The dinner table grew quiet and Elick was riddled with fear. He looked over at Mallard, worried that the next thing he said could be enough to end them both. His heart beat faster and his body trembled. Mallard opened his mouth and Elick gasped.

“I’m feeling a little fuzzy in the head after arriving. I—I’m from far across the ocean, I think,” Mallard said.

“You think?” Jane said. She had a rigid tone forming in her voice. “What do you mean—you’re a little fuzzy? Are you sick?”

Elick turned to his mother and gave her an angry expression. He furrowed his brows and frowned, hoping she’d realize how rude she was being. He shook his head and sighed.

“I think I get it,” Frank said. He pointed his fork at Mallard and then towards the sky. “You’re from Europe, right? When you say across the ocean, you mean from another country!” He nodded as if he was correct. “That’s why you’re so tired, you took a long trip.”

Elick froze, he looked at his parents all wide-eyed and dumbfounded. He couldn’t believe they would fall for such a silly tale. “Right.” He nodded. “Mallard has traveled from far away and is quite tired. Try to avoid quizzing him like you do to me.”

Jane scowled with a growl. “I don’t quiz you.” She reared back and folded her arms. “I ask questions like any concerned parent!”

“At twenty-nine? How much longer can you call it concern and not obsession or control?” Elick said.

Jane slammed her hands down on the table and caused the dishes to rattle and clank. Mallard jolted with fear and embarrassed Jane. She tossed her hair back and tried to hide her face by dabbing her napkin against her cheeks.

Elick’s father shot him a sharp glance. “Elick, don’t argue with your mother.” Frank outstretched his hand towards Mallard and smiled. “I’m sorry, our family is…a bit argumentative. Please, forgive us.” He then looked back at Elick, his expression changed instantly with a angry frown. It looked as if Frank could kill Elick with a glance, but he was holding himself back. He took a deep breath and exhaled like a snorting bull.

Mallard chuckled and broke the tension with his beaming smile. “I think it’s funny.” He burst into laughter. “You show love even through anger and arguments.”

Elick sneered because Mallard couldn’t be farther from the truth but somehow his smile was almost infectious. Elick felt a tingle welling up in the pit of his stomach until it rose and tickled his chest. He wanted to laugh and smile but did his best to hide it behind a snicker.

“What’s wrong with you?” his mother asked.

Elick tried to hide his face. “Nothing, I just got choked up. That’s all.”

“Well, it’s obviously been a long day for you, Mallard,” Frank said. “Why don’t we make this a quick meal and we let you rest?”

Jane nodded. “Sure, we can get to know each other, later.”

Elick inhaled deeply and screamed internally. He didn’t want them to speak to Mallard ever again. If they kept assuming things about Mallard, it wouldn’t be long before Elick forgot all the details.

Mallard nodded graciously and composed himself with a soft smile. “Forgive me, I will be more alert after I rest.” He winced and looked away. He rubbed his head. “It’s just like being with your grandmother. I always seemed to confuse her.”

Elick’s father stood up in shock. “You knew my mother?”

Jane tilted her head and looked confused until she shot Elick a grim glance. She looked as if she knew something was amiss. “How can you be from Europe if you knew grandma?” she asked.

Elick stood up and pulled Mallard off to the side. “Are you alright?” He looked into Mallard’s crimson eyes and felt his worries fade away. “What’d you say something like that for? How’d you know my grandma?”

Mallard rubbed his head. He looked as if he was in a lot of pain. “It’s still fuzzy, but she and I knew each other. Sometimes, she would visit the area where I lived.” He tilted his head back and let out a long sigh.

“Grandma liked taking trips around the world,” Frank said.

“Yes, grandma was a traveler. She believed the world belonged to everyone. She thought she could travel everywhere, share in all the cultures, and enjoy spending time with everyone,” Jane said. Elick could feel the sarcasm rising in her voice. “Grandma was a kind old bird, but she couldn’t keep her hands off the gentlemen. One took her for a spin one night and she never came back.”

Elick gasped and looked back at his mother. His eyes grew wide. “You mean she’s still alive?” he asked.

Jane shook her head. “No, no. She went away with a man and never came back.” She scoffed and snickered. “I guess the heat of passion was too much for her. After twenty years, we assumed she was dead.”

“How can you say that so casually?” Elick asked.

Frank shushed Elick. “Now, now, this isn’t the time to have such a discussion among company.” He took a deep breath as if he were fighting back his tears. “We told you grandma died because she was already so old. No one could find her, and she hasn’t returned to her home in twenty years. There was only so much we could do before closing the case.”

“You don’t think you could have told me that?” Elick grabbed ahold of Mallard’s arm and held onto him tightly. “Why would you lie to me?”

“Calm down, son,” Jane said. She approached Elick but he backed away with Mallard. “You were too young, and we didn’t know how to explain it back then.”

“So, you’ve waited all this time to tell me the truth?”

Mallard grabbed Elick by the shoulders and tilted his chin up. “Listen, don’t argue over something so sad.” His voice was calm and stern. “She loved all of you—that I can remember. She was very kind and helpful to me too.”

Elick pushed Mallard away. “Do you think that’s supposed to make me feel better?”

Frank stepped forward. “Why are you getting so worked up over this? I thought you made peace with these feelings a long time ago?” He tried to reach for Elick but was pushed away.

“I don’t know! I’m confused!” Elick said.

“Don’t worry, it’ll be okay,” Mallard said.

Elick stormed into his room and shut his door. Tears trickled down his face and burned his eyes. He was overcome with emotions and worries. When he was younger and all alone, it was his grandmother who helped ease his worries and loneliness. Somehow, when he looked at Mallard those gentle feelings returned. It was as if he wasn’t alone anymore. He rubbed his face and sniffled.

There was a knock at the door. “Elick,” Mallard said. “Are you alright? May I come in?” His voice was soft and calm. It was almost as if he was afraid to speak. “I can wait if you want.”

Elick flung open the door and welcomed Mallard inside. He peeked outside the door and looked back at his parents. “I’m fine!” He rubbed his face and pushed his hair back. “I’ll come back and eat later.” Then, he closed the door and flopped back onto the bed.

Mallard shuffled towards him and fumbled his hands around nervously.

Elick didn’t take him for the type to be unnerved and somehow it upset him. Without thinking, he clapsed his hands around Mallard’s and looked into his eyes. “It’ll be alright. I’m fine,” Elick said.

“Are you sure?” Mallard asked.

Elick nodded.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know about your grandmother. I’m just so confused. It’s like I’m searching for the lost pieces in my memory.”

“For a fish, you seem very complicated, Mallard.”

Mallard tapped his head. He looked as though he hoped he could loosen a lodged memory. “I don’t know…”

“It’s alright. I’m not upset over my grandmother.” Elick took a deep breath. “I think with you being here and my parents stressing me out…it reminded me of how I used to feel.” He looked over at Mallard and smiled. “When I was younger, I felt lost and lonely. As an adult, I’m okay with being alone, but as a kid it felt different. I felt hated and unwanted by others and my own family.”

Mallard sat down on the bed and a sad frown crept across his face. He gently caressed Elick’s face and looked as if he were about to cry. “I…I don’t know what that’s like.”

“I’m sure you don’t. You were a fish after all.”

“No. I mean I can’t seem to remember either way. Was it because I was a fish or because of something else?”

Elick shrugged and pulled the blanket over his face. “My grandmother helped me feel less alone, and she helped me feel like I could achieve anything. As I’ve grown older, I feel confident in myself, even if I don’t have any real friends to count on.”

“You have me,” Mallard said.

Elick shushed him. “No. No. What I mean is, I was suddenly over come with the fear of losing you and being alone again. It’s only been a day, but you’ve somehow shown me what it’s like to feel that warmth again.” He pulled the blanket away and looked at Mallard. “You can call me selfish, but I don’t want you to go away…not yet at least. Not until we figure things out.”

Mallard smiled and leaned into embrace Elick. “I made a promise to make sure you’re happy. I won’t fail you,” Mallard said.

Elick chuckled and pushed him back. “You don’t have to act like a knight, you know. I’ll be fine.” Mallard attempted to speak, but Elick shushed him and covered his mouth. “No, no, we’ll take this one day at a time. Don’t worry…I still have to make up your backstory and lie about who you are.” He shook his head and chuckled. “That’s a lot of work to keep up with.”

“But I…” Mallard tried to speak between Elick’s fingers.

“No, now, let’s just enjoy the evening. We’ll sleep in our separate rooms, that way my parents don’t get suspicious. That’ll give me some time to make something up…I hope.”

“You mean, you’ll make me sleep alone, Elick?” Mallard’s eyes grew wide and pouty like a sad dog.