. Was it magic? When I
finished, I leaned forward and broke off a small cluster of
grapes.

“Hungry, are you?” Paddy laughed and handed
me a small plate with berries and pineapple.

“Always,” I answered. “Thanks.”

I ate some more fruit, and he continued to
fill a large, silver platter. I probably should help him, but
unlike my magic lessons, my cooking lessons had been disasters. If
it weren’t for the fact that Paddy was my uncle and loved me, he’d
ban me from his kitchen. I was sure of it.

“Do you know what day it is?” I asked.

“Not really. I don’t track that closely. I
try to pay attention when we’re near a holiday, but the rest of the
year, not so much.” He stopped slicing and looked at me. “Why?”

My cheeks warmed as I considered what to
tell him. I hadn’t even told my dad that I was planning see Evan
this summer. Evan told me about his internship on the last day I
was in Peggy’s Cove. After I said goodbye to him, Dad and I Changed
and headed to Scotland. Not much time for explanations.

“My boyfriend has an internship in Aberdeen
this summer. I promised to visit him.”

Paddy looked surprised. “Does David
know?”

I squirmed a bit in my chair. “No. I kind of
forgot to tell him.”

“Kinda, huh?” Paddy imitated me and smirked
before growing serious. “You should, though, Meara. Tell him, I
mean.”

“Will he let me go?”

Now Paddy looked confused. “Why wouldn’t
he?”

Apparently, Paddy did not know the David I
first met last summer, control freak extraordinaire and keeper of
secrets. Then again, I could see how much more human he appeared
here, where he was comfortable in his own skin.

“Why wouldn’t he?” I repeated, more to
myself than Paddy. I took a muffin from the cooling rack, broke off
a piece and chewed thoughtfully. Blueberry. Yum.

“Are you having breakfast with him this
morning or do you plan on eating your way through my preparations
in the kitchen?” Paddy teased.

I rolled my eyes and hopped off the
barstool. “How much longer until breakfast?”

Paddy glanced out the window. The sky was
now a vivid pink edged in lavender. “I’d say he’ll be up within
fifteen minutes. I could serve you in his suite if you prefer. Your
patience seems a bit limited this morning.”

“You’d do that?” I was touched at how much
my uncle, and the others, did to make me feel at home here.

“Of course. It’s no trouble.”

“Okay. I’ll go wake him.”

Paddy laughed. As I walked down the hall, I
heard him say, “Good luck with that.”

****

I knocked several times before I heard a
muffled, grumpy, “Who is it?”

“It’s me, Dad,” I said. “Open up.”

He opened the door and squinted at me. His
hair stood up in small tufts, and a five o’clock shadow made him
appear scruffy. He was wearing the same flannel pajamas that I
remembered from the short time he, Mom, and I were a family. I
missed that—being a family.

“What are you doing here?” Dad asked with a
yawn. “Is something wrong?”

“No, but may I come in? Paddy’s sending
breakfast up.”

“Here? Why?”

“I need to talk to you.” I slipped past him
and into the room when he moved to the side. I beelined for the
couch and got comfortable. When I looked up at him, he was watching
me with fear in his eyes. “Relax, Dad. I told you I’m okay.”

He ran his hand through his hair and sunk in
the recliner. “I haven’t had my coffee yet this morning. I’m not
awake.”

A knock at the door had him rising again. It
was a young Selkie girl. She appeared to be about ten, but I knew
looks were deceiving. She was probably older than I was—in human
years at least. Humans aged about seven times faster than
Selkies.

“Your breakfast,” she announced quietly. She
set the tray on the table, curtsied, and left.

My dad wasted no time pouring himself a cup
of coffee. After several sips, he sighed and sat back down. “Much
better. Now tell me, Meara, why you are here this morning? Not that
I don’t enjoy a private breakfast with my daughter.”

“Do you know what day it is?” I blurted. It
probably wasn’t the best opener, but I really wanted to know.

He frowned at me for a second before
answering. “It’s July 7, I believe. Why?”

July 7. My heart leapt. He was here. Evan
was here. My euphoria didn’t last. The hard part lay ahead of me. I
had to tell my dad.

“I didn’t get a chance to tell you before we
left Peggy’s Cove…” My voice trailed off as nerves took over. I
still wasn’t as comfortable talking to him as I had been with Mom.
Then again, we had seventeen years to practice. I’d only known my
dad for little over a year.

“Yes?” He calmly watched me over his coffee
mug, although his expression darkened slightly at my
nervousness.

I took a deep breath, and the words flowed
out. “Evan’s in Scotland for the next month. He’s here on an
internship. He told me right before we left, and I promised to see
him. I meant to tell you, but I forgot when we got here and—”

“Meara—”

“—and I don’t want you to be mad, but I
really want to see him. I miss him so much, and he’s only here for
a month, and—”

“Meara—”

“—he’s right in Aberdeen, which I don’t
think is far from here, I can swim there, and—”

“Meara! Stop and listen to me!” My dad sat
forward in his chair. His brows knit together, but his eyes were
full of humor. “And breathe, damn it, before you pass out.”

I took another deep breath, feeling a bit
winded. He walked over to the table and picked up a can of Diet
Coke from the tray. They stocked it just for me. Popping the tab,
he handed it to me.

“Thanks.” The carbonated goodness made me
feel instantly better.

He laughed and shook his head. Sitting next
to me on the couch, he wrapped his arm around my shoulder and drew
me close. “Do you really think I’d say no to you seeing the boy
that you love?” When I looked at him in surprise, he kissed the top
of my head. “I guess you did. I should do a better job
communicating with you.”

Did he just say I could go? Warmth spread
through my chest. I was going to see Evan! “When can I go?”

“Today if you like,” he said. “As long as
Kieran doesn’t mind cancelling your lesson and accompanying you on
your trip.”

“What?” My warm bubble burst. “Kieran?”

I could see it going down.
I’m
introducing Kieran to Evan. Evan stares at me in disbelief. Kieran
makes a wiseass remark. Boy fight ensues.
How would that ever
work?

“Of course,” Dad said. “You don’t think I’d
let you go alone, do you?”

“Does it have to be Kieran?” I couldn’t hide
the whine in my voice.

My dad was clearly confused. Did he forget
about the Kieran club incident a few months ago? I know I told him.
“What’s wrong with Kieran?” he asked. “If you want to go today,
he’s your escort. He’s available since he was already scheduled to
work with you. If you prefer to wait, well, Brigid could accompany
you tomorrow.”

“Can’t you take me?”

Dad’s face softened. “You know I’d like to,
honey, but I was gone for over a year. Our people need me. In a
month or two, I’ll be able to get away. Today, I can’t. Your escort
options are Kieran or Brigid.”

Kieran or Brigid, who was the lesser of two
evils? What it really came down to was that Evan was here today,
and I wanted to see him as soon as possible. Kieran would have to
do. I’d get Evan alone and explain. He’d have to understand.

“I’ll talk to Kieran after breakfast,” I
said, although I’d already lost my appetite.

I can’t believe you’re still interested
in that human boy
, Kieran’s voice sneered in my head. I was
beginning to regret my choice of escorts. Maybe I should’ve waited
for Brigid. She might be witchy, but at least she didn’t question
my taste in men.

I love him, and it’s none of your
business,
I bit back. He swam ahead of me, strong and sure.
Even with my temper raised, I admired how swiftly he cut through
the water. It took all my strength to keep up with him.

Thankfully, he lapsed into silence after his
last comment. It was a relief from the mental berating the rest of
the trip. I tried to put as much anger and irritation as possible
into my response. I suppose it could’ve worked, but I doubted it.
With Kieran, who knew what was on his mind. If I didn’t know
better, I’d say he was jealous.

Ha! Jealous of a human?
He was back
in my head again.
That’s rich. You’re joking, right?

You know, I’m human, too.

You are not.

I am—

No,
he snapped.
You are Selkie.
Human is just a form you take.