Sirene (Wattys 2014 Entrant)
Chapter 8-part 1

folks, I'm so sorry it's only part of the chapter, I've had a hectic week and only got half the chapter done. I'll try to post the second part tomorrow :)

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Chapter 8

“Excuse me,” Miss Ringers poked her head into the reading lesson. “But there is a visitor for Oceana.”

Oceana lifted her head in surprise. Stephanie had promised to visit, but she would never come in the middle of a class.

“I told him you were in the middle of…” Miss Ringers never finished her sentence. At the mention of ‘him’ Oceana leapt from her seat.

“It can’t be.” She squealed and raced out of the room, nearly knocking Miss Ringers over in the process. In vain did Miss Grey try and keep the reading lesson going. The other girls ran from the room and followed Oceana. Everyone was intrigued by who could have come to see her. Oceana didn’t have any relatives, the only people outside the orphanage who knew her were Miss Patterson and Miss Stephanie Alberna and they wouldn’t come visiting at this hour. Who could the mysterious ‘him’ be?

“It is!” Oceana gave another squeal and as the other children crowded the door they saw her rush straight at a large, rough looking man who gathered the little girl into his arms.

“Who on earth?” Shirley’s eyes opened wide.

“Took you long enough.” Oceana gave a loud sigh.

“At leest I found ye lassie.” He replied.

“What’s the matter with his accent?” Cassandra asked.

“It’s Scotch.” Mary said in a knowing voice.

“Maybe he’s Irish?” Beth suggested.

Mary shook her head, “Scotch, he’s beyond the shadow of a doubt a Scot.”

“Now lassie, whit have they *dain to yer hair?” He asked, taking a seat and placing the girl on one knee.

“They cut it.” Oceana’s hand grabbed some of the cropped hair. “I begged them not too, but they cut it anyway.”

“Ah, I wouldn’t *fash yerself, it’s hair, it grows back real quick.”

“Not here it won’t. It is always kept short.”

“Ah,but I’ve come to tak' ye away from here.”

“He’s come to do what?” Shirley looked at the other girls in bewilderment.

“Beth, go replace out who he is.” Mary gave Beth a little nudge forward.

“Why me?”

“Because you’re Oceana’s closest friend.”

Beth rolled her eyes and stayed where she was.

“Beth!” Shirley gave a whispered shout. Oceana and her visitor looked up.

“Who are yer friends, lassie?” he asked.

“Those are the other girls from the orphanage,” Oceana explained. She motioned for the girls to come over. Some hung back, shy of this large rugged stranger, and some came over to see him close up. Among them where Beth, Cassandra, and Shirley and Kristen.

“Who are you?” Beth gathered up the courage to ask.

“The name is Callum.” he introduced himself.

“Callum!”

The name was whispered among all the girls and they all turned and eyed him with a shocked sort of wonder.

“How do you know Oceana?” Shirley’s curiosity overcame her shyness.

“If I ken Oceana, th' lass has *awreddy told ye everythin'.” He gave a laugh. “We pulled th' wee mermaid out of a boat. Gave chandler an' myself th' shock ay our life, when th' boat floated it out of nowhere an' there was nothin’ inside but this wee lassie *wi' large eyes wrapped up in a blankit.”

The children shifted their wide eyes from Callum to Oceana and back to Callum.

“Where is Chandler now?” Oceana asked.

“Prison, lassie, where else could he be? An' he’ll be there fur a while it seems.”

“What prison?”

Callum laughed and patted the girl on the head. “Always have to ken everythin', don’t ye?”

At this point, Miss Morgan walked in.

“Girls,” she barked, “back to your lessons, all of you.”

“Who is ‘at?” Callum eyed the woman as if she were a disease.

“Miss Morgan, she’s the head lady in charge of this whole place.” Oceana whispered.

“Oceana, what I just said applies to you too. Off with you.”

“Ma’am, I’ll be needn’ to talk wi' ye.” Callum lifted Oceana off his knee and stood up. He was always awkward around woman and this was no exception.

“We can talk in my office. Oceana, go back with the other girls.”

Beth grabbed Oceana, who reluctantly followed her and the other girls back to the classroom, while Miss Morgan showed Callum the way to her office.