Everblue

Chapter 52 - Ash

ASH

I showered quickly, afraid when I got out Fin would be gone, the whole thing a dream. The water trickled over the pink scar, tickling the new skin. I laughed, my insides filled with unexplainable richness. While hurrying to brush through my wet unruly hair, I heard a knock at the door.

"Ashlyn?" Mom asked, apprehension looming in her voice.

I opened the door, letting the steam escape. Her face brightened as she scanned my fresh appearance—my first shower in almost a week.

"Why didn't you call and tell me you had company for dinner?"

"I'm sorry," I shrugged. "He just got here. Would it be all right if he stayed?"

From down the hall I could hear Gran, Lucy, and Dad talking to Fin about the explosion on the lake. His presence made me giddy inside and I bit back my grin.

"Of course. I'm glad to see you're feeling better."

I smiled, probably for the first time since the accident and a tear glossed the corner of her eye. "Yeah, Mom. I'm feeling a hundred times better."

From nowhere, she wrapped her arms around me and sniffled in my ear. I rubbed her back, trying to soothe away all the grief I'd caused her the past few days.

She let go and composed herself. "Well, hurry up. I'm almost done reheating the lasagna."

I closed the door and counted my blessings for a moment. Though it brought me Fin, what I did tortured my parents. I'd worried them needlessly and took everyone on such a crazy rollercoaster of emotions with me. I'd never do it again. I couldn't watch them suffer like that. Somehow, I needed to make it up to them.

A quick blow dry and a little makeup to cover the grey smudges under my eyes made a world of difference. When I walked around the corner without a limp, everyone gasped. The fact that Fin was here, hit me again, his gorgeous face melting my knees. His smile, a ray of sunshine after a storm.

"Man, I'm gone a few weeks and miss all the crazy stuff happening on the lake," he said with a wink.

"Totally," I said with nervous laughter.

Everyone's relief-filled giggles cleansed our living room now that I'd returned back to my old self. He patted the couch cushions and I joined him, feeling his warm thigh next to mine. As the conversation continued, I kept staring at him, marveling that he was here. All the questions I thought of in the shower tumbled in my brain: How did he escape the blast? Where did the bad mermen take him? How did he get away? Where was Tatchi? How did the whole mermaid thing work anyway?

But even if my family wasn't engaging him with their own theories of the explosion, including an attempt to bring Tessie to the surface, I knew once we were alone, I wouldn't be able to ask him mine. My lips would be busy kissing his instead.

And as if he knew I needed reassurance, his hand wove delicately with mine and my heart raced even more. How I could be so miserable one minute and elated the next, escaped me. But I didn't want him to ever leave. His presence blanketed all my fears I'd suffered from since the accident.

Dinner went smoothly and once the sun started to set, Fin grew nervous and asked if we could go outside. Mom shooed us out, insisting she'd do the dishes. We walked hand in hand into the dim twilight. I kept a watchful eye on him, concerned about the change in his behavior.

"I can't stay much longer," he said after we kissed again under the swaying pine trees down by the dock. "I change when the sun goes down."

I creased my brow.

"Into a m—" he looked off towards the beach where it all happened. "You saw what I am. Let's not pretend anything different and I'm sure you've got tons of questions."

My heart filled with compassion and I squeezed his hand. "And I'm okay with it." I looked at his luscious lips, finding it hard to concentrate.

He ran his finger along my jaw and tilted my chin up. "I promise to answer anything you want to know tomorrow. No school, right?"

I started to answer when he smothered me with another kiss. I pressed my body against his, feeling the strength of his chest and arms around me. He couldn't leave. Not yet.

Breathless, he pulled away. "Great. I'll see you then."

His lips pecked mine one last time as he attempted to leave, but came back for another. I giggled, watching him war with himself. Then the panic on his face took over as the sun made its final descent and dipped under the horizon.

"Good night, Ash. Sweet dreams," he called over his shoulder as he sprinted towards his house.

I swooned and waved back. "You too, Fin." My love.