Beneath the Painted Ocean Read online

  Callum thought about the conversation that they had. He didn’t stay angry with his father for long after that incident. They had made up almost shortly after and things were fine. His father admitted that he got caught in the moment and the words just spilled out. He never wanted to hurt his son.

  “I hurt you.” Jacob realized out loud when he saw his son again. “I hurt you in a way that no parent should hurt their child. No wonder you didn’t want to talk to me. I’m so sorry. I know it may not mean much but my words were uncalled for.”

  “I get why you said them. I was acting out,” Callum shrugged. “You’re not the only one who has ever thought that way. I keep asking myself if things would different had Dani lived and I died. Maybe things would have been better...”

  “No, Callum! Don’t you dare think like that! I lost Dani. I don’t want to lose you too.” He had said, gingerly touching the bruise on his son’s lower lip. “I’m worried every time you go into that ocean. I’m always scared that I will wake up to the news that you drowned in the sea or that a shark got you.” Callum smirked at that. “I’m serious, son! Your work is dangerous sometimes.”

  “It is dangerous work but I can handle it.” Callum promised, rubbing his right wrist. He had hurt it earlier when he banged it against a railing by accident. “I wanted to do this, remember?”

  “I remember. Still, I don’t get why you want to chase this angel. You don’t even know who or what it is. You just need to let it go because I don’t think you’ll see them again. They just saved you. If they wanted to talk to you, they would have come out sooner. I’m just grateful you’re alive. Isn’t that enough?”

  He got what his father was saying. His angel didn’t want to be found, but that only made Callum more determined to go after them. He just wanted to know why they saved him. How did they know where he was? How did they find him only minutes after he had jumped into the water? How did they get him back to the shore and then disappear so fast? All he had to go on were those soft brown eyes looking at him. It was a person. It had to be. He didn’t know if it was a man or a woman and he didn’t care. He just wanted to thank them for saving his life. Maybe he could get to know them.

  Now the time for the trip was here. He saw a few of his siblings but didn’t get a chance to greet them. What he wanted to do was drop his things off in the room. As soon as he boarded the yacht, his father ran up to him. “Oh, there you are! I thought you would never get off work in time.”

  “You think I would miss one of the few times I get to see everyone in my family?” Callum took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. “I’ve been staring at a computer all day. I’m looking forward to doing something else.”

  “You do look exhausted.” His father agreed. “Anyway, I’m going to wait until we start moving and then I’ll introduce you to someone.”

  “Someone? I thought only our family would be here.”

  “This is a colleague of mine. I told him that my son was a marine biologist and he’s looking forward to meeting you. He wants to know about your work.”

  “There’s nothing that interesting with my work right now. I’ve been visiting coral reefs, checking out the coral, and trying to come up with ways of protecting them. It’s important but it probably wouldn’t be exciting to talk about.”

  Jacob Caldwell chuckled and patted his son’s back. “Still trying to save the ocean, aren’t you? I guess some things don’t change.”

  “Why wouldn’t I want to save the ocean? You have no idea how important it is to us,” Callum sighed. “I’ll admit that I got into this field because I wanted to find my guardian angel at first. As I went deeper, I realized I cared a lot about everything else in the ocean. I want to protect it and keep it safe forever. That’s why I was so angry with you that night. You had no idea how much your company hurt the ocean and would end up hurting other people.”

  “I didn’t get it then but I do now. What’s important to you is also important to me.” Jacob looked over his shoulder. “Well, I think we’re getting ready to set sail. You just get comfortable and I’ll see you in a bit.”

  Callum nodded and went up to the top so he could see everything. It was so nice to be away from the office for a few days. Although he promised not to bring his work with him, he still wanted to check out what was in the ocean. The breeze was cool and ruffling through his hair as he stood up there. Within seconds, they were moving. The rest of his family was below but he wanted to be alone. At Callum’s insistence, his parents had traded their old yacht for a more environmentally friendly one. This one had a hybrid engine that cost less in fuel. It moved just as well as their old yacht, if not better. He was so happy when they listened to him for a change.

  Minutes later, his mother came up and found him leaning on the rails and looking ahead. She ran her fingers through his dark hair as it was blowing through the wind. “How have you been, sweetheart? I haven’t talked to you in days.”

  “Busy,” Callum admitted. “If I’m not in the ocean, I’m working at my desk without a break. I sometimes don’t get home until midnight and even then, I only get three hours of sleep.”

  “That’s not good.” Elizabeth made him turn around so he could face her. “Maybe you’ll be able to rest now. I know it’s supposed to be a time to spend with each other but if you need to sleep or if you want to turn back...”

  “No.” He shook his head. “I promised you I would be here. Any diving I do will be recreational. I won’t try to study anything or do research. I’ll just enjoy what I’m seeing like I’m doing right now.”

  “Are you sure you’re enjoying it? You look so tired. Maybe you should sit down for a little bit.”

  “I’ll be all right. I’ve been in the water so long that I forgot what it looks like on the surface.” He stared at the bright blue and green waters ahead. “Isn’t it beautiful?”

  “Very,” Elizabeth agreed. “Your heart was always in the right place, Cal. I see why you want to save it so much. Imagine the world without the ocean.”

  “It would be so empty and ugly,” Callum murmured. Then he decided to change the subject. “Mom, do you think I’m crazy for believing that someone saved me that night? Am I crazy for believing in angels?”

  His mother took a second to think. “Not in the slightest bit. It was a miracle that you survived. I do think there may be a higher power out there. I just don’t know if you were saved by an angel or not. I do hope you find them though.”

  “Thanks, Mom.” He stretched his arms. “I think I will take up your offer and sit down for a little bit. I need to clear my head.”

  “Take your time. Your room is still the same one you’ve always used.”

  Callum didn’t get much rest when he went down. As soon as he entered his room, he sat there and looked up at the ceiling. It was a small room that he shared with his brothers, Frankie and George. Neither of them was around and he could sense that the boat was slowing down. It was a perfect time for a dive. His father hadn’t introduced to him any colleagues yet so he could take a dip. Not only would he feel better, maybe he would get closer to finding his angel.

  I know you’re out there. He thought. I swore I would find you one day. If I have to look in every corner of this ocean, I will do it. I may die trying, but I will get my answers.

  He was already dressed in wet suit when he heard someone knocking on the door. He threw his robe over his shoulders and tied the cotton belt around his waist. No doubt it was his brothers coming down for some rest too. “Just a second!”

  Once he was ready, he opened the door. “Sorry for taking so much time, guys! I…” He stopped himself when he saw that it was his father standing there. “Oh, Dad! I thought you were Frankie and George!”

  “I was coming down here to check on you.” His father said. “Remember the colleague I told you about? He’s waiting for you on top. I thought now might be a good time to talk.”

  “I was actually planning on a dive since we’ve stopped.” He took off his robe
and threw it on his bed. “Do you think you can wait?”

  “It won’t take long. He just wants to talk to you about your work.” His father led him out of the room. “Then you can be free to do whatever you want. We’ll be stopping here for some time.”

  Callum decided not to argue about this. If it only took a few minutes, it would be no sweat off his back. He was just curious as to why this person was on their family trip if they weren’t part of the family. Couldn’t this person wait until after the vacation was over?

  His father led him upstairs to where an older man in a business suit was waiting for them. “Ah, I found him! This is the third of my fifteen children, Callum. Cal, meet Mr. Carson Knoll. He might have a proposal you’d be interested in.”

  “Really?” Callum reached out to shake Mr. Knoll’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.”

  “Likewise, Dr. Caldwell,” Mr. Knoll nodded. “Only twenty-six and you have a PhD. You must be very smart.”

  “I worked hard to get where I am,” Callum admitted, looking down at his wet suit. “I’m sorry I’m not dressed appropriately.”

  “It’s all right. Your father told me how much you love diving. You love the ocean and will do anything to protect it. That’s part of the reason why I want to talk to you. I need your help. Your research is impressive.”

  “I will admit I haven’t gone far with it. I’m trying to save as many coral reefs as I can right now.”

  “That’s why I think you can be of assistance. Now, I know very little about the ocean, but I would like to build a company close to it.”

  “A company?”

  “I know what you’re thinking. Businessmen like me and scientists like you don’t mix. You’re afraid that what I’m going to propose will harm your work.”

  “Hear him out, son,” Jacob whispered in Callum’s ear. “Before you make any decisions, hear him all the way through.”

  “However, I am on your side,” Mr. Knoll went on. “I want to make the world a better place. I need the use of the ocean. The biggest problem I’ve got is all the businesses nearby. They take up a lot of space.”

  “Well, those are local businesses,” Callum pointed out. “People have worked and lived all their lives here. They depend on the ocean to keep things running.”

  “That may be so, but I’m thinking that a bigger company might give them a better job. Their lives would improve. Of course, I would have to make a lot of changes. We’d have to use the ocean’s resources. It does mean that some sacrifices have to be made. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

  “I think I do and...I’m not sure if I’m comfortable with this idea. I don’t want to harm the ocean or anyone’s business” Callum went on. Mr. Knoll wasn’t telling him everything. There was something in his tone of voice that was hiding a more sinister plan. However, he didn’t want to start a fight with his father nearby. He promised that he would hear everything out and not jump to conclusions. “Give me time to think about it, okay?”

  “Take your time. You don’t have to say anything right now. I can give you more details a little later.”

  “Thank you.” Callum nodded and then turned to his father. “Dad, do you mind if I excuse myself?”

  “Go ahead.”

  Even though his father had excused him, it wasn’t that long until he heard from him again. Jacob made his way over to him just before Callum got in the water. He really didn’t want to talk about this right now.

  “Dad, I don’t feel good about this,” he began. “Before you say anything, I don’t trust him. I feel like there’s something he’s not telling me.”

  “So I’m guessing you don’t want to help out.”

  “I said I have to think about it.” Callum checked his equipment to make sure everything was fine and in place. “You know me. You know that I won’t go for anything that’s going to hurt the ocean.”

  “Yes, I do know you. That’s why I want you to take your time. If you’re not comfortable, you don’t have to say yes. I’m sure he’ll give you more details at dinner. Hear everything and then make your final decision.”

  “I’ll do that, but I’m pretty sure what my decision will be. I’m sorry, Dad. I don’t want to cause any trouble for you, but I don’t think I can agree with this. I’ve got issues when it comes to big companies coming here and hurting the environment. Not only that, it’ll hurt a lot of people who work there. Maybe he has good intentions, but I’m not getting that feeling. Not yet anyway.”

  “Well, you might change your mind later. Don’t say anything to him yet, okay? I’ll see you at dinner. Say hi to your angel for me.”

  Callum rolled his eyes. “I will do that.”

  Once his father was gone, Callum dove into the water and thought about who had saved him. The only clue he had of his angel was those deep brown eyes. He had no idea if the angel was male or female. Maybe it wasn’t even human. Still, those eyes were comforting. As soon as he looked into them, he knew he would be all right. It was a shame he never got to thank the angel.

  Where are you? He wondered. I’m back in the ocean that I almost drowned in, yet I don’t know where to start looking. I wonder if you’re still around, waiting for me to reunite with you.

  He swam around with the fishes with those warm brown eyes on his mind. Then he got that feeling again. Someone was watching him. It wasn’t a bad feeling, but instead one that made him feel safe. It didn’t matter how far he went. That person or thing would keep their eye on him. He tried looking around for them but nothing showed up. It just didn’t make sense.

  I can’t be going crazy. He thought, looking down at the sand and brushing his fingers against it. I know what I saw and I can’t get it out of my head. I didn’t save myself. With the way I felt, there’s no way I’d save myself.

  That was when he noted the shadow around him. At first, he assumed that it was a fish, but it seemed too big. It was a dark shadow in front of him. He carefully turned around to see what it was but it had disappeared again.

  A shark? No, that can’t be it. He told himself. There aren’t sharks in this part of the ocean. I’d have to go further if I want to see them. It must be something else. Maybe it’s my angel!

  It was a long shot but he had to find it. Something moved in the waves and bubbles formed everywhere. Nothing made sense. He had to figure out what was after him. He reached out for something, anything that could be a clue. Instead, he found his hand pressing against a rock. No, this wasn’t it. This wasn’t what he was looking for.

  I must have lost them again. He thought, feeling depressed and wanting to surface now. It was almost time to go back anyway. Oh well, maybe I was hallucinating again. I’m tired. That’s it. I’m tired and I’m seeing things.

  He turned and in that moment, he saw the one thing he wasn’t expecting. He could make out the tail, all green and glimmering in the waters. He could make out the scales that were layered all over it. Then he looked up and saw scales on the dark skin. That didn’t make sense. The tail was attached to a torso. That torso had a neck and head with a face and brown eyes.

  Brown eyes.

  Callum felt frozen in place as he stared at this creature. Half-fish, half-man. That couldn’t be right. This couldn’t be real. His mind had to be playing tricks on him. He blinked a few times to make sure he had seen it. Unfortunately, the creature had noticed him as well and turned around. He wanted to reach out and grab it but it was too late. It was swimming away from him.

  No, don’t go! He wanted to yell. Come back! I won’t hurt you!

  It was no use. The creature was a fast swimmer and it was gone before Callum found the strength to move. Still, what he had seen was something worth remembering. The brown eyes, the brown skin, and the tail gave it all away. His heart was beating fast with excitement.

  A merman.

  Chapter 4

  Callum was bursting with excitement as he thought about that merman. He knew he didn’t imagine any of it. Even if this wasn’t his angel, it wa
s still a big discovery. It would make sense that a mermaid or merman would have saved him that night. It was the only thing that made sense.

  As he got changed for dinner, he thought about where that merman had swum off to. They would be docking soon so he could go back in the water tomorrow and find him. If nothing else, it was possible he would find another mermaid or merman. It could lead to new discoveries about the ocean. The problem was that he had no idea who he could talk to about it. No one would believe him unless he had proof. He didn’t bring his camera with him this time so all they would have were his words. Those wouldn’t be enough to convince anyone. Next time he went in the water, he would take something to record everything.

  I’m one step closer to finding my angel. I know they’re out there still. He thought, brushing his hair back and taking one more look in the mirror. His eyes were sparkling, which hadn’t happened in a while. His heart was beating with excitement and he could feel his cheeks getting hot. He grinned as he went downstairs to eat.

  He was smiling as he had made his way to the dining room and squeezed in between Hannah and Isabella. Everyone noticed the change in his behavior as he hummed to himself and unfolded his napkin. They could hear him humming to himself as he laid out his silverware in front of him. Someone poured him some water and he thanked them without looking at who did it.

  “Well, someone’s in a good mood.” His mother noticed. “I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen you smile like that.”

  “I’ve...” He shook his head. “I can’t talk about it right now. It’s something that could be very big for me.”

  “Something related to work?” His father asked.