Never Forgotten (Never Forgotten Series) (14 page)

I looked in the bucket. The fish looked disgusting, and smelled, well, fishy. Evan looked at me, so I picked one up. I fought the urge to drop it or gag. It was slimy.

“Now what?” I asked. The tail was pinched between my fingers.

“Toss it down.” He threw a few fish down to the animals. The group nearest dove for them, the rest looked at me expectantly.

“You’re going to need more than one,” Evan said.

I took a handful and dropped them down. Then another. It was kind of fun. When the fish were all gone, Evan showed me where the women’s bathroom was so I could wash my hands.

We went back to the stairwell. When we reached the main floor, I turned and wrapped my arms around his neck. “Thank you for the tour. I’m impressed. You’ve made a name for yourself.”

“I like it here.” His arms went around my waist. “But I miss you.”

Evan leaned down and kissed me. A quick glance confirmed the hall was empty. Apparently, night classes were not held in this corridor. I thought about the last time he kissed me like this. The night of his hockey game. I remembered what else happened that night, and I broke the kiss, looking down. I couldn’t meet his eyes.

That was the same night of David’s last visit. When I confirmed he was real, and he told me he wasn’t human. I hadn’t said anything to Evan yet.

“Is something wrong?” he asked.

I cleared my throat, and finally looked up at him. “I need to tell you something. I’m not sure where to begin.”

“There’s always the beginning,” he joked. His expression grew serious when I didn’t laugh. “What is it, Meara?”

“I saw David again.”

“Your father?” he asked. “When?”

“I had a dream about him my first night here, and I had a few more after that,” I said. “I thought they were just dreams, but then he showed up in Katie’s room…”

“What do you mean ‘he showed up’?”

I shrugged. Under Evan’s gaze, this was even harder than I imagined. “I woke up and looked at the clock. I heard someone clear their throat, and David was standing by the window.”

“When did this happen?”

“The night we came to your game…”

“Why was he there?”

“To talk to me, I guess, although he never tells me anything useful. He just spouts obscure garbage and then disappears.”

“What does he say?”

“Stuff like, ‘he had to leave, I’ll understand someday…he’s not human…’” The last part was barely a whisper.

“Wait. What?”

I looked up at Evan, and then glanced down the hall. It was still empty. I didn’t need anyone else listening and thinking I was crazy. “He says he’s not human.”

“What is he?”

“I don’t know!” I ran my hand through my hair. “He wouldn’t tell me.”

“And you’re sure he was there? You weren’t dreaming him?” I could tell Evan was trying to be understanding, even if he didn’t believe me.

“I was awake. I know it. I’m not even sure the dreams were dreams. I mean, the first time I saw him, he looked exactly as he did in that picture Katie gave me.”

“What picture?”

“The one of the four of them together. The one on the beach.”

“Katie took it from my mom’s room?” Evan seemed mad about this.

“I don’t know,” I said. “She gave it to me a few weeks ago while we were shopping.”

“Do you have it with you?”

“No, it’s at home on my dresser. Why?”

Evan shook his head. “I’m not sure. I don’t understand how he can look the same as he did then. That was seventeen years ago…”

“He said he’s not human. Maybe he doesn’t age.”

“Meara.” Evan sounded a little exasperated when he said my name. “You don’t believe that, do you? What would he be? He’s probably just referring to his behavior. You know, how it was inhumane to leave you and your mom.”

“I suppose.” I frowned and considered what Evan said. It didn’t sound right, yet I had no evidence to argue otherwise. David gave me no clues as to what he was, if not human. He sure looked human.

“So, is he living here now?”

“I guess,” I said. “He told me he was back.”

“But not where he’s living?”

“No.”

“Did you ask your mom?”

I shook my head. “No, I just told her about my dreams.”

“And?”

I chewed my lower lip. I was ready for this conversation to be done. “She didn’t say much except that it’s natural for me to dream about him since we’re here now, where she met him, and I never had. As far as I know, she hasn’t seen him.”

“I’m surprised he wouldn’t talk to her first. Do you think he’s here to take you?”

A chill ran down my back, and I gave an involuntary gasp. “I hadn’t even considered that. But, I’m seventeen years old. In a few months, I’ll be eighteen. Why would he come now if he wanted to take me? Why not when I was little?”

“No idea,” Evan said. “It was just a guess.” He took my hand and squeezed. “Let’s go back to my dorm. It’s more comfortable than a deserted hallway.”

I followed Evan out of the building and across the green space. His dormitory was almost directly across from the science building.

“Convenient to be so close,” I said.

Evan gave me a lopsided grin before opening the door for me. As we walked to his room, we passed several people in the hall. Everyone smiled, waved, or said hi. I wondered if Evan was friends with them or people were just friendly here. Outside his room, he slid the key card and opened the door. It was dark.

“Okay, so my roommate’s not here.”

“Apparently.”

“I’ll be on my best behavior.” He held his hands up in a gesture of innocence, but his wink ruined it.

I laughed. “Uh huh.”

The room was relatively clean, considering two guys lived here. Evan’s bed wasn’t neatly made, but the comforter at least covered the sheet. On the dresser was a framed picture of his family, one of me, and a bottle of cologne. That great cool, spicy smell that was Evan wafted lightly from the bottle when I picked it up. He cleared his throat, and I turned to find him sitting on the bed watching me.

“I saw your dad once,” Evan said. “At least, I think it was him.”

“How’d you know it was him?”

He shrugged. “That picture Mom has in her room of the four of them. She keeps it on her dresser.”

I knew what he was talking about. It was the picture Katie showed me. I turned and looked at him. “When?”

“About ten years ago. I was covering the neighbor kid’s paper route. He was on the rocks. Near the lighthouse.”

The lighthouse? That was where I saw him, too, twice before in my dreams. “Did he see you?”

“I don’t think so. If he did, he didn’t say anything. I was on my bike, and it was early. I didn’t know what he was doing there. It spooked me.”

“Do you remember when you saw him? The time of year?”

“Yeah. Because it was freezing. February.”

What was my father doing in Peggy’s Cove the month of my seventh birthday?

T
he next day, I found Mom in the yard, facing the sea. She wore her pink robe over jeans and a sweater. She had gotten so thin that she was constantly cold. It wasn’t unusual to find her dressed in layers, while the rest of us wore only t-shirts. I approached her slowly, not wanting to surprise her. She turned as I neared her chair and motioned for me to sit on the end. I leaned over and hugged her, kissing her cheek. Her skin felt soft, her body frail.

I knew I looked tense. I couldn’t seem to put on pretenses any longer. I was so worried about her that I bordered on being physically sick. “Hi, Mom. How are you?”

I’m okay,” she said. I rarely heard, I’m well or I’m good anymore. I suppose okay was a neutral word, but it didn’t tell me how she was really feeling. As always, she changed the subject. “How are you, Meara? How are things with Evan?”

“Everything’s fine,” I said. “I told him about David.”

She watched my face closely. “What did you say?”

“I just told him how I dreamed about David. Or, I thought they were dreams. The last time, he was there.”

“What?” Mom sat upright and stared at me. “When? You didn’t tell me about this.”

Her reaction surprised me. She almost seemed scared. “It was the night I stayed over at Katie’s house.”

“What did your father say?”

“Not much.” I paused and took a deep breath. “Mom, he told me that he wasn’t human.”

At first, Mom seemed like she was about to say something. Then the look passed. She bent her head and took a sip of her coffee, not meeting my eyes.

“Mom?” I said. “Do you know why he might say that?”

“I don’t know,” she murmured. “That’s an odd thing to say.” There was something my mom wasn’t telling me. I could always tell when she was holding something back.

“I asked him why he left us,” I said, watching her closely. As I suspected, there was something there. She was trying hard to remain neutral. It wasn’t working. “He said he couldn’t see us, not that he wouldn’t see us. He also said that he hadn’t expected you to take me inland.”

I paused and then added, “Does that mean anything to you?”

She fluttered her hands near the opening of her robe, clearly struggling. A light pink flush spread up her neck and across her cheeks. I waited. She didn’t say anything.

“Mom?”

Her eyes glittered with tears, and she took a deep breath. “Oh, Meara, I’m so sorry!” she cried. “When you’re father left, I was heartbroken. I couldn’t take the chance that he would try to take you from me too. So, when the opportunity came, I took you and moved to the States.”

“Why would he take me away?”

“I didn’t know if he would. I didn’t know if it was something he could control…” She trailed off, staring out at the sea.

“I don’t understand.” This wasn’t making any sense. If my parents loved each other, why would my dad take me away? “You took me to Wisconsin to keep me from my father?”

She looked at me with remorse. “I never wanted to keep you from your father. I had no way of knowing whether he would come back or not. And, I…”

I interrupted her. It was rude, but I wanted answers. “Why wouldn’t he come back for us? Why is everything such a mystery?”

She paused and stared in her cup, purposefully avoiding my eyes. “Your father has secrets,” she said in barely a whisper.

“What are they?” I demanded.

She shook her head. “You have to ask him, Meara. They’re not mine to tell.”

Frustrated, I stood and began to pace. “I’ve tried. He won’t tell me.”

She leaned back and looked at me then. “Well, then the timing’s not right.”

“You sound like him!”

She shrugged. Her face was once again neutral.

“You won’t tell me.” It was a statement, not a question. My voice quivered as I tried to control my anger.

Mom held her ground. “No, not about this.”

“Fine!” I said. I turned to stalk back to the house. I heard my mom call my name, quiet at first, and then more insistent. I paused, not looking back. “Yes?”

“I know it’s hard, Meara. Please have some patience. I’m sure your father has his reasons for not telling you. When the time is right, you’ll know.”

I went inside. I didn’t feel her request warranted a response.

***

I didn’t mean to let the door bang into the wall when I came in. I was so angry. Why wouldn’t my parents talk to me? How awful was this big secret? What could my father be? Was he an alien? I couldn’t imagine any other kind of non-human being. Werewolves and vampires didn’t exist, and nor did mermaids or pixies. Evan had to be right. It had to be a figure of speech. I could agree with that. He was an inhuman jerk for leaving us.

I ran down the hall, kicked off my shoes, and flopped on my bed. I heard pans rattling in the kitchen as I passed. I didn’t stop to talk to my grandmother. I was feeling sorry for myself. Today, misery did not want company.

I put my hands behind my head and stared at the ceiling, not thinking about anything in particular. Eventually, my eyes wandered to the pictures on my dresser. I rose, grabbed the frame, and went back to the bed. I stared at my parents and Evan’s parents. They all looked so happy. My mom was so pretty, and David was good looking. They made a nice couple. What happened? What was the reason why he couldn’t stay?

My phone rang. I didn’t feel like talking. Kim’s name appeared on the display. I missed her. We’d been exchanging texts and emails, but we hadn’t talked in weeks. She was busy having fun, and I was busy…well, busy.

“Hi Kim,” I said. I tried to keep my voice cheerful so she wouldn’t hear how I felt. I shouldn’t have bothered—she was crying.

“H-he, he dumped me,” she managed to get out between her sobs. I didn’t have to ask who she was talking about. I’d hoped they would break up, because I figured Mike was cheating on her anyway. I didn’t like to see her sad.

“What happened?” I asked her.

“He left me for Sally Paulson.”

I knew Sally. She was rich—beautiful and a cheerleader—not nice though. When we were in eighth grade and she was in seventh, she got in trouble for bullying another girl. I was sure that Sally was making the breakup even harder on Kim, and I wished that I could be there to help her through it.

“I’m sorry, Kim,” I said. “Mike’s totally slumming it.”

“No kidding,” Kim said. “I think she got a boob job over the summer. That’s totally got to be it.”

“I’m sure you’re right,” I said, although I didn’t think so. It wouldn’t surprise me if Mike had been seeing Sally on the side for a while, at least for the past summer while Kim was gone. I couldn’t tell her that.

“You’re terrible at emailing.” She sniffed, but the drama was over. That was the great thing about Kim. She vented and moved on. I didn’t answer her; I knew she was right. I wasn’t one for including a lot of details. “So, spill, Quinn. What’s going on in your life?”

“Besides what I sent you in my last email?” I asked sweetly. She snorted in reply, and I laughed. “What would you like to know?”

“Come on, Meara! Do I have to beg? Dish on that hot boyfriend of yours. You’re together, right?”

“Right.” I recounted almost the entire last month. By the time I was done, Kim sounded happier. And, she perked up considerably when she told me she had a date tonight. I was happy that she wasn’t going to be sitting home and moping.

“So….” Kim said. “I have news.”

“Besides your date?”

“Better than my date.”

I waited, but she didn’t say anything. “Well?” I asked.

“I’m coming to see you!” she squealed.

“What? When?” I asked.

“The second weekend in October. I’m flying in on Friday,” she said. “We don’t have school that day, so my parents said okay. I called your mom, and she helped me arrange everything. I was going to surprise you, but I—”

“Can’t keep a secret,” we said at the same time, and then laughed.

“That’s the best news,” I told her. “I wonder if Mom will let me skip out of school early on Friday?”

“Uh huh,” Kim said. “That’s what she told me.”

“Sweet!” I’d be able to meet her at the airport. “How long can you stay?”

“That’s the best part,” Kim said. “My parents are letting me skip two days of school. My flight home isn’t until Tuesday.”

“Then you get to celebrate Thanksgiving with us,” I said.

“I’m coming in Oct-o-ber…”

“I know. Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving in October.”

“That’s weird,” Kim said. “Do they eat a big turkey dinner with the fixings?”

“I think so.”

“I’m good with that. I get to have Thanksgiving twice this year then.”

“Lucky you,” I told her. Kim promised to email me her flight information, and after I helped her decide between a blue sweater and purple blouse for tonight’s date—which was not easy to determine over the phone—we said goodbye so she could get ready.

I flopped back down on my bed, considerably happier. My best friend was coming to visit!

***

Sunday morning I sat on my bed, staring out my window and contemplating what to do. I had the whole day to myself, and the house was empty. My grandparents and Mom had gone over to Lydia’s for brunch. Yesterday, after I talked to Kim, I finished my homework. Not exciting, but it had to be done. Last night, Katie and I went to Evan’s game. It was a close call. Evan’s team won. Afterwards, I only saw him for a few minutes. He needed to go back to the dorm and finish a big project. So, Brian took us to his favorite diner for burgers. Afterwards, we went home.

I told Katie that Kim was coming to visit. I was excited to introduce her to everyone. I planned to tell Kim about David, too. I hadn’t mentioned anything yet, wanting to see her face when I told her.

The house was so quiet. I read for a while and tried to watch TV. Nothing held my attention. I was finally desperate enough to clean my room. Turning my music on loud, the way I always cleaned, I got busy. An hour later, my room was spotless. It was time I got out of the house. Walking outside, I was surprised to see my grandmother raking in the yard. “You’re back?”

She looked up at me. “Sure, sweetie. We got back about an hour ago. You looked so busy in your room, so we didn’t want to disturb you.”

“Where’s Mom?” I asked. Since she went out this morning, I hoped that meant her migraine was gone.

The smile vanished from Grandma Mary’s face. “She’s sleeping in her room. Her head started bothering her again about an hour ago.”

I dug my toe into a small mound of upturned earth, swallowing the heavy lump in my throat. “I’m going to check on her,” I said, without looking up. I knew if I met my grandmother’s eyes, I would cry.

“Okay, honey. Let me know if she needs anything.”

Heading toward my mom’s room, I was lost in my own thoughts. As I neared her door, I paused and listened. How odd. I heard two voices coming from her room—hers, of course, and a deeper, male voice. It sounded familiar. I couldn’t quite place it. I knew it wasn’t my grandfather. I stepped closer, taking care to avoid the squeaky board in the middle of the hall, and came up short just outside of her room where I wouldn’t be seen.

“…Sharon, love, I would have come sooner, but I wasn’t sure how you were going to react…”

“How I was going to react? You’ve been gone for seventeen years, David. You left me with our infant daughter. I knew, of course I knew, the possibility was there that you were going to leave me. I’d hoped that my love for you, our love for each other, was enough to keep you here.”

“I never promised you anything, Sharon. In fact, if you recall, I warned you before we ever got involved.”

Silence ensued. As I waited for my mom’s response, I realized I was holding my breath, so I let it out in a quiet gush. The mysterious male voice was David. He was here, in our house, in broad daylight, visiting my mother. I wasn’t sure what to do, but something told me this was not the time to pop in and say ‘hello’. Curiosity got the better of me, and I waited silently, my back against the wall, to see what would be revealed.

Finally, my mom spoke. “You were right, of course.”

“Do you think that I don’t know my own nature?” His voice sounded sad. “If I could change things, change who I am, you know that I would. I would have liked to have been there for you both.” I heard something hit a wall with force, and I cringed. “Damn it, Sharon! Why did you have to take her to the mainland? Why did you hide her from me?”