Love of a siren

Chapter three Ruby Pov:

I pulled up to the Marine Research Center the next morning and turned off my car and grabbed my bag before going inside. I rubbed my eyes feeling tired because I tossed and turned last night wondering what happened to that woman. Why did she run?

I shook my head feeling that the whole thing was bizarre and weird as I went inside and checked in. When I stepped into the office ,I saw two of my coworkers who I met a few days ago.

Maddie, a brown skinned woman who was my height with brown eyes , and curly hair that fell to her shoulder blades and Ben who had brown low cut hair, and grey eyes ,and was also her boyfriend ; along with being a marine biologist. Maddie was currently in her last few classes in college to become one. When they first met me, I could tell that they recognized who I was immediately but was very welcoming and professional, which I appreciated. I didn't want people I'm supposed to be working with treating me differently. For now I'm just a normal person or at least I'm gonna try to make it seem like I am.

"Hey good morning Ruby." Maddie said smiling and Ben waved.

"Hey." I said sitting my bag down in the locker they assigned me before grabbing an apron and tied it.

"You okay? You look a bit stressed." She asked me.

"Uh yeah I'm fine , just had a strange night." I answered still thinking about it.

"I know you're a celebrity and kind of just want your privacy but while you're here you can treat us like friends if you want." Ben said, looking away from his computer.

"Yeah you can talk to us if you have any problems with working here. It can be a little challenging sometimes but we're here for you." Maddie replied and I  smiled at them.

"It's not working here that's bothering me. I like being here and I did sign up to volunteer here after all." I say sitting in a chair next to them and sighed. "I almost hit a woman with my car in the rain last night."

"What? Is she alright?" Maddie asked concerned.

"I don't know. She  had passed out and I brought her to my house and I called a doctor to look at her and by time I open the door to let him in she had escaped out the window..." I explained ,shaking my head mystified.

"Wow. Do you think she was scared or maybe on something? There's a drug epidemic going on around here lately." Ben asked and I shook my head.

"I dont know. I know she had no physical issues because I checked her over, but she was mostly quiet and staring. There's was something weird about her." I say shaking my head again. "Either way I think she's gone now. I just hope she got the help that she needed." I say before sighing again and getting up.

"Has the sea lions been fed yet?" I asked them.

"No the food is in the warehouse." Maddie said and I nodded before heading out the back door that led to the docks where the Sea lions usually come when they're not in the water. They were all rescues and we bring them here to recover before sending them back to their natural habitat. I grabbed one the buckets that they always keep stocked with food and went to the water and whistled like Maddie instructed me to do get their attention. Immediately two of them came out the water and stopped in front of me ,waiting expectantly. I smiled as I pet them on the head before giving them some food.

"Here you guys go. You guys probably been waiting on that a while. Sorry I'm late." I laughing as they made noise. While they ate, I checked to make sure their harness for their trackers was still secure before letting them go back into the water.

I looked into the water and flashed back to last night again when I found her in the middle of the road. Rain falling on her naked form as she looked at me. Then the way she touched my cheek. The drawn feeling I got the moment she touched me. It was familiar like being touched by a loved one. I didn't understand it at all. She's a complete stranger.

                            ***

After my shift was over I drove in town to get a few things I forgot to get yesterday ,when I had to pull over in surprise. Right there on the other side of the street was the woman from last night still in my clothes , except now she was in yellow rubber rain boots and it looked like she was talking to someone.  I opened my door and waited until there was a opening in traffic before I crossed the street. By time I got across the street she was gone. I stopped in front of the lady who was looking behind her with a look of shock on her face.

"Excuse me. Did you see a woman standing here just now?" I asked the lady who appeared to be in her mid or late 40s.

She blinked at me, shocked. "You saw her?" She asked me.

"Yeah. She was just talking to you it looked like." I said to her confused.

"Sorry I don't know her." She said quickly before going back into the store she was standing in front of.
I looked at her even more confused before reading the name on the store which said Helen's Antiquities. 

I walked up the street ,hoping I would spot any sign of her but I didn't. I ran my fingers through my hair and sighed,shaking my head, wondering what I was even doing right now before I turned around to go back to my car.