"I forgive you."
"Just like that?" He asks astonished.
I smile. "Just like that. I told you, Mr.Aisner. I understand that pain, I understand the hurt and self-hatred you felt all of these years, thinking you failed my dad. You didn't. I know for a fact how good of a friend you were."
"How are you so sure?"
"You kept this necklace for over twenty years. Another person would have thrown it away, since it reminds you of something unpleasant. You didn't because you truly cared about him. Besides, no one would have ever known about this if you hadn't told me."
"I guess that's true."
"You felt the need to apologize for something that was neither your responsibility nor your fault."
"I'm truly very sorry to hear about your mother. She passed away hating him." He says regretfully.
"No, she didn't." I'm sure she knew how much he loved her, and I believe she loved him too, for the rest of her life.
"She didn't?"
I shake my head with a small smile. "She never had any hard feelings towards my dad, I think she loved him too much. Whenever she talked about him, she was always smiling. She told me that he was happy, but I guess that's what she hoped for. In her case, I think that not knowing was the best for her. It allowed her to have hope that even if she left me, I had someone out there, somewhere. That hope allowed her to rest and let go of all the pain. And I choose to believe that she died happy with that thought and woke up next to my father. They were probably worried for a long time, but both knew I would still find my way back to people that would care about me."
Silent tears were running down his face.
"Thank you." He says softly and I just pat his shoulder.
I look behind me to see a look of shock in Dylan's face seeing his father's tears. Is almost hilarious.
"You are very welcome, Mr.Aisner."
"Please call me Luke. Not only are you the daughter of my brother, you are my son's 'Honey'." He jokes. I blush profoundly as Dylan protests. "You are family. Whatever you need, me and Clara are here." Luke calling my father 'brother' and me 'family' made me happier than I thought it would. I care about his opinion much more that I imagined.
"She only needs me." Dylan proclaims.
"Shut up." I say to him before smiling at the couple. "Thank you so much, Luke, Clara." They smile and nod.
"What do you kids say about dinner?" Clara asks.
"Yes! I'm starving!" Dylan runs ahead to the dining room.
"Does he always act like a child?" I question.
"Yes, pretty much. Good luck with him." Luke says and Clara elbows him. "What? I'm telling the truth!" I laugh. They are a great couple. When Luke is stern, Clara is warm, when Luke is goofy, Clara is sensible. They have an amazing and inviable balance.
"Shush. They are so sweet together." I look away shyly. "I hope Dylan isn't too hard to handle. He acts all tough to everyone else, but usually only acts this carefree with us or his gang...is amazing that he shows you this side of him."
"I owe a lot to Dylan and I'm glad he trusts me enough to be himself with me." She smiles warmly.
We sit at the table and Luke goes back to being serious, although not as cold as before.
"There's one more subject we should discuss."
"What is it?" Dylan asks.
"Adrien." He says without hesitation. "I'm not going to apologize for him, but I do feel outrage for what he did to you." He talks directly to me.
"I didn't expect you to. I appreciate you caring about that matter, but I don't think you should apologize either."
"What he did...it is not how I raised him, and he will be punished. You won't hear about him ever again." Luke says as if promising.
"I'm sorry for being blunt but I'm thankful for that." I do hope I never have to see him again.
"I just don't understand what he wanted you to tell him." Clara says.
I look at Dylan and nod, we now know that his parents know about mermaids so it's easier to explain.
"He told me that he knew his mother was a mermaid, or half-breed, and that she abandoned him on land because he wouldn't turn." Dylan explains.
"He wanted me to explain how to get a tail. I don't think he understands that down there is a lot more suffocating than here." No human would knowingly go to a place that is basically 1000 years into the past, with strict rules and royal politics.
"What? He thinks he's a mermaid?" Clara says stunned.
"That's not true." Luke clarifies.
"Are you sure, dad? He seemed pretty convinced."
"I have no idea who gave him that information, but it's completely inaccurate. His mother..." He hesitates. "His mother was not a mermaid."
"I'm sorry sir, but are you absolutely positive? Could she have hid it from you?" I push him to think about it carefully.
"No. We grew up together, she was a family friend." If that's true what is really going on?
"Was?" Dylan asks.
"She died before you and Sylvia were even born." I was not expecting that. She didn't abandon Adrien, she died.
"I'm so sorry." I say.
"Thank you, Meleah."
"As you can see, it's impossible." Luke is right, it's impossible, unless...
"Could she be adopted?" I ask.
"No. My parents were her godparents. They were present at her birth." That settles it. No way she was a mermaid.
"I don't understand how he came to believe it so fiercely." Dylan wonders.
"Neither do I. I'm not confidant he will ever tell us. However, he will suffer nonetheless." Luke's demeanor was even darker than when I walked into the room, but this time it was directed at Adrien. I almost pity him. Almost.
After that the conversation turns much lighter as we eat. Luke shares a lot of amazing stories about my father, that make me incredibly happy but also sad, since I'll never get to meet that awesome man that was my dad.
As we direct ourselves to the door, after dinner, Luke pulls me slightly aside.
"I might have a lot of stories, but none of these moments made Henry happier than the ones he spent with you. Even if you'll never meet him, I'll make sure, you'll know him. He's apart of you even if you don't recognize it. I see him in your smile, and it makes me nostalgic. He would be proud of all you overcame."
"Thank you, Luke." I say with tears in my eyes.
He hugs me and it truly feels like a father's hug.
"Whatever you need I'm here. So is Clara. You are part of our family even if you decide to dump Dylan." I laugh and shake my head. Both Luke and Dylan have the same sense of humor.
"That won't happen. At least not anytime soon." I wink at him playfully and he laughs.
The four of us gather at the door. Luke is a lot warmer than I would have guessed when I first saw him. I believe that's how he wants it. He selects very carefully the people that see this side of him. I'm so happy that I'm one of those people.
"Thank you so much for this evening Clara, Luke." I'm back in Dylan's arms and we are saying our goodbyes.
"No reason for thanking us! I hope you come again soon, Meleah." Clara says while hugging me.
"My friends call me Mel." I say boldly to the couple.
"We would be honored to call you Mel, sweetheart." Clara says with emotion.
"I hope to see you soon, Clara." I hug her one last time.
"So do we. We expect many visits." Luke says. "Not necessarily with Dylan." He winks at me and I laugh hugging him too.
"Why are you uniting to sabotage my relationship?" Dylan frowns at his parents.
"You can count on it." I answer Luke, ignoring Dylan.
Clara whispers in my ear. "You know...Dylan never brought anyone to meet his father."
"Wasn't Luke that asked to meet me?"
"It was. However, Dylan would usually say no. Not only did he agree, he also talked about you as his girlfriend without we even asking." She giggles like a school child sharing the hottest gossip.
I blush and nod. I know that the circumstances for me to meet Luke were very unique, but it is true that Dylan could just not tell me about his father's request. Does that mean he actually wanted me to meet his parents?
We enter the car and Dylan looks at me.
"So where to now?"
"Home?" It sounded more like a question and not an affirmation.
"Anthony's place?"
"No. Your home." I'm looking out of the window and avoiding his eyes.
"You sure?"
"Yeah...I want to spend a little more time with you...I missed you." I say shyly and look at him.
"So did I. So damn much." He says as he grabs my neck and pulls me in for a deep and head spinning kiss.
I'm barely breathing when he pulls away.
He starts to drive in a hurry.
"I loved your parents." I say out of the blue.
"You mean it?" He asks while paying attention to the road.
"Of course. They are so nice, I felt really cared for. As if I belong."
"You do belong. You belong with me." I blush at that statement. "I was very nervous about tonight."
"You thought they wouldn't like me?" I try not to sound hurt by that thought but I might have failed.
"Of course not! I feared they would offend you in some way and then you would run from me." From the way he grabs the steering wheel I can say he was truly scared of that possibility.
I rest my hand on top of one of his.
"I'm done running. I'm not going to leave you again. Not if I can help it."
"You better remember that promise, Honey."
"I will." I say seriously.
We have some light conversation until I remember something I had mean to ask.
"Hey, Dylan?"
"Hmm?" He was focus on the road.
"Why was Matt so strange the last time I saw him?"
He seems to think about it for a second. Maybe is not something he can discuss with me.
"He was having some personal problems."
"Something severe?"
"Not really. You don't need to worry about him."
"I hope he goes back to his usual self." Dylan laughs. "What's so funny?"
"He already has. Since he met Thea, he just won't shut up about her. Is like a puppy around the house. All excited."
"Oh my god! That's amazing! I could see them together." They would make such a cute couple! And I'm sure Matt would take care of my best friend.
"Well..." He says smiling.
"What?"
"Just don't say that in front of Leo."
"What? Why not...oh...oh no..."
"Yup." He smiles evilly. "That story has the potential to be very very interesting."
"A love triangle? With Thea in the middle? She will absolutely love that tea!" I laugh knowing my best friend loves the attention of males. She was quite popular in the ocean.
"Who are you routing for?" He asks.
"Thea." I say without hesitation and he laughs.
"I meant which one of the boys do you think would be a better match?"
I think about it, but both seem great bets and both have the same faults. They are players, but Thea is a pro in the game.
"I pity them both if they plan on wooing Thea. They'll have plenty more competition than just one another." I laugh.
The rest of the ride I fill Dylan in all of Thea's love adventures and how one of those was what allowed me to escape the castle and meeting him.
After a while we finally get to his house.
I look around the place that I was at last, before this whole thing. For a moment there I thought I wouldn't see again.
"Are you alright, Honey?" His tone shows worry.
"Yes. Just thinking..."
"About?"
"What happened the last time I was here."
I look him in the eyes and see him reliving that night. When we first kissed, and he told me that he saw me for who I was and that I would never be alone again.
"I told you, you were never going to be alone again and then I went and left you alone." Of course he would see this like that...What am I going to do with this boy? To make him see that he never left me.
"Dylan...you did not leave me alone. I have my own life to live, but I know you'll always be there when I need you, and you proved me right."
"Sure." He doesn't sound convinced.
"You know...there's something else I remember about that night." I say mischievously as I walk near him.
"Oh really? What is that?" He's acting innocent.
"It was something along these lines." I answer while tip toeing to kiss his mouth softly.
"Oh! I think I remember!" He says as he grabs my waist and pulls me closer. His kiss is sweet and slow, like he's savoring the feeling of having me there. It makes me feel so incredibly cared for and safe.
He breaks the kiss and kisses my nose softly.
"So what are you plans now?"
"For the next minute or so? Continue to kiss you..." I say and he laughs.
"Nothing would sound better, but I meant in a future further away."
I think about it. I know next to nothing about the human world, so there's a lot I would love to do.
"I want to travel and know more about your world. I was never allowed to explore the ocean and I never really wanted to, but now I feel the need to learn all I can about the human world."
"Not all of it is beautiful." He warns still keeping me close by the waist.
"If I'm with you, I bet that we can make it beautiful." I say without thinking. Oh no, how cheesy...He's rubbing off on me, figuratively but also literally. I can't think straight this close to him.
"How romantic."
"I have my moments." He kisses my throat and I lose my train of thought of a second.
"What else?" I try to make my brain think but it's very slow.
"Hmmm."
"What?"
"I would..." I clear my throat. "I would like to help my grandfather out. He offered me a position in his company, although I don't know much, I'm sure my knowledge could prove useful."
"That's nice of him. I'm sure you will love it there."
"Me too." I smile and tilt my head to give him better access to continue with the kissing, which he does.
"What else?" He asks again in between kisses.
"I- I want..." Damn it! I can't think.
"What do you want, Honey."
"You." I say without thinking.
He freezes and raises his head to look me in the eyes.
"What?"
That's not want I meant to say...but to be honest, that is what I have wanted to say for so long...
"I want you." His mouth is hanging open, as he's at lost for words. "I love you." My mouth just won't shut up.
I never said those word to anyone besides my mother and Thea. Soon I'll say them to Anthony, but they will never have this meaning.
I found something with Dylan. Something I thought I never would.
I'm nervous about his reaction, especially since he isn't saying anything. Dylan doesn't know how to shut up...why is he shutting up now?!
"I want to know you better. Go through more adventures with you. However, I don't need it to know how I feel. I know is soon, but I just know...I love you."
He still says nothing.
"Dylan? Are you going to say something?" Nothing. "Anything?"
I'm feeling slightly rejected but maybe he just needs time to process this, so I try to step back but his arms won't let me.
"It's okay if you don't..." I can't end the sentence, since it's a lie. It's not ok, not really.
He seems to awake from a daze. "Are you freaking kidding me? Of course, I love you too. How could you doubt that?" My heart quickens hearing those words coming from him.
"Well you weren't saying anything." He seriously scared me. The bastard.
"I just. For a moment I thought that might be a fantasy that would disappear if I moved." He says seriously and I roll my eyes. What an idiot.
"I love you so much, Honey. You are my soulmate. I haven't stop thinking about you since you called me on my rude behavior when we first met." He lifts me up and I circle his waist with my legs, so I don't fall.
This is a very intimate position, but I don't mind, I love it. I want to be even closer to him.
"Soulmate, really?" I smile, no one ever thought of me as their soulmate. Thinking about it, it seems right calling Dylan my soulmate.
"Really. We are obviously meant to be. Just look at the way our lives have been entangled since the start." He starts to walk to his bedroom with be still clinging to him like a koala. "Let's go. I'll show you just how much I missed you."
That promise made my entire body shiver.
I'm not sure that I believe in destiny. But I am glad that I met Dylan. He changed my life.
I was Lost at Sea
Who knew I would be
Found on Land?
THE END...