Going Under (Book 1 in the Mermaids of Damariscotta Trilogy)

Chapter 1 - Damariscotta

Church bells pealed over head as the pall bearers lowered my father’s coffin into the earth.  The wind was chill and biting as it stirred my golden hair around me.  To my left stood my grandfather, Harry Rhodes, his eyes were tightly closed and his lips twitched as he mumbled a silent prayer.

To my right stood my stepmother, Marcella Rhodes, my own mother had run out on me when I was nine.  Marcella wasn’t one of those stepmother’s you read about in children’s stories.  She wasn’t a bully or evil, but she was negligent and greedy.  More than once she has attempted to dip into my college fund to pay for the funeral bills and the transport from our home in San Francisco to where my dad grew up in Damariscotta , ME.

The disgustingly, disrespectful girls that stood opposite me, tapping away on their Blackberries, were my step sisters, Carmen and Blake Linley.  They barely even scoffed when they saw the dagger filled looks I was throwing their way during the ceremony.

“I’m sorry for your loss.” Said some unfamiliar voice.

An hour later I was stood at the door of my great aunts’ restaurant greeting friends and family to the wake along with my grandfather and Marcella.

“Thank you.” I said mundanely, holding my hand out to shake automatically.

The last time I stood here was for another funeral, my twin sisters’, Ella.  She was killed in a hit and run accident when we were six.

“I’m so sorry, Ella.” Some blubbered.

“Reese!  This is Reese.” My grandfather corrected them, irritably.

“Its fine, Gramps.” I mumbled.

The restaurant was soon buzzing as people started to help themselves to the buffet set up near the back of the restaurants or take trips down memory lane with a glass of Scotch or wine at hand.

“You should get yourself a plate.” My grandfather said as I sat down opposite him.

“What are you eating?”

“It’s beef Stroganoff.  You’re looking peaky, go get some food in you.”

“I haven’t been feeling up to it since…”

“I know, sweetheart.  You haven’t been eating at all and I have been eating enough for the two of us.  Go … get … some … food.”

I was about to argue back when a bowl of ravioli was laid down in front of me.

“Eat, you need nutrition.” It was Marcella.

“I’m not hungry.”

“Well, then amuse us.  Eat.”

“Hey, she’ll eat when she’s ready.” Said Gramps.

“You’re too soft on her.” Marcella argued lifting the bowl of ravioli.  “Why don’t you come sit with your family, Reese?”

Marcella stalked away with the pasta to the table where Carmen and Blake were sat pushing around the food on their plates, looking bored.  Behind Gramps, I could see the queue getting shorter and I stood to get myself more food.  The smug look on Marcella’s face dropped as I walked right past her and my step sisters to join the line for the buffet.  I picked up a plate and filled it mostly with lighter snacks and salad but I did take a scoop of the beef Stroganoff as well so neither of them would give me a hard time any more.