CHAPTER FOUR

"TRUTH 2"

Ruth served herself a glass of water, she sat by the table waiting for her father, she didn't know what to believe anymore, who was she? How come her father never told her the truth, sitting here, she could recall everything Gau had told her, how was she suppose to believe that another mermaid killed her mother and that her mother had given her away in lonely coast to her father to protect her and how was she suppose to deal with the fact that the same person that killed her mother was living in the 'OLD ROAD' being held prisoner by her own mistake, and it was only Ruth that could set her free.. Ruth gazed down at the picture Gau had given her, this woman looked beautiful, she had long red hair and bold green eyes that shone, Ruth looked just like her except from her eyes, unlike her, Ruth had beautiful blue eyes, a hint of green mixed with ocean Blue, there was a resemblance even Ruth could not deny, the woman was peeping from behind a rock, only her face and shoulders showed from behind the rock.. She was laughing, she looked so happy, Ruth blinked back tears, she felt sorry for this woman and herself.. If Gau was right... No she refuse to believe, she push the picture away, how could she accept that she was mermaid and the man she called her father was not her real father.. She wiped her eyes as she heard the door open, for all she knew Gau might have played a trick on her.. She would the answers from her father, she stood up and went to him, hugging him very tight..

"Dad..."

"Are you okay princess?"

"Yeah..."

She pulled away and led him to the table she was sitting, she took the picture away and sat opposite him, looking at him face to face, to see what he had to say..

"Ruth talk to me..."

"Dad... I wanted to talk to you.."

"What about?"

He asked reaching for her hand from across the small table.. He squeezed her hand slightly, encouraging her to speak..

"Its about ..... About... About Mom.."

Her voice broke, threatening to give away her calm... Her father let go of her hand once she mentioned MOM.. He sat up in his chair, his eyes suddenly narrowed and intense...

"What happened to her?"

She asked, taking a deep breath, He looked away, avoiding her gaze, she push aside her fear...

"Why didn't you tell me Dad?"

She asked taking out the picture, she stared at it and a tear dropped on the woman, 'her mother's' face.. She push the picture towards her father.. He turned and stared at the picture in shock, a small gasp escaping his lips..

"That's her right?"

"Where did you get this?"

"Why didn't you tell me Dad.. Why?

She asked her voice thick and intense, she snuffles, drinking lots of water and leaning back on her chair..

"Tell me what happened to her, what happened to Lonely Coast"

He stared at her with wide eyes...

"How...?"

"It doesn't matter Dad!"

She shouted cutting him off.. He sigh and stared at her with compassion.

"I was once a sailor......"

FLASHBACK

Lawrence thought he was never going to make it out of this cursed land, he sailed day and night, his eyes were red rimmed and his body was sour and tired, just when he thought the waves were going to swallow him and end his misery, they calmed down, he fell to the ground, knees weak and body trembling, it took him a while before the sound sack in, he didn't know where it was coming from but someone or something was singing, and it was the sweetest sound he's heard since he was born, it was soft appealing and calm, he forgot his aching body and wounds, he got up and took hold of his wheel, the song seem to be calling out to him and he couldn't think of another thing as he sailed towards the sound.. After hours of sailing, he finally came closer to the sound and it stopped, but he was not broken from the trance, for in all the fog he could see a figure in the fog, on a boat and he could hear someone one screaming help, he sailed closer and pass the fog to calm waters and there in the little brown boat was a woman clutching to her small sleeping child of about three years.. The child was wrapped in soft silk clothes why she wore ripped clothes..

"Help me"

He suddenly broke from the trance, fear and worry over came him.. The woman was very beautiful although she looked pale and sick.. Her green eyes were weak and her lips quiver..

"Please help...m...e"

"Are you okay?.. How did you ever get here?"

"My husband.. He's ship was attacked, and he set the child and me off while he fought those monsters... He said I should wait here.. But I can't.. My baby.."

She was struggling with her breathing and her voice was fading, He pushed her boat towards the shore and came out, running to her, he pulled her boat out of the water and helped her out, she was bleeding from her side, and was looking half dead her skin was cold..

"Take..safe her.. Take her away..".

She said placing the child in his arms, the child had red hair, just like hers...

"I will take you both"

"No. I won't make it.. And they will come for me and I can't let them, if my husband is still alive he will come for me and save me.. Its good to know the child is safe...."

"Madam..."

"Please... She pleaded coughing.. She looked up at him with weak eyes..

"I will come for her if I return..but if I don't... Please take care of her.. I beg you.. Now please.. Leave this place before its too late..."

He looked at the little bundle in his hand and nodes, she smiled at him..

"Thank you kind sir..."

"Its Lawrence.. If you make it.. Came to Saint Bernard.."

She nodded and smiled...

PRESENT

"And so I took you and sailed back"

"You left her?"

"She wouldn't come no matter how much I begged..she said she was waiting for her husband.."

Ruth wanted to explode, the story was exactly as Gau told her, so she was mermaid after all.. Ruth stood up..how was she suppose to digest this..

"Am sorry Rutie.. I would have saved her if I could... Fifteen sailors traveled the sea with me and I was the only one to return, and after I returned.. I fell sick and after that illness I could not recall the path to lonely coast to go back and save her.. I just.."

"I believe you"

Yet she couldn't stop the tears.... Her poor father didn't know that he had encountered a mermaid, and he had raised the mermaid's daughter and she felt so awful that her mother had died all alone, she was over come with so much anger at that mermaid that killed her mother... So much to digest all at once, she felt so dizzy she had to grasp the chair for support..

"Ruth..!!"

Her father held her pulling her to the chair she sat and took deep breaths.. The door opened and closed quickly..

"Ruth?"

Cleo concerned voice called out, Cleo soon arrived in the kitchen, Ruth stood up and ran into her arms crying.

"How about I give you girls a moment"

Her father said leaving the house..

"Am...am..."

Ruth voice broke as she began speaking, Cleo made her sit and brought her a glass of water..

"Am a .."

"Mermaid...."

"How...?"

"Went to that old lady's place when you refused to pick my calls, she told me everything and showed me your mother's picture...am sorry hon.."