The Mermaid's Mirror Read Online Free Page B

stand by the window. She stared in the direction of the ocean, even though only a tiny slice of it was visible from here.
    "You've been remarkably quiet about your birthday this year. I thought the Sweet Sixteen was supposed to be a big deal."
    She didn't answer for a moment.
Sweet sixteen and never been kissed,
she thought.
That was almost me.
"We don't have to do a big deal," she said.
    "I take it you'll be wanting sushi from Miso on Main for your birthday dinner, as usual."
    "Yes, please." Lena loved sushi anytime, but especially on her birthday.
    "How many people should we order for?"
    "I don't know. Eight? Ten?"
    "How about
sixteen?
"
    She smiled at him. "No, I don't want a big crowd."
    Her dad made an expansive gesture. "You only turn sixteen once. Now, what about presents? I know you said gift cards are fine, but I want to get you something special."
    She gazed at the distant glimmer of the ocean.
I couldn't ask for a better opening.
"Actually, Dad—"
    "Yes?"
    "There is
one
thing."
    "Great! Tell me."
    She hesitated, looking into his beaming face. "I was hoping—"
    He waited.
    "That this year—" She swallowed and said, "That you would let me take surfing lessons."
    Her dad's smile disappeared.
    Lena's heart bumped.
Oh, no.
She moved closer to the desk, gripping its hard wooden edge. "Or if, you know, lessons are too expensive ... maybe
you
could teach me." She heard the tremor in her voice and winced.
    Her dad stood up and crossed the room. He paced back and forth, finally coming to a stop in front of the same window where Lena had stood. She imagined him staring out at the sliver of ocean, just like she had.
    "No," he said. "I'm sorry."
    Her shoulders sagged. "But Dad—"
    "You know I can't, Lena."
    She took a deep breath and held it for a moment, to keep her response inside:
No, I don't really know that.
"Okay," she said. "What about lessons? Kai's sister said she—"
    "No."
    "What?
Dad.
Come on. It's not fair! Do you know how it feels to splash around in the water like a little kid while your friends are out surfing? Or worse ... to sit on the sand watching them? No, you don't, because
you
learned to surf when you were, like, Cole's age! Which, by the way, don't you think he's going to want to surf someday, too?"
    Her father didn't answer.
    "Dad. I know you had a bad experience—" She stopped and tried again. "I know you're worried that something might happen to me, but I'll be super-careful."
    Still no answer.
    Lena was breathing heavily. The longer her father stood at the window, the angrier she felt. "Aren't you even going to answer me?"
    Her father turned to face her, and his eyes were chilly now. "Yes, Lena, I'll answer you. The truth is that I've been thinking."
    She lifted her hands. "About?"
    "I've been thinking that my new job in the city is going to mean I spend a lot of time commuting from now on. Forty-five minutes each way. Longer if the traffic is bad."
    Lena blinked. What did this have to do with surfing?
    "And I've been thinking. That's an awful lot of time away from my family."
    Lena frowned. "Yeah, but you knew that."
    "Too much time, I think." He sat down heavily behind his desk.
    Lena looked at his slumped shoulders, and had a terrible understanding of what he was saying. She began to shake her head.
    "Maybe it's time we moved closer to the city," said her father.
    Lena couldn't answer, just kept shaking her head. An aching lump filled her throat. Finally she said, "Leave Diamond Bay?"
    He nodded.
    "Just because I want to learn to surf?!"
    "Not because of that."
    "Then why?" Tears slid down Lena's cheeks.
    Her dad put his hand over his eyes. After a long moment, he said quietly, "I don't think I ... we ... can go on living here anymore."
    "But this is our
home.
Why would you say that?"
    "We could get a lot of money for this house. We could start over somewhere."
    Lena stared at him. "I don't want to start over," she said, and headed for the door.
    She stumbled down the stairs,