The Bad Boy And The Mermaid

Hunter

I’d been painting for hours now and it seemed to me like time had suddenly come to a standstill. A few more strokes and I’ll go to bed, I promised myself. The thing is I didn’t want to go to bed. When I tried to sleep, I felt restless. I couldn’t sleep and I either ended up painting until dawn or trying to read a book.

I had a car accident three weeks ago, and according to my step-mom, I’d been in a coma for five days straight until I finally woke up in the hospital. My memories were still hazy; in fact, I couldn’t even remember the past four months in my life.

Four goddamn months with no fucking memory! How’s that for a start?

It seemed like I’d won a lottery, and bought a home. What I didn’t understand is why I would bother wasting money in a big ass house when I knew I was going to live here all alone. A maid visited the house thrice a week for the cleaning and occasionally prepared meals.

Leslie barked looking at different corners of the house, howled so loud at night, you’d think he’d turned into a werewolf.

I was missing something vital in my life. A very important part that I still couldn’t remember. The doctors told me that the memories could come back eventually, some bullshit reason that it took time. Dr. Eugene specifically said something or someone could trigger those memories. I’d seen the way Elaine and Hannah looked at me with some emotion between pity and sympathy, I wasn’t even sure.

Heck, I’d seen the car that I’d driven during the accident. It resembled a crunched up soda can, and I still couldn’t believe that I survived it. A miracle had to get me out of that alive. My memories were blank and no one was telling me what happened.

It really sucked.

I gave one look towards the painting that I’d almost finished and let out a grunt. Since the accident, I’d been especially inspired to paint the ocean. I picked up the bottle of Jack Daniels sitting idle on the table and took a swig. The liquor burned its way down my throat and that was a good feeling. It was surely better than feeling confused and shit.

I felt a tug. I looked down to see the annoying brown dog pulling the end of my shirt with his teeth.

“Les, I already took you out for a walk, I’m not doing it again.”

Leslie bared his teeth and pulled more aggressively.

“No more treats either,” I warned him.

Suddenly he let go and ran out of the room, came back and threw something on the floor in front of me. At first, I thought he wanted to play but when I looked down, I noticed he’d brought me a pair of keys.

I picked them up and Leslie barked running out of the room. He wanted me to follow him, so I did. He ran across the hallway and went downstairs. I followed him down and came to the first landing. He stood right next to the locked room beside the master bedroom. His large chocolate brown eyes watched me, trying so hard to give me some message.

I’d wondered why the room was locked, but Hannah had brushed off the issue saying that it was just a guest room and I’d suspected that it wasn’t. I picked up the keys, unlocked the door and walked inside.

I wouldn’t have been more surprised if the room was filled with whips, chains or other sex toys instead the room was decorated with stars, planets, stuffed toys sat in every corner, a child’s bookshelf. I was further taken aback to see the crib near the wall. If it had been old, I’d have thought it was from Hannah’s childhood, but this one was all new.

As if someone had expected a baby.

So what happened? What was it that my family was not telling me?

By evening I was sitting alone in Lucifer’s Den waiting for Fred. He was my best friend, surely if my sister was acting suspiciously; I knew Fred would help me out.

good thing. Not that I was particularly fond of the brothers, but the Lockharts moved around with the kind of superiority that

voice that seemed to be dripping

black spandex dress seated on the high stool beside me. Her short dress rode up so high, I didn’t know why she bothered wearing it. I didn’t normally ogle women openly, but you couldn’t look away when a woman was practically shoving her melon sized breasts in your face. It was literally spilling out and she was making

and

here soon,” I told

Ivy. What’s

“Hunter,” I answered.

closer and I got a strong whiff of her perfume. “I don’t own a bed, but I definitely wouldn’t mind using yours tonight.” She

wouldn’t

was also the continuous stinging of the tattoo on

and glared as

was this

by a cactus?”

so I continued, “Because my junk looks and

off so fast you couldn’t count from

man.” Fred slapped a

ward off unwanted female attention?” I asked

in that department. You told

said. “I’ll go deaf if you keep

his breath, wiping a highball

at him for a long time, wondering what had

unknowingly ran over

type to remain loyal in a relationship, let alone a marriage,” Alec said. “There’s a limit, you know. You promised her you wouldn’t look at someone else.

yelling because of the loud music. But I did

time to see Fred who kept mouthing “cut it out” to Alec with a slashing movement of his hand to the neck. When he

Something wasn’t right.

is Blue?” I

I couldn’t remember. By the looks of Alec’s outrage, she had to

spat angrily, “How

a wife?” I laughed because this was fucking hilarious. I never got into a steady relationship, marriage was off the

Fred asked, “Is this

which was a clear

“Come outside in the parking lot. We need to

friend with the question. “What

know how Alec can get.

said looking straight into his eyes and noticed how he was avoiding eye-contact. “If you were in my situation, and you would have forgotten important things from your life, I would do my best to tell you the truth. I wouldn’t hide anything from you. If I have forgotten my wife...if she’s left me for whatever reason, you have to tell me, man. Please. I’m begging you.

looked guilty. “I promised Hannah