With that, she turned away and walked off along the quay, her footsteps making no sound on the hollow boards.
Molly stared after her, nonplussed, until she disappeared amongst the first of the houses. Well. What a strange encounter to end her day. She did agree with Irene on one thing though: a dram of whisky sounded like averygood idea.
Securing the boat, and pulling her rain cape tighter about her, Molly climbed up onto the quay and headed for home.
The sky had darkened to a brooding charcoal hue by the time Molly reached her house, the taste of salt on her lips and Irene’s cryptic words echoing in her thoughts. Her cozy cottage, nestled by the cliffs, was a beacon of warmth against the stark landscape, its windows aglow with light that cut through the gathering gloom.
“Whisky in hot chocolate, here I come,” she whispered to herself, her breath misting in the chilly air as she pushed open the door.
The scent of wood smoke welcomed her into the embrace of her childhood home. She had moved out while she studied marine biology at university but had come back after graduation, meaning only to stay long enough to help her da get the business on a more even keel before she headed off to build herself a new career and a new life. But that even keel had never happened, and here she was, four years later, stuck in the same rut she’d been in at the start.
She pushed the door closed behind her, glad to shut out the weather, took off her rain cape, and hung it on the back of the kitchen door.
“Da!” she shouted. “I’m back.”
“In here, love.”
Molly walked into the living room. The fire flickered and danced in the hearth, casting shadows that chased each other across the walls like mischievous spirits. Her father sat in his favorite armchair by the fireplace, reading a book bound in well-worn leather. He was a weathered man with a kind smile and a twinkle in his eyes that echoed the sea’s ever-changing moods, but he was starting to look old with the wrinkles around his eyes and his hair and beard all but turned to gray.
“How’d it go today?” he asked, putting down the book and turning in his chair to look at her.
Molly shrugged. “Oh, you know. Okay.”
He gave her a shrewd look that said he wasn’t taken in by this at all. Before he could question her further, she added, “I did have an odd encounter though.”
“Oh? Not another stag party wanting you to take them out on a booze cruise?”
“No,” she laughed. “Nothing like that. An old woman stayed behind on the boat after the others had left. She said some weird things.”
“What kind of weird things?”
“Oh, things about destiny and making choices and that better things are around the corner if I have the courage to take a new path.”
“Is that so?” her father asked, leaning forward in his chair, his eyes never leaving her face. “And what did you make of her words?”
“Truth be told, I don’t know,” Molly admitted. “To be honest, I think she was a bit unhinged.”
“You know, Molly,” he began in his deep, Scottish brogue. “I’ve always believed that there’s more to this world than what we see with our own eyes. And if a wise woman has something to say, it might be worth listening to.”
Molly rolled her eyes. “I might have known you’d think that. She was just some strange tourist, not some friendly fairy out of the old stories. And she was talking a lot of nonsense.”
“Was she? Life is full of choices, Molly,” her father said gently, reaching out to take her hand. “Some are easy, and some are hard. But every choice we make shapes the person we become. You’ve always been a strong, resourceful lass, but you’ve been putting your life on hold for me. Maybe it’s time you started living.”
Molly watched her father’s face, half-hidden by the flickering shadows cast by the fire. “What do you mean by that?”
Her father sighed and then reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded letter. “This came this morning. Another offer to buy theSelkie.”
Molly’s breath caught in her throat as she skimmed the contents of the letter. The offer was generous, enough for her da to live off until his pension came through. But it felt like a betrayal, like a failure, like selling off a piece of their family’s soul.Sheshould be able to support her da.Sheshould be able to make this business work!
“Perhaps we’re swimming against the tide,” her father said sadly. “Perhaps it’s time to let the tide take us.”
Molly glanced out the window, watching the raindrops race down the glass as if searching for an escape. She knew what selling the boat meant: no more early mornings on the water watching the sunrise, no more guiding tourists to see the sea birds, no more passing on the knowledge she’d gathered over the years. But at the same time, the thought of having enough money to ease their struggles tugged at her heart.
“Would it be so bad?” she murmured, the words feeling like a betrayal even as they left her lips. “No worrying about bills or repairs, no fighting to stay afloat every single day?”
They had both sacrificed so much to keep the business alive, but was it worth it? Was she just being stubborn, holding onto something that was pulling them under?
Her father’s eyes met hers, filled with a mix of sadness and understanding. “Molly,” he said gently, placing a hand on hers, “the decision is yours to make. There has been magic we’ve shared aboard that boat, but sometimes, letting go of the past can lead you to the future you were always meant to find.”
