Waterworks (H2O Just Add Water) 🌊

13. Shipwrecked

Emma informed us that she had met the strange lady Cleo and I had interacted with. She lived on a boat in the marina and was being evicted for unpaid moorings. Her boat accidentally hit and scratched Zane's speedboat and he went to the harbormaster to report it. Upon being told by the harbormaster of the eviction, the lady had a heart attack and was taken to the hospital.

"The ambulance guy said it could have been more serious," Emma informed us, "She stopped taking her medication."

"Poor lady," Cleo sympathized.

"Her name's Miss Chatham."

"Is she that weird old lady that lives on the boat?" Lewis asked.

"Yeah, that's her," Emma nodded.

"She was at my great aunt's funeral a couple of months ago," I jumped in.

"How do you know her?" Emma turned to Lewis.

"No, no, I don't," he clarified, "I've just heard about her. She lives on that leaky old wreck, no friends, no family, all alone."

"She's the one that seems to know all about the full moon, our powers, and our tails," Cleo pointed out.

"Some people say she's a witch."

"And if they said she was an Easter bunny, would you believe that?" Rikki asked.

"There was a time I didn't believe in mermaids, either," Lewis explained.

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The next day, Emma called for a meeting at her house. Cleo and I were the last ones to arrive.

"Sorry we're late," Cleo apologized as she and I entered inside.

"We--," I started but paused on seeing the lady, Miss Chatham present.

"Hello, Cleo. Hello, Zoey," she smiled at us.

"Oh, hi," Cleo smiled politely.

I nodded at the strange woman.

Emma and Mrs. Gilbert arrived in the living room.

"All right. Miss Chatham, if you'd like to come with me, I'll show you to the spare room," Mrs. Gilbert nodded.

"Oh, you're very kind," Miss Chatham beamed and followed her.

"You brought her here?" Rikki turned to Emma.

I could understand Emma's good intentions though there were facilities that assist and take in advanced-aged people. My late maternal grandmother moved into a nursing home just a few years before her death. Mom always made sure that we visited her three times a week. We would put together jigsaw puzzles, and play Scrabble and other board games. I would even read to her whatever book I borrowed from the library since she loved it when someone read to her out loud rather than listening to an audiobook. 

"What could I do? The harbormaster wants to move her boat from the marina," Emma explained, "He says she can't stay there."

"But you brought her here," Rikki pointed out.

"Just for a while. We'll try and talk to the harbormaster, make him see some reason."

"Emma, this old lady knows about us," Cleo cautioned, "What if she says something to your mum or dad?"

"She won't," Emma assured her, "She's smart, and I'm sure she's discreet."

"You hope."

"Look, Cleo, we're probably worrying over nothing. I mean, has she ever actually said to you or Zoey, 'I know you're a mermaid."