Cerulean Found

Chapter 32 - Fort Dallion

We pull up to Fort Dallion at 10am. It took us sixty minutes to drive from the villa to the fort's location in the capital city of Kingsmet. It was an hour spent listening to Gram and Abbo point out seemingly random local sights. I hadn't heard a word of what they were saying. I was too far gone in my own little world to pay attention to anything else. I kept replaying the events of the previous day in my head as I tried to make sense about what Josh had told me. I gave up hoping to put logic behind his stories of mermaids and magical tribes and decided to accept them for what they appeared to be, mere fairy tales.

The fort is located on the outskirts of the capital city, overlooking the harbor. A massive bright yellow brick wall borders the entire vicinity and shoots up fifteen feet into the sky. We are greeted at the entrance by our tour guide. She is a tan woman in her 40's with bleached blonde hair. She wears a polo shirt, the same bright shade as the massive structure she stands beside, with Fort Dallion embroidered in navy blue across the left breast.

She tells the growing crowd of tourists standing in the hot caribbean sun, that the tour will start in five minutes, allowing time for more people to show up. There were a few small groups who couldn't stand waiting in the heat, so they actually left to tour the grounds on their own. I wish we could've done that. I know that Gram and Abbo, who'd both been to the fort twice before, would've been more than capable to explain the important historical moments to us. Instead we wait in the blazing sun, for what feels like an eternity.

Evalyn, our bleached blonde tour guide, starts to lead us along, when I notice a familiar family approaching. It is the Hernandez clan. I am surprised to see them, but I notice that my family does not seem to share the same sentiment.

I frown. This must have been a planned outing that had been discussed yesterday, while they were all sailing together. I had no idea that the Hernandez's were going on the boat trip with my family. I learned that bit of information when everyone had returned home. As much as I would've loved to spend the day with my family, I was grateful to have missed out.

"We couldn't find any parking. We've been circling the city for fifteen minutes!" Lallie explains as they join the group.

"Did we miss anything?" Osmany asks as he and his wife greet us all with the customary kiss on the cheeks.

"No, the tour is just about to start." Dad answers.

"Hey Mila," Adam-Miguel says as he kisses my cheek. I really hate this custom. Even more so when the one doing the kissing is a boy who so obviously likes me (and I, of course, do not return the sentiment).

"Hi," I say as I pull my face away rather quickly.

"We missed you yesterday."

I know what he means. I can read between the lines. He missed me, but he opted to say "we" to play it cool. I am glad for that. The last thing I want is for him to be any more direct about his feelings for me.

"Your mom said that you weren't feeling well."

I am relieved my mom hadn't blabbed about my fear of water like she had with Josh. I wonder why she had been so honest with him. I quickly remembered that he had witnessed my bad behavior the other night when Matty splashed me. Maybe she had figured he should know, otherwise I'd look like a total bitch. Mom can be so smart.

"Yeah, I think it was something I ate," I lie. I try to be as vague as possible. I don't want to say anything that may contradict what my family may have said.

"That sucks. Are you okay now?"

"Oh, yes. Much better. Did you have a good time?" I ask, trying to direct the conversation away from me.