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“Time for bed, little fish.” Jack stretched and yawned.
The table where we’d eaten outside, with a bug coil smoking beside us that was said to keep the mosquitoes at bay, was littered with empty plates, crumpled serviettes, and discarded water glasses.
In front of Jack rested three bottles of beer.
He’d offered me one but Anna had given him the side-eye and he’d given me a Sprite instead.
It made me wonder if Anna could guess my age or if she just didn’t want me drinking because I’d been shipwrecked and still suffered the aftermath.
Not that I cared.
My stomach was unpleasantly full from eating more than my body was used to, and I felt lightheaded again from the long day and building stress of what would happen next.
Where would I sleep tonight?
What would happen tomorrow?
As lovely as these people were, as much as I appreciated Anna revealing a little about her daughter and their way of life, my life waited in their hands, and I couldn’t rest, couldn’t relax.
My gut churned with anxiety.
“It’s only eight, and it’s Friday.” Neri crossed her arms. “And besides, we have a guest.”
Jack bopped her on the nose with his finger. “We have another early start in the morning, and you have all the homework that you were supposed to finish yesterday. That means you don’t get a weekend, and our guest isn’t going anywhere. You’ll see him tomorrow.”
“I will?” Her eyes brightened. “Can he come with us to see Kohola?”
I blanched.
Go back on the ocean after it stole my entire family?
No fucking chance.
“We’ll discuss it tomorrow.” Jack pointed at the sliding door leading into the house. “Now, git.”
Neri glanced at me, her gaze sharp and far, far too seeing. Chewing on her bottom lip, she looked at her mother and then her father and shuffled deeper into her chair. “You know...you might as well let me stay and listen to whatever it is you’re about to talk about.” She crossed her arms. “I’ll just eavesdrop anyway. No matter where you go, I’ll just sneak around until I hear everything.”
“Nerida. This doesn’t concern you,” Anna scolded gently. “Go to bed, love.”
Determination etched Neri’s young face, making my heart skip. “It does concern me.” Pointing at me, she said firmly, “I’m the reason he’s here. I’m the reason he’s alive. He belongs to me just as much as I belong to you. Whatever you have to say to him does concern me because he said it himself.”
My heart raced as she leaned forward, never taking her intense stare off me. “His every breath is mine now, and I think I have a right to know where he’s gonna live while taking those breaths.” She looked at her mother, a plea entering her tone. “He’s alone, Mum. We’re all he’s got. I want to be here to make sure you’re not gonna send him away. He needs us.”
“Neri, enough,” I whispered. “Go to bed.”
She scowled. “Don’t tell me what to do, Aslan. I’m staying. Whatever you’re about to say to my parents, you can say to me.”
Jack hung his head and slouched in his chair.
Anna sucked in a tired breath.
And Neri stuck up her chin, knowing she’d won.
She was definitely a force.
A tiny hurricane.
A tropical cyclone far more terrifying than the storm that’d smashed apart my world and left me clinging to life because I had an awful, awful feeling if she ever smashed apart my life like that storm did...I wouldn’t survive the wreckage.
