Of Different Waters

The next morning Tiburon awoke before Ronan and decided to have a quick word with John and Rebecca. He slipped out of the bed quietly, as not to wake the peaceful slumbering man, and made his way into the room where Ronan’s parents spent most of their time. He told them that Ronan probably only had a few hours before he would turn into a mer forever. They would have that time to say goodbye to their son. And tell him how they found him. It was way past time he found out what was going on.

Tiburon told them he’d be in the water outside the hotel room when they were ready to give Ronan to the sea.

~ODW~

A few hours later Rebecca and Ronan stood at a section of beach a mile, maybe two, away from their hotel room.

“Why’d you bring me here, Mom?” Ronan asked in a small voice, even though he had a suspicion he knew exactly what the significance of this place was. Why she brought him here.

She was going to tell him how she sound him.

“It’s way past time for me to tell you how you became our son.”

Seventeen Years Earlier

He was playing in the waves the first time they saw him. Splashing around without a care in the world. They watched him for a while, waiting for some kind of parent to show up.

One hour went by. Then two.

A horrible realization befell the young couple. The little boy was alone.

Whoever his parents were needed a serious talking to, normal people didn’t just let their maybe five year old play unaccompanied in the unforgiving Atlantic Ocean.

Another thirty minutes ticked by and still no sign of a mom or dad.

“Oh John, this is ridiculous,” Rebecca SéWell huffed motioning to the happy child on the beach. “I’m gonna go get him,” she decided already pulling on her windbreaker and heading out the door.

“Yeah, you better hurry, he looks upset,” John said sarcastically watching the child laugh and splash in the waves. A particularly large wave came by and knocked the boy head-over-heels. When the wave retreated the child was face first in the wet sand. He slowly pushed himself up from the ground.

Instead of crying, which is definitely what John knew he’d be doing in that situation, the kid clapped his hands together and began laughing. John shook his head amazed. “What a crazy little sea monkey.”

~ODW~

Rebecca raced to the shore, only slowing down when she got within eyesight of the little boy. The last thing I need is to frighten him.

She approached him slowly, “Hey baby,” she cooed.

He stopped playing with the waves and looked up at her. He was such a cute little thing too with all that black hair and those blue eyes. His skin, though, looked a little blue. Was the water that cold? His lips weren’t blue.

He murmured something Rebecca didn’t quite catch. “What babe, I couldn’t hear you,” she said softly.

”Etu ra maru?” the little kid stared up at her, his big innocent eyes searching.

“Where are your parents?” Rebecca asked, not understanding what the kid was saying. Maybe he’d be able to answer a different question.

”Etu ra maru? Ma nom ces Ronan,” he spoke unblinking.

What is he saying? He definitely doesn’t speak any language I understand. Which rules out English. She thought, laughing at her own lack of knowledge when it came to other languages.

This language barrier did pose a small problem. How was she supposed to know what he told her? She gave him a questioning look.

The little boy walked up to her just as cautiously as she had walked up to him. He grabbed her hand. Rebecca crouched down so she was eye level with him. She looked him over. There were faint flecks of blue in his hair when the sun hit it. And now that he was out of the water his skin didn’t look so blue anymore. With his other hand the boy pointed to himself.

”Ma nom ces Ronan,” he then pointed at her and said. ”Qui ces maro nom?”

Nahm?” she questioned. What could that mean... think, think. Nam, nam, nam... “Name!”

So his name was Ronan.

“I’m Rebecca,” she smiled down at the little boy. He gave her a confused look. “Umm,” what had he said? “Mahroo nam sess... Rebecca?”

She hoped that was right.

Apparently it was because the child broke into a huge grin. He jumped up and hugged her. ”Imara,” he cried not letting her go. She laughed at the clingy-ness of the boy. She didn’t have a clue what he had said to her, but figured if a hug was involved, it couldn’t be that bad. Unless, of course, he was actually trying to strangle her. Which was quite possible with how tight he was squeezing;

She hugged him back and chuckled again; He laughter died down when she realized the boy was crying. His eyes burning an angry shade of red.

”Imara,” he sniffled rubbing his cheek against her, ”tu n’rat pasa mo tux.”

Rebecca didn’t know what to do with the sobbing child, so she just waited there comforting him until his sobs subsided. When the boy’s crying finally ceased, he let go of Rebecca and gave her a sheepish grin.

Rebecca looked at him and gently grabbed his hand, “Ronan, do you want to come home with me?” Perplexed, the boy just looked up at her with large questioning eyes. Rebecca carefully took a step back still holding his hand. He followed. They walked until they were almost off the beach.

”Imara, zech!” Ronan yanked his hand from hers and ran toward the ocean a few steps.

”Barta Oceana,” he giggles, waving goodbye to the ocean. ”Opt, maruta yemaht, Imara,” Ronan said happily running back to Rebecca and grabbing her outstretched hand.

When they arrived at the hotel Rebecca picked up the little boy and carried him up to the room her and John shared.

All the way up to the top floor... of the three story building. Rebecca opened the door and set the child down, closing the door behind them.

”Imara, qui ces loot?” Ronan’s voice was a mix of fear and fascination when looking at the strange room.

John strode over, “I saw you coming from...” he pointed out the window.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, so what’s his story?”

“Um... Can I get back to you on that one?” Rebecca asked with a nervous laugh.

“What do you mean?” John shouted. “You can’t just take a kid!”

“Well, he doesn’t exactly-”

“Gamara! Maru ra ma Gamara?”

“What the hell kind of language is that?” John exclaimed taken aback.

Rebecca just shrugged.

“Can we take him back to Pennsylvania with us?” she pleaded.

“Well,” John scratched the back of his head, apparently, deep in thought, “we can’t very well leave the little sea monkey here, now, can we?” He smiled when he saw the huge grin on Rebecca’s face.

“You hear that, Ronan, you’re gonna live with us from now on.”

”Mishcala."

Present Day

Rebecca then continued to tell Ronan more. She told him a few days later his father had come and visited them. Told them what he was. And that saltwater would change him back so they kept him out of it. Apparently the older he was, the more likely it was that the water would change him back, pr something like that. And the language he was speaking... the language the mers spoke.

“Please forgive me for not telling you sooner,” Rebecca finished desperately.

Ronan swallowed thickly. That had been a lot to tale in. He was about to tell Rebecca that he’d forgive her, he understood why she did it, when he doubled over.

He felt weird. His legs were tingly and weak. “Mom, I think I need to get to the water now!” he said urgently. Tiburon had said he had a few hours. His time as a human must have been coming to an end.

“We’ll get you back to the hotel. Tiburon’s waiting there,” she helped him to the car and headed back to their hotel.

On the way she called John, ” I need you down stairs pronto. He’s starting to change. We need to get him down to the water!” she hesitated, then added, “bring the fish.”