18

THE SECURITY guard lets them into the Gulfarium and ushers them inside The Living Sea exhibit to wait for Dr. Milligan. In awe, Emma shuffles to the floor-to-ceiling tank and taps on the glass. Galen stands back, leans against the wall. He watches her coo at the tropical fish grappling for her attention. A sea turtle lazily treads over to investigate.

She paces back and forth in front of the glass, tracing her hand along the surface. The tank transforms into one giant multispecies school of fish. Stingrays, sea turtles, eels. More kinds of fish than Rachel puts in her seafood-surprise casserole. Even a small shark joins the parade.

“She’s amazing.”

Galen turns to Dr. Milligan, who’s standing beside him and staring at Emma as if she were floating in midair. “Yes, she is,” Galen says.

Dr. Milligan looks at Galen, a knowing smile plastered on his face. “Looks like she’s enchanted more than just the little fish. In fact, looks like you’re worse off than any of them, my boy.”

Galen shrugs. He’s got nothing to hide from Dr. Milligan.

Dr. Milligan lets out his breath in a whistle. “What does Rayna say?”

“She likes her.” The good doctor raises a thin gray brow. Galen sighs. “She likes her enough.”

“Well, can’t ask for more than that, I suppose. Shall we, then?”

Galen nods. “Emma. Dr. Milligan is here.”

Emma turns. And freezes. “You!” she chokes out. “You’re Dr. Milligan?”

The older man bows his head. “Yes, young lady, I am. You remember me, then.”

She nods, walking slowly toward them as if she smells a trap. “You tried to give me free season passes. You talked to me at the petting tank.”

“Yes,” he says. “Of course I offered you season passes. How else could I study your fascinating interaction with the specimens?”

She crosses her arms. “I didn’t know I could talk to fish at the time. How did you?”

“At first I didn’t,” he says, closing the distance between them and gently taking her hand. “But when I saw your eye color, I knew you had to be Syrena. I remembered Galen telling me about that gift, but I never really believed it. Which is silly, I suppose. I mean, if I believe in mermaids—ahem, excuse me Galen, Syrena—then why not a gift like that?”

“And what do you think now, Dr. Milligan?” Galen says, a little perturbed at the revelation that his friend thought he lied. Also, “mermaids” was uncalled for.

Dr. Milligan chuckles softly, rubbing Emma’s hand. “I think I stand corrected, as usual. Emma, how about a private tour?”

She nods, excitement dancing in her eyes.

They follow Dr. Milligan into the hallway and to a set of stairs. He shepherds them to each exhibit, spouting off facts and statistics about each animal. Every one of the creatures remembers Emma. The sea lions bob their heads and make a noise only Emma could find charming. The otters do the same. Even the alligators respond to her commands, rotating in a circle like synchronized swimmers.

The doctor leads Galen and Emma into an exhibit called Dune Lagoon. He explains it’s a sanctuary for injured birds cared for at the Gulfarium. Emma walks around, talking and murmuring to the winged creatures. None of them care. In fact, they seem more excited to see Dr. Milligan. A duck walks right past Emma and quacks at Dr. Milligan’s feet. “Fascinating,” he says.

Emma laughs. “There’s nothing fascinating about getting rejected.”

Dr. Milligan smiles and pulls some brown pellets from his pocket, scattering them on the floor for the impatient duck. “This fellow just knows about my treats. Listen, how about we visit the penguins?”

“Aren’t penguins birds?” she says. “I mean, I know they can’t fly or anything, but they’re still birds. They wouldn’t respond to my Gift, would they?”

Dr. Milligan nods. “Aquatic birds. And there’s only one way to find out, isn’t there?”

The penguins love Emma. They waddle around, dive in and out of their pool, call out to her. She laughs. “They sound like donkeys!”

“Maybe you can talk to donkeys, too,” Dr. Milligan smiles.

Emma nods. “I can. Sometimes Galen can be a jackass.”

“That hurts my feelings, Emma,” Galen says, trying to look hurt. She throws him a saucy grin.

Dr. Milligan laughs and leads them back into the hallway. The square windows punctuating the interior wall reveal three dolphins keeping pace with them. They shriek at Emma, eager to meet her acquaintance. Next to a sign that says DOLPHIN SHOW, Dr. Milligan points up a set of stairs. “Shall we?”

The top level is an open deck. Galen’s seen the show before. The wooden bleachers facing the tank aren’t quite far enough away that the front row won’t get wet. Which delights the nose-picking miniature humans, especially in the heat of summer. Galen’s glad they came after closing.

Emma walks to the edge of the tank and peers down. She tickles the water with her fingers. Three gray heads poke up and shrill their enthusiasm. Giggling, Emma leans over, cupping her hand over her mouth. The animals draw closer, as if to hear a secret.

The heads disappear. When they emerge again, there’s a toy in each mouth. They bring their treasures to Emma. A black ring the size of a hula hoop and two soccer balls. She hands the balls to Galen, then accepts the ring from the smallest dolphin. “Throw the balls in the middle, Galen. Let’s see if they’re good at basketball.”