Page 104 of Female Fantasy
“But you two were the perfect couple. Next-door neighbors, high school sweethearts. Fated in the womb…” says Nico.
“Well, we were so young when we met. We didn’t know yet that you’re a new version of yourself every day. Which means that every day, you’re in a new relationship with a new person. You have to keep checking in. And we stopped doing that.”
I think about this. Using Nico’s mom’s logic, many different versions of ourselves can love many different versions of someone else. Like alternate realities. Different dimensions.
Or second-chance romances.
“Even so, I wouldn’t take back loving him for the world. I grew into myself while falling for him. Our love painted my world with color. And loving him led to loving you, Nico. I’ll always have love in my heart for him. But love isn’t a bucket, baby. It’s a well. And I have so much more love left to share.”
I smile to myself. “Love isn’t a bucket; it’s a well,” I repeat. “I love that. Mind if I use that in one of my fics?”
Nico’s mother puts a hand on her chest. “Why, it would be an honor! Nico told me you’re a writer.” She smiles at me. “You always did love happy endings, even as a little kid.”
I turn to look at Nico, swelling with pride. But he’s quiet, his fingers twined together. Contemplative. Processing all this information and thinking it through.
“How can you still believe in happy endings when your story ended in tragedy?” he finally asks. “How can you still believe in love?”
She takes a long sip of her tea, then hums quietly.
“Because, sweet cheeks, love is matter. Love is the stuff the world is made of. Love is the reason to get up in the morning and the way to sleep soundly at night. My marriage ended, but that wasn’t the end of love. It was an evolution. Because love doesn’t just disappear into thin air. No, sir. When I got divorced, I took all that love I had for your father and put it into myself.”
Nico stares at her, his eyes growing misty. “You never told me any of this.”
“I know. And that’s on me, kid. After the divorce, you were so angry. Anytime I tried to talk about your dad, about love, you changed the subject. You’d bring up climate change and the end of the world and all that. I gave up trying. And I’ll always regret doing that.”
Nico swallows hard, as if he’s trying to will his face to remain neutral.
“But I’m telling you now,” says his mom. “Hopefully I’m not too late.”
My cheeks feel damp. I raise a hand to my face and discover I’ve started to cry.
What would my life look like if I stopped looking for love outside of myself and summoned the love inside me instead?
“Plus, the best stories have tons of plot twists.” Nico’s mother turns to throw me a wink. “Isn’t that right, Joonie?”
Nix looks at me. His sandpaper laugh scrapes against my cheek.
“She has no idea, does she?” he asks Ryke.
Ryke’s answering glare sends a chill down my spine.
I clench my fist around the dorsal fin, and my band of dolphins circles the siren in a predatory dance. Nix grimaces, then quickly regains his composure.
“Of course she does not. Why would she? For she is only a human. She lacks the sight.”
“The sight?” I repeat. “What is the sight?”
“One more word,” Ryke says, “and I will not wait for these vicious creatures to rip out your throat. I shall do it myself.”
“Ah, yes. With your enhanced strength. Funny.” Nix turns around and cocks his head at me—a challenge. “And how is it, do you think, that your fair prince gained this enhanced strength without repercussions?”
I gulp, my vision blurring. I am still faint. “We…power shared.”
“And yet you remain alive,” Nix says.
A statement, not a question.
Ryke grunts in warning.
