Siren Rock Read Online Free PDF Page B

sweet mother, pretends we are a family. It’s all lies. I just hope Timmy never learns how mean she really is.”
    He pressed his lips together. “And as for being with anyone, frankly, I haven’t been with anyone. Have you?” He lifted his hands off his knees. “I’m sorry, never mind. It’s none of my business, and I don’t think I even want to know.” He stared back into the flickering flame.
    “No I haven’t.”
    Case looked up. “Really?”
    “Really.”
    He pressed his lips tight, ran his hand across his head, and hoped she didn’t see his eyes water up.
    Larina’s eyes watered as she placed her hand over her lips. “I should have come back when I heard about your grandfather. I’m so sorry.”
    He placed his hand on her knee and then quickly removed it. “No, it’s okay. You know, he was the only one who didn’t see a child as a mistake. Not that he thought I should be with her—he didn’t—but he loved Timmy so.” He glanced around. “We had wonderful times here.” He took a sip of his moonshine. “Annette, actually accused Granddad, both of us, of turning Timmy against her. And it was only because he had fun here with us.”
    He shook his head. “Then she insisted I get Timmy a dog so he’d have what he had here with Bandit. So I did, and Timmy named him Sudsy. Well, Sudsy didn’t make it. She was so careless with that dog. He was such a cute little fellow. He had this white fur with these short ringlets that made him look like he was made of bubbles. ”
    Case threw his arms up. “I did it again. I went on and on about my woes. Truth is I’ve been pretty fortunate. So pleaseeee, let’s talk about something else. Anything else.”
    Case saw her expressions rapidly shift from one emotion to another, anxiety to confusion and finally to resolution. She had something to tell him.
    She took a deep breath before she spoke.
    “I came back tonight because I didn’t want you to think I just wrote you off and didn’t care. Because I do care.” She tapped her fingers on her knee. “I really did want to give you a chance back then to see if you could make a go of it with Annette. You know, for Timmy’s sake.
    Larina lowered her gaze. “At the time, I worried you and I might be just caught up in the moment, the newness of our relationship. I tried to convince myself we weren’t in love.”
    She then jumped from her seat. “No, I’m sorry. This was a mistake. I should go.”
    He jumped up. “Please, don’t go. What is it? Why did you really come back tonight?”
    “I’m part mermaid!” She blurted it out and, just as quickly, put her hands over her mouth.
    “Okay.” He placed his hands on her shoulders. “You prefer the water. I get that.”
    She shook her head. “No. You don’t understand. How could you? I don’t even understand. Sometimes I have a tail.”
    “I’d say something to that, but I’m afraid you’d get upset.”
    “No, Case. I mean I have a fin. Well, not always, but I can will it. Well, sometimes.”
    “Wait…what… you have a fin? What are you saying?” Case picked up his mug and stared into it. “I think I might have given you the wrong drink.”
    Larina clenched her fists as she spoke. “It’s true. I’m the daughter of a mermaid.”
    Case squinted as he sneaked a peak towards her feet.
    Larina shook her head. “No I don’t have a fin right now.”
    “You say you can will it, so you don’t have to have a fin if you don’t want to?”
    “I guess, but it’s not really that simple. It’s a part of me. My mother is a full-fledged mermaid.”
    She sat down and covered her eyes with her hands as tears streamed down her cheeks. Case sat beside her and placed his arm around her shoulder.
    “Don’t cry. Please don’t cry.” He began to wipe her cheek with his thumb and noticed her cheek was streaked with blue. He had, in his palm, several small stones. He glanced between her and his hand.
    “Lar, what the… are you crying stones?”
    She saw