A Thousand Salt Kisses Forever (Third Book in Salt Kisses series)

Hogwash

"Huh?" I shrieked.

"Your breakdown, Crystal," said my Mum. "Is it true?"

"No," I yelped. I began to realise, to my horror, that they were referring to the cover up story that Rosie had fed Jemima, in order to explain my two-week disappearance.

Had Jemima told them? I sure hoped she had not gone behind my back like this. I mean, this was my family, we were talking about.

"Your father bumped into Henry yesterday," Mum explained. "We understand Jemima's been very worried about you. She has been confiding in her father, and she even told... well, she told him that she found you swimming out at sea one morning... Darling... just like now, it would seem."

I let out a deep sigh.

It had happened. It was just as I feared but God, why now? I looked at Mum's face pleadingly. I just wanted her to believe me. She wore a rare expression of despair, her brow was creased, and her gray eyes were watery, desperate for satisfactory answers.

"And what were your things doing in our rowing boat?" shouted Dad. "I nearly had a heart attack this morning. I was heading to a meeting and I heard this thing ringing. When I saw what was in the boat, I canceled my meeting immediately. We were just about to call the police; we thought you had been kidnapped again-"

"Look, guys," I interrupted, "I'm not crazy, okay. That thing about going to hospital was a cover up. Rosie told that story to Jemima because only people from Starfish can know about the sea-people."

"Sea-people!" barked Dad.

"Yes, Dad," I said, my eyes filling with tears. This was not going well at all. "You know about them, you told me so the other day."

"I told you that I knew of the ridiculous hogwash that the drunks at the huts told me... I shouldn't have said anything; it's obviously gotten to you... fed into this illness."

"It hasn't," I whispered, the tears falling down my face. This could not be going worse. "I don't have an illness. I have known of the merfolk since we first moved here... I met him - Llyr, he's called Llyr - out at sea one night. I was drunk and I swam out to sea at a party... Dad, you remember, right? I told you back then about a man rescuing me."

Dad was silent for a moment. "I should have picked up on something then," he said. "I could have gotten you help a long time ago."

I looked at him stunned. In all the time I had fretted over telling my parents, it had just never crossed my mind that they wouldn't believe me.

I shook my head and looked down. "He's a lovely, amazing man - he always looks after me... he rescued me on the boat too, you know that day when Gerraint Geake captured me?" I tried. Was this not some kind of evidence? Did they really believe Geraint Geake had just drowned out there?

A stiff silence engulfed me and I could feel the burn of their doubtful eyes.

"He's a prince," I said, trying desperately to find something to convince them with. "He lives in a place called The Jewelled Kingdom."

I sighed frustrated; this was probably the least fathomable part of my experiences. I already knew they wouldn't believe me and so I turned and faced the kitchen counter, resting my hands on the marble surface and gazing out of the window. I heard Dad muttering a succession of swear words behind me. Jesus, what a nightmare.

"The Jewelled Kingdom?" my mother's voice said softly, all of a sudden, cutting through Dad.

I turned and looked at her, exhaling as I did so, fully prepared for further disbelief. When I looked into her face, however, I was surprised. She was frowning and her eyes were looking upwards to the left. It was almost like she was struggling with a sense of familiarity.

"Déjà vu, Mum?" I asked her.

"I... I don't know," she said faintly, her eyes darting around the kitchen unsure.

"I was trying to tell you about it the other day," I said, walking towards her slowly. "I think it's the place from your dreams, Mum... I don't know how... or why, but I think it is"

"What absolute nonsense!" boomed Dad, and Mum blinked, seemingly snapping out of her 'moment'.

"It's not!" I shrieked back resentfully. God, I nearly got through to her just then! I looked at his face and I just knew that I was not going to get anywhere with him and so I surrendered. I fell silent.

"Crystal, sweetheart, I think it's a good idea if you go upstairs and have a long hot shower," said Mum. "Your father and I need to have a think about what we're going to do."

"Think?" squeaked Dad with disbelief. He sounded like a mouse now, and his eyes looked like they were about to bulge out of their sockets. "I don't need to think or hesitate for a moment. I know exactly what I'm doing to do Sheila, and so should you. I'm going to call the doctor."