The Mermaids' Mate

Chapter 33

"We need to talk about your mom." My dad said when I came downstairs to have breakfast.

"Did you talk to her?" I asked him. It's been two weeks since we heard from her.

"I got a note. I don't know how to tell you this, but your mother isn't returning, mija."

It felt as if my whole world came crashing down. I didn't know what to say. What could I say? Oh well? Life goes on? No. I might've never gotten along with her, but she was still my mom. She took care of me for almost eighteen years. How could she leave me? Us?! It wasn't fair!

"I think it's time you knew the truth about your mother. Come on. Let's take a drive." He said, grabbing his keys.

We drove a little out of town until we reached an antique shop by the beach. It looked normal. It was the only shop here, which was strange.

"It's close." I read the sign that said out for lunch.

"Not for us." He opened the door, and the smell of old people's house hit my nose.

"Hello, sorry to disappoint, but I was just about to go on my lunch break- well, well. this is a surprise." The old man said, walking out from behind the counter. "It's not every day I get visited by a beautiful kuliltu." The old Merman walked out behind the counter. He looked about 80, was average height, and had a head full of grey hair. He looked like your typical old man who'll yell at you for being in his yard. Kuliltu? It was an ancient word for mermaid princess.

"Pialli!" I greeted him in the language of the Merfolk.

"Pialli!" He slightly bowed to me. "I'm guessing you're here for the gift your mother left you?" He asked me.

"I don't know. My dad said you had answers for me." I replied.

"Come with me. I'll take you to the back. I hope you don't mind locking that door behind you, Carlos. We don't need any human distractions, of course." He turned to my dad laughing. So my dad knows him? Was this the place where my parents go every weekend. I followed the old Merman to the back while my dad looked around the store.

"You have a lot of cool stuff," I said, looking around. His shop was filled with a lot of old relics and a lot of shipwrecks stuff.

"We Merfolk are hoarders. We love to collect old junk. Especially from ships. I have the helm from Queen Anne's Revenge around here."

"No kidding?! Blackbeard's ship?!" I gasped. There's nothing I love more than reading about pirates. Especially Blackbeard.

"That's the one. It's been passed down by generations. Someone in the family scooped it when Blackbeard sunk his ship. I'll have to show it to you when I find it. I have several and can't remember where I left it." He said, scratching his head. I didn't realize how big his store was. He had random rooms filled with stuff. We finally got to a door at the end of the hallway. He took out a key and unlocked it. The door opened with a loud screeching noise. A musty smell escaped from the room, along with a lot of dust that caused me to cough uncontrollably. How long has it been since he last opened this door? I thought, turning away. "It's been a while since I opened this door." The old man laughed almost as if he had read my mind.

"I can see that," I said, fanning the air with my hand. There was so much dust in there. "How long ago did you say my mom left you this thing or whatever it is that she left me."

"Hm. Around the time she left home. She visited me before returning to tell me it was time to pass it down to you." He said, turning on the lights. The lights were so old they were flickering and weren't so bright anymore, I couldn't see much, but it looked pretty empty except for the random boxes scattered around. He reached into one with the words Galena, mother's name, and pulled out the most beautiful seashell crown I've ever seen. He dusted it off, blew it a little, and handed it over to me.