The Mermaid of Brooklyn by Amy Shearn - read an excerpt!

7/28/2019 The Mermaid of Brooklyn by Amy Shearn - read an excerpt!

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2/18

The

MerMaid

of

Brooklyn

amy shearn

A TouchSTone Book

Pblisd by Sim & Sstr


3/18

stA Divisi Sim & Sstr, I. Av t Amriasnw Yr, nY

Tis b is a wr ti. nams, aratrs, plas, ad iidts itr arprdts t atrs imagiati r ar sd titisly. Ay rsmbla t

atal vts r lals r prss, livig r dad, is tirly iidtal.cpyrigt by Amy Sar

All rigts rsrvd, ildig t rigt t rprd tis b r prtis tri ay rm watsvr. Fr irmati addrss st Sbsidiary RigtsDpartmt, Av t Amrias, nw Yr, nY .

First st trad paprba diti April

ouchSone ad lp ar rgistrd tradmars Sim & Sstr, I.

Fr irmati abt spial dists r bl prass, plas tat Sim& Sstr Spial Sals at --- r [email protected].

T Sim & Sstr Spars Bra a brig atrs t yr liv vt. Frmr irmati r t b a vt tat t Sim & Sstr SparsBra at --- r visit r wbsit at www.simspars.m.

Maatrd i t uitd Stats Amria

Library cgrss catalgig-i-Pbliati DataSar, Amy.

T mrmaid Brly / Amy Sar.p. m.

A st b.. Stay-at-m mtrsFiti. . MrmaidsFiti. . Dprssi,

MtalFiti. . Sl-ralizati i wmFiti. . Brly (nwYr, n.Y.)Fiti. I. itl.PS.hM '.d


4/18

For Adam, Harper, and Alton, the loves of my life:

thank you for not being the family in this book


5/18

'

o n e

B e f o r e I d i e d t h e f i r s t t i m e , m y h u s b a n d l e f t m e b r o k e a n d

al wit r tw tiy ildr ad it mad m l vry d-

prssd, t. Its t sam ld stry: h wt t by igartts ad

vr am m. Rally. Wldt y ti yd wat t pa

a bag r tw, lav a rwardig addrss? cldt av at lastta t dg? Ts wr t tigs I wdrd i t bgiig.

nt: was avig a aair, r: was mixd p i smtig

aris, bt: I at bliv wldt brig is datb, is

avrit lars; I at bliv didt ag t ligtblb i t

allway br dsrtig s. h w I ldt ra tat ligt-

blb. T wl tig was li im. T agai, I was t

w did, wi was li m, t.I wld b lyig i I said is lavig wast a tiy bit a rli,

at last at rst. My iitial tgtd mstly t slp dpri-

vati, t ts wi, as ay mtr r plitial prisr

ws, vr tirly adwas tat t girls wr i bd, I

ld igr t diss t b d ad ladry (still i a mpat

tr-day-ld bri rm t Ladrmat drp- srvi) t b

pt away; I ld ta a bat ad t slp (til Rss xt d-


6/18

2 A A m y S h e a r n

wldt d t ma a grw-p mal r harry, w ayigly

prrrd diss sasd wit tigs tr ta bttr, ad w

ivitly avrd dir vrsati sistig tpis

tr ta wtr r t mrmaids xistd ad, i s, wtr

r t tir mmmis mad tm ta bats. I wld t d

t sti t yaws tat mist r brdm as dramatially

rtd t dramati dtails is day. I wld t d t

m p wit a mpllig xs t avid sx ad t l gilt

bt at t rsal ad at t rigiality t dsir, t d-sir.

I w tis dst ma m sd li t ist wi. Bt

ba t I ly tgt was lat mig m rm wr. I

didt w wld b g s vry lg, tat it wld ta im

mts ad mts t battl is way m, as i wr rtr-

ig rm t crsads ad t t evr S Frs cady cmpay

adqartrs i Bay Ridg, Brly. It didt r t m tattig wld vr b t sam.

I rgt ad didt rmmbr r sm tim tat I atally ad

sp t im t vig i qsti. My days ad a abit

bldig tgtr, ad it was t dilt r m t pipit

wtr w ad idd tald a w rs arlir r wtr I was

rmmbrig t day br. Bt , I ti it was tat igt, tat

atl igt, w, bliv it r t, it was raiig misly, astrm Grat Plaisstyl vlity, lasd by rstlss ymps

plltig t itys lds, mst av b, bas tr was s

viditivss i t tdr rattlig t it widw ad

spig t immitly spabl baby s tat s was wailig

it my llarb as I alld harrys p, watig t w i

( Gd, s typial) ld pi p sm mil, a rqst tat

was mt wit irritati didt s wy I ldt ta ar


7/18

t h m m f b A 3

swigig r lgs wit a byay tat blid r swl. I ld

vr jst i tim t s r p r mt ad at a md

wd grilld s t t tabl.

Jy? harry aswrd, sdig sd. Is vrytig

ay?

o, sr. Jst atr day i paradis, I said. Rs qitd,

distratd by a a my air.

I miss y, harry said. I miss t girls. h sdd sad, r

mayb jst tird.Wll, yr i l, I said. Wr all rigt r, ad wr ta-

ig visitrs.

I wv y, y wv m, Btty sag t r grilld s. T

girl ad a passi r dairy.

S, baby, plas, I said t r, t Rs, t t tdr tat

grmbld a littl artr i t dista w, t t wrld. Wat,

harry? Im lsig y.Im gig t stp r igartts my way m, it sdd

li said.

S yr t qittig, t, I said, avig rgtt all abt

t mil. I wld rmmbr ly w I prd my dir bwl

cris at lv p.m., wi I dd p atig wit watr, as

Id d mr tims ta I ard t admit. T was g. h

wld stay tat way r a wil.

W harry lt ad I did it was t bgiig a dspratly

t smmr, a lg s-srd strt days dtrmid t

sil dbtrs glbal warmig. T sidwals Brly

bad all ard s, Prspt Par a xpas brwis ay. I

ad ts tw babis, ad ppl wr always sayig tat my wl


8/18


at Rss bti r bigig Bttys rls, igbrd tris

dispsig sliitd advi rm tir bdga-rt bs. I

ddd ad tad tm, r smtims rlld my ys.

My li wit harry ad bg v yars arlir, rigt ard

t tim I startd lig my bilgial l dig tMy Cousin

Vinnytig. I was wrig a xastig jb at a magazi tat I

was jst startig t raliz was t gig aywr: t t maga-

zi, t t jb, t m. I was ially Sigl ad Lvig It bt

i rality t tird by t d t day t d aytig mrabls ta drag mysl m ad wat abls amts

tlvisi. (Rmati mdis td as datial i ty wr

i bla ad wit. W all g aywir at tims, ad i w dt,

mayb w gt t, Id mt alg wit Te Philadelphia Story.)

I was t ld t still av a rmmat w alld it ig w

s addd pppr t r ram; I was t yg t rtrat t t

Midwst, apitlatig t a li wit may ats. It is ayig td yrsl livig a li. It is dbly ayig t tr yr li

psid dw ly t sttl it a at v mr baal ta t

y wr tryig t avid.

I mt harry my tirtit birtday, wi I t as a m.

It was a w ws atr Sptmbr , t bad , ad vry

i t ity was lig xisttially wiggd t, stalgi r tigs

wd vr tid br. Tr was a barb t lastwarm days t yar i sms lsty bayard, mrig

glry straglig t bri. (Ts vis ar lvly, I tld my st,

tryig t b ridly. Sd rwd, ssd, Tyr illig

everytig.) I didt w ts ppl wll, bt i ts ws

vry was vrly sliits ad giv t gallws mr, gt-

tig tgtr t sm mrt d ad avid t sbjts

dat ad patritism i avr ts vagr avrits, Wat Was


9/18

t h m m f b A 5

smlld li brig rbbr i Brly. evry igt I dramd I

ad ildr w gt lst i my pts. I tr wrds, it was a

dagrs tim t mt sm w.

ovr by t was harry. h was warig a latr jat

tat was t warm r t watr, wi I didt qsti at t

tim. his wit sirt gapd p at t llar. I rst tid tat

triagl . h std talig t a tri prtty blds, ad

I ldt ar wat said bt all at , as i rgrapd,

ty trw ba tir ads ad lagd. hr was harry i is rs I ldt av w tis tmai igs,

aratrizd by bravad ad bistrsss, blvd by all. I

tgt (a! a!), Tere is an uncomplicated man. havig split

rtly rm a mrs Bswi-lt-iabitig artist, I ld

at harry ad my gt said, I know him. He is happy. He knows(

d ba a swig mirbrwd br, sqitd at smtig

vr my ad, t r sap mayb) how to enjoy life. Ppl aralways sayig t llw yr gt. urtatly, as it trs t, my

gt is id stpid.

Y w yr i trbl w y rr t yr w rla-

tisip as a wirlwid rma. harry was d tis pras,

wi t m sta wit a rt-swt wi dsprati. Its tr

tat it all appd vry qily. Tr was smtig dply

attrig abt is passi r m, w ad t av m im-mdiatly ad rvr. his prssis ati wr always

largr ta li. w dz wit rss wld grt m at wr a

glmy Mday, t t ig vy my wrrs. or Id wa

a wd t a mmad appi, a w pair gld

gladiatrs (d pipitd my wasss), ad marig rdrs

Gt p, gt p! Wr gig a liptr tr t ity i a

r! My trapist psitd tat harry was t u My Fatr,


10/18


S alld im t Pri Darss carmig. S alld im

Jams Da Lit. I alld r nt My Trapist Aymr.

Witi a yar harry ad I wr marrid ( watd a Vgas

wddig bt wrrid it wld ill is mtr), ad Id tradd my

Xaax r pratal mga-s; a yar atr r wddig, Btty was

br, ad t qit tw yars atr tat, Rs. Id b i llg

lgr ta Id w my sbad. Id ad a mr prtratd

rlatisip wit my aadmi advisr ta wit t atr my

ildr, t ma ws DnA Id s t tagl wit mi. Adw r w wr, pild it t rmmy tw-bdrm rtal tat

was all w ld ard i Par Slp, t yppi igbrd w

lg t bas I was araid t brig my ids aywr ls i t

ity. or r I was, ayway. W w wr harry was.

W I aw at tr a.m., Rs wlig wlsly at a blat-rtai-dyig strtlamp, Btty stadig i t allway wit r

ads vr r ars, ad harry still wast tr, it rrd t m

t wrry.

Rsi, Rsi. I lad mysl rm bd, t sts witd

ard my lgs, ly t stp sqarly t dg. o. T dg. I

was prptally rgttig abt t xist Jipr, harrys

sraggly, immrtal mtt. Our mtt w, rs. had I tar dw t p br bd? Tr wr t may ratrs bdily

tis t p tra . T dg ld p at m mrlly. I

aplgizd, stmbld it r bbi a allway. My lgs wr

sti, Frastiy. I ldt rmmbr t last tim Id xrisd

i ay way mr sigiat ta a wal psig t strllr ard

t par, wi I pd td r smtig. evry day I prm-

isd mysl Id at last strt t br bd, ad vry igt I was


11/18

t h m m f b A 7

was mr li waitig r Rs t rlt ad t immdiatly ap-

plyig mysl t my mattrss.

Rs ad id r swaddl p ard r i a srt

at tr wl ad was iig arss t rib li a dmtd

atrpillar. S stppd wlig w s saw m, grid tt-

lssly. All rigt, I said. Yr vry armig. I plld t swad-

dlig blat r ad litd r t. Btty llwd s ba

it my bd. I didt btr tryig t stp r. I stld Rs dw

i t tr t mattrss, ad s immdiatly startd srtigwit t pr-mal tsiasm a tr Lipi. I lay dw bsid

r ad rd r t bb wit t lss dstryd ippl. Btty

lay dw t tr sid Rs.

Mmmy, wr Daddy?

Rs pppd ad rad r risly tward Btty.

Swtart, plas dt distrat t baby, I said as drad

grippd t tp b my spi. Rigt. Wr was Daddy?Daddys, m, at wr.

Btty sidrd tis. Art t ligts ?

Rs latd ba . I lsd my ys ad allwd t pll

slp t drag m dr t sra. Slp was li watr, my brai

tgt, rigially. Ad as wit a rivr, y vr stppd it

t sam slp twi, it was always a dirt txtr smw,

tr was a dirt rrt tigt, smtig rilig i t dis-ta. Wat was tis dram tat I

Mmmy.

Witt rally waig p, I said, Ys, y, t ligts ar .

h as a asligt.

o.

Rs stppd rsig t star p at Btty agai. Plas, tal-

ig, Btty, I said, alrady mstly aslp. I was s tird tat it rt


12/18


t tr smtig ad ta it did t Bt t tgt

stppd maig ss as I tgt it, braig apart li brad

drppd i watr. I was dimly awar Jipr jmpig t t

bd ad ilig p bid m. Big sadwid btw littl

bdis tis way smd zy r abt tirty sds, til my lg

watd t strt ad ldt. It was atr t igt, t mg-

giss azd by t air-ditiig it ldgd i t widw,

ad r w wr gld tgtr by swat ad spit-p ad dg air.

It was all vry glamrs.W I aw agaiv mits latr? a r latr?Rs

was szig wit r mt sligtly p ard my ippl, mil

pld r tiy tg. Btty ad Jipr wr rld tgtr

at t t t bd. T rm was sadwy, lit by t strtlamp,

t ligts igt-wl igbrs, t ligts arly-risig ig-

brs, t azy dar t ity at igt. Ad rally, w, wr

was harry? Alarm rag trg my limbs. I trid t tmpr it witsm Vla lgi, a tiq Id ad t ta mysl vr ad

vr, vry igt my axity-lad rst yar mtrd. n,

, wast dad i a dit, tat wldt ma ay ss h

ad said smtig . . . o. h was gig t stp ad by iga-

rtts. My brai, still al-slpig li a dlpis, ivtd a stry:

hd gtt a all rm is alli brtr, Frd, d g vr

t mrt im, d prbably alld my ll p bt I adtgtt t all bas t p was litrig as sal smwr

dp witi t diapr bag. h ad dd p spdig t igt

at Frd ad cytias pla ar t ad ad txtd m s as

t t wa p t girls i t mirals as tat r bt

tm migt b slpig ad w I saw im tmrrw, tday,

wvr, wld astis m r t payig mr attti t

tat partilar ltris, wi, it was tr, I saw mr


13/18

t h m m f b A 9

r mmiati. oay, tat mad ss. I was dritig ba t

slp, s tird tat my jits lt jmpy, my si prily. I ldt

prss wtr Id all aslp r ls ad slpt r rs w

tr was Btty, pattig my .

I pd a y. Rs sprawld t r ba, taig p

mr rm ta smd gmtrially pssibl r a prs w

wigd twlv pds. It was a gd tig harry wast r,

atally. h atd w I lt Rs slp i r bd. Y mad m

by tat rig air r t rsry, d say rssly. I tgttat was r rsig. Its t sa t slp wit r i r bd. I

ad a matr, rasabl rsps t tis, big t xllt wi

ad mtr tat I was: I waitd r im t tr ard, ad t I

st my tg t at t ba is ad.

Mmmy. cis? Btty said xprimtally. W I pd

bt ys, I saw Jipr bid r, waggig r tail. W Ji-

pr diagsd m as awa-is, s lapd p ad startd paigard. n ad , I said t bt tm. I prbably ll ba

aslp. MoMMY, Btty said, pattig my ardr. oay, it-

tig. Smaig my a. hr ad was stiy, smw, alrady. It

was a lvly way t wa p. It wast v ligt t yt. S, r

rty-v, mayb? Jipr jmpd p t t bd, ad Rss ys

pppd p.

o Gd, I said. evry mrig I lay i bd tiig, I cannotpossibly do this for one more day. T I gt p ad did it r

mr day, vry day. All parts did, I tld mysl. My xasti

was tig spial. Ad liwis, t mmts i wi I ma-

agd t p i a alway-dt way wr t xatly t trimps

matral spirit I lid t prtd ty wrmr li basi

mpt. ll Daddy t ta t Jipr, I said.

Btty s r ad. Its t ar.


14/18


ad plasd, a dimitiv rat by. I adt brpd r atr r last

dzy dig. Atr abit harry atd.

Its too far. Daddy at work.

o God.

Tirty sds latr, I was warig t sam -sirt ad srts

Id wr t day br; Rs ad r diapr, trasrmd it a

avil p, wr td it t slig; Btty was drssd i r

pajamas, a tt, ad pi crs r gradmtr ad gtt r

xprssly agaist r wiss; Jipr was arssd it r las.T wl appy amily lambrd t t strt. It was alrady

abt igty dgrs t, t wrld damp ad stamig rm t

igts rai. Day-ld spit-p bad my sirt, mittig a t

tirly plasat brady dr. T s was jst bgiig t

ris, a brigt sr bldig vr t par. Jipr pd i sms

tr bx, irrigatig t crb yr dg sig. Sm days t ity

smd almst spratrally batil t m. T tr wrdays li tis, w rgivig ligt rvald rats prrmig

ats daytim drrig-d, w vrytig i sigta witrd

r lltig as, a paralyzd pdl draggig its id lgs

lagig wlsld damagd ad dragd. It was garbag

day, ad stiig bldrs tras ptatd t sidwal, wi

rmidd m tat I adt ta dw r rylig, a tgt tat

lld m wit dspair. Btty tddld vr t a ra pil, litd p adisasd-lig tddy bar.

n! My vi startld Rs, w startd t ry. It was asir t

av sympaty r r, I d, ta r sistr, t tddlr trrr.

Rsi ldt lp it. S was a baby. hr ryig was mpli-

atd. W Btty trd t watrwrs abt r

mplx big-girl isss, li t gttig a igt Dra Bad-Aid

wit wi t drat t dg, my si rdld wit irritati.


15/18

t h m m f b A 11

S. I swayd ba ad rt, xtratd a pair rm my

pt, ad plggd r mt. Btty, I said i t rpy-alm

vi a partal pati. Pt tat dw rigt tis sd.

havt y vr rad Te Velveteen Rabbit? Sarlt vr! Bdbgs!

Dat!

Btty ittd r brw.

Drp it! I said. Jipr stppd walig ad ld at m.

nt y.

Btty rlasd r trasr ad ptily st r tmb i rmt, t sam tmb tat, mmts br, ad b arssig

t grimy tys ylss st. I lsd my ys. Id b awa r

tw mits ad alrady lt vrwlmd by t lgt t day

aad m. I was ially vr harrys disapparig at.

Atr Jipr ad rappd a prttsly watry rapWat

did y d r? I asd Btty, w prtdd t t arw

mad r way ard t bl, dttd wit trs maig tirdaig mrig dlivris t t rr str, t bary, t

bar. W trpd ba pstairs. I ally agd Rss diapr. S

grabbd at r rt, griig. W wt it t mai rm, a

rltlssly lttrd livig rm wit a p it, wi ad

smd li a gd ida br w ad ids. (Prt r trtai-

ig! harry ad said w I mvd i. ha!) Btty sat rss-lggd

xt t Jiprs bwl, rig.o dar Gd, wat ar y atig? I said, dpsitig Rs it

r by sat. S prmptly mmd wlig. I pid r

p dspit t twig btw my sldr blads. Btty pt r

ad ba it Jiprs d bwl ad t rz. Plas d t

at dg d, I said alartdly. I sard r my p i t

diapr bag, wi smd t tai vrytig w wd xpt

diaprs. I ard Btty rig agai. Jipr lappd at r watr.


16/18


I only feel like crying because I am so tired, I tld mysl. Its just that

my eyes are all dried out.

n mssags my p. n missd alls. Stayig alm r

t sa t girls t all t rgy I ad. Wi mad m mad

at harrywat a jr, t pt m trg tis, ad s a t

day!wi mad m immdiatly bit t isid my ,

ard, t pis mysl r tiig s ma tgts abt

sm w was mayb missig ad i dagr, r mayb jst a

g ig jr, r mayb a g ig jr w was vrt-lss missig ad i dagr.

I alld t ( prilig, lgs llwig t), bt

aswrd. It was t arly r ay t b tr i ay rmal

srt apaity. I pitrd harry aslp i is air, ad d

ba at a trribl agl. oay. Tat wld ma a y stry

smday: He was so tired, because you never slept, Rose, that one night

he called to say he was on his way home and then promptly fell asleepin his chair. c harry rbbig is rlly, as i rmmbrig

t pai p waig.

Atr all, ad b wrig a lt lat rs rtly. I pd

by agig it my pajamas at six p.m. vry igt ad trtai-

ig Btty ad mysl wit labrat, magial bdtim stris. h was

t missig t, I tld mysl, ts grat bdig watvrs.

Atr all t mmts partig tat, lts b st, rally sd,I livd r tat twiligt tim w Btty sggld p ad prmptd

m, ll t sy. T my t-md mastrs dgr i Rssia

llr (it sdd gd at t tim) gt its mmt t si. Ys,

I tld Btty, wrig a mb trg a pst-bat sarl. o tr

was a s-wma w livd at t bttm t rivr. evry igt

s am t ad dad i t madw by t ligt t m.

At t par? I Bttys tw-ad-a-al-yar-ld mid (as i


17/18

t h m m f b A 13

Yp. I t big ld t way t t arsl. Ad s wld

da ad da. Ad smtims limb a tr t brs r air.

Bt ly i r mama tr.

Rigt. exatly. Fr saty. Ad s igt a ma wald

by . . . Btty lvd w ts gstly mrmaids lrd ildr

wit rit sas ad Pirats Bty (y, watr spirits w wat

littl ids li) ad spially w ty tild m t dat.

Bt t wheely? S til im? Bt t wheely.

Wll . . . Ad t wld m a til t d all tils. Ts-wma stris ad mrgd rm a t vrpartig piq,

w it was rvald tat wil babysittig igt Gradma

Sylvia ad xpsd my dagtr t Disys isipid Little Mermaid

mvi, wit its ty-bppr ri. Id rltd a lt t

prt partig idals Id ad as a pr-part, bt tis was t

m. Mrmaids ad b my avrit grs i t Slavi airy-

tal pat, bt it was bas ty wr wird ad pwrl ada littl sary, t bas ty ld grat i lamsll biiis. I

admit tat I tdd t glt t girls wardrbst tss

qtit tir ats ad drsss t arly as ig as migt

xpt rm a pair brwst-Brly babisad tigs li

lippig tir ails ad datig tm abt tiqtt r Gd r

-mirwavd isi. Bt simprig mal rl mdls ad

saari airy stris? cm . I lt t t parts abt mr-

maids big t avgd spirits siids, rsa girls, b-

trayd brids, wd mtrs-t-b. I grd tat st ld wait

at last til pr-k.


18/18

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The Mermaid of Brooklyn by Amy Shearn - read an excerpt!

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