my dress were a giveaway.
“I like him a lot, too.”
Dex paused to consider me. “Liking the boy may not be enough.”
A dark shot of fear seared me. Was Dex going to ask me to leave Tor alone?
“Maybe it’s more than ‘like’ for me.”
Dex poured the boiling water into the teapot, and carried it over along with three matching cups, cream and sugar.
“My dear, I’m afraid you don’t know what you’re signing up for.”
“Why don’t you enlighten me?”
He poured for both of us.
“Our life is very complicated.”
His explanation was cut short by the sound of someone crying out in pain. My heart dropped. “Tor?”
Dex nodded. “Pain is a prerequisite to the pleasure of being human.”
Tor cried out again and I jumped to my feet.
“Dori!” Dex shook his head in warning. “It’s almost over. Now, come sit.”
I returned to the table, my legs quivering. Tor had known he’d have to endure this tonight when I’d made my request. I felt sick.
I sipped my tea, but I couldn’t stop my eyes from darting to the doorway waiting for Tor.
“Like I said,” Dex continued, “our lives are very complicated. Tor and I are trying to fit into two opposing worlds. You only understand one.”
“I want to understand both,” I said quickly.
“I’m sure you do. However, for you it is impossible. Dori, dear, I know I’m asking a lot here, and it’s only because I love my nephew…”
My heart plunged to my feet. I didn’t want to hear what he was going to say next.
“If you truly care for him like you say, you should let him go.”
“Let me go where?” Tor walked in with a bounce to his step. You’d never guess he’d just gone through agony to get those legs.
Dex flashed me a look. He didn’t want Tor to know what he’d asked of me.
“Uh, I was just telling Dex about my swim meet coming up this weekend,” I said. “It’s the Maritimes competition, the lead up to the Junior Nationals. Do you want to come?”
I hadn’t planned on inviting Tor. I couldn’t imagine what he thought about our human swimming competitions. After swimming with him tonight, he must think they were a joke. “You don’t have to,” I added. “It’s no big deal, really.”
“I’d love to,” he said with a smile.
Dex handed him his cup of tea, his frown barely concealed.
“My only problem is the humidity in the pool room. I might have, uh, a reaction.” Tor blushed and an overwhelming wave of affection for him washed over me. Suddenly, I wanted him there. I wanted him to share my life as much as possible, especially since I couldn’t fully share his.
“There’s an observation room,” I said. “It’s behind glass, and very dry.”
“Great!” Tor grinned widely.
Dex’s mouth pulled down into a deeper frown. I’d just done the exact opposite of what he’d asked of me.
I squirmed under Dex’s disapproving gaze. “Uh, I should go, Tor. I told Mom I’d be home after the fireworks.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
I sat in the middle of the backseat of our family SUV, an older model Ford Escort. Tor was on one side, behind my Dad who drove, and Nana was on the other side behind my mom. Nana smelled heavily of a floral perfume, like she’d just stepped out of her own garden patch.
Mom cranked her head back at us. “How’s your uncle?” she said, not waiting for an answer. “It’s so strange that we haven’t run into him yet. You should bring him around some day.”
“He’s fine,” Tor said. “And I’m sure he’d love to meet you.”
“Are your parents coming to Eastcove this summer?” Her eyes moved back and forth between us as though checking to make sure we weren’t holding hands or cuddling. We weren’t.
“No. I’ll be going to Maine soon to see them.”
Maine? Like on the coast of Maine? Or like a thousand leagues under the sea off the coast of Maine? And what did he mean by soon ?
“Oh, that will be nice for you.” Mom stared at the road then back at us. “Do you
“I like him a lot, too.”
Dex paused to consider me. “Liking the boy may not be enough.”
A dark shot of fear seared me. Was Dex going to ask me to leave Tor alone?
“Maybe it’s more than ‘like’ for me.”
Dex poured the boiling water into the teapot, and carried it over along with three matching cups, cream and sugar.
“My dear, I’m afraid you don’t know what you’re signing up for.”
“Why don’t you enlighten me?”
He poured for both of us.
“Our life is very complicated.”
His explanation was cut short by the sound of someone crying out in pain. My heart dropped. “Tor?”
Dex nodded. “Pain is a prerequisite to the pleasure of being human.”
Tor cried out again and I jumped to my feet.
“Dori!” Dex shook his head in warning. “It’s almost over. Now, come sit.”
I returned to the table, my legs quivering. Tor had known he’d have to endure this tonight when I’d made my request. I felt sick.
I sipped my tea, but I couldn’t stop my eyes from darting to the doorway waiting for Tor.
“Like I said,” Dex continued, “our lives are very complicated. Tor and I are trying to fit into two opposing worlds. You only understand one.”
“I want to understand both,” I said quickly.
“I’m sure you do. However, for you it is impossible. Dori, dear, I know I’m asking a lot here, and it’s only because I love my nephew…”
My heart plunged to my feet. I didn’t want to hear what he was going to say next.
“If you truly care for him like you say, you should let him go.”
“Let me go where?” Tor walked in with a bounce to his step. You’d never guess he’d just gone through agony to get those legs.
Dex flashed me a look. He didn’t want Tor to know what he’d asked of me.
“Uh, I was just telling Dex about my swim meet coming up this weekend,” I said. “It’s the Maritimes competition, the lead up to the Junior Nationals. Do you want to come?”
I hadn’t planned on inviting Tor. I couldn’t imagine what he thought about our human swimming competitions. After swimming with him tonight, he must think they were a joke. “You don’t have to,” I added. “It’s no big deal, really.”
“I’d love to,” he said with a smile.
Dex handed him his cup of tea, his frown barely concealed.
“My only problem is the humidity in the pool room. I might have, uh, a reaction.” Tor blushed and an overwhelming wave of affection for him washed over me. Suddenly, I wanted him there. I wanted him to share my life as much as possible, especially since I couldn’t fully share his.
“There’s an observation room,” I said. “It’s behind glass, and very dry.”
“Great!” Tor grinned widely.
Dex’s mouth pulled down into a deeper frown. I’d just done the exact opposite of what he’d asked of me.
I squirmed under Dex’s disapproving gaze. “Uh, I should go, Tor. I told Mom I’d be home after the fireworks.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
I sat in the middle of the backseat of our family SUV, an older model Ford Escort. Tor was on one side, behind my Dad who drove, and Nana was on the other side behind my mom. Nana smelled heavily of a floral perfume, like she’d just stepped out of her own garden patch.
Mom cranked her head back at us. “How’s your uncle?” she said, not waiting for an answer. “It’s so strange that we haven’t run into him yet. You should bring him around some day.”
“He’s fine,” Tor said. “And I’m sure he’d love to meet you.”
“Are your parents coming to Eastcove this summer?” Her eyes moved back and forth between us as though checking to make sure we weren’t holding hands or cuddling. We weren’t.
“No. I’ll be going to Maine soon to see them.”
Maine? Like on the coast of Maine? Or like a thousand leagues under the sea off the coast of Maine? And what did he mean by soon ?
“Oh, that will be nice for you.” Mom stared at the road then back at us. “Do you
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