Ariel's Daughter

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Today, as the silence finally exhausted me after tears spilled from my eyes as I sat with my face nestled in my new friend's chest, I finally spoke again. "I'm sorry." I said softly.

"Its okay. I know how you feel." She answered and this makes me feel worse, and I pull away.

"Now I feel bad. You must miss her." I said suddenly, feeling my tears still stream down my face at the newfound horrible situation my friend must have endured. They weren't tears for me anymore, they were for her and her little brother. There was silence until I heard her get up.Great job Ember, you hurt her, I thought annoyed at myself now. I always say the wrong things when I meet someone I might become friends with. Stupid Ember.

"Wait! Avery!" I heard her yell, and soft vibrations went down the dock.

I heard more footsteps again coming towards me and I could hear unfamiliar ones that were light and little, like they were extremely shy. It must be her little brother. "Sorry...Avery is a little sensitive on...that subject." Madilyn answered finally. Now, I felt even worse than I had earlier and to make it worse, this was the first hour I'd known Madilyn.

"This is my brother, Avery. Avery, this is Ember. My new best friend." Madilyn said. I had to hold my breath so I wouldn't smile like a crazy person. She'd called me her best friend.

"Nice to meet you Avery." I said. Silence. I knew that he was mute, but I almost expected him to speak. I wanted to hear his voice. I wanted to know what his voice sounded like so I could picture him way better. Just from the way he walked I could tell he was more shy than the average person. I could picture brown curly hair and blue eyes. Just like his older sister.

We all talked and I hadn't completely forgotten the missing presence of my father and the sinking feeling in my stomach, but I made my way back to my cabin where Jack proceeded to cook dinner for me. It was after I'd finished eating that I told him he could go back home. Which was honestly only a few houses away.

"Thank you for dinner." I told him.

"No problem. Madilyn should be finishing dinner with Avery now, so I should get back." He answered. I stopped, now shocked.

"You're—You're their...father? I'm so sorry for what you've been through. I wish I had known that, I would have told you you could go cook dinner with your family. You've only just seen them today I—"

"Its alright Ember. I've seen more than once. We share custody. Or, well, shared custody of the children. Don't blame yourself." Jack answered. I sighed in relief. At least I hadn't offended him.

"Thanks mr..." I started, not knowing what to call him formally.

"You can call me Jack. I don't bite." He answered laughing and I laughed in response. Now I understand why he was my father's friend. He made jokes or made you laugh when you needed it. From Jack's gruff from soft and gentle voice she knew he had to be muscular and fit from catching and pulling in fish all day. She pictured brown hair and the same blue eyes his children had, but maybe they had gotten it from their mother.

"Well, have a good night." I told him.

"You too. And don't worry about your father. I'm sure he's alright. He'll probably get home soon." I forced a small smile on my lips then as soon as I heard the door close I frowned. He never got home this late. Never. I couldn't relax with that in mind and found myself listening to music through my earbuds, sitting on the couch in a tense position. I didn't like that he wasn't home yet.

I guess that I had fallen asleep. I felt my eyes open and knew it was morning by how calm the waves were now. Smooth and soft, rolling into the wooden docks and houses like distant beaches everyone talks about for their honeymoons in the future. I waited, stretching and sitting up on what I guessed was the couch. I found my ears were sore, from having the earbuds cramped into my ears and sleeping with that at an awkward angle. I rubbed most of the soreness away with my hands. I got up slowly, expecting my dad to come from his room and say good morning, but the house was stone silent and no doors opened and no morning coffee being made. He wasn't home.