The Power of Swan Cove

Chapter 3

22 days until Christmas 🎄

Today was the day. I was going to receive the big news. It was probably what Luke told me. But, who knows. My mom told me to meet her at the beach, we'd go to the cave from there. My mom would explain a lot of things that I missed in the past 15 years. It was late at night, about 11:55. I walked down to the beach and waited on the sand.
Bzzt Bzzt

When you get to the beach transform into a mermaid. Be careful that no one sees.

Mom, it's 12 am. I'm pretty sure there's not gonna be some idiot walking around in the beach.

Just don't be spotted and be careful.

K bye

Bye

I put away my phone. By that I mean sat it on the sand along with my shoes. I walked into the water until it was up to my waste. Then, I transformed. I waited under the dock for my mom and aunt.
"You can stop waiting now." I jumped and looked at my mom.
"You nearly gave me a heart attack!" I yelled.
"Well, it's not my fault you're jumpy." She sneered. See, I have a pretty childish/bratty family.
"So, what's the big news?"
"Two actually. I'll tell you the second one if you do good during training." My aunt said.
"Ok, I won't do good. I'll do great! Let's start."
"So, the type of mermaid you are is a tidetender. You make sure that the tide is either high, low, strong, calm. It's a type of weatherworker, too." My mom explained.
"Ok. So, what's the training about?"
"Um, we'll get to that later. Maybe after Christmas. It's a little stressful at first, but you get used to it. And it feels great when you are done." She told me.
"There are also festivals. Like there's one called the Full Moon Festival. The last full moon of the lunar year is when it takes place."
"Why lunar year?"
"The first mermaids had lunar years rather than what we have today." My aunt explained.
"Oh. Since we aren't doing training, can I know what the surprise is?" They looked at each other.
"We are going to New York to visit Cecilia. We will be leaving this week and will be there until Christmas break is over. Unfortunately, Cecilia's Christmas break doesn't start 2 days until after yours. So, for the first 2 days you'll be stuck with Hannah and Kaitlyn. Syrena can only come on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day." My smile grew with each word. I've never been to New York. Kitty always visited us, but we've never visited them.
"Are we leaving Saturday?" I asked.
"Sunday. We need to pack."
"Two days! Yes, yes, yes! I'm totally going I ice skating in Central Park." I ranted.
"Do you wanna go to the cave? We can maybe practice your powers. Or at least teach you something." My aunt offered.
"Sure. But isn't the cave all the way back in Swan Cove?"
"Yes, but it's a quick swim. Twenty minutes top." I dove under and started swimming.
"Hey, Mermaid. This way." My mom called. Ok, it wasn't the scene I imagined in my head. I swam the other way and caught up with her and my aunt. My mom was actually right for once about how it only took 20 minutes to get there. Yeah, my mom isn't exactly right most of the time. One time she said it was going to be sunny but it was pouring down rain. Briar and I had to walk home and her hair was really frizzy. All three of us perched on the ledge.
"Wait, mom, can I go say hi to someone real quick."
"Sure." I swam to the dock and transformed into a human. I ran to Ariels house and knocked on the door.
"Oh my god Daniel! I told you don't come over while I'm watching Netflix!" She yelled from inside. She answered the door and smiled.
"Ohmygod I thought you weren't coming until summer!" She exclaimed.
"I was in the area. I figured I could stop by." I told her.
"Wanna come in? Sorry, I thought you were Daniel at first. Once he came to my house since he couldn't figure out the homework and he made me miss the last episode of the series. Therefore, he isn't allowed to come over while I'm watching Netflix." She explained.
"Um, wow. Thanks." I went in and followed her downstairs. She was wearing pale blue sweatpants and a grey sweatshirt that was from Fenwick Island. Her hair was in a messy bun and the downstairs was filled with cans of coke and bags of chips.
"Sorry it's really messy and littered with trash. I was binge watching." She apologized.
"That's alright. My basement is like this most of the time." I said. It looked like that she was watching "Orange is the New Black" on Netflix. Personally, I've never watched it. I know my mom has though. Mainly because she left my sisters and I to fend for myself for a week. We watched it for about 25 minutes. I understood none of it. None. Of. It.
"Oh crap! My mom and aunt have been sitting in that cave for the last 25 minutes! I gotta go."
"Bye. See you next summer."
"Bye." I said as ran up the steps and out the door. I dove into the water and started swimming toward the cave. My mom and aunt were asleep.
"Guys, wake up!" I yelled.
"Hannah, Kaitlyn, stop fighting." My mom exclaimed. My aunt and I stared at her like she was crazy.
"Sorry, force of habit." She said.
"Where were you? You were gone for more than half an hour!" My aunt asked.
"I may or may not have been watching 'Orange is the New Black' with Ariel."
My aunt rolled her eyes at me.
"Next time text us."
"I don't have my phone! None of us do!" I snapped.
"Right." My mom and aunt said in unison.
"We might as well start with the basics."
"Ugh! Now!" I moaned. My mom gave me that look that's like, 'Change your tone, young lady.' Or 'Hey, watch that attitude or you'll be spending the next 2 weeks on house arrest.'
"I mean, that is wonderful. What's first?" She grinned and nodded. Moms, so picky. My aunt went on about how it was important to learn how to control the pressure, or something like that. I wasn't really paying attention. After all, it was probably 3 am and I haven't slept in 23 hours. I was dozing off and trying not to fall asleep.
"Ok, ready to go home?"
"Please! Can you carry me home? I can't feel my body." I slurred.
"Um, sure?" She said. My mom was sleeping again.
"Amanda! Wake up!" Aunt Sage yelled.
"What?" She groaned as she rubbed her eyes.
"Time to go." With that my mom perked up. She was like an energy drink. She shot out of the cave and started swimming toward our house. On the other hand, I was being dragged by Aunt Sage.
"Are you trying to dislocate my shoulder?"
"Do you wanna swim yourself."
"Eh, I can just go to the doctors. Continue." She kept painfully dragging me. Actually, more like jerking me. Same difference. Finally, after 10 painful minutes, we were home.
"Can you carry me up to my room? I'm alright with the couch or love chair too." My aunt sighed.
"You better get me a good Christmas present." She turned human again and grabbed a towel. She wrapped me up in it and picked me up. She started carrying me toward my house. Hey, my aunt is small and looks really weak. In reality, she is really strong. She goes to the gym a lot. Like, 4 hours every Saturday and Sunday. Sometimes on the weekdays. She payed me on the couch and covered me up with a blanket. My fin peeked out of the end of the blanket and was resting on the arm of the couch. Yeah, I wasn't exactly dry. My mom was upstairs getting ready for bed. I payed on the couch with the TV playing on the background. I heard the theme song of "Hannah Montana" playing. Ugh, how much I hated that show. I quickly fell asleep to the sound of the TV. All I could think about was New York.