The lost trident

Chapter Eight

“Wake up, you guys”, Helen said as she kicked Kiara and Bianca out of bed. “You guys have chores to do”, she added. “But mum it’s Saturday”, Bianca protested. “And that’s why you have chores”, she replied. “You are going to trim the flowers outside while Kiara will do the dishes”, she said. “After five days of school work I still have to trim these flowers”, Bianca said. “Oh let me faint”, she said and left the room.

Kiara made her bed and went to the kitchen to do the dishes. Helen was already making breakfast, “Hey are you okay?” Helen asked noticing Kiara’s dull face. “Yea”, she replied. “Are you sure?” she asked again. “You look dull”. “Yea but I'm fine”. “You miss them don’t you”, Helen asked. Suddenly Kiara burst into tears. She was surprised at herself. But lately, she felt emotionally weak. “Come here”, Helen said beckoning on her. She hugged her and led her out of the kitchen to the living room.

“Let me tell you something”, Helen began. “When I was banished from the ocean I felt homesick. I felt as though the land is not meant for me and look now; I'm happily married with a child”, she said patting Kiara’s back gently. “And lucky you, you are going back, how many weeks more; less than two”, she continued. “I have a feeling that we will soon find the trident. So cheer up”, she said. “Thanks a lot”, Kiara said feeling relieved. “Now the dishes are waiting”, Helen said as Bianca came inside.

“Mum I have a date tonight”, Bianca said “Date?” Helen asked her daughter with a weird look that Bianca didn’t understand. “Not date date mom, I'm just seeing a friend”, Bianca explained. “Okay, what time?” “Seven”. “Well don’t come back to this house late”, Helen said firmly. “Yes ma”, Bianca replied.

“What’s up for breakfast?” Lance asked as he came out of his bedroom which he shared with his wife. “Pancakes and orange juice”, Helen said. “Seriously dad, you’re just waking up?” Bianca asked incredulously. “Hey it’s a Saturday, I can sleep as long as I like”, Lance replied. “Oh well I think my bed calls”, Bianca said. “Hey young lady”, Helen called. “I haven’t inspected your flowers and the hedges”, Helen said as she placed breakfast on the dining table for Lance. Bianca sighed frustrated. “What’s with her and the flowers this morning”, she thought herself.

“Honey”, Helen called her husband. “Yea”, he responded. “Bianca has a date tonight”, Helen told her husband. Lance choked on his pancakes. “She has a what?” he asked as though he didn’t get the message the first time. “I said Bianca has a date”, Helen replied stressing each syllable. “It’s not a date, date just a date. Am I right Bianca”, Helen asked. “Absolutely”, Bianca responded hoping her father would agree. “Okay”, her father said. Bianca heaved a sigh of relief. “Does Kiara have a date too?” Lance asked. “No”, Bianca replied quickly, her voice filled with hostility. “Okay”. Bianca and Kiara went to have their bath and came back for breakfast.

“These pancakes are good”, Bianca said with her mouth full. “Bianca”, Helen called in a disapproving voice. “No talking while eating”. Kiara was barely eating her pancakes. She missed the taste of fresh tilapia and salmon from the ocean.

After breakfast, Bianca went to her room picked up her phone and called Becca. “Becca emergency shopping”, she said when Becca picked the call not saying hi or waiting for Becca to say hi either. “Shopping? For what”, Becca asked her voice sounding dull. “Are you just waking up?” Bianca asked with an incredulous look as though Becca could see her face. “Yea, its Saturday”, Becca replied. “Okay I'm coming to your house in the next thirty minute, you better be ready”, Bianca said and hung up.
                     +-+
“Ding dong”, the doorbell rang. “I’ll get it” Bianca said to no one in particular as Lance and Helen were in their bedroom and Kiara had gone out earlier. “Hey”, Andy greeted as she opened the door. He was dressed in a white long sleeved shirt with a bishop collar and black jeans with black shoes to match. He had the undercut hairstyle and his blue eyes shone when he saw Bianca in her red gown that accentuated her curves and black stilettos to match.

One could not ignore the diamond shaped earrings that dangled on her ears or the very red lipstick she had put on. “Are those roses?” Bianca asked when she noticed the red roses with him. “Yes”, he responded. “Aww, they are beautiful”, she cooed. “And smell nice too”, she added. “Okay, let’s go”, he said. He had hired an Uber to take them out. “You look breath-taking” he said when they finally settled down in the car. “And you look charming too”, she replied looking at him adorably.

The new restaurant by the beach was one of a kind. There were few people inside. The waiters in their black shirt and red tuxedos with black trousers walked briskly as they attended to the customers.

There were two sections; the couples section and the family section. There was no visible demarcation except the arrangement of the tables and chairs that differed. The family section had these big round tables with orange table cloth on them with four to six chairs while the couple section was a smaller version of the family section with two chairs only.

Andy reserved a table in the couple’s section beside the window where they could have a clear view of the night sky over the water.
“Wow, this is a perfect spot”, Bianca said when they got to the table. She was so awe struck. It was her first date and everything was going on so well. Earlier on, she didn’t know what she would wear even while shopping, she was so confused and nervous but thanks to Becca for the help. She made a mental note to thank her later. “So what would you like to order?” Andy asked.

She picked up the menu and scanned it. She seemed indecisive. “Well, I’ll take the burst tomato pasta”, she said finally. “We will take the burst tomato pasta”, he said to the waiter he had signaled to come. “And champagne”, he added. The waiter took note on his pad and left to get their order.
“So”, Andy began. “How do you find the restaurant?” he asked. “It’s beautiful and romantic”, she said. “And the view of the night sky is so breath taking”, she added looking at the stars. “How did you even find this place? You said you were new here”, she asked with curiosity. “I told you I stay by the beach and I see this place every day while going to school”, he answered. “And I said to myself I'm going to bring the woman of my dreams here”. Bianca blushed. “Am I the woman of your dreams”, she asked shyly. He had said it already but just wanted to be sure. “Yes, you are”, he replied. The waiter brought their dinner- Burst tomato pasta. “Why did you order these?” Andy said when he tasted the food. “I just wanted to try something new”, she replied. “You don’t like it?” she asked. “No they are okay”. “Okay is an understatement, this is delicious”, Bianca said. "We should go to the beach sometime", Andy said. "No", Bianca replied without hesitation. Why, I mean who does not like the beach", he said amazed that Bianca didn't want go to the beach. "Can we talk about something else?" She said. Andy changed the topic not wanting to upset Bianca.

They talked on and on throughout the rest of the date getting to know more about each other.
                    +-+
The waves of the ocean lapped lazily against her legs. How much she missed the feel of the water. She wished she could transform back to a mermaid and be with her mum and Nara. All these would not have happened if she had just listened to her mum. She missed the ocean so much. She missed looking at the corals while they were sleeping. She missed the little escapades she had with Nara during the period they were together. She hoped Nara was doing well. She missed her mum so much. Her mum would be lonely without her. Now more than ever, she wished her dad was still alive. At least he would have kept her mum company but he was dead. She didn’t even see him, for once in her life time.

He died before she was born. She grew up without a father figure. She looked at the moon, it was bright and full. Only a few days left and the moon would disappear from the night sky. A sense of urgency to find the trident swept through her but went as quick as it came. She felt the moon calling her. This happened some days back and it was happening again. She could not take her eyes off the moon. She felt drawn by it. It was calling her, its force so powerful she couldn’t resist. She tried to struggle but it was useless. She gave up fighting and yielded to the moon. Then she found herself in the Ocean again.

Authors note
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Why do you think Kiara has an uncanny feeling about this Andy guy? Let me know by dropping your comments and for the part when Bianca goes on a date with Andy, I really hoped I described it well. I’ve never been on a date before so my ideas are based on the books I read and movies I watch nevertheless I hoped you enjoyed it. Also Lance and Helen are still Mr. and Mrs. James. Don’t forget to vote and drop your comment, questions and suggestions and thanks to those who have kept reading this far.