Chapter 18

Lenny didn't get much sleep the rest of the night. He was afraid of having another nightmare like the one he'd already had. He was also burdened with the possibility of that nightmare ever coming true. He knew better than anybody that Lino was known for being both a killing machine and a shark who never went back on his word. If he ever threatened to kill, he would kill. And if he ever made a mistake, he would never apologize let alone admit his mistake. That's just how proud he was. Pride. That's all it ever was with Lino, the great white who was at the top of the food chain. Compassion and understanding were for the spineless lower species. Lino would never show any signs of mercy, kindness, or regret. Why in the world shouldn't that dream come true?

But there was something else picking at Lenny's mind through the night: Why? That is, why was Lino the way he was? Why was he so harsh to everyone who surrounded him, even his own family? Couldn't he go through one day in his life without flashing the daggers he called teeth and making everyone in his path flea him? Had he signed some petition stating that he would never be nice to a single soul as long as he lived? Perhaps his excuse was his theory about it being a fish-eat-fish world. Had he always lived by people's expectations for sharks or was it sheer choice that he was so cruel? After all, he was a mob boss. But couldn't he be more than that? Couldn't he act like a real father for once? A father who let his children be free to be who they were and be happy with it, instead of having certain expectations and reprimanding them if they ever strayed from those expectations? To Lenny, the apparent answer had always been no. Lino was a mob boss and a control freak twenty-four hours a day, even at home with his family who he always expected to be the same. And if Lenny had to be a killer for his own father to love him, then Lino would never be his father, Kylie's father-in-law, or Kendall's grandfather. The only father figure Lenny had now was Kurtis, and that was how it was going to be.

By the time Lenny was able to fall back asleep, the sun was just beginning to rise. He hadn't seen what time it was because he was too tired. He just dozed off into a thankfully dreamless slumber and didn't wake up until about two or three hours later when he heard his alarm go off.

Kylie was already awake and ordering breakfast over the phone. "Good morning, handsome," she said happily.

Lenny was in a grouchy mood from both lack of sleep and confusion over the upcoming meeting. "What's so good about it, morning person?"

Kylie teasingly stuck her tongue out. "I'm sorry, not you," she said into the phone. "I was talking to my husband." The person on the other line apparently thought she was telling them good morning. "Just one second, please. Lenny, I'm ordering breakfast. What would you like?"

"Not in the mood," Lenny moped.

"What? Lenny, you have to eat something."

"No really, I'm fine," Lenny insisted.

Kylie, still reluctant to argue with him, continued ordering on the phone. "Okay, I'll just have a cappuccino, kelp juice in a sippy cup, and two Danishes. Thank you." She hung up the phone and turned back to Lenny. "Alright, you, please tell me you're fasting for religious purposes and praying to God for help because otherwise I'm gonna be worrying about your health for the rest of the day."

"Oh please," said Lenny. "My health is the least of our problems. And if you knew what I dreamt last night, you'd know what I mean."

"What'd you dream about?"

Before Lenny could answer, there was a knock at the door.

"Wow, when did the breakfast people become so fast?" Lenny asked.

"That's not the breakfast person," said Kylie. "I figured you could use a little advice from the people I've always turned to for help."

Lenny knew who she was referring to. "But Kendall's still sleeping, we can't have 'em all in here…"

The door opened before he could finish. "Hey, guys," said Kelsey. "What's up with you not answering? Do you keep all your guests waiting around this long?"

Lenny's mood was getting darker by the second. "Well maybe we would've let you in if you'd just been a little more patient, Kelsey."

Kelsey raised an eyebrow. "Touchy," she exclaimed.

Kylie shot Lenny a look that said, 'that's no way to greet our guests,' then she turned to face Kelsey and the rest of her family. "Sorry, come on in, guys."

Kelsey swam inside followed by her parents and the rest of the girls. They all kept quiet when they saw that Kendall was still asleep.

"Okay, everyone," Lenny said once they were all inside. "What's going on here?"

"Kylie told us that you're meeting with your mom today," said Kara. "We figured you'd be nervous so we thought we'd all come by and personally wish you luck. We know it's been a long time since you've seen anyone in your family."

Lenny winced and stared blankly down at the floor.

"Kylie also mentioned your dad and what he said he'd do to sharks like us," Kurtis explained slowly.

"I gathered," Lenny replied.

"I had to tell them," Kylie said to Lenny. "They're your family now too."

"I know," said Lenny. "That's why I'm so afraid of finding out how this is all gonna end."

"I seriously doubt one shark could be cruel enough to have an entire innocent reef killed," Kara asked.

Lenny scoffed. "You guys don't know my dad. He's a macho, four-ton killing machine with a short temper and machetes for teeth."

"Please," said Katrina in an unconvinced tone. "I used to date guys like that."

"I used to take lunch money from guys like that," said Kelsey.

"He must have a strong neck," said Kimmy. "I'm gonna have to measure him if I'm gonna knit him a scarf."

None of these comments made Lenny feel better. "Then why don't one of you meet with my mom today?"

"Excuse me, but did I hear the word macho in there somewhere?" asked boy-crazy Karissa. "What does your dad look like, Lenny? Is he cute? What color are his eyes? What am I saying? He's a mob boss; he probably lost one eye in a fight. In that case, what color is his eye?"

Lenny was becoming increasingly horrified because Karissa was probably planning to become his mother.

"Karissa!" Kylie snapped. "Please stop asking all these creepy questions. You're making Lenny feel worse. Besides, even if his dad is cute, he's like forty years older than you and he's married. Do you seriously think he would be attracted to you?"

"Well gee, I just wanted to know if he was cute," said Karissa.

Katrina sighed. "Unbelievable," she said to her twin. "Not only am I related to you but you're three minutes older than me. How is that possible when I'm clearly the more mature one?"

Karissa giggled. "Oh Katrina, I know you don't really mean that."

"Yes I do," said Katrina. "Otherwise why would I keep asking Mom and Dad to let me join a cult?"

"The answer is still no by the way," Kurtis informed her.

"Come on, Dad," said Katrina. "It's bad enough that I look exactly like her."

Karissa looked hurt. "You are so mean to me sometimes."

Katrina rolled her eyes. "Ah great, here come the waterworks."

"Uh, guys?" said Lenny. "This is all fun and everything, but I thought we were discussing my problems."

"Right," said Katrina.

"Sorry," said Karissa.

"Actually, you don't have to be," said Lenny. "You both just reminded me of my relationship with my dad."

The twins exchanged confused looks and said, "How?"

"My dad and I used to fight all the time because, like you two, we have absolutely nothing in common," Lenny explained. "It's so weird, we're like night and day. I used to wonder if I was adopted or switched at birth. He never understood me and I never understood him."

"That's crazy talk," said Kandice. "Now I know Karissa and Katrina may look like total opposites. But looks can be deceiving. I look at these two and try to ignore the differences in jewelry, eye make-up, auras, and the birthmark on Karissa's tailfin."

"You will never speak of that again, Kandice," Karissa warned.

Katrina chuckled under her breath.

"I try to think of the things they have in common," Kandice continued. "They share the same birthday, they're both female, they're both overprotective of their diaries, and, along with the rest of us, they're both creations of the good Lord above us."

"You know, she has a point, Lenny," said Kylie. "You and your dad may have several differences, but you should try to ignore them and focus on any similarities you may have."

"I suppose," said Lenny doubtfully. "The problem is I can't think of any. And even if we did have any similarities, how's that gonna prevent him from sending us all to a concentration camp?"

"Lenny, enough with the Hitler talk already," said Kylie.

"Well forgive me for only telling you what I saw in my dream last night," Lenny replied.

Kylie stared at him. "You dreamt that your dad sent us to a concentration camp?"

"All of us," said Lenny. "The entire reef."

"You know what that tells me?" Kylie asked. "It tells me you really are overreacting."

"What if I'm not?" Lenny panicked. "What if it really does come true? My dad never went back on his word, especially not when he said he'd kill someone. If I look my mom in the face today, we could all be in trouble. I appreciate your support, everyone, but my mind's made up. I'm keeping myself hidden when I meet with my mom. It's for your own good."

Everyone was silent. It was clear to them all that Lenny was serious about his decision. They glanced at each other, aware that they'd been defeated and had failed in their attempt to convince him. Then again, maybe not all of them had been defeated.

Kayla, who'd remained silent the entire time, approached Lenny and said, "Lenny, I may not know a lot about your dad, but I seriously doubt he's as bad as you're saying he is."

Lenny looked her in the eye and said, "Yeah? Did Kylie not tell you that he kicked me outta the house?"

"No, she did," said Kayla. "But you know, there is a bright side to that."

Lenny almost chuckled at the very thought. "What could possibly be a bright side to being kicked out of my house by my own dad?"

Kayla didn't need time to think, she already had examples fresh in her mind. "If he hadn't kicked you out, you and Kylie never would've met, you wouldn't be co-president of the lost-and-found organization, and Kendall wouldn't be here."

Lenny thought about that for a minute and said, "The sad thing is that actually makes sense. Now I don't know what to do."

"The only advice I have to offer is the same advice you gave me six years ago when you helped me feel better about my glasses," said Kayla.

"And that was?" Lenny asked.

Kayla put a fin on his shoulder and said, "Choose wisely."

Lenny smiled, not just at the advice but also at Kayla herself. He was really proud of her. She was no longer the over-shy and under-confident little dormouse she was when Lenny first met her. She still had a reputation for being the quiet one in the family, but she was much more confident and social nowadays. She was no longer insecure about her glasses and she never let Kelsey's hurtful jokes get to her. Lenny was also impressed at how she'd physically blossomed over the years as well. She was now twenty-one and was looking more and more like Kylie by the day. Certainly a great deal more than the other girls did, even twenty-three-year-old Kandice. Kylie was still the most beautiful in Lenny's book, but Kayla was just about up there.

"Thanks, Kayla," he said.

"What can I say?" she asked. "I'm too involved now that you married my sister."

Lenny turned to face the rest of the family. "And thank you guys too," he said.

"Glad we could help, Son," said Kurtis.

Lenny faced Kylie and said, "I'd better get to work."

"Good luck," Kylie said as Lenny was out the door. Then she turned to Kayla and said, "Okay, who are you and what have you done with my meek little sister who I could never get to say more than three words?"

Kayla shrugged. "So you think he's convinced now?"

"I don't know," Kylie replied. "But I assure you I'm gonna find out. Mom, would you mind watching Kendall for the afternoon?"

End of chapter