always so afraid of being left behind.
But the Greek islands, where the watchword was avrio – the Greek equivalent of mañana – slowed her heartbeat and filled her body with their perfect light.
Maddy gazed at the photographs for a very long time. Long enough so that when she came to from her self-imposed trance it was growing dark and she could barely make out the images before her.
Chloe silently sat at her side. Maddy hadn’t even felt the cat jump on the table, and she put out a languid hand to pet her. Chloe mewed at her touch. It was her “feed me” voice, and in a state that could only be described as drugged, Maddy did as she was told.
Then she walked to the front door and stepped out into the driving rain.
The incoming tide was within a few feet of the boulder. It was hard to read the small bronze plaque through the downpour, but the name engraved on it didn’t really surprise her. Then Maddy looked up at the mermaid’s beautiful face. She knew those features, and was astounded.
Mary Delfino’s door opened as Maddy stepped onto the porch. “You knew I was coming,” Maddy stated.
Mary’s look of concern deepened. “You’re soaked through, Madeleine.” She held out her hand. “Please. Come inside.” Maddy didn’t move. “You’ll feel better if you talk about it. I promise.”
Maddy entered Mary’s house and a wave of security washed over her. She hadn’t realized the craving she felt was for sanctuary. She’d gotten nothing like this from her parent’s home. She let Mary wrap her in an old wool blanket and lead her to the wingback chair she had occupied on her first visit. A cup of tea materialized in her hand.
“Tell me what’s wrong, Madeleine.”
“I know you,” she said.
“Of course you do,” Mary replied.
“No. That’s not what I mean.” Maddy gazed at Mary Delfino’s face. “You’re the mermaid.”
Mary smiled. “You found me out. My husband, John, was a very talented sculptor. ‘Chloe’ was his last piece.”
“Chloe,” Maddy repeated softly.
“Yes. I was intrigued when I heard you’d chosen her name for your cat.”
“No.”
Mary frowned, puzzled. “I’m sure Nick said…”
“No. What I mean is, you’re the mermaid in my dream.” Maddy set the cup down. “But how can that be?”
“Madeleine, are you sure you’re feeling all right?”
“You know things, Mary. You even told me about Nick in that dream. When I looked at the statue, I remembered.” She sat forward. “You talked about a sea change. But I’m afraid of it, Mary. I don’t like it so far.”
“What frightens you, Madeleine?”
“Being alone.”
“Why?”
“I’ve never been alone. I can’t do it.”
“If you’ve never been alone, how do you know?” Maddy didn’t answer. “Maybe this is a better question: What is it about being alone that makes you afraid?”
“I don’t know.”
Mary leaned back in the chair, her eyes never leaving Maddy’s face. “You seem very different today. Something’s happened between you and Nick.”
Maddy looked away in an attempt to escape Mary Delfino’s compassionate scrutiny. She took a small breath, centered her focus on a clay figurine of a cat, turned back to Mary, and the mask was complete. Her defenses were up and ready.
“Why were you so intent on my meeting Nick?” Maddy asked.
Mary smiled. “Loneliness and being alone are two different things. You needed a friend. So did Nick.”
“Yeah, well, Nick needed something all right. I’m not sure friendship entered into the picture.”
“You’re a Sagittarius.”
Mary’s statement threw Maddy. “I think so. November twenty-second.” An added light came to Mary’s eyes, and Maddy asked, “But what’s that got to do with anything?”
“Oh…Nick is an Aries. It’s the perfect match.” Mary seemed to compose herself. “Do you trust me, Madeleine?”
“Yes,” Maddy answered. “It’s me I don’t trust. Nick and I slept together. I know absolutely
But the Greek islands, where the watchword was avrio – the Greek equivalent of mañana – slowed her heartbeat and filled her body with their perfect light.
Maddy gazed at the photographs for a very long time. Long enough so that when she came to from her self-imposed trance it was growing dark and she could barely make out the images before her.
Chloe silently sat at her side. Maddy hadn’t even felt the cat jump on the table, and she put out a languid hand to pet her. Chloe mewed at her touch. It was her “feed me” voice, and in a state that could only be described as drugged, Maddy did as she was told.
Then she walked to the front door and stepped out into the driving rain.
The incoming tide was within a few feet of the boulder. It was hard to read the small bronze plaque through the downpour, but the name engraved on it didn’t really surprise her. Then Maddy looked up at the mermaid’s beautiful face. She knew those features, and was astounded.
Mary Delfino’s door opened as Maddy stepped onto the porch. “You knew I was coming,” Maddy stated.
Mary’s look of concern deepened. “You’re soaked through, Madeleine.” She held out her hand. “Please. Come inside.” Maddy didn’t move. “You’ll feel better if you talk about it. I promise.”
Maddy entered Mary’s house and a wave of security washed over her. She hadn’t realized the craving she felt was for sanctuary. She’d gotten nothing like this from her parent’s home. She let Mary wrap her in an old wool blanket and lead her to the wingback chair she had occupied on her first visit. A cup of tea materialized in her hand.
“Tell me what’s wrong, Madeleine.”
“I know you,” she said.
“Of course you do,” Mary replied.
“No. That’s not what I mean.” Maddy gazed at Mary Delfino’s face. “You’re the mermaid.”
Mary smiled. “You found me out. My husband, John, was a very talented sculptor. ‘Chloe’ was his last piece.”
“Chloe,” Maddy repeated softly.
“Yes. I was intrigued when I heard you’d chosen her name for your cat.”
“No.”
Mary frowned, puzzled. “I’m sure Nick said…”
“No. What I mean is, you’re the mermaid in my dream.” Maddy set the cup down. “But how can that be?”
“Madeleine, are you sure you’re feeling all right?”
“You know things, Mary. You even told me about Nick in that dream. When I looked at the statue, I remembered.” She sat forward. “You talked about a sea change. But I’m afraid of it, Mary. I don’t like it so far.”
“What frightens you, Madeleine?”
“Being alone.”
“Why?”
“I’ve never been alone. I can’t do it.”
“If you’ve never been alone, how do you know?” Maddy didn’t answer. “Maybe this is a better question: What is it about being alone that makes you afraid?”
“I don’t know.”
Mary leaned back in the chair, her eyes never leaving Maddy’s face. “You seem very different today. Something’s happened between you and Nick.”
Maddy looked away in an attempt to escape Mary Delfino’s compassionate scrutiny. She took a small breath, centered her focus on a clay figurine of a cat, turned back to Mary, and the mask was complete. Her defenses were up and ready.
“Why were you so intent on my meeting Nick?” Maddy asked.
Mary smiled. “Loneliness and being alone are two different things. You needed a friend. So did Nick.”
“Yeah, well, Nick needed something all right. I’m not sure friendship entered into the picture.”
“You’re a Sagittarius.”
Mary’s statement threw Maddy. “I think so. November twenty-second.” An added light came to Mary’s eyes, and Maddy asked, “But what’s that got to do with anything?”
“Oh…Nick is an Aries. It’s the perfect match.” Mary seemed to compose herself. “Do you trust me, Madeleine?”
“Yes,” Maddy answered. “It’s me I don’t trust. Nick and I slept together. I know absolutely
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