In Deep Waters (18 page)

She crawled out of the pool, dried off with a towel and hit the stopwatch again. Moonlight shimmered off the scales, iridescent silver with flashes of green and blue. Her tail was pretty--stunning, actually. Even if it wasn't pink. Kayla smiled and touched her necklace.

Madison's comment this morning made Kayla realize
how her father had prepared her for this. His stories about Atlantis had been real, a way to pave the way for the truth.

Kayla remembered how he spoke of children being enveloped in the sea--the process of becoming a mer when a child turned three. They had waited until that age because of the pain involved with the first transformation. That's what he had called it. They didn't want the child to become frightened of the water. Madison was three and that seemed too young. Dad must have thought so, too, Kayla realized. That must be why he waited. Or maybe the reason was due to her mother's death when she was two. But if her mother was a mermaid, too, how could she have drowned?

Kayla checked her tail. It was still there after fifteen minutes.

She recalled another story about a battle waged between two factions within Atlantis--the swimmers and the breathers. The swimmers believed humans were dangerous and feared the world's discovery. The breathers feared isolation would destroy Atlantis. A battle had ensued. Which had her family been? Breathers since they'd left Atlantis?

Too many questions. She needed to concentrate on those she could answer.

She heard a noise coming from the water. Kayla glanced through the railing and saw a dolphin chattering. 'If you're talking to me, I don't speak dolphin."

That didn't stop the dolphin. The chatter continued.

She smiled. "If you see any other mermaids out there, could you please send them this way? I really need someone to explain a few things."

The dolphin swam away.

The membrane of Kayla's tail parted, the gills sub
sided and her legs appeared. She hit the stopwatch. Thirty minutes--the total time it took for her tail to vanish. She noted the steps in her journal and prepared for the next experiment. She climbed back in the pool. The tail appeared quicker this time with almost no pain.

Time for the big one. Kayla wanted to see if the gills worked. All she had to do was put her head underwater and breathe. She tried to go under. The water covered her face and she sat up. She'd been through enough today. Might as well save something for tomorrow.

Kayla crawled out of the pool. One last experiment remained tonight. How long would it take for her tail to disappear without drying off with a towel first?

"Come here, princess." Ben picked up his bundle of sunshine and smiles, the light of his life, most especially his heart, and carried her to her bed. "You know what time it is."

Madison crawled under her princess-patterned bedding with Baby Fifi in her arms. "Where's Kayla?"

"She's working."

"Is she going to live with us?"

Talk about a loaded question. "Kayla lives in Oregon."

"Our place is good."

"Yes, but--"

"She needs to be close to the ocean. She needs to stay with us."

Madison made it sound so simple. Maybe it was.

"I love Kayla." Madison pursed her lips and looked much older than three. "Do you love her, Daddy?"

Ben didn't know how to answer. His feelings for Kayla were as complicated as the ownership rights to treasure found in a shallow water wreck. She was beau
tiful, caring, giving. The list went on. But what did that mean tonight, tomorrow, the next day?

"I like Kayla." His chest tightened. "She's...nice."

An understatement if he'd ever heard one.

"So you want her to stay, too."

It wasn't a question. Madison sounded so much like him. Ben smiled. "It's not that simple, princess."

"I'm going to wish it." She tilted her chin. "If you wish hard enough, you can make it come true."

Now she sounded like Kayla. Ben laughed. "Did Kayla tell you that?"

Madison nodded. "Kayla told me about Atlantis and the mermaids who live there. Mermaids are real, Daddy."

He ruffled her hair. "Honey, those things may be fun to hear about, but they're make-believe. They aren't real."

"Kayla said if you believe in your heart, they can be real." Madison's eyes twinkled. "When I grow up, I want to be a mermaid with a pink tail. And I can marry a mermaid boy."

She's three.
It shouldn't matter. But it did to Ben. "Right now, you need to go to bed." He tucked the blanket around her and kissed her good-night. "I love you."

"I love you, Daddy."

"Sweet dreams, princess."

She smiled. "I'm going to dream about mermaids."

Mermaids again? Madison had mentioned seeing one a while ago, but this mermaid infatuation of hers started after Kayla arrived. Ben didn't like it. Kayla had prom-ised she would be careful around Madison.

He had to speak with her about Madison. He didn't want to do it, but he had no choice. If anything was
going to work out between them, she was going to have to stop filling Madison's head with these crazy fantasies. New rules were needed, and Ben knew the first one-- no mermaid tales allowed.

"Kayla."

The sound of Ben's voice startled her. She wanted to tell him what was happening to her. She needed his support; she needed him.

Show him your tail.

No, that would overwhelm him. He was so practical. Learning to dream again was going to be hard enough for Ben. This bordered on the impossible. She would have to ease in slowly, explain about mermaids and help him see the possibilities.

She scooted on the deck, pulled herself into a chair and covered the tail with towels. She looked normal except for the fin at the bottom of her tail. Kayla adjusted a towel. "Up here."

Ben's tall, dark figure emerged from the shadows. He moved with an easy grace. "What are you doing?"

"The water feels good on my legs."

"Do they still hurt?"

The concern in his voice touched her. "They're better." Different, considering she had no feet, but better in that they no longer hurt. A smile tugged at her lips.

"What?" he asked.

"It's nothing." She stared at him, at the inherent strength in his face. She wanted to rely on his strength, to have him help her through this. "I--I'm happy you're here."

He nodded. "I don't know what's happening between us, but I know, whatever it is, I don't want it to stop."

Her heart swelled with joy. "I feel the same way."

"Good." A muscle in his jaw twitched. "But there's something..."

A big something, but she didn't think he was talking about her tail. "What is it?"

"Madison."

"Do you think she'll have a problem if we--" Kayla struggled for the correct word "--date?"

"No. She loves you." His hair ruffled in the breeze. "But I'm worried about her. Remember how we talked about not telling her stories?"

"Yes, but having an active imagination is healthy for a child."

He pressed his lips together. "You said you would be careful."

She hesitated, torn by conflicting emotions. The strongest of which was guilt. 'Tve tried."

"It hasn't worked. Tonight she told me she wanted to be a mermaid. She seems to believe it can happen."

Kayla's heart thumped so loudly she was certain Ben could hear it. She chose her words carefully. "I wanted to be a mermaid when I was a little girl."

"But you're not a mermaid, you're a maritime historian."

The air whooshed from her lungs. Kayla was too shocked by what he'd said to do or say anything.

"I don't want Madison believing something so ridiculous is possible."

But it was possible. Mermaids were real. She knew it. So did Madison. A tumble of thoughts ran through her mind. She had to tell him the truth. "Ben--"

"You know how I feel." Hurt gleamed in his eyes. Pain from his past that needed to heal. "I won't have my daughter turned into a starry-eyed dreamer."

Kayla had to make him understand. "This isn't about dreams. "

"What else would you call a mermaid?"

Me.
Her throat clogged with emotion. She was scared. She didn't want to lose Ben or Madison. But that's what Kayla feared would happen if he learned the truth too soon.

"I won't have her walking around with her head in the clouds. Chasing unrealistic dreams. Unable to cope with daily life." He brushed his hand through his hair. "Both my father and Lyssa are like that. I don't want Madison to be the same."

Kayla had never felt so defeated in her life. Especially when she was unprepared to fight back. "Don't forget I'm a dreamer."

"You're different."

Yes, she was. But Ben wasn't ready to accept mat. Not fully. Until he believed in dreams and possibilities, he would never understand. She could either accept that or not.

She sighed. "Are you worried about Madison being a dreamer or are you really worried one day she might chase one of those dreams and leave you?"

"I don't want her to be hurt."

Kayla wanted to believe him. "You can't protect her forever."

"I can protect her now." Ben's gaze sought hers, his eyes compelling and magnetic. She forced herself not to fall even deeper under his spell. "And I want your help. We can do it...together."

She felt so alone, and Ben wanted her. It was hard for her to believe after all she'd been through today. "Together?"

"I want you to stay and be a permanent member of
the crew." He laced his ringers with hers. "That will give us a chance to figure out the rest."

"The rest?"

"The three of us being a family. You, me and Madison." His gaze held hers. "With you, I'm beginning to believe anything is possible."

A family. It was beyond Kayla's wildest dreams. Ben had tossed her a life preserver--make that a lifeline. She wanted to hold on with both hands and never let go.

And she wouldn't.

Kayla would help Ben see dreams weren't something to fear. She would teach him to appreciate the goodness and joy dreams brought to one's life and be open to the possibilities.

Possibilities that included the existence of mermaids.

"Yes." She could barely breathe, but this time she didn't mind. "Yes, I'd like that very much."

Chapter Ten

"
Hurry." Ben led Kayla to the control room. Holding her hand seemed so right, so normal. The way it was meant to be. Last night they'd talked until it was time for her shift. The more he learned about her, the better he felt. This was going to work. All of it. "What's going on?" she asked. "Be patient." He stopped outside the door. "I wanted to say something before... It's just... You've changed my life. And I know it's only going to get better." He kissed her on the lips. "Thank you." Her forehead wrinkled. "I'm confused." "Hold that thought." Ben pulled open the door. A rush of cold air greeted him, as did the smiling faces of the crew and Madison. Everyone was here. "The guest of honor has arrived."

"Hey, Kayla." Monk sat in the pilot's seat. He controlled the ROV, the remotely operated vehicle Ben and Wolf had designed and affectionately named GOTCHA. "I'm all set, boss."

Ben glanced at Vance. Nothing was going to happen without the marine archeologist's okay. "Vance?"

"The artifact's location has been fully documented." Vance grinned. "You're not going to want to see the bill for all the stills. We've been taking pictures all morning."

That was good enough for Ben. "Go get it, Monk."

"Would someone please tell me what's going on?" Kayla asked.

"In a minute, hon," Ben said.

Everyone in the room, including Kayla, stared at him. The curiosity was thick enough to stop an anchor. Ben ignored it.