The Sea Taketh (Alex Singer) (28 page)

             
“Let’s get her in before all the heat escapes from the car!” she says.

             
Sven and Henrik carefully lift me into the limo. Christian is immediately at my side.

             
“Hello, Alexandra.” The woman puts a couple more quilts on me and arranges pillows for me to rest on. She introduces herself, “My name is Dr. Larsen, but you can call me ‘Ana’.”

             
Sven shuts and locks the door as soon as Jen is in the car.

             
“I know the seat is uncomfortable, but the ride is short,” Ana says, removing her gloves. She puts a webbed hand on my forehead and nods. “Are you in pain?”

             
I shake my head.

             
“I will examine you once we’re on the plane. For the time being, I want you to let me know if you feel any increase in pain.”

             
“Thank you,” I say gratefully. My side is throbbing more than I let on.

             
She gently strokes my hair. “You’re welcome.”

She nods her head to Christian before inspecting her supplies.

              “Ana is a very old friend of mine,” Christian says as he wraps his arms around me. “She is married to Bjorn.”

             
“She must be a good friend to come to Maine during this time of year,” I lay my head on his shoulder.

             
“Yes, like you, I am fortunate to have good friends.” He points to Jen who’s holding Sven’s hand.

             
“They are good together.”

             
“Very good together,” he agrees. “Are you warm enough?”

             
“I’m so bundled, I could survive in the arctic,” I tease.

             
Outside the windows, the streetlights of Portland shine down on the snow blanketed city. Christmas lights blinks from store windows. As it is in the middle of the night, the streets are practically empty but for the limo and our police escort.

             
Although I am surrounded by friends and police officers, a shiver runs up my spine as I gaze out the dark window. Somewhere out there is a mentally unstable man who will stop at nothing to follow through with his insane plans. Unfortunately those plans include killing me. The thought causes me to pull my blankets tighter.

             
“He will never hurt you again,” Christian says as though he can read my mind. He protectively tucks the blankets around me.

“Never, again,” he tells me, kissing my head.

              After a short drive, we pull into the airport and directly onto the tarmac. A large jet is preparing for flight. Its considerable crew is waiting for us. Ana opens the door and steps into the cold.

             
“Alexandra must be moved first,” she orders. “Put her on the gurney, so she can be taken up the stairs.”

             
Sven and Henrik carefully pass me to two gloved mermen orderlies. I am placed on the gurney and wheeled to the plane. Christian and Ana walk behind me, whispering to one another. Since I can’t hear what they are saying, I turn my attentions to the crew. I have always known the Pedersens to be very polite and decide that this must be a Danish and merfolk trait. The gloved crew politely inclines their heads as we board the plane.

             
The aircraft is stunning. I’ve flown first-class on my previous travels to Europe, but that doesn’t compare to the size and luxury of this plane. It is more like a fine hotel than airplane.

             
“Take her to the master bedroom,” Ana orders.

I am carried through corridors and into an actual bedroom. The orderlies carefully place me on a large bed and leave the room.

              “How do you feel?” Christian sits next to me and takes my hand.

             
“I’m fine. I didn’t think merfolk needed airplanes?” I raise an eyebrow.

             
“We usually don’t because we travel much faster in water, but, at times, we must travel across land.”

             
“If travel by water is faster, why are you flying?”

             
“Because you are flying,” he says. He gestures to the doctor behind him. “I want Ana to give you a checkup before we takeoff. I’ll send in Jen to help.”

             
He leaves and Jen comes to aid in the checkup. The blankets are removed, and Jen helps me take off my pajama bottoms. Ana inspects my calf first. It is healing nicely. When she removes the bandages from my hip, air escapes her lips.

             
“Alexandra, I was told this wound was bad, but I didn’t understand the gravity of the situation until now,” she says. “I’m surprised you allowed us to move you.”

             
“I’m better here than I was in the hospital,” I say.

             
“I completely agree.” She opens a medical bag. “There are many things we can do for you of which humans are incapable. I am going to treat the wound with a special hot pack. It will speed up healing and remove the swelling. However, it is very painful, so I will give you something to help you sleep while I work.”

             
“I hate to miss the flight,” I lament.

             
“It is a very long flight. You will be awake before it is over,” she says. She puts a needle into the IV in my arm, and I fall asleep.

*     *     *

              “Alexandra, how are you feeling?” Christian strokes my hair as I wake up.

             
“Did I miss the flight?” I carefully sit up, expecting pain. When it doesn’t come, I pull back my blankets and scrutinize my wounds. The one on my calf is healed with a very faint scar, and my injured hip looks considerably better. The tissue around the wound has returned to normal, and the bullet hole is scabbed over.

             
“How does it feel?” he asks.

             
I carefully lift the leg and stretch my muscles. “Wonderful! How did she do it?”

             
“Ancient merfolk remedy,” he answers, tucking me back into the blankets.

             
“I want to get up.” I pull the blankets off. “I want to explore this plane.”

             
“Ana wants you to stay off your feet for now.” He wraps the blankets around me, again. “You will start physical therapy, tomorrow.”

             
I cross my arms and pout. He chuckles before removing my oxygen tube so he can kiss my pouting lips. I pull away. He chuckles again as he takes my face in his hands and passionately kisses me.

             
“How is the patient?” Ana asks as she opens the door. When she sees us kissing, she drops a tray of medical equipment. Henrik, Sven, and Jen are instantly there to pick up the tray. Sven shuts the door behind him as Ana walks into the room. She and Christian begin an extended discussion in Danish which switches to a series of blowing air through their lips. At length, Ana nods.

             
“Thank you,” Christian says.

             
“You’re welcome,” Ana says. She turns to me. “Alexandra, what would you like for lunch?”

             
“Can I get up and go eat with everyone else?” I ask hopefully.

             
“Yes, that will be fine as long as you keep on your oxygen tube and stay off your feet. I will send for Jen and have a place prepared for you.”

             
Jen finds my bags, and helps me choose out a green sweater and loose, black skirt. Slippers are put on my feet. Feeling like a scrounge, I brush my hair and put on a little makeup.

             
One of the orderlies carries me to a portion of the plane with a table and chairs. Christian, Sven, and Henrik are waiting for me and Jen. They have plates of steaming seafood and goblets of wine in front of them.

             
“What’s on the menu?” I ask as the orderly sets me down on a chair.

             
“What would you like?” Henrik asks.

             
“I’ve been in the hospital, everything sounds good to me.”

Sven blows through his lips and a mermaid brings Jen and me matching plates of fresh fruit, rice, and lobster tails. Another mermaid pours us large glasses of orange juice.

              “Thank you,” I say as I picked up my fork. “When will we arrive?”

             
“In a just over an hour,” Henrik says as he looks out the window.

             
“Are you excited to see your girlfriend?” I smile at him.

             
“Sonia and I have been married for eighty-six years,” he smiles back at me. “And, yes, I’m very excited to see her.”

             
“I guess a high school senior can’t have a wife.” I laugh. Sven, Henrik, and Jen join me.

             
Christian is distracted by his phone. He’s texting someone.

“I’m sorry,” he says as he puts the phone away. “I’m just tying up some lo
ose ends.”

             
I begin eating my food and find it delicious. Jen must think the same because she wolfs hers down, to Sven’s delight. Henrik and Sven soon empty their plates, but Christian doesn’t touch his as he looks over a pile of papers on the table.

             
Henrik blows through his lips and a tray of cheese, crackers, and caviar is placed on the table. He and Sven take a serving of the food before it is placed in front of Christian. He glances over the food before he picks up his fork. He blows softly before he begins to eat.

             
A tray of desserts is immediately brought to the table.

“What would you like, Miss Singer?” a mermaid asks.

              I choose an éclair. She takes the tray to Sven and Henrik who choose several different desserts. Jen takes a dish of chocolate mousse.

             
“How can you guys afford to fly like this?” Jen asks while digging into her dessert.

             
“One of the perks of the job,” Sven says. He tears into a fruit tart.

             
“And what exactly do you three mermen do?” I ask. At their ages and with their bank account, they must have jobs.

             
“We are employed by the government,” Christian answers.

             
“Government employees don’t fly around in jets,” Jen says.

             
“Maybe in the human world, but we’re merfolk,” Sven replies.

             
“So you’re stinking rich?” Jen asks. I’m surprised she hasn’t asked this before. Apparently so is Sven. He smirks at her.

             
“Yes, we have money,” he says.

             
“And you’ve let us think you were going to break the bank?” She pinches the fin on his arm.

             
Sven laughs heartily as he pulls away his arm. “I tried to tell you, but I’ll make it up to you. What do you want?”

             
“You can make it up to me. I forgot my toothbrush,” Jen says with a shrug of her shoulders.

             
Sven laughs hilariously. He picks up Jen and puts her on his lap. “My Stinging Jellyfish, you can have all the toothbrushes you want!”

             
“I only need the one,” she says as she continues to eat her mousse.

             
“Where will we be staying?” I ask before putting the final bite of my éclair in my mouth.

             
“In a cottage by the seashore,” Christian answers.

11

Denmark

When Christian said we were staying in a cottage, I thought of the tiny summer cottages along Maine’s coast. When the limo pulls up to the Pedersens’ cottage, I see that cottage is the wrong word for it. Although it is charming like a cottage, it’s the wrong size. The house is enormous.

             
“You call that a cottage?” Jen exclaims as she looks out the window of the limo.