Mer Tales 01 - Everblue

dock toward the life-sized cutout of Captain Jack, Tatchi’s dad, propped next to the door. He and Fin would more than likely be on an excursion, showing tourists the bay. Oblivious of the closed sign, I yanked on the locked door with the wrath of a woman scorned, and hurt my arm.
    “ What?” I mumbled as I looked through the plate-glass window into a darkened interior. “Where are they?”
    Confused, I knocked hard against the glass, but there was no answer.
    “ Mom?” I asked, while walking into Gran’s shop and dropping her keys on the counter. “Did they run any charters today at Captain Jack’s?”
    She looked up at me over her bifocals and took the pencil out of her mouth. “What?”
    I pointed towards Captain Jack’s. “Are they closed today?”
    “ Ummm. Are they?” She glanced behind me. “I don’t know. Could you help me organize these?”
    In a box at her feet were oodles of new T-shirts that said “Don’t messy with Tessie.” I pursed my lips. Last thing I wanted to do was fold shirts. I had to find Tatchi—quick. I’d go to her house if I had to; my life was at stake.
    “ I need to get home. I’ve got a lot of homework—”
    “ Ashlyn Frances. You can help me for fifteen minutes.”
    “ Fine.” I dumped my gym bag and marched over. “What do you want me to do?”
    “ That’s my girl. I’ll inventory the shirts and put them in piles. Tag a price on these, then hang them on that rack by size. The leftovers go in bins over here, folded.”
    Fifteen minutes, yeah, right.
    “ Mom, I’m only helping for a few minutes, and then I seriously have to go.”
    The pencil was back in her mouth and she was counting again. With a roll of my eyes, I started on the first stack.
    After thirty minutes passed, I was still hanging shirts on hangers. It took all my self-control not to rip down the papier-mâché plesiosaur that hung over the top of the display.
    This is all your fault, you know.
    She stared back at me with empty black eyes. Tessie, the biggest hoax in history, was an invented monster to trap tourists into buying the kind of crap Gran sold. The dinosaur’s picture covered everything: cups, hats, bottle openers, stuffed animals, postcards, calendars, key chains—you name it. And every week, Gran and Mom were thinking up new slogans and promotions to spin the fad. They even worked out a special “Tessie watching” charter with a free shirt if you saw the beast, which everyone did because there was a mini-golf dinosaur statue planted underwater.
    Though I could have as many free T-shirts as I wanted, I wouldn’t be caught dead in one with Tessie on it. As a kid, all my clothes came from the store anyhow. But now, the only Tahoe related apparel I wore said “Keep Tahoe Blue” or something more eco friendly.
    When Mom finally left the room, I piled the shirts on the rack and shoved the rest in the bin. “Done, Mom. Bye.”
    The door chimed behind me, signaling my escape.
    From there, I wasn’t sure what to do. Half of me wanted to walk past Tatchi’s house and the other dared not to. Either way, I was desperate to find her. Would she tell Fin later? Would he even care? Could I be so bold as to drop a hint that I wanted Fin to be my date?
    My feet trekked down the rock trail and when I had to decide if I’d turn towards Tatchi’s house, I chickened out and skittered towards the beach. It was safer to check there first.
    At the beach, seagulls claimed the spot where we were yesterday. I sat on a pile driver and decided to wait. The sun melted from the sky over the mountains, painting a light show of blues and golds. I didn’t know why I waited. She’d have been home by now anyway. Sunset was her curfew.
    Frustrated and freezing, I grabbed my bag and headed home.
    “ Ash? Is that you?”
    Dad popped his head out of the kitchen. Garlicky aroma from firehouse spaghetti blew past me, rekindling my hunger.
    I blinked back at Dad in surprise. “You’re home tonight?”
    The caterpillar of fur on his upper lip formed a smile. “I decided to let some of the young bucks get an overtime shift tonight. I missed my girls.” I walked over into his awaiting bear hug. He kissed me on the top of the head. “Is your mom with you?”
    “ She’s buried under a new shipment.”
    “ Sounds dangerous.” He let go and went back to stirring his sauce. “Can you call her and see if she’s clawed her way out? I’d like to eat together.”
    I slumped down at the kitchen table. Last