“And what city is that?”
“I’m in Boston,” Ted said, glancing at Jolie and then sliding his eyes away. It was like he couldn’t hold her gaze, Jolie thought, and narrowed her eyes at him. Every time he looked at her, he quickly moved on, never hovering for too long. She wondered why. Did he feel the same things she was feeling?
“I’ve heard great things about Boston. What’s your favorite thing about the city?” Mirra asked, spreading butter on a slice of bread she pulled from the basket.
“Hmm, it’s hard to name just one thing. But I think it’s being able to walk along the Charles River or the waterfront. I love being near water. It gives me time to think and to decompress after a long day. I need the outside time to recharge. Not every city can offer me green space and proximity to water.”
“What do you need to decompress from?” Jolie asked, then looked up when Irma nudged her. “What?”
“It’s rude to ask such intimate questions. You’ve just met him.”
“It’s not rude if he brought it up, is it?” Jolie turned to Ted and demanded, “Am I being rude?”
Ted flushed again under her stare. “Ah, well, no, I don’t mind answering the question. I get, well, I guess I get stressed from being ‘on’ all day. Or talking all day. I tend to be a bit of a loner, so I need to recharge my emotional batteries by being alone in nature for a while.”
“That makes sense. It’s my favorite part about being in the ocean,” Jolie said, sipping her wine and smiling to herself when his gaze darted away from her again. Oh yes, the man was definitely affected by her. “Nobody can reach me. No cell phones, no computers. No people to bother me.”
“I think that’s part of why I’m so drawn to water. That and mermaids, of course,” Ted said – then looked up when everyone in the room paused what they were doing and stared at him. “Um… hmm. I suppose I should expand on that?”
“Please do,” Jolie said, narrowing her eyes a bit as she studied him.
“Well, it’s part of what I do, you see.”
“You’re a mermaid doctor?” Irma asked.
Ted laughed – a real laugh this time, not an embarrassed chuckle – and the timbre of it made heat roll through Jolie’s stomach.
“I should only be so lucky. No, I’m a literature professor, with a more specific focus on mythology. And a particular area of focus for me is mermaid mythology. I’ve always been drawn to it. That’s why I chose Siren Island – because of the rich history of mermaid myths. In truth, I needed a vacation, but I thought I might as well combine it with two of the things I love – the ocean and mermaids. Finding your guesthouse was an added bonus.”
“Well, we do love all things mermaid,” Irma agreed, bending to pull a steaming dish of stuffed shells from the oven and placing it on the counter. “I’m sure any one of us would be happy to help you in your research.”
“Really? That’d be fantastic, actually. There wasn’t much I could find on the internet in the way of documentation or local narratives. I’d certainly appreciate it if you could point me in the right direction of anyone with historical knowledge of the legends here.”
“You’re looking at one of them. Well, three of them, actually.” Mirra laughed as Ted’s face brightened, and she nodded to her mother. “Irma is a good resource.”
“Is she?” Ted turned and sized up Irma again – and for the first time in her life, Jolie found herself jealous of her mother. “Are you?”
“I am. But Jolie’s just as handy a resource. Perhaps you can take him to town tomorrow to sort out his transportation? Then maybe take him by Prince’s house and he could have a chat.”
“A chat? You’ll be there all day. The man never stops talking.”
“I don’t mind. It’s fascinating learning from others. I’m quite content to sit and listen all day if that’s what it takes.”
“What do you hope to learn about the mermaids while you’re here?” Mirra asked.
“Well, really I’m just fascinated by how so many cultures have stories of mermaids, and how closely the stories often line up. These myths come from centuries ago when there was no way to exchange the stories, so I find it very interesting that similar characteristics have developed in legends across the world.”
“Do you believe that mermaids could be real?” Jolie asked. Irma went still at the counter.
“I would be the luckiest man on earth if I discovered they were real,” Ted said, and smiled when Irma brought a plate over to him.
“What would you do with that information if you did find them?” Jolie asked.
“If I actually found evidence that mermaids were real? Hmm, that’s a tough question,” Ted mused. He had waited to take a bite of his dinner until Irma had joined them at the table; now he added, “This is delicious.”
“Thank you,” Irma said. “Go on.”
“If I found out they were truly real, I think I could die a happy man. But I’d hope I could also study them and learn about them.”
“Study them – like in a lab?”
“No! Goodness, no. Never. That would be the other piece of it. I’d want them protected and not exploited. So perhaps it would just be a private win for me, and I could maybe verify some truths about the mythology of mermaids? Honestly, I just don’t know. I suspect I’d have an endless number of questions, and then I’d likely write a paper about it.”
Jolie froze at his words. “A paper?”
“Sure. I mean, I couldn’t reveal my sources without exposing the mermaids, but I might be able to add some correlation or layers to past myths. It’s really fascinating, actually. I’m sure I’d figure out the angle eventually. After I got over the sheer joy of seeing a mermaid, that is.”
“What makes you think a mermaid would agree to tell you her story?” Jolie speared her fork into a stuffed shell, torn between her feelings for Ted and his desire to learn more about their kind.
“I don’t. I truly don’t think she would tell me her story. Why would she? If they are real, they have no reason to trust humans, based on the stories I’ve read. And vice versa, I suppose. Humans haven’t always fared well at the hands of sirens, either.”
“For good reason,” Mirra murmured, but snapped her mouth shut when Jolie shot her a look.
“You’re absolutely right, Mirra. For good reason. If mermaids are real, I think they’re smart to stay hidden.”
“And yet you’d write a paper on them.”
“I’d write a paper on the legends of them, and might be able to add some new insights that haven’t been uncovered before.” Ted’s face lit up as he talked – he was clearly passionate about the subject – and Jolie wanted him to look at her like that too.
“Well, we’re happy to have you here. I’m certain we’ll be able to point you in the right direction for your research. Is there anything else you’d like to do with your time here? We can help with renting boats and activities like that as well,” Irma said, smoothly shifting the conversation.