Mer-Made Life

Family Flight

Pearl's family was just like any other. Nothing unique or crazy. Nothing so different that they should stand out from any family other than the parents loved sea shell names for their kids.

Pearl was almost sixteen years old and a sophomore in high school. Her grades were average. She could have been a cheerleader, but she preferred running. Not sprinting, but that long, quiet, peaceful cross-country running. She could think, and she could breathe.

After finishing running three miles at the school track, she walked over to the bleachers where her friend was doing her homework, waiting for her to finish. As her friend saw her coming over, she closed her books and called out to Pearl.

"What? Only three miles today? Are you slacking off or just thinking about boys?" Christie teased Pearl.

"No, no. I wish it were boys now. My dad is getting a new assignment. It means moving away again." Pearl wiped the sweat from her face and arms with a soft towel from her bag and then sat beside her friend on the bench. She took Christie's hand as they shared the friendship moment.

"Hey, that's not fair! We just got to know each other! We had plans and stuff. Your birthday, too! So where are you moving to this time? Guam?" Her friend was upset by the news, but Pearl was used to occasionally relocating because of her father's work. All she could do was explain.

"My dad works for the USGS service. I told you that. He's worked as an advisor for the USGS service forever. He does the specialized mapping of remote areas with modern equipment. That keeps these dumb maps updated. The Hawaiian island maps get updated regularly due to constant changes in topography above and below the water. It's an important job." Pearl spoke like she was trying to justify the whole moving event.

Pearl continued, "It's Hawaii this time. I mean, it's Hawaii! But it's so far away. I hope, maybe, you can visit me, perhaps in the summer." Pearl held Christie's hand to her heart. "You're the only real friend I've ever made. I want to stay here with you. I also want to go and be with my family. For the first time, I'm all torn apart over moving. I thought I was used to it, but now, it hurts."

The two girls sat on the bench a short while longer, leaning on each other, smiling, pouting, and saying goodbye. They both went home with conflicted thoughts and restless hearts. In their short time together, they had become the best of friends.

Pearl walked home and into the front door of her family's two-story house. With two younger twin sisters, they needed a place with room for them to grow. A fluffy black and white sheepdog and the troupe was a family. Their father wanted a dog, and he wanted it to help keep them all feeling connected and comforted. He knew the moving was always a strain on their serenity. Family pets can offset that disruption, and Josh did that well.

Pearl called out, "I'm home, Mom. I talked to Christie, so she knows. I'll be upstairs studying." She went up to her room with Josh following close behind. They entered her bedroom together, and she plopped onto her bed and laid down, cuddling a pillow. Josh jumped up and curled up at the back of her bent knees. He seemed to sense her melancholy mood.

"I finally have a friend," she started talking to herself, with Josh listening as his ears perked a bit to her voice. "And now we have to move. Again. But it's Hawaii. Why did it have to be Hawaii now?"

Pearl often daydreamed about Hawaii since she was very young. Dreams of surfing, fishing, beaches, and crazy volcanos often filled her thoughts. Lately, she thought a lot about boys, thanks partly to Christie teasing her so often. Christie often noticed the boys looking at Pearl. She felt jealous but enjoyed repeatedly letting Pearl know she was eye candy. Pearl always got frustrated and a smidge curious.

She napped then, and visions of an island shoreline filled her vision. The waves lapped at her ankles as she walked along. A splash behind her and a voice calling her name startled her. As she turned to see who it could be, Josh started barking, which woke her with a start. Father was home, and supper would be close behind.

"Stupid dog!" she thought. She wanted to see who was behind her in that dream. She had that dream before. She never got to see who the someone attached to that voice was. She wasn't mad at Josh, though, and petted his scruffy neck as she got up to head downstairs.

Father was opening up a map on the dining room table to show the family what the where was. Pearl's twin sisters were there. Her mother, Dosina, 'watched' from the kitchen as she finished preparing dinner.

"So, here. This island here is where we'll be living. It's near to my survey area, and there's a good-sized town. It's called Kaunakakai. They have schools, churches, libraries, and more. The area has large hotels, so tourism is quite the thing. You might meet people from almost anywhere in the world! Our house is right, right, right - there!"

Father pointed at a house right on the beach. It couldn't have been more perfect, except Pearl's best friend, her only friend, wouldn't be there. At least she had an idea of the place now. And the house overlooked the ocean from right next to it.

"Why did it have to be perfect!" she thought aloud as she helped clear the table and set it up for dinner. It could have been near the airport so she could have an excuse to be miserable. It was on the beach! So she would have to be happy with paradise. Darn!

"Well, it will be perfect once we're there. For now, though, it's 'Perfect-In-Waiting.' You'll see!" Coquina spoke up, smiling as she brought out the serving dish of lemon-pepper yellowtail fillets and set it in the middle of the table. "I've been there before. The waters are as beautiful as the island. So many mysteries, too. There's always talk of mermaids by the natives. Wouldn't that be fun to meet a mermaid?"

One of the twins, Olive, spoke up as she got seated for the meal. "Mermaids? Eww. Slimy people? No thanks. I want to see some sea turtles. They're real and wonderful. Mermaids? Mom, yer being silly. That's MY job!"

"All right, everyone. Let's say grace, eat, and then kids do homework while the adults get all lovey-dovey. Pearl, how was your running today? Did you get to five miles yet?" Father asked as he started dishing green beans and fish onto his plate. The twins smirked at the lovey-dovey comment.

"Nope. I only got three miles in today. Sorry, Dad. After my run, I talked with Christie about our moving away. We said our goodbyes. It was hard. I never had a friend like her. We're connected. I'm going to miss her. I'm ..." Pearl answered and nibbled at her meal. She wasn't all that hungry now. Sad feelings do that.

Coquina spoke up then, seeing and hearing that heartache. "You'll make plenty of friends, but you don't have to say goodbye. Can't she come and visit us? There's always room for her in our home, wherever home may be. Remember that! If she's a real friend, distance won't make any difference to you both. So you tell her that. Goodbye? There's no reason for all that sadness and drama, young lady. I bet she'll love it there, too! She's almost family now, anyway."

Mother always had a way of setting things straight. Pearl got happier as she imagined her friend walking along the beach with her, sharing a day in Hawaii. She smiled a little, and her mother saw it. Pearl nodded without looking up and knew her mother was right. She was never going to let go of her friendships now. That much she was sure of.

"Thanks, Mom. You're right. I hope she'll come to visit us. Maybe this summer. I asked her to." Pearl finished her dinner, smiled a lot more, and was content to share time with everyone until the twins started teasing her about boys again. Homework was more peaceful, so off she went for the night. She would dream again that night but still couldn't see who was calling her in that other reality.