The Sirens Gift

I took in a deep breath, letting water splash over my chest. The smell of salt wafted into my nose, mixed with a sloshing sound. I could hear the sound of a buoy ding somewhere off in the distance and watched seagulls fly overhead any time I opened my eyes. “Adalaie!” A muffled call came from the shore. I wanted to ignore it. I closed my eyes and took another deep breath. Willing the voice away before I heard it call for me again “Adalaie!” I sighed and stared at the sky, it was bright and dainty clouds hung overhead. I righted myself in the water and looked to the shore. I was a good few yards out from the shallow walking beach and could see my sister waiting impatiently for me. She tapped her foot into the sand and crossed her arms over her chest. I could see her breath steaming from beneath the collar of her thick sweater. “Hurry!” She squealed at me in a horse voice. “Dads waiting!” I slumped into the water and then ducked down, fully immersing myself into the briny wake of the ocean as it washed over my hair. I felt myself sink into bliss, the water cradling my body like a baby swaddled in blankets. Then I heard my sister's muffled voice call for me again. It was just barely audible with the slosh of water in my ear drums. It wasn’t my day to work, so I have no idea why my sister was so pressed to get me out of the water. When I finally emerged from the water, she was angrily tapping her hand on her arm, one hip popped to the side. I began the slow paddle back to the wading area of the beach, trying to prolong my time in the water. “Hurry up.” She ordered. “Sabrina… it’s my day off…” I groveled as I stood, letting water drip from my hair and skin as the cold air created goosebumps to rise on my limbs. “Yeah, well, I have an appointment so dad needs help.” “That’s not my problem… you should have gotten coverage ahead of time…” “Just go help him, Adalaie.” “You know this is the only time I get to be in the water, Sabrina…” I pouted as I took the towel to my body and soaked up the dripping water. “It’s April, in Maine. How can you even be in the water…” she rolled her bright blue eyes, “Ridiculous.” “It feels amazing…” I said, pulling my towel around my head and ringing my hair. “Little weirdo.” “Prude.” I stuck my tongue at her and she stuck hers back. Then smiled. “Promise I’ll only be gone for like an hour to an hour and a half. I’ll even take an hour and a half of your shift tomorrow to make up for it.” “Promise?” “I Promise, Addy!” Smiled and nodded. “Okay, I’ll be there in 10.” She nodded and turned. Her long, dirty blond hair waved behind her as she stepped through the sand and up over the dune that blocked the beach from the parking area and main road that led across to our little diner. I pulled my hair into a ponytail and finished wiping off the water that was freezing to my skin. Then I pulled on my jeans and sweater, which both now had grains of sand stuck to them. I pulled on my sneakers and wiggled my toes at the gritty feeling of sand before I gathered my towel and sprinted to the diner. “Addy, please take table 5s order.” The Lead Hostess called as I ran through the front door. “Yes Miss Jean, One minute!” “Now Adalaie!” She retorted and I sighed, pausing and staring at her as I dropped my towel behind her station and grabbed an order pad from our little podium desk which greeted guests as they came in. She raised her face in disgust at me as I walked to the table and greeted the guests, lobster fishers who had taken an early morning break for breakfast. “Morning folks, what can I get for you guys?” I wrote down their orders, then turned to the kitchen. Stepping in, I could smell bacon, it sizzled gently in the pan beside a big pile of eggs being scrambled by the line cook. “Morning Greg!” “Morning Addy.” “Morning dad.” “Morning baby girl.” My dad leaned over and kissed the side of my head as I pinned the receipt to the window. “Captains Omelet and French toast, how long?” “About 10 minutes.” “Okay, be right back!” The back door of the kitchen led to another stairwell up to the apartment I shared with my Dad and older sister. I stripped my clothing quickly in my and my sister's bathroom as the water ran. Immediately hoping into the freezing stream and rinsing the salt from my hair and body. A quick 5 minutes before, I wrapped my dark hair again and yanked on tight yoga pants which wanted to stick to my damp skin and replaced my sandy sweatshirt with a clean band t-shirt. My soaking wet shoes were replaced with some warm dry slip ons. Then I pulled my hair down and trotted back down the stairs to the kitchen where my dad was setting my order on the hot plate as I passed him. I grabbed the plates and returned to my table, they thanked me and smiled as I set down their stuff. Then I returned to the front podium and grabbed my towel. I ignored a snide comment from the Lead Hostess about how I needed to stop coming to work from the ocean, and that I looked homeless. “When are you gonna fire that lady?” I asked as I plucked a piece of bacon from the pile of cooked bacon that would go into our omelets and scrambles that Greg would do. “Addy, stop it, Jean has been here longer than you’ve been alive.” “Yeah, but she’s rude.” I said with a cheek full of bacon. “Got a point.” Greg agreed with a shrug as he continued his food. My dad shook his head. I said it every time we worked together. Jean and I never got along from the very moment I stepped foot in the diner. If she had any headway she’d have fired me. And honestly, I wouldn’t exactly blame her. I often came to work looking like I’d just rolled in a sand dune. However, I was never late. Today was an exception with my sister having an unexpected appointment. “Leave Miss Jean Alone.” My dad shook his head while rolling his eyes. “She means well.” “She called me homeless looking.” I said, leaning back on the counter . Greg handed me a plate with a ruined omelet on it that looked more like scrambled eggs folded in on itself. “Got a point.” Greg teased. I stuck my tongue out at him as I pulled a fork from the silverware bin. “You two stop it.” My dad rolled his eyes. We giggled at him. “If you didn’t go swimming right before a shift she wouldn’t call you homeless looking.” “I mean, it’s not my fault today.” I responded, “Sabrina should have told me beforehand.” “Who even goes swimming this late into winter…” my dad shook his head, “I’m surprised you haven’t gotten frostbite…” I shrugged, “it’s not cold.” I responded. “It’s like a perfect temperature…” My dad and Greg both rolled their eyes. “Pretty sure your biological parents are polar bears.” Greg responded. “Or sea lions.” My dad countered with a laugh. I shrugged “To each their own.”