East Seven #2
Nevertheless, she was brave. She tried to explore. Swimming to an edge of the pool now filled with seawater, she timidly reached up to touch but stopped, silently asking me if it was okay.
Wanting to smile but not liking how scared she was, I nodded. “You can touch. Won’t hurt you.”
The way she ran her fingers along the edge was a cold confirmation we still had quite the journey ahead of us.
Her expression saddened. “W-Wall.”
Well, yeah… But… “Yes, like the seawall, but now with stairs.” I swam to them and walked up. Proudly facing her, I almost cheered, “See?”
Not surprisingly, she stayed in the water. What choice did she have?
Hence, why I previously had to leave her behind with every water visit we had.
A little defeated, I walked back in and sat heavily on a step, still shocked by our true reality. The young woman I loved was overwhelmed, pitifully so. I could feel it in my bones. My hybrid salt-bones.
All I had wanted to do was to protect her, but now, trying to view all this—the lagoon, surrounding walls, no windows—from innocent non-human eyes, I realized I had imprisoned her, literally, in a concrete pool.
My shoulders sagged. “Oh, Saleeni, I’m so sorry.”
“No s-sad, Mad-G.” She came to me, but I wasn’t deep enough in the water, so she had to stop.
I moved my butt down two steps and held open my arms. I had worked so damn hard to get her here, but now all I felt was regret, feeling like her captor. “This feels all wrong now, doesn’t it?”
In a blink, she was between my thighs, peering up at me, her beautiful tail floating behind her.
I cupped that gorgeous face and vowed, “I’ll do anything to make this right—”
Her hands lifted from the water and signed ‘swimming’ in the tunnel.
My heart cracked wide and felt a pain I hadn’t felt in weeks. It felt like I was experiencing another death in my life when I voiced her request. “Y-You want… to swim in the tunnel?”
Green eyes, lacking their beautiful glow, told me ‘yes’ before she nodded.
A tremble shook through my body as it tried to adjust to this failure. My voice cracked as I lied, “Of course, baby. I want you to swim back to the ocean if that’s what you want.”
I lost all ability to breathe as she swam away from me. It felt like the remaining air in my lungs went with her.
I could hear static in my ears as I forced myself from the steps to exit the pool. My work boots felt as heavy as anchors with every step I had to take.
At the gate, she waited for me.
She watched me grab the top of the gate like a caged animal wanting her freedom.
Love is powerful. Love is selfless.
Love is gut-wrenching when having to let go…
I lifted the gate. I love you, Saleeni.
Then… she was gone.
Only ripples created by her magnificent tail remained.
I stood there, holding the gate, shaking like a leaf in a brutal storm.
My jaw locked, and I repeated words. I am the motherfucking storm. Then I threw the gate.
It crashed into a wall while I crashed onto the floor.
I woke in the same spot, on my side, facing the pool. Beyond, I saw Styx in the kitchen talking to himself. “Coffee isn’t exactly healthy, but that don’t mean I don’t love the shit out of it.”
Jesus Christ. The old coot has finally lost the last marble in that head of his.
He continued babbling to no one. I was going to tell him to shut the fuck up but finally noticed blue hair floating in the pool.
Saleeni!
With only her eyes above water, she was watching Styx, who was now saying, “Don’t do it, Silly Rabbit,” while he scooped coffee grounds. Not even looking at either of us, he poured water into the coffee maker. “Spookin’ a woman only makes her faster on her toes.” He shrugged. “In this case, fin?”
Note to self. Stab Gramps later.
After starting the coffee maker, Styx grabbed a coffee mug from a cabinet, casually telling me, “Juuust act normal. No mermaid to see here.” When I didn’t move, he added, “Or lay there like a possum.”
Ass. Hole.
Terrified to ‘spook’ Saleeni, I sat up at a snail’s pace. Like, the coffee was finished brewing by the time I was upright.
“Would you like some coffee?” Styx asked.
Sitting there, I pointed to myself in question. Are you talking to me?
Trying not to move his lips, Styx grumbled, “Is he kidding me right now?” Then I saw Saleeni give a slight nod. “Great. Then I will make you a cup.”
Oh.
“Mad-G,” Styx didn’t even look my way, “would you like a cup?”
Saleeni spun to see me.
Styx warned, tight-lipped, “Play it cool, Possum.”
Right. Be chill. Be chill. I never had a cup of Joe my whole life but found myself replying, “Uh, yeah. Thanks.” I got up from the floor and attempted to be nonchalant; however, I think I must’ve looked ridiculous.
Nerves had one leg not communicating well with the other, and I developed some sort of awkward limp.
With two cups of coffee in his hands, Styx stared at me with quite the expression. With one brow arched as high as could be, he asked, “Pimpin’ ain’t easy?”
I grimaced. What? But didn’t stop moving around the pool because Saleeni’s eyes were glued to me.
I didn’t want them to stop. I didn’t want my heart to break again, watching her swim away.
So, I snatched a cup from him and growled, “Thank you.” I took a sip, then asked, “Why does this taste so bad?”
He laughed. “Because all bad habits do.”
“B-Bad?”
I sucked in air. Chill. Chill.
Barely able to swallow, I casually turned to face her. Then I shrugged.
Then Styx kicked my damp boot.
“Uh…” I finally said, “A little bitter on the tongue.” Daring a couple of steps toward her, I offered my cup. My other hand signed my spoken question. “Want a sip?”
Saleeni observed… then, blessedly, she floated toward the edge of the pool closest to me.
Willing to feed her, provide for her in any way she wanted, or simply love her from afar, I took a knee, silently vowing to never give up. Holding out my cup for her to try a sip, I was offering her all of me.