Dirty Lying Sirens

Chapter Thirty One

Madeline

Pacing had become my lifeline as the minutes slipped away before me, and at the other end of this incessant wait would be Tanis. 

Caspian, poor guy, was trying his best to keep my nerves from consuming me whole. I was already up early and went for a run on the sandy side of the island. When that didn't do it for me, I took a long bath, and then came out pacing. The living room. My room. Then, the back yard when Caspian coaxed me outside with a drink and a fresh loaf of olive bread he'd bartered from his neighbor for some of the greens he was growing in his yard by the pool.

"You know, Maddie," Caspian said from his seat by the pool, "throwing up won't be a good first impression."

I paused, whirling to face him with horror on my face. "Why would you say that? Now I'm going to think that the whole time!"

Caspian sighed, rising to his feet to come over to where I was pacing a rut in his grass. He placed a warm hand on each of my shoulders as if to pin me in place. "I'm sorry. I'm just trying to lighten the mood. You can't keep doing this to yourself, they'll be here soon."

"I know," I moaned. "And it's driving me wild."

The gentle creak of Caspian's front door froze me in place, my eyes wide like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Caspian?" Nikkos's familiar voice called from inside the house. "Madeline?"

Groaning, I rubbed my hands down my face.

Caspian patted my shoulder, calling towards the back door. "Outside!"

Nikkos joined us, a green bottle under one arm. "Good morning. Today is the big day, I thought you could use a stiff drink."

He barely finished his words when I had both hands in front of me expectantly. Nikkos chuckled and pulled the stopper out of the bottle. "Xino vasilias. Careful, it's a strong one."

I tipped it back, taking several good swallows before Caspian gently took it from my lips. "I don't think this is the way to go either, Maddie."

Wiping my mouth with the back of my wrist, I eyed the bottle but didn't argue. I'd never had these kind of nerves settled in the pit of my stomach before, but Caspian was probably right.

"There is no pressure," Caspian said, "Even if Tanis does turn out to be your mother, there are no expectations. Calliope has already said that no relationships will be forced between you two, so take this slowly. Now, deep breath. In the nose, out the mouth. There, that's a good girl."

I did as I was told, breathing deeply and letting it out slowly to a pace that Caspian set. He had me do this a few more times before I was clamed down, and that's when we heard the knock at the front door. Every bit of good the deep breaths had done was now swept away by a new wave of anxious anticipation.

"I'll get it," Nikkos said. Should we do this inside or here?"

"Here," I choked. "Out here." I needed the space. I needed the air. 

Nikkos nodded, and went into the house and out of sight. Caspian pulled me into one last hug, and I sank into his warmth. We stayed that way while we waited. Listening to the soft footsteps in the house, and finally the opening of the back door. My heart was hammering in my chest when Caspian let me out of the embrace, and I somehow found my feet when Calliope emerged. Behind her was the one that had to be Tanis, and Nikkos followed after, closing the door.

Tanis. I had a lot of thoughts about Tanis.

Short, I clearly got my height from my father, which was an entirely different bridge that I didn't want to think about at the moment. She may have been beautiful at one time, but the years had been hard on her. Not in a natural way, but in that kind of way that can beat a person down. Caspian had said her pregnancy left her voice damaged and her heart aching for a lost baby. Blue eyes, which was a givin after having learned that all the Atlantians had them, but they were rimmed with deep crows feet. Her skin had a lot of wear and tear that you get from staying in the sun for a long time over a period of years. Her hair, while gray at the temples, was a lot like mine. It was maybe the first thing I had noticed that we matched on. But closer inspection to the shape of her mouth and chin looked not unlike a mirrored image of mine. The shape of our eyes were different, and I had a stronger nose than her dainty one, but there was enough. Enough similarities to raise questions.