Mako Mermaids: Rita Santos' Daughter

Chapter 12

Rita's POV:

My Caitlan is now 10! She's struggling this school year, not academically but because I'm now a Junior Staff member at Suncoast High and she's never really been away from me. Thankfully though, I'm usually finished work by the time that Caitlan finishes so I'm able to pick her up. I admit though I do miss having my little starfish by my side.

Anyway, me and Caitlan are cuddled up on the sofa. There was a knock at the door. "Wait here, sweetheart." I said as I went downstairs. "Ok mum" Caitlan smiled. It was Evie, Zac, Carly, David and Cam. "Hi Miss Santos, my brother Joe is taking us to the movies and we wondered if Caitlan wanted to come?" I shouted of Caitlan, and I could hear her running down the stairs. "Sweetheart, I've told you not to run down the stairs as you could fall. Did you want to go to the movies with your friends?" I asked her. "Are you sure? I thought you wanted today to be a mummy daughter day?" Caitlan asked. I chuckled and said "Go have fun darling." Caitlan gave me a kiss and went off with her friends.

Caitlan's POV:
I'm so excited - this is my first friends trip I've been on, mainly because I usually like to stay with mum and feel guilty leaving her, my friends have always been understanding of course and they always ask if I want to join them anyway so I don't feel left out, but I'm looking forward to seeing The Reef - it sounds like a good film about Australia's coral reefs.

We're all sat quite central in the movie theatre - David's brother Joe is sat behind us.

When the film started, a group of people went sailing a yacht on the way to Indonesia but the yacht hit a reef and it ended up being tipped over in the ocean. I'm so confused, I've only seen a coral reef once up to now. There's been a couple moments in the film that made the audience jump a bit. Someone in the group suggested swimming to a nearby island, but another group member said that the water might be shark infested. I forgot that land dwellers are terrified are sharks. I was mainly mesmerised by the beauty of the ocean.

The group in the ocean then saw a turtle, maybe it'll help them get to the island? One of the members swum to the turtle, but it was dead with its head bitten off! Everyone in the room screamed. Nope I don't wanna watch anymore, I want mum!

I ran out the theatre, sobbing - before entering the main lobby of the theatre, I used the Invisibility Spell. Do I run home or do I swim? Swimming would be faster but I've never swum on my own. I just want to get home - I'm going in the water.

Oh no, I'm lost! I'm in the ocean and don't know where I am. A pod of dolphins saw me and swam a different direction. A few minutes later, Aunty Veridia came to me - the dolphins must have alerted her. "You shouldn't be in the open water on your own." I trembled "I-it's a long story. I'm lost." Veridia wiped my tears and thankfully didn't pressure more questions and she took my hand and swam with me until I got home.

When I got in the Cavern pool, I asked Veridia if she was coming with me to mum, but she said it'd be best if she went back to the pod, I thanked her before she left.

Rita's POV:

I'm sat on the balcony, reading a book and the door flew open, I jumped and turned around: Caitlan came running out, in a crying mess. "Oh my darling girl." I instantly wrapped my arms around her and brought her inside.

We sat on the sofa and I was trying to calm her down. "Caitlan, sweetheart, breathe for me." I did a couple of breathing exercises with her and she seemed to settle. "Now, tell me what's wrong." I said softly and moved strands of hair out of Caitlan's face. "I thought the movie was about the coral reefs. A poor turtle had its head bitten off" she sniffled. I was confused slightly. "What was the movie called, sweetheart?" I asked and Caitlan replied "The Reef". I'd heard about the film from a few students talking about it at the High School. "I left the film mummy, I couldn't watch more. I wanted to come home but didn't want to run so I swam and got lost. I'm sorry. Aunty Veridia found me and brought me home. I know I shouldn't have swum alone, I just wanted to come home mummy, I'm so sorry." Caitlan sobbed frantically. I wiped her tears away and brought her into a hug. "You don't need to apologise, sweetheart. All that matters to me is that you're home now, and safe. You didn't know that the film you went to was a horror did you?" Caitlan shook her head, I'm guessing her friends didn't either.

Caitlan is still really shook up. She's laid across me, with her head resting on the arm of the sofa. I placed a blanket over her and gently stroked her hair; Caitlan then fell asleep.

There was a knock at the door, thankfully Caitlan didn't wake up so I went to answer, it was Caitlan's friends. "Miss Santos, we're sorry is Caitlan home?" Evie asked panicked. I was quite stern, "She is. She's asleep at the minute but she came home really shaken up. Did any of you know that you were going to see a horror? Which you're all too young to go to?"   David then stuttered "My brother didn't tell us it was a horror film, M-Miss Santos. My parents have told him off and grounded him. We realised Caitlan wasn't there when the film finished, we wanted to make sure she's okay." I softened slightly, seeing that all five of them genuinely wanted to see if Caitlan was okay. "She'll be fine, lovelies. She just needs a bit of time. Thank you for checking in." The five of them left and I shut the door.

Caitlan was still conked out, bless her. Veridia then came in the room. "Thank you for bringing her home Veridia. But if you think because you helped her, that we'll come back to the pod, we aren't." I whispered. "I was just wanting to make sure she was okay, she was pretty shaken up - if a pod of dolphins hadn't alerted me, she could still be out there." Veridia replied and I nodded. "Is there no chance at all-" she started and I pointed to the doorway, telling her to leave. She turned in a huff and left. I rolled my eyes and gently moved Caitlan so I could sit back down, I leaned her back down so she was laying down on me. A few minutes later, she jolted up. "Hey, hey. It's okay sweetheart." I calmed her down. "Your friends came by earlier to make sure you're okay." I smiled and Caitlan smiled back. "Are you okay, baby girl?" I asked and she replied "Yeah, I think I was just shaken up mummy, thank you for looking after me." I pulled Caitlan into a hug, her head resting on my shoulder. "You never have to thank me for looking after you, my little starfish. I'm your mum. That's my job." I kissed the top of Caitlan's head.

One Week Later

Caitlan's POV:
Oh no! Evie's mum has passed away. Her funeral is tomorrow. I asked mum if we can go, so I can be there for Evie and she said we can.

When we got to the funeral, as soon as Evie saw me, Carly, Zac, Cam and David, she ran up to us and we had a group hug. "Thank you for coming" she sniffled. Evie then saw my mum and gave her a hug too. We all sat on the front row with Evie and her dad, Mum and the other parents sat behind us. We just wanted to be there for our friend today.

That's this chapter guys! I know that The Reef probably wasn't released yet irl, but hey it's fan fiction! Hope y'all like it!