Chapter Thirty-Three

 

AJ sat in the parking lot of Weeki Wachee Springs with Grandpa, the Caprice idling noisily.

Grandpa turned down the radio. “Are you sure you’re up to this?”

AJ clutched the door handle. “I can’t sit around one more day or I’ll go insane.”

Grandpa looked grim. “Well, if you begin to feel badly…”

AJ nodded. “I’ll let Tobias know. I’m sure you already have him on the lookout, anyway.”

“Be sure to mind what the doctor said. No heavy lifting. No physical exertion.”

“Gotcha. I will captain the Wilderness Cruise sitting down, as always.” He grinned, trying not to flinch as he got out. His side still hurt, but not as bad. Nothing he couldn’t handle. It would be good to be out in the open air for a change. Have a purpose to his days, other than let his mind wander. And drive himself crazy.

At every corner, he couldn’t help but steel himself against the possibility of running into Chaz. Intellectually, he knew Chaz was locked away, but somehow, his anger and mean spirit permeated this place. Lurked in the shadows, as if Chaz were still watching AJ’s every move.

Tobias walked through the hut as AJ unlatched the chain to the dock. After grilling AJ on his health, Tobias tilted the engine into the water. “At the end of the day, I’ll be back to secure this. I don’t want you exhausting yourself.”

“Thanks. I promise I won’t do anything to injure myself any further.” No problem keeping that promise. AJ was tired of feeling awful.

Tobias clasped his shoulder. “I’m glad everything turned out well.” He headed for the dock.

“Tobias.”

He turned and waited.

AJ steadied himself against the captain’s post. “I appreciate all you did.”

Tobias’ mouth twitched in a half-smile. “My pleasure.”

As he walked through the hut, Tobias greeted the morning’s first passengers. Grandpa’s complete trust in him had proved well-founded, but it seemed strange. The two were supposedly good friends, close as brothers, yet AJ had only seen them together a handful of times.

The approaching couple with a toddler and grade school girl made AJ tense. He couldn’t dive in after any kids for awhile. He’d have to ratchet up the warning to stay in their seats.

Once he got out on the river, AJ relaxed. He fell easily into his old routine, though each time he passed the spot where Cassiopeia saved him that day, an ache filled him, worse than the wound in his side. He considered adding a bit of mermaid folk lore to the spiel, but Tobias might not like him adding material he hadn’t approved, even if he told it as a fairy tale. Anyway, AJ couldn’t trust himself to talk about any mermaid and not choke up.

At lunch break, AJ walked to the Mermaid Galley Restaurant, glad to be alone for a little while. Susie and Darlene walked in. AJ wished he’d bought a newspaper or had a book, anything to make him appear busy.

They hurried to his table before ordering, speaking loudly so all heads turned in his direction.

“AJ, you’re back,” Darlene said as she sat to his left.

Susie touched his arm. “Are you feeling all right? I’m so glad Chaz is in jail now.”

“He always gave me the creeps,” Darlene said. “To shoot you like that? He’s insane.”

AJ thought he could probably merely sit there and let them fawn all over him without any actual participation on his part. They didn’t need any encouragement beyond an occasional nod or grunt to keep the conversation going. And what, exactly, did Darlene know about that night? Grandpa said she’d been in the car when they took Cassiopeia from the pool. But what else did they tell her? Did she believe it was a joke gone terribly wrong?

“I’m much better now,” he finally interjected.

Susie tilted her head and batted her eyes. “Thank goodness. I was so worried we’d lose you.” Her voice softened, and she squeezed his arm.

“Nope. Other than about a gallon of blood, I’m back.” He downed the last of his milk.

She clucked her tongue with pouted lips. “Poor baby.”

He gathered his trash. “Sorry, ladies, but I have to get back to work.”

“Take care,” Darlene said.

Susie’s heated gaze locked on AJ. “See you later.”

He hoped not. He definitely wasn’t up to it. As he shoved his trash into the waste container, AJ tried to smile. These days, it was the most he could muster from the emptiness inside.