Me feet dragged me to the beach. I don’t understand why I’m doing this or why I listened to Cove but I have to know. I have to know that Papa is not insane like I believe. I could care less if someone is hiding behind a rock to take a picture of me.

I grabbed the rock and lifted meself up. I jumped over the large rock, landing on me feet perfectly. That tends to happen when you want something. I took a seat on the rock right in front of the ocean. Me eyes watched the waves crash against the sands with no patterns at all.

The ocean is green and blue mixed together. Every now and then white foam would appear. Me legs are pulled to me chest, I wrapped me arms around them to keep the warmth. I started out in the ocean with a small smile.

It’s all perfect.

Sometimes, the waves crashing would sprinkle some water against me arms. I should shudder but not move away. I could see why Grandfather thought the ocean is a dangerous place. It’s so beautiful that it’s actually deadly. Not the good deadly either.

A soft singing voice pierced my ears. I looked around for the voice. Me eyes landed on a beautiful person sitting on the rock. Long brown hair blew back, soft tan skin glowed against the harsh sunlight and dark brown eyes looked at me. The woman looked so much like the memories of me Mother.

Her voice filled me head making me feel lighter. I stood up and moved forward. I am dimly aware that I’m standing on a rock that could land in the ocean. The beautiful woman dove straight into the ocean but her song still rings in me ears.

Aibne. She sang. Come on in.

I took another step landing in the ocean. The water reached me knees. I looked down in the water then took another step forward. Soon, I was in the ocean with the water touching me neck. I took a deep breath and dove underneath the water. Me eyes took a while to get adjusted before seeing the beautiful woman.

A long yellow tail flowed beneath her. A dazzling smile almost blinded me. She reached out her hand to place it against my cheek. It feels warm for some reason. I found meself not wanting to leave. Then the warm hand felt hot. Almost burning a hole through me skin.

A Murphy! She hissed.

Suddenly, me ears were filled with other hisses. I looked around to see other sirens coming towards me. They bared their teeth towards me. I tried to pull away from her grip but soon the burning feeling was too much. I let out a scream but regretted the moment I did.

Water filled me lungs. I gasped from the lack of oxygen and kicked away the mermaid. I swam to the surface coughing out the water from me lungs. I coughed and coughed until me lungs were burning. Then I started to take in as much air as I could. Me legs kicked but I don’t know how to swim.

Grandfather never taught me how to swim because he always warned me to stay away from the ocean but look at me now. I’m near the ocean, going against Grandfather’s wishes. Suddenly, hands wrapped around me ankles and dragged me back down to the water.

“Help!” I yelled.

I have no idea if anyone is out there or if they can hear me. The sky darkens to a dark grey almost black, lightning flashed from the clouds as thunder boomed through the town. Waves began to move at unearthly speed and crashed all around me. Hisses filled me ears as fear filled me.

How dare a Murphy to come into our waters? A voice asked.

After what Flann Sinna cursed our waters! His own blood shall not swim among our waters! Another yelled.

Sisters! A calm voice exclaimed. We shall not dwell on the past.

But sister, Flann made us who we are! We should take revenge! A hateful voice hissed.

You know no spears or swords can kill the descendants of Flann Sinna. The calm voice sang.

We see. All the others chimed together.

I, on the other hand, don’t see. I don’t understand what they are saying. Me head feels too light for comfort. Also, their voices are burning me ears. Their voices are acid when they are full of hate.

I tried to swim up to the surface but their grip tightens on me ankles. I looked around for another way to break free. Then I saw it! A wave is coming towards us. I counted the seconds before the wave was going to hit us. Then it did. I swam to the surface and broke free. I gasped for more air.

“Aibne?” I heard someone ask.

Me eyes looked around for whoever was calling me. They called me the name again but I couldn’t find them. I felt the hands around me ankles again and I screamed out for help.

“Help!” I yelled, again.

“Aibne!” A frantic voice yelled.

“Help me!”

“Hold on, Dylan is coming!”

I know that voice. It’s Shannon’s! Me cousins here? Why are they here? The sudden weight against me chest dawned on me. It’s fear. Fear has a hold of me and won’t let me go.

“Hold on!” Rosie yelled.

I was dragged down before saying anything else in response. Arms wrapped around me chest and tried to break me from the mermaids grasp. I looked down to see their true form. Ugly creatures. They are ugly when they frown, just like Grandfather warned.

Silver will hurt them, Aibne. Grandfather’s voice rang in me ears.

I looked down at the silver rings on me fingers. I wrapped me hand around one of their wrists. The mermaid screamed from the pain and pulled away. I have done the same to the other who had the same reaction. I was dragged to the surface and brought back to the sandy beach. Aunt June pulled me into a hug. Not caring that I was ruining her pantsuit.

Me lungs are trying to fill itself with air. I locked eyes with Rosie, who has a worried look across her face, and Shannon is trying to rub his arms from the lack of warmth. Then I saw Dylan who was soaking wet from saving me. He looked at me with a small smile but Cove stood behind Dylan with a distressed look.

Why does he look so distressed?

“Aibne, you can’t swim! What the bloody hell is wrong with you?” Aunt June asked.

I noted the term she said. Meaning that she is allowing the emotion to take her over. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or bad thing.

“I thought I saw something,” I said.

Aunt June shook her head, “You know that you can’t swim! Why did you go so deep? Also, why didn’t you tell me where you were going? I was worried all day!”

“I’m sorry.”

“Shannon, can you grab the towels from the back of the trunk? Aibne and Dylan have to dry off before getting inside me car.” Aunt June said. “Sorry, I meant my.”

I frowned from her correcting herself. Shannon nodded and ran back to the car. I looked back toward the ocean. Aunt June’s phone rang making her look down at it with a sigh. From the corner of me eye, I saw Uncle Manny’s number. I turned me whole body around so I couldn't stare at it. I never liked Uncle Manny and he never liked me.

Aunt June stood up and walked away. I looked back at her with sad eyes. Of course, Aunt June would choose Uncle Manny over me. After all, I’m just a nephew. That’s what Uncle Manny always calls me. Just a nephew.

Rosie took a seat next to me. She wrapped one arm around me shoulders. Cove took off his jacket and held it out to me. I looked at him with me eyebrows raised.

“I’m sure Dylan needs it more than me,” I said.

“It’s cool!” Dylan exclaimed.

I looked away with a red face, “Thank you for saving me.”

“No problem, Aibne! After all, what are friends for?”

“Friends?”

“Yeah!”

I blinked, “You actually want me as a friend?”

“Of course, we do,” Cove said as he rolled his eyes. “Why would we call your Aunt June to check up on you? Once she found out where you would be, she said some crazy things I couldn’t understand. She sounded a lot like you, Aibne.”

Aunt June talked in her accent? I haven’t heard her accent in forever. Aunt June left Ireland before I was born. I’ve been living here for three years and haven’t heard her accent once. I wish I could’ve heard it at least one time. I never understood why she wanted to hide it. It’s a part of her.

I pulled the jacket close to me. Me eyes looked out towards the ocean. Tails flipped from the water, hisses could be heard from here and one name rang through my ears. Flann Sinna. Who is that? And no spear or sword can kill me or my family. What does that mean?

Aunt June pulled me into another hug. I could hear her slightly humming, her hands went to me red hair trying to brush out the tangles. I look up to see her eyes staring at me hands at the silver rings.

Rosie kneeled down in front of me, “What happened down there?”

Me eyes stayed on Aunt June, “I went for a swim.”

“You can’t swim Aibne.”

“I know.”

“Then why go? Was it because of him?” She said as she pointed towards Cove.

I opened me mouth to say something but a loud roar of a truck made me stop. A groan left me mouth. I took off Cove’s jacket, pulling away from Aunt June’s arms. I do not want to be here when Uncle Manny gets here. Shannon grabbed my arms.

“You don’t have to go, Aibne. Dad is just worried is all.” Shannon said.

“No thanks. All he sees me as is a boyo.” I said.

Shannon frowned, “You are a boy though.”

“It means a criminal, Shannon.” Aunt June said. Her eyes staring at me.

I nodded, “I'd rather finish me walk. So see you at home.”

Before anyone could stop me I walked off. I could hear Uncle Manny speaking in his loud voice to his kids and wife. He didn’t even stop me to check up on me. Which is something you get used to too. Trust me.

I climbed up the rocks and down. I need an area where I can think. An area where I could go through everything that just happened. Alone. By meself with nobody messing with me. And if I’m being very honest I’m completely knackered after everything that happened today. Aunt June wouldn’t mind if I took a day for meself.

Those sirens or mermaids, whatever they knew who I was. They knew me last name: Murphy. They claimed that I was from the line of Flann Sinna. A family line where I can’t be killed by spear or sword. What does any of that mean?

Not to mention, Cove said he called Aunt June to check up on me. How long was I underneath the water? It didn’t feel that long.

“I thought you said you were going to take a walk,” Dylan said.

I look up to see Dylan, Cove, Shannon, and Rosie. They all are staring at me like I was a basket case. Just great nothing like being stared at like that.

“I rather not be stared at. Thank you very much.” I finally said.

Cove is the first one to move. He climbed down and sat down next to me. He held the jacket between us. Cove laid it across me lap with a sigh.

“Your Uncle is rather interesting,” Cove said. “He kept calling you “the nephew” never once said your name.”

I snorted, “Yeah, he is a real dosser.”

“Dosser? What does that mean?”

“Someone who makes a lot of trouble,” Rosie said.

I smiled. Rosie always answers questions even if it’s not for her. A little quirk I always loved to hear. Dylan jumped right in front of us with a wide smile. I notice his clothes are damp with sand drying against the creases.

“Why do you wear silver rings?” Dylan asked.

“How do you know they aren’t fake?” I replied.

He shrugged, “I know my metals.”

“They are silver. Grandfather gave them to me before. . . .” I stopped. I refuse to talk about it anymore.

Shannon grabbed me shoulders, “Come on, Aibne. Mama is worried and she has your favorite cooking at home since this weekend is a very important weekend.”

I raised me eyebrow very curious about what they were talking about. Then I thought about my favorite food from the homeland. I look up to face Shannon.

“What is she cooking?” I asked

“Something called Soda Bread and Dublin Coddle,” Shannon said, confused.

I jumped up with a large smile. I haven’t had those dishes since Ireland. Grandfather used to cook them for me when I was sad. The others are staring at me again as if I was a basket case but I could care less. They are my favorite?

Just how did Aunt June know?

“Sorry but I gotta go. Those are me favorite dishes.” I said.

Cove smiled, “Sure but you gotta promise me something.”

“Yes?”

“Next time I come to meet with you. You have to answer my questions.”

“Deal.”

Honestly, I don’t know what I agreed too. All I know is I want to go home so I can eat me favorite dishes without care. I turned to run away with me cousins but something heavy rested on me shoulders. I turn back to see Cove resting his jacket on me shoulders.

“Gotta stay warm,” Cove said.

I nodded, “We gotta crack on now. See you soon.”

I rushed back not really caring if me cousins were following close behind. This Soda Bread we are talking about! Not to forget Dublin Coddle the greatest thing that came to exist. Well, to me it does. I opened the front door to be hit with the smells.

The smells of home. The smells that once filled Grandfather’s home. I look down at me clothing. A good way to mess them up is salt water. I rushed back into me bedroom so I could change. Thank God that it is Saturday or I would be screwed. I changed into a pair of comfy clothing.

I jumped down two stairs at a time. Aunt June is at the stove mixing the pot. Uncle Manny is nowhere to be seen or to be heard. A very good thing in my opinion. I took a seat on the chairs and saw a plate full of Soda Bread. I took a slice staring at it. Then I began to eat it. One slice started to become the whole loaf. Who’s going to judge me anyway?

Aunt June turned around to face me. She looked down at the loaf with a knowing smile. I held out a small slice of bread for her. Aunt June took it without hesitation. She laughed once she took the bread.

“Papa used to make these every single Saturday. Claiming that they will bring the family luck.” Aunt June said.

“He would also burn one so he could toss it behind him,” I said.

She smiled, “He still did that?”

“Yup until that day.”

Aunt June sighed. She grabbed the chair across from me and sat down. She brushed back her curls. I watch her eyes watered, bottom lip trembling and her hands shaking. Aunt June took in a deep breath.

“Do you know what his last words were, Aibne?” Aunt June asked.

“He loved you. He always said that every single night. Loved you until his final breath.” I said.

I know it wasn’t the answer she asked but something told me that she needed to know.

“Oh dear. My whole life I called him an old crazy eejit. I was such a cruel daughter.”

“He never spoke badly about you, Aunt June. He always said that you were an adventurer, a chancer. Papa always loved you. He called you his Lucky Month.”

“He was always going on about luck. Everything that went well for him and he loved one and claimed that was lucky.”

I smiled, “Do you know what the burned bread was about then? He never told me.”

A laugh left her mouth, “The famous burned bread. You never meet Mam but she was a great woman. On the night they found out my little brother, your father was coming into the world Papa burned the Soda Bread without noticing. He was shouting and cheering and laughing once the oven caught on fire.”

“Is that why Papa called him Aidan?”

Aunt June nodded, “Fire. Mam started to hit Papa once the fire was going. Calling him a crazy eejit or screws lose for a brain.”

“Why did they call you June then?”

“Ah, why am I named after a month? Well, Mam and Papa met in June, first went out in June, engaged in June, married in June then found out I was coming in June. They both thought it was a very lucky month for both of them so they were going to name their first child June.”

“Even if you were a boy?”

Aunt June smiled, “Even if I was a boy.”

She took a bit of the bread. I looked at her with a small smile. I love these rare moments we share. She speaks about Papa with love and care. Saying how crazy Father was and how sweet Mother was. Her accent would slip in and she wouldn’t try to cover it up.

These moments mean the world to me. It feels as if I never left Ireland. It feels as if Papa is standing near us laughing with his loud laugh. Making us share more and more stories until we didn’t have anymore.

“I’m sorry if they aren't as good as Papa. They were so much better than mine.” Aunt June said. She looks down at her hands with another frown.

“Tell me what happened. Please, Aibne no one will ever tell me what happened to him.” She begged with her voice breaking.

I looked at her. I can see her crying with her shoulders shaking. Her makeup is running down her face. Aunt June began to tug at her hair.

“How did he die, Aibne? I can handle it.” Aunt June said.

“I’m not sure if I can,” I said.

“I need to know.”

I stared at her before nodding, “It was like any other day. He did his usual routine wearing so much silver you would think a metal detector would grab him from miles away. Papa wished me good luck at school then he walked out.

“They said he was walking down the road. Singing to himself waving at the neighbors. I needed to tell him something so I ran out . . .” I closed me eyes. “Once I reached outside he fell down. He screamed out something about being shot. Everyone closed in begging him to open his eyes or calling out for the doctors.

“I never had so much blood before Aunt June. No one would let me near claiming it would scare me. I repeatedly called them dossers, eejit, floozies, and morans.” She took me by the hand. “I couldn’t see him until the day of the funeral. I was crying so much that I couldn’t see. Me body was shaking too much.” I finally finished.

“Did they ever find out who killed him?” She asked.

I shook me head. Never and I’m not sure that they ever will.

Aunt June looked away, “I should have gone to see him but I couldn’t.”

I grabbed her hands tightly. Aunt June stared at me with a small smile. She stood up and gave me a small kiss on me forehead. I looked at her in complete shock. Aunt June let go of me hands to go back to stirring the coddle.

“You are so much like Aidan. Making sure everyone else is happy then returning to himself.” Aunt June said.

I stared at her with surprise. She passed me a bowl full of coddle. I stared at it with a smile. I began to eat hot food without caring if it was burning my mouth. I found that this coddle is way better than Papas.

Once I finished me first bowl she started to fill it up again. I smiled at it. From the corner of me eye, I saw Rosie and Shannon walking in. They looked at me with worry but stared at the food. Shannon’s nose wrinkled at the sight. Rosie just stared at the food.

Aunt June told them to sit down and gave them bowls. Shannon stared at it with concern. Rosie looked at me then started to eat it. She made a face but still ate it. Shannon stared at her in horror.

“Just try it, Shannon. It is really good.” Rosie said with her mouth full.

“Then why make a face? That doesn’t make me want it any more than you do.” Shannon replied with a shudder.

I snorted, “It’s really good Shannon better than the crap you eat.”

“Don’t you dare pick on my junk food. It’s way better than this nude sausage.” He stared at it with his eyebrows raised. “Why is it nude?”

I looked at him with a large smile. Shannon groaned before taking a bite. His eyes widened then took another bite. He finished his bowl in under ten seconds. Aunt June laughed at him before taking his bowl. Shannon kept eating until he burped. He burped for about five minutes.

“Told ya so,” I said.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Shannon said as he looked at me. “Why were you hanging out with the Van Der Zee brothers? You know their parents hate our family.”

“Shannon.” Rosie hissed.

“Sorry, sorry, I mean strongly dislike,” Shannon said while rolling his eyes.

“Van Der Zee? Is that their last name?” I asked.

Shannon nodded, “Yeah I think it’s French or Dutch? Never ask. Their mother never allows us to go near them. Claiming the Murphy blood runs through our veins.”

I stared at him. From the corner of me eye, I saw Aunt June flinched. She pulled out another loaf of Soda Bread. She put them in front of us staring out the window. Shannon took the bread with a smile and ripped it apart. He watched the steam rise from the bread.

“One time, I heard her hiss at us,” Shannon said.

“You were imagining that Shannon,” Rosie said.

“I was now, Rosie? I promise on She-Ra herself that she hissed at us. I remember exactly what she said also,” He stared at me. “The descendant of Flann Sinna shall never step into our lands. Then she hissed. I remember it clearly because I had nightmares for days.”

“Once again, you were imagining that.”

“I wasn’t! We were playing on the bus and then you drove into her yard by mistake. She marched out of her house all high and mighty with her evil little beady eyes. Then boom! She said that she also called us a dosser but in a mocking tone.” Shannon said as he leaned forward. “You know that Cove and Dylan were there but they look just like how they do now. Crazy, right?”

“Now you’re talking nonsense, Shannon. You know that Cove and Dylan were adopted because Miss Nicchi can’t have children.” Rosie said as she got to get a drink.

I stared at him. Me eyes went straight to Aunt June who was staring into the pot. Her hands are gripping the sides of the oven. She has to know more. The way she reacting right now is telling me everything.

“Still one thing that keeps bothering me,” Shannon said.

“Everything bothers you,” Rosie said.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. But I have what you call eidetic memory basically meaning I can recall everything I’ve seen,” Rosie snorted from the fridge. “But I can clearly remember you avoided anything that deals with swimming. You locked yourself in the bedroom for hours until Rosie’s pool party is over. And yet, you went to the ocean with Cove?”

Me eyes narrowed at him. Waiting for him to say something else.

“Why did you go to the ocean? Why were you in the water?” Shannon asked.

“I wanted to see it.” I lied.

“No, you didn’t. You can’t swim, Aibne. Mama said it and so did your actions. I don’t care if you are crushing on Cove but I care if you get hurt. Their entire family is bad news.”

“Bad news?”

“Yup! Their mother hates us and trusts me when I say the brothers aren’t big fans of us either. Don’t let their hotness distract you Aibne. We humans have fight or flight sense for a reason. Use it, don't ignore it.”

Rosie sighed, “Stop scaring him, Shannon. You are just being paranoid.”

“You don’t want to admit the truth, Rosie. That’s cool but you gotta admit that they hate our guts. Or at least the Murphy in us. Whatever they call us.” Shannon said as he got up.

He stared right at me, “Remember. Fight or flight.”