Arthur enters the room and tosses a thumb over his shoulder. “You ready? The crowd is getting restless.”
I have to work late. Sorry.
Where do you work? I can meet you there.
I bite my lip, feeling a little mischievous.
Wouldn’t you like to know?
I lock my phone inside my locker. “See you out there,” I say to Alice and climb the stairs to the top of the tank.
She waves half-heartedly. “Yeah…see ya.”
Tonight, I’m wearing my midnight blue tail that lights up. I do a quick breathing exercise before diving in and giving the people what they want.
When the curtains part and the lights turn on inside the water tank, I swim out from behind the rocks. As I do my routine, I wave to amazed customers and blow the occasional bubble kisses.
A couple is having a romantic dinner with a candle in the center of their table. I swim over to them and interact. The woman smiles and waves. After doing a backflip, I motion to the man who’s now on his knee proposing. I draw a heart with my hands when she nods yes.
With everyone clapping for the happy couple, I take a moment to hide behind seaweed and take a few breaths from my oxygen mask. The diver gives me a thumbs up and I give him one in return.
As I swim out, someone catches my eye at a table in the corner of the tank. My heart thunders in my skull as the man looks a lot like Sully, but that’s impossible. I never told him where I work.
But when I press myself to the glass, he smiles at me and I could never mistake those blue eyes. It is Sully! And he’s holding his phone up.
Is he…is he recording my show?
I flick my fins and twist to face away from him. What the hell? I need to remain calm.
Just focus on the show.With that advice, I swim in circles and twirl. But when I do another lap, he’s still there, smiling.
The tables have turned. Just a week ago, I was filming Sully killing it on stage with his bass guitar, and now he’s behind the camera filming me swim.
A provocative thought slips into my mind, distracting and tempting. I beckon him closer and press my forehead to the glass. He moves forward, zooming in on me. I do a backflip, letting my hair float wildly behind me. I wink at the camera and swim away, surfacing for a breath and a short break.
I’m giddy thinking about my video in his media library, and later, we can exchange autographed pictures. I laugh at myself. Maybe having this fling last longer than a weekend isn’t so bad.
Arthur scoops me up and carries me to the meet and greet like we do almost every night. My fins sway as Arthur cradles me against his chest. I gather my hair and rest it over my left shoulder to keep it from getting tangled in his gold chain necklace.
“My daughter hasn’t stopped talking about you giving her a private lesson. She keeps telling her friends how her dad’s friends with a mermaid,” he chuckles, smiling like a proud papa.
“Awe, that’s precious.” I place a hand over my heart. “She’s a natural. Maybe in a few years, she can be my trainee.”
He lifts a brow. “There’s no way I can afford those fancy tails. Don’t get my girl hooked.” His laughter is deep, making his chest rumble.
When he turns the corner and the kids spot me, they gasp and giggle. I turn on my Disney princess voice and prepare myself to answer all their burning questions.
“Can I touch your tail?” A little red-headed girl, around six, asks, already reaching out to touch my fins.
“Of course,” I say with a friendly smile, flopping my tail closer.
Ten hands shoot out. Some are brave and pet my tail like they would a dolphin. Others are shy and keep jerking their hand away as if they’re about to touch a snapping turtle.
“How can you live out of the ocean?” A boy with wild blond curls asks.
I brush a piece of hair out of my face and say, “Mermaids have a special ability to stay out of water for a little while.”
After about fifteen minutes, Arthur claps his hands, cutting the meet and greet off. “I think it’s time to say goodbye to Mermaid Veronica. She needs to swim on home and visit her family.”
