The Mermaid's Chest

By Donald Wigboldy, Jr

When Phoebe flew to visit her American cousins in South Carolina, she thought just leaving her home was an adventure. Boating around the islands with the other girls led them to jokingly talk about finding a lost pirate's treasure, but when the girls stumble across a secret treasure cave they can hardly believe their fortune.
Under the influence of a full moon and an open treasure chest, the teenage girls all pull a bracelet and place them on their wrists. An accident closes the chest before they can loot more of the treasure and when the heavy stone door starts to trap them inside they flee with the hopes of returning later.
The next morning's swim brings Phoebe a new surprise when a magical glow surrounds her and moments later she finds her legs changed into a mermaids tail. Her cousin Emily's morning shower ends with a change into a mermaid as well and her friends quickly realize that they are all cursed.
While trying to discover a way to break the curse, the girls find that life goes on and they have to hide their new secret from friends and family alike in the fear of being discovered.
As new powers arise, the girls find that there are perks to being mermaids as well and soon some wonder if they even want to be cured despite the fear of people finding out their secret.
To further complicate things, a local boy, named Steve, becomes interested in Phoebe and invites the girls to a party. With a pool in the backyard and water balloons in the air, the mermaids quickly find new challenges to hiding their secret. Even a rain shower threatens to betray the girls and threatens to have them thrown into a laboratory, their greatest fear.
Will they be found out before the girls can remove the cursed bracelets?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Donald Wigboldy, Jr
• Release date: Jan 2, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301543458

Book preview

Chapter 1- Fish Out of Water

An airplane’s engines rumbled from behind the white stone front of the international airport as it took off from the runway. The rumble barely deafened the cars’ engines as they passed or stopped to pick up their passengers from the arrivals doors. With waves and smiles, family and friends greeted each other as they quickly loaded luggage into trunks and back seats.

Sitting on her hard shelled suitcase, the brunette sat looking worried as if she feared the unexpected. She looked at her cell phone, not for the first time over the past twenty minutes. Flipping through the contacts list, the girl looked at the number she had only used a half hour earlier.

Another rental car came and went as a blue minivan rolled up taking its place and honked. The driver looked familiar. As he opened his door and looked over the windshield moving around the front of the vehicle he waved and called out, Phoebe, oh my goodness, you look so grown up!

The tall brunette smiled and stood to wave back before grabbing for the handle of her carryon bag. Hi, Uncle Ron, she greeted with only a little shyness restraining the girl’s expression. Her pronunciation of his name made the man chuckle as the front and side passenger doors opened to reveal a woman of a similar age to her uncle as well as two girls nearer Phoebe’s age.

I still love the way you say my name with your accent, the older man said with a grin as he grabbed for the suitcase that had served as her seat for the past twenty minutes.

Blushing a little, the girl touched her right cheek self consciously with her free hand. Oh come on, Uncle Ron, don’t tease me. It’s not like you don’t have an accent to me.

She has a point, Ron, the woman hanging onto her door, while standing right behind it, said with a shake of her head to her husband. Her Australian accent isn’t that strong anyway. With a little time, she might even pick up a southern accent and drive her folks crazy by the time she goes home again.

Nancy! protested the man half heartedly as he dragged the piece of luggage to the back of the blue minivan. Pressing his key fob, the back door popped open and the two of them quickly stashed the girl’s luggage.

As she neared the open side door and looked in at the two blond haired girls inside who offered up hellos of their own, Phoebe noted how much they looked like younger versions of their mother. The brown hair and eyes of her Uncle Ron, which were near mirrors to her father’s and her own, seemed to have been trumped by Aunt Nancy, though their faces were a blend of both making two pretty blue eyed girls.

I can’t believe that you’re finally here and we get to see you face to face, the older of the two girls said as she hugged her cousin after sitting in the middle chair beside her. How was your flight?

It was all right most of the time. We had turbulence a few times along the way though. Making a bit of a sick face, Phoebe admitted, Even on such a large plane, I got sick.

Responding to Phoebe’s sick face with a sympathetic mirror on her own, her cousin Emily said, I haven’t flown on an airplane yet. Too bad you got sick, but you’re on solid ground again and safe. A particularly large bump as the van clipped a pothole sent them into a bounce on the seat causing the blond to grin ruefully. Well, mostly solid anyway.

Are you ready for an adventure in America, Phoebe? Uncle Ron asked glancing back to the girl using his mirror.

Ron, Nancy admonished pointing towards the car slowing ahead of them.

Oh yeah, I can’t wait to see your house. The pictures that you’ve sent us have been nice, but I can hardly wait to see it for myself.

The rest of them either smiled or laughed at her comment. Well, you’ll have to wait a little longer, Emily confided first to her cousin beside her. Dad rented out a river front house for our vacation, so we’ll be there for a week first. We can go boating and swimming, or maybe go to Fort Sumter one day.

The younger girl in the backseat groaned. Leave it to Emily to try and make us go some place historic while we’re supposed to be on vacation!

Shut up, Faith! the older blond scolded her sister angrily.

Emily, we don’t use that kind of language, Aunt Nancy scolded in turn. Now apologize to your sister.

Yeah, apologize, Emily, Faith mocked from the backseat.

Rolling her eyes at Phoebe, who could merely shrug as she could empathize having a younger sister of her own, Emily said less than sincerely, Sorry.

Talking in a more hushed tone to her cousin while the sounds of the car and the radio, which was turned down playing a country music station, drowned her whispers. The blond said almost conspiratorially, Faith prefers boys to history.

Speaking of boys, Phoebe said changing the subject slightly, Where’s Adam? Is he still at university?

The girls giggled, College? No, Adam and his friend are already at the cottage.

It’s actually going to be a pretty big crowd there, Uncle Ron said from his driver’s seat as the van slowed for a red light. Some of the girls’ friends along with Adam and his friend are staying with us for the week, so there should be plenty of people to keep you busy, Phoebe.

Forcing a weak smile, the shy girl said, Great.

You’ll love my friend, Katie. I’ve known her forever, her bench mate assured her.

Faith gave a sniff of disapproval from behind her sister, drawing an annoyed look from Emily. Catching Phoebe’s eye as her cousin turned to look at the sound, the younger girl added, I don’t really know what you see in her. She’s a bit of a loner. Except for you, I don’t think she has any other friends.

Giving her sister a cold look, Emily replied, Katie’s very cool and pretty too. She has a lot of friends, especially boys. Just because she doesn’t have a lot of girl friends, doesn’t mean she’s a loner, Faith.

Oh, so she’s a tomboy? That makes it better?

Emily groaned and turned back to look out the front window even as she ground her teeth.

Attempting to make her cousin feel better, Phoebe said, I’m sure I’ll like her anyway. If she’s your friend, she must be all right.

Phoebe spent much of the remaining ride sightseeing out of the side window. Despite being half a world from home, the girl thought that there were many similarities to the landscape that she was used to, but of course the main difference at the moment was Australia was now in winter while South Carolina was entering summer. Though Queensland never became too cold even during the winter, the land still experienced a change that seemed similar to her new surroundings.

Living just outside of Gold Coast, Phoebe was used to seeing the water in both canals, rivers and even the ocean, but she wasn’t a very good swimmer. The fact that the first place her family was taking her was to a cottage on a river didn’t make the girl feel any better either. Looking on the bright side, Phoebe figured that seeing her cousins and their friends should still be fun, even for a girl who was somewhat shy.

When the van pulled up in front of the two story house, Phoebe was rather surprised. It was much bigger than she would have assumed a rental cottage would be.

Well, we’re here! Uncle Ron proclaimed rather late as the girls were already exiting the van. He popped the back hatch while removing the key from the ignition. Can you girls give Phoebe a hand and show her where the room is?

Yes, dad, Emily answered as the two older girls began pulling the luggage from the back. Already on it, but thanks for asking.

Smarty, was the response from the front seat, albeit Uncle Ron was good natured about the ribbing. I thought I raised you to be the nice one, Emily.

Yeah, but mom said otherwise, the blond laughed as she and Phoebe began walking the suitcases into the house.

What are you bringing me into this for, young lady? Aunt Nancy asked from the doorway as Faith snuck past trying to avoid carrying the luggage with her hasty retreat.

Phoebe noted the dark green siding with white trim. It wasn’t a color she liked on a house, but the exterior was still impressive. As the two girls pushed through the screened back door into a kitchen and dining area, she noted that like many cottages it seemed somehow reversed. The eating area was the entry from the driveway side, but the large living room that could be seen through an open half wall ahead of them opened up with a view of the water with large windows extending from floor to ceiling.

This way, Emily motioned for her cousin to follow her to the right where a door could be seen at the end of a short hallway revealing a bedroom. Instead of heading straight, however, they turned at a staircase on their left that had been mostly hidden by the kitchen wall.

Thumping up the stairs as they dragged the luggage, the two girls made enough noise to let anyone know they were coming. A split at the top of the stairs revealed three bedrooms and a central bathroom. Heading into a room that looked decorated for a girl’s taste with dark pink walls and light pink comforters on a pair of full size beds with their floral prints, Emily proclaimed, This is ours. We’ll have to share with Katie, but Faith and her friend are in the next room. Adam and his friend, David, are in the other room while my parents are downstairs. I think they’re hoping that being on a different floor will help them sleep if we stay up too late talking and such.

With a slight smile and a brief nod, Phoebe admitted, Sensible of them. It will be nice to try and catch up. It’s been ages since I’ve seen any of you in person, though the internet does help to still keep the family together.

Yup, the blond said with a nod, "I don’t know what we would do without it. Since you were born in Australia after Uncle Henry took a job there and married Aunt Sylvia, we’ve only been able to see and hear you on the computer or phone. It does make the world a little smaller that way.

But it’s still better to see you in person, Emily added with a big hug for Phoebe, who returned it almost as warmly.

After sitting on the bed as Phoebe began emptying her bags into one of the chest of drawers and closet, Emily casually asked, So if you hadn’t come to visit us, what would you be doing now?

Biting her lip in thought a moment before answering, Phoebe shrugged, Pretty normal stuff. I finished school last term, so normally I would have to do that, but I guess that means I probably would have needed to get a job to keep busy. On my days off I could get together with my friends and hang out. We go shopping or hang out at the beach and watch people a lot. There are a couple good restaurants to hang out at also. Pretty normal stuff I would think. If we have enough money there are even some theme parks to go to nearby.

Nice, was Emily’s reply, maybe I should have visited you instead. With a little chuckle, the girl rose from her seat. Noting that Phoebe had finished her unpacking, the blond grabbed her by the arm pulling her from the room. Her cell phone was in hand, but all but ignored as the two started back down to visit with the others downstairs.

They were still walking down when the girls noticed that there was a bit more noise than expected. Emily moved past Phoebe as if she was almost forgotten in the moment. Katie? she asked before anyone came into view.

Hey, Emily, I brought someone else along as a surprise, a cheerful voice greeted as the two girls moved back into the walkway beside the kitchen.

A petite blond with lightly curled hair waved as she spotted her friend. A second girl, a brunette with dark blue eyes gave a half smile and waved a bit more curtly. I hope it’s all right? the second girl added with a bit of worry in her voice. My parents were going to be out of town for a convention and my brother went to camp already. I was getting a little lonely at home.

With a cheerful reply, Aunt Nancy tried to make her feel better by answering, No problem, Taylor, there’s plenty of room. The girls were already going to have to share one of the beds anyway. Now it’ll be four of you there. That’s all.

A third, younger girl was grabbed by Faith. Come on, Brook, I’ll show you our room, the youngest Cantrell said quickly pulling her friend towards the stairs.

Katie shrugged, Since I was roped into driving Brook for your sister, when I found Taylor was going to be stuck at home I sort of invited her. We were already coming anyway, so I figured what’s one more?

A couple boys entered from the riverside doors in the living room. Hey, mom, a blond haired young man greeted as he and his brown haired friend entered. Both were athletic looking to Phoebe’s eyes and the blond was easily recognizable as her cousin Adam. She had seen pictures and it hadn’t been that long ago that Adam had sent a video through the computer as well. Carrying their towels and just wearing their swim trunks and sandals, the boys were a bit red from the sun. Well, the boat’s all fueled and running nicely. We filled up at the landing. It was a bit pricey though.

Getting the hint, Uncle Ron said, Just let me know how much it cost me so I can write it down.

Coming over to the kitchen, the two young men noted the four girls with smiles. Adam’s friend noted Phoebe along with the rest. Who are all these lovely girls? I knew I was going to be on vacation, but I didn’t think it was going to be in heaven.

Adam’s eyes brightened on seeing Phoebe as well, before he introduced them all, You know my sister and those are her friends, Katie and Taylor, who I didn’t realize would be joining us. The last but not least is my beautiful cousin Phoebe apparently. He finished with a grin that quickly sank as he thumbed in the direction of his friend and added, This unfortunate piece of trouble I call my friend is David Curtner. Watch out for him, girls. Half of what he says is lies.

Hey! the dark haired young man protested. Don’t besmirch me in front of the beautiful ladies. Brothers don’t sink each other before they get a chance to try.

Laughing at each other, the boys drew the girls in with nervous giggles of their own as well.

But seriously, David added after a moment, how lucky are we? Just two guys and so many pretty girls around.

Uncle Ron pretended to look fierce as he cut off the dark haired friend, Better be careful, young man. Half those girls are family and the rest I know their families.

Feigning fear, David backed away hands raised as if to show that he was unarmed. I have been warned, sir, though I will admit that I am still forced to admire their beauty.

The girls began to roll their eyes at the cheesy lines and Katie was the first to turn to Emily and ask, Anyway, now that the entertainment part of our arrival is over with maybe you can show us where to put our stuff, Emily?

Retreating from the kitchen even as the two boys began talking in whispers to each other, the four girls went up to the room once again.

Chapter 2- Jetlag

With the four young women all inside of the pink room as the girls were officially calling it, the room felt a lot smaller, but while Phoebe watched the three friends chatting together it did afford them enough room to move around without running over each other. Katie and Taylor were stowing their clothes like Phoebe had earlier as they talked.

I’m glad your parents didn’t get mad about me coming along, Taylor was saying while she put her shirts in the lower drawers of the dresser Phoebe had used for her clothes.

Katie made a sound through her teeth as if she were annoyed. Tch, I told you it would be fine. You had to get all worried over it on me.

I know, but I wasn’t invited.

Cutting into the conversation, Emily said, If I had known you didn’t have anything to do, I would have asked you to come though. I’m sorry.

Gah! Katie cried out in exasperation. "Neither of you need to be sorry, silly girls. We’re all here now, so let’s try and have some fun.

Speaking of fun, your brother and his friend sure looked good with their shirts off, didn’t they?

Making a face at her friend, Emily quickly stated, He’s my brother! Like I think about him that way, now David on the other hand I can certainly agree on.

The three friends giggled as Phoebe smiled and added, Well being family, I have to go with Emily. David does have a nice body. You two can look at both, I guess.

Oh, more for us then, Katie stated with a devious grin.

Emily rolled her eyes and made a gagging gesture at the other blond haired girl.

Taylor sighed as she watched the other two teasing each other. Like either of them would think of us like that. They’re college men after all.

The two blonds looked at each other and seemed to read one another’s minds as they turned back to Taylor and declared in unison, They’re boys.

Katie continued by adding, Girls are what all guys think about, especially college boys. You don’t think David wasn’t at least half serious when he played up to us down there? Come on. Taking off the blue button up shirt to reveal her red tank top, the girl stated, Besides we’re pretty hot aren’t we?

Teasing Taylor some more, the curly blond poked at the brunette until she squirmed away towards Phoebe. I don’t know if we’re all so hot, but Phoebe you are tall and gorgeous. Are all Australian girls like you? If so, I think I’ll have to try and stay here where I might have a chance to be noticed.

With her legs crossed and one arm folded across her stomach, Phoebe touched her chin as if in thought a moment before proclaiming with a nod, You know, now that I think about it, there are a fair amount of tall pretty girls there. That must be why I see all the short petite girls getting so much attention. You might have to come visit Australia after all. You would be exotic. The girl only managed to hold a straight face a moment longer, before all the girls realized that she was making a joke.

Katie wagged a finger towards the tall brunette and glanced to Emily as she said, You didn’t tell us that she was funny, Emily. I was beginning to think she was just a quiet pretty girl. We may just have someone that I can be friends with after all.

Emily and Phoebe exchanged glances at the wording, while Taylor nudged Katie with her elbow.

What?

You just basically said that you weren’t going to be friends with her before this, the brunette said half in whisper though loud enough for all to hear. That’s not very nice to say.

Looking slightly perplexed at the comment, the curly haired blond turned her blue eyes to Taylor innocently and explained with her hands gesturing palms up in defense, I said I thought I would have to be her friend now. It’s not like I said I wouldn’t have tried anyway. You don’t have to be so literal all the time. Sheesh.

Shrugging at her cousin, Emily admitted, Katie tends to put her foot in it a lot. Try and not take it personally.

Hey! the target of the comment complained.

Taylor nodded and moving slightly closer to Phoebe concurred in her loud whisper once more, She does.

You know we can all hear you! Katie complained.

The other girls began to laugh at the girl’s discomfort until she joined in as well.

Well, I’ll try to be fun enough for you to be a friend then, Phoebe said with a smile to her new friend.

Good enough, Katie said gesturing to the other two girls. See we’re getting along just famously here. Now stop picking on me and let’s go down and see what those boys are up to. Adam didn’t bring along anymore boys, did he?

Nope.

Pity, Phoebe said quickly and quietly before anyone could say anything.

The others all burst out laughing nearly bringing themselves to tears.

Phoebe yawned. Sunlight came through the partially drawn curtains into the room letting the girl know that it was officially morning in South Carolina. If she were still in Queensland, she was pretty sure that it was midnight though not which day. The international dateline day flipping thing was beyond her, especially as jetlag was threatening to put her back to sleep.

Emily had snuck downstairs along with the other girls, though perhaps sneaking wasn’t the exact word for it. Phoebe was pretty sure that she had been nudged and even talked to, but exhaustion made her unable to recall for sure. Grabbing one of her swimsuits for the day’s planned activity, Phoebe picked up her travel bag as well hoping to make her face at least look like she was still alive.

Unable to remember the last time she was so tired, the girl found the bathroom down the hall and did what she could to wake up. By the time she was dressed in the blue string bikini, Phoebe was feeling a bit better. With a long white t-shirt to throw on if the lower floor felt cooler than the slightly warm upstairs, the brunette tossed her hair back over her shoulders before walking down the stairs to see who all was waiting on her.

The boys sat at the counter on a pair of stools. David caught the sight of her first with his spoon stopping short of his mouth. Slack jawed; he elbowed Adam who looked similarly surprised by her appearance. Both of them wore their swim trunks as well and appeared ready for fun in the river or on the boat. Phoebe noted the redness of the day before was already settling towards brown on both of their bare chests and shoulders.

Realizing that she was staring almost as much as they, the girl looked into the kitchen to see Aunt Nancy dressed in shorts and short-sleeved shirt. Apparently, the older woman wasn’t planning on joining her kids in getting wet for awhile at least.

It was Nancy who first greeted Phoebe with a warm smile. Morning, sleepy head, that jetlag must be playing havoc with you right now though you sure look beautiful this morning.

Stifling a yawn with her free hand at the mere mention of the jetlag, Phoebe nodded before answering, I am a bit tired, but I tried to wake up in the restroom. I hope I don’t look too awful this morning.

Aunt Nancy grinned and pointed at David still ogling her bikinied form. I don’t think you did too bad of a job. Now, David, please stop staring and eat your breakfast.

Starting at her voice, the young man shook his head to clear his mind as he replied, Yes, Mrs. Cantrell, sorry.

You look ready for the water, Phoebe, Adam said averting his eyes to spoon in a mouthful of cereal himself. You must be a beach lover. After all of Uncle Henry’s pictures and descriptions of the beaches there, I guess that your family must like to visit them quite a bit.

Walking into the kitchen after laying her shirt on the stool beside David, Phoebe took a bowl and glass from Aunt Nancy’s hands. Grabbing a banana from the table and pouring the cereal into the bowl, the girl answered as she moved, We go to the beaches quite a bit. My friends and I like to go at least a few times each month. I still even kept some of my tan, she added running her hands along her stomach.

A clank as David dropped his spoon brought Phoebe’s attention back abruptly, but he was already off his stool and bending over to pick up the fallen utensil. Adam glanced to his friend and back to Phoebe trying to put on an innocent smile even as his eyes tried to remain centered on her face.

Sighing, Aunt Nancy pulled a clean spoon from the drawer and slid it towards David’s bowl by the time he was back up with his freshly dropped one. Returning her attention back to Phoebe with a knowing smile, she nodded, You’re right, though I think you’re a bit darker naturally than the girls and I anyway. You’ll probably be safer than me out there. With work, taking care of the house and such, I don’t get to lay out like you girls do anymore. She looked a little wistful at the thought, but continued, I think you boys talked about heading out to one of the beaches on the ocean didn’t you?

Adam nodded as he answered, There are several nice ones we went to last year like Folly Beach and Kiawah, or we could just sail around checking out the other islands. It’s not like there aren’t enough beaches around here, he finished with a brief laugh.

Thinking about that statement for only a moment, Aunt Nancy nodded while she replied, True and there are also islands to the north or south that get fewer tourists than those two. Well, I guess we’ll leave it up to you kids to find the kind of fun that you want. Just try to not use up a fortune in fuel on your trips.

But that’s half the fun, David said with a grin.

Leveling a mean look at the boy and wagging her finger admonishingly, the older woman threatened, Guest privileges can be revoked, young man.

Eep, oh my, the room is spinning. What did I say? I think I blacked out there for a moment, Mrs. Cantrell. Ok, I’m back now. We were talking about how we’re going to be extra careful saving fuel weren’t we?

Nice try, Adam said punching his friend in the arm.

Rolling her eyes, Aunt Nancy went back to rinsing off the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher.

Phoebe took the silliness in quietly as she ate her cereal. Peeling her banana and taking a big bite, she was caught off guard when Adam asked her, So what would you like to do, Phoebe? You’re the guest who traveled furthest. Maybe you should be the one to pick.

Wiping at her lower lip she finished clearing her mouth and swallowed, Phoebe’s eyes widened slightly as she questioned, Me? I don’t really know what there is to do around here at all. Maybe someone else should decide since I thought we were going to be at your house, I hadn’t really given it any thought.

Well, Miss Australia is no help, David said trying to mimic her accent, time to find a new country’s representative and get her input.

With a slight smirk, Phoebe said to Adam, I am beginning to think we were lucky that you didn’t bring more of your friends along.

Reaching for his chest like an arrow had pierced his heart; the young man pretended her words were killing him.

Drama queen, Adam added with a shake of his head. Come on. Let’s go get the boat ready and give Phoebe and my mom a David break.

Both women smiled as David weakly protested his friend dragging him outside.

Well, it looks like you’re a popular one with the boys, Aunt Nancy stated as she collected the plates sitting on the counter.

With a slightly raised eyebrow of skepticism, the brunette brushed her hair back over her shoulder as it had escaped as she ate breakfast. I’m the only girl here. It’s hardly a surprise that he would pick on me. Boys tend to tease me a lot at home too. I don’t think they really take me seriously.

Humph, boys just don’t always know what to do in front of a pretty girl. Most figure that you’re too pretty for them to have a chance so they simply make fun, even if they are interested. Sometimes a girl needs to show them the way. You are too pretty to not have a boyfriend. You must have had a few back home.

I’ve had a couple, but nothing serious, the girl said hesitantly as she wondered where this conversation was going. If Aunt Nancy were trying to tell her to show David that she was interested him, Phoebe was pretty sure that she wasn’t. He was good looking, but that was about all she noticed about him.

Maybe you’ll find a summer romance. Those can be a lot of fun. When I was about your age I met the sweetest young man, we had a great summer, the elder woman said as her eyes glazed a bit thinking back in time. It was a few years before I met your uncle. That was an entirely different type of romance, but it is nice being young and in love, isn’t it?

Phoebe shrugged without committing to anything. Her eyes wandered towards the windows and door revealing the sun shining down on the river in sparkling wrinkles of light in the rippling current. Aunt Nancy must have noted her niece’s attention wandering as she quickly added, The other girls went out to the water a little while ago. You might want to brush your teeth before heading out though. It will probably be a long day of fun for you, kids.

Nodding, the young woman followed her aunt’s advice before she went outside to find the other girls already swimming or sitting on the dock sunning themselves. The boys were fiddling with the boat by that point, though Phoebe had a feeling it was more to get away from her aunt than to really do anything necessary. Some of her friends had boats and there didn’t seem to be that much to worry about them.

Emily smiled and waved from the dock where she and Katie in their own bikinis sat kicking at the water lazily as they talked. Taylor was close by but in the water playing catch with a Frisbee that the younger girls were tossing back and forth as well as to the older girl.

As Phoebe walked onto the dock, Emily got up to greet her while Katie followed more slowly. I was wondering if you would be awake anytime soon. You were really out of it this morning, her cousin stated. The girl wore a blue string bikini top similar to Phoebe’s while a gauzy wrap covered her bikini bottom. Katie in her white two-piece seemed a little annoyed.

Yeah, that jetlag is murder. I just hope I don’t look like too much of a mess.

Rolling her head in mock disgust, Katie finished the look by saying, Ok, I may have to hate her. If this is a bad day for your cousin’s looks, I am seriously going to hate her. You look gorgeous. I don’t know how you do it, because you looked exhausted when we tried to get you up.

Blushing slightly, Phoebe wasn’t quite sure whether to be insulted or flattered by her words. She gave Katie a more thorough glance wondering why the girl would say such a thing about her. The curly blonde was shorter than the Australian, but her curves made Phoebe a bit jealous as well. Being tall and lean was good for some tastes, but the brunette often wished she had more hips and chest. That’s kind of nice of you to say. I think, Phoebe said questioning the girl’s words. I’m glad I’m not a mess, but I actually wish I had your curves. You’re very pretty, Katie. I hear that you have a lot of boyfriends. I can understand why.

It was the blonde’s turn to blush and Emily started giggling at her expense. God, she is super sweet too, Katie complained to her friend who was still giggling. I can’t hate her. It would be like trying to hate a cute little puppy. It’s just impossible.

Anyway, Emily began by ignoring her friend’s attempt to escape embarrassment, if everyone’s ready for a day trip on the boat. I’ve already put some snacks and sandwiches in a cooler on board. There’s a bunch of drinks in there since it will be pretty warm today too. Speaking a little louder and turning to the girls in the water. Are you guys coming along?

Faith and Brook exchanged glances and began moving towards the dock as Taylor pulled herself out of the water onto the platform. Faith questioned her sister as she moved closer, Is there going to be enough room for everyone? Since you have two friends, I think there might be a seating problem.

Well, you two can stay behind if you want, Emily replied in annoyance. The two girls seemed to have a never ending struggle at getting along lately. Being the older sister, Emily tried to be calm and cool with her little sister, but there were times where her patience ran thin. With all their guests and Phoebe being there in particular, the older girl just wanted everyone to have fun and get along. It was too early in the morning for Faith to start riding her already. Her face reddened a bit as she tried not to get angry.

Meanwhile, the younger Cantrell snapped, You’d probably like to ditch us. Then you’d have a better chance at getting David to yourself. The younger girl was intentionally loud as she tried to embarrass her sister in front of the boys. A smirk, as she caught David’s surprised look in their direction that served to make her sister add a blush to her already reddening cheeks, crossed her face smugly.

Jerk, Katie stated for her friend who refused to say anything for herself as Emily knew nothing good would come of a mean word. "Your sister’s trying to be nice. Now why don’t you knock it off before I decide to let you on the boat just so I can throw you

Reviews for The Mermaid's Chest

[Test · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The prose felt a little overboard, and it got a little hard to keep track of who was being talked about sometimes. Not to mention, the end really left me wanting a sequel, which I don't expect will be coming. In spite of these, though, the story had an interesting (if telegraphed) plot, and I definitely don't regret reading it