Mer Tales 01 - Everblue

turn into a mermaid?”
    I blinked for a second, confused why she thought she’d spontaneously change. Then smiled, filled with relief. “You mean because we’re promised?” I chuckled.
    “ I knew it was silly.” She grimaced.
    “ No, don’t feel like that.” I folded her back into my arms and squeezed. “A promise doesn’t make you turn into a mermaid, though I’d really like that—” she giggled. “Our essence does. There’s a spring in Natatoria under the palace that bubbles up a blue liquid from within the earth. If you drank it, you’d transform into a mer. I’m sure you’ve seen it. Tatch has a vial on her bracelet.”
    She thought for a moment. “Oh, right. So, if I drank that, I’d poof into a mermaid?”
    “ Something like that. I’ve never actually seen it happen. It’s a fashion statement for mermaids to carry it around. They continue to drink it—like it’s a fountain of youth.”
    I laughed, but suddenly realized we might not have brought back any essence with us.
    “ That’s kind of cool,” she hummed as she leaned against my shoulder.
    I kissed her temple and inhaled the honeysuckle scent in her hair. “Just know I don’t want you to feel any pressure. I can become human, if it comes down to that.”
    “ There’s a way to do that?”
    “ Yes,” I said and took her hand. “The bond of our souls might go away, but we’ll be together on land without any mer restrictions.”
    “ But you’ll have to leave your family and you won’t be able to go get Tatchi.”
    “ Then I’ll go get Tatch first. My family will still be around. Maybe they’ll take up residence in Florida, too.”
    “ That’s huge,” she said with a sigh. “I don’t want you to have to choose between me and them.”
    My chest tightened. “It won’t be like that. It’ll all work out.”
    She looked down and traced the raised emblem on my ring finger that signified our eternal connection. “Will this go away, too?”
    I grimaced. “I don’t know. Possibly.”
    She sighed again and laced her fingers with mine. “I don’t want it to go away.”
    I moved our hands up and brushed her tattooed finger against my lips, kissing it. “Maybe I’ll put something else in its place.”
    She smiled, her expression warm. “Are you proposing to me?”
    My heart thumped wildly in my throat. This wasn’t how I wanted to ask her. Not without a ring. “What?” I said and looked away with a sheepish grin.
    “ Brat.” She hit my arm and I grabbed it to pull her toward me again, brushing my lips against her neck.
    “ I like being your brat.”
    “ This is all so crazy,” she whispered in my ear. “But as long as we are together, I’ll do and go where you want me to.”
    “ Music to my ears,” I whispered back and swayed with her body as we heard music. “It would be nice to be able to be free from always worrying about the sun setting.”
    “ Tell me about it,” she said as she moved in for a kiss.
    :::
    The afternoon flew by faster than I wanted and after another wonderful dinner with her family, the eventual decision of who would leave whom became heartbreaking to think about. Ash fidgeted and hid her left hand under the table during dinner. Once the sky turned rosy and cast long shadows across the kitchen floor, we both looked at each other in sadness. Another early good-bye.
    “ I’m sorry,” I whispered as I moved a stray lock of red hair from her face and peered into her green eyes. “I hate leaving so soon.”
    “ Can I meet you later at the dock? I’d love to see your—what do you call it?”
    “ It’s just a fin. I’m appropriately named for my appendage,” I said with a wink. “How about later this summer, when it’s warmer? I’d hate for you to freeze outside.”
    She curled her lips downward and pouted. “Please?”
    I laughed. “We’ll see. I’ll call in an hour, how’s that?”
    “ Fine. I guess.”
    I kissed her irresistible lips again before dashing to get home. I didn’t want to ruin another pair of jeans.
    “ Finley,” Mom said as I walked through the door, “she’s adorable. What did you two decide?”
    “ Nothing yet, Mom,” I said and went towards the basement stairs, “but I want to talk to Dad.”
    “ He’s downstairs fixing one of the soda taps on the bar.”
    “ They broke that too?”
    “ Among other things. They have no clue how to use or work anything around here.”
    Dread hit me. I hadn’t thoroughly checked my room yet. Did Colin