The Mermaid Beginning

chapter 4

"I found them I found the drawings of my dreams." Atticus said as he ran into the kitchen to show them.

Emily took it. "This is Attina... She's the oldest and she's supposed to have the kingdom after Triton and Athena... I think she's supposed to have a suitor."

"Because she's the oldest?" Jessica asked.

"Yes, that's why she has the crown." Emily nodded.

They began to look through each of the drawings and then they got to a few pages that looked like they told of the day of Athena's death before and after. Emily's eyes quickly filled with tears again, she was now unable to hold her smile any longer, she took the drawing of Athena and hugged it tight as she started to cry again. 

Jessica held her mother with a sympathetic smile. "Mom, it's okay..."

Emily sniffled. "I should've been there..."

"Wait, that drawing that you're hugging was Aunt Athena?" Atticus asked. "I've had that dream almost every night before I had the dream of me as a merboy I could even hear the sounds and voices and music of it all."

They saw that Atticus was also in the scene as a baby, especially next to the music box to stop it from falling while getting scratched by one of the hooks and then they looked to the scar Atticus had on his right leg. Emily hugged the picture, even if it was a crayon drawing, it was technically the only thing she had left of Athena. 

Darla came in, then looked up to Patrick. "So, are you a merman too, Daddy?"

That question surprised him especially one asked from his adopted daughter.

"I think I was there when it happened." Atticus guessed.

"I don't really remember too much..." Emily replied.

"I remember all the laughter and the music before the ship came and before Aunt Athena's death."Atticus said while dancing around as if he was listening to music being played.

"Oh, I miss her so much..." Emily whispered with tears leaking down her face.

Darla thought of something. "Mama, maybe we can go back in time using your necklace for our vacation instead?"

Emily blinked, she then gently put her hand over the necklace, not yet activating it. "Oh, I-I don't know..." she sounded very hesitant about that.

"Please, Mom, please?" Atticus asked her, hoping it would help cheer her up.

Emily wiped her drooping eyes. "What do you think?" She asked her husband.

Jessica looked to their father.

"It might be good for you," Patrick soothed. "Plus we'll still be in the water in a way you think about it... And Darla needs to learn more about her new family since she's no longer a Dimple."

"Uh, my last name actually wasn't Dimple," Darla smiled sheepishly. "Since LB Mammoth kinda adopted me, I became Darlene Mammoth, but he wanted something cute in my name and since I have prized dimples, I became Darla Dimple."

"Oh...Well, that makes sense." Atticus said.

"Interesting..." Patrick never knew that.

"I didn't like that name Mammoth anyway, besides, who wants to watch an adorable movie about a girl named 'Darla Mammoth'?" Darla nearly scoffed, remembering her adoption to LB back when she was an orphan with nothing.

Jessica looked to her mother. "So what do you think, Mom? Can we go back to meet Aunt Athena?"

Emily wiped her eyes, she took another drink of water and heaved a sharp sigh. "Well... It would be nice to go back under the sea..." Her necklace opened up and the spirit of Athena appeared.