Her Little Mermaid

The deck of the cruise ship was crowded with passengers enjoying the bright morning sun. Everyone wanted to watch as they exited the port, passing under a shiny, silver suspension bridge before turning out to sea. The calm, blue waters were disturbed by a pod of dolphins and shouts of joy from the railings brought the mob crowding to one side of the boat to watch the aquatic creatures.

Below deck at a little tiki themed bar sat one brunette who had no interest in squealing with the sunburnt masses. She'd barely made it through the safety briefing without punching someone.

Anna tossed her long, brown hair over her shoulder as she flagged the bartender for another drink. He flashed his thousand watt smile and nodded. Turning on her stool, she was jarred again by the banana leaf patterned walls, but fit the cliche theme. She crossed her tan legs and kicked one flat off the heel of her foot, dangling it on her toe.

In her head, her mother's voice rang sharp, Anna, stop fidgeting! A lady sits still and straight to attract a mate. She snorted at the rhyme her mother drilled into her from age seven. Well that really worked out for me didn't it, Mom. I've been sitting still for twenty-two years and look how that worked out for me!

The bartender slid her martini over and Anna took a big sip. She silently thanked herself for buying the unlimited drink package as more alcohol hit her system. While she let the gin marinate her insides, an older couple took up the two seats to her left. Anna scowled, not happy that the two had invaded her space. Unfortunately, after ordering, the woman decided to strike up a conversation.

"Hello dear! You look like you're already having fun!" Her thick gray curls stuck up at all angles, obviously windblown from the deck.

Anna responded with a curt nod.

The woman continued undeterred, "Are you celebrating?"

"Yup."

"Oh, us too! It's our fortieth wedding anniversary!" She looked dewy-eyed at the old man. "What are you celebrating then?"

"The end of my engagement." Anna took another long pull of her drink without looking at the couple.

"Oh, oh dear. I'm sorry."

"I'm not."

"Well, you're young." The gentleman piped up. "I'm sure you'll find another young man to treat you right."

Anna rolled her eyes, "God, I hope not." She tossed her head back and downed her martini. With a little shiver, she flagged the bartender a salute.

"Don't say that honey. I'm sure there are lots of nice men out there. I saw quite a few on this boat!"

The brunette stood, "Well since I'm gayer than glitter skates at a roller derby, I hope none of them talk to me."

She strode out of the bar leaving Fred and Ethel gaping and the bartender chuckling.

The cabin she'd chosen for herself, well for herself and Ruby, was near the front of the ship and had a private balcony. The room was compact, the bathroom even more so, but it was the best she could afford on this ship. Well, it was the most she was willing to spend anyway. Ruby was always frustrated with her money-saving habits. This trip, this honeymoon, had been a joint decision after months and months of begging by her less frugal fiancee.

And even after giving in, the woman still left her.

"Stop it, Anna," she scolded herself. "You promised you wouldn't think about that here. This is a vacation and we're going to fucking enjoy it."

She flopped onto the stiff bed and let the ship and alcohol lull her to sleep.

Three hours later, she woke with a start when the cruise director's muffled voice slipped under her door from the hall intercom.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! The ring-toss competition will be starting on the main pool deck in fifteen minutes. Our dinner service will begin with the five o'clock guests in the Geranium Dining Room with eight o'clock service after. Remember that the buffet is on the lido deck and is open twenty-four hours. We hope you enjoy your first day at sea. Happy sailing!"

Anna groaned and rolled over onto her stomach. She was supposed to be with the eight o'clock diners, but sitting by herself with six to eight other strangers just didn't sound appealing. Neither did putting on real pants.

She forced herself up to at least go enjoy some sun. Slipping her pencil skirt and blouse off, she stretched her long body. Her hands grazed the ceiling and a wall as she stretched in the small space. Her blue bikini, purchased as a set with one she'd never get to see now, fit perfectly on her lean body. Ruby had chosen it just as she had chosen a hot pink one for her more voluptuous ex-fiancee. Anna sighed.

"Okay, Anna. You can miss her ass, but you don't miss her!" She told herself.

The main pool deck was absolute chaos. People danced, some were playing games, kids were screaming, and everyone was drinking. There was indeed some sort of ring-tossing game going on by the pool's edge, so Anna avoided that and headed to the bar.

Four drinks later, she crashed into a deck chair at the back of the ship while trying to find the "adults-only" section. The shrieking children had finally broken her down. It was another thing Ruby launched at her in their final fight. Anna didn't want kids, Ruby did. She stubbed her toe on the chair before collapsing into it.

Anna didn't remember falling asleep again but a server gently shook her awake.

"Madam? The deck is closing for cleaning soon. Would you like someone to escort you up for dinner?"

The chill sea breeze and dark purple sky let Anna know she had crashed hard from her drinks. "No, no. I'll just go inside." She gestured to the buffet area behind her.

"Of course, Madam. Enjoy your evening."

Anna stood with a little wobble and leaned far over the railing to peer into the churning waters below. She shuddered to think of the dark sea. Of falling in and being left behind to sink in the inky depths.

Stumbling into the buffet, she managed to locate a salad and a croissant. Ruby's voice nagged her, Baby, you have to eat more than that. Put some protein on your plate for god sakes. She took a big bite of spinach and rolled her eyes. It frustrated and saddened her that she was still hearing her fiancee's concern all these months later.

"She doesn't care what you eat now, Anna," she mumbled.

"I'm sorry, did you say something?" A large man stopped as he passed.

"Nope."

"Oh, I thought I heard you talking to me. Name's Nate. It's my first cruise! What about you, eh?"

Anna looked up at this man. He had a thick midwest accent, was at least six foot two and had to weigh well over three hundred pounds. His shaggy blond hair and blue eyes screamed 'aging all-American boy'.

"Yup, this is my first one too."

Nate smiled wide, his chubby cheeks sporting tiny dimples, "Well the food is to die for, dontcha think? You gotta try the ribs over there. Oh, and the pizza is loaded with sausage."

"I'm a vegetarian."

"Oh," his smile faltered. "Well, uh, looks like you got yourself a good plate there, eh. Have a good dinner, uh..."

"Meredith."

"Oh nice! My cousin's friends mom's name is Meredith! Have a good salad, Mere! Seeya 'round!"

When Nate trundled away, Anna let her head hit the table with a clank. Why had she thought this was a good idea? A cruise by herself?! Ruby was the people person, the chatterbox. Anna was the smile and nod type or the completely-ignore-people type. She dumped the remainder of her salad on a busser tray and retreated to her cabin.

Unfortunately her alcohol-induced nap made it impossible to sleep. So she popped open one of the two bottles of wine she was allowed to bring on board and went out to the balcony. The horizon was visible only because of the halfmoon that shone in the sky. The twinkling stars captivated her attention as the waves crashed around the ship. A cool breeze blew her hair away from her face as she leaned over the edge. The same uneasy feeling of falling into blackness settled into her stomach.

Slowly, the wine flooded her system as the waters churned and the earth rotated for a different view of the stars. It was getting late and she was nearing the end of her bottle, eyes drooping. Suddenly, a flash of silver caught her eye in the waters below. Anna bent further over the rail as it appeared to siddle along the ship.

"A dolphin?"

When the creature breached the surface right near the red hull of the boat, Anna dropped her bottle. A girl?! A white face peered up at her in the moonlight. Startlingly blue eyes widened in surprise. Then, a single note, like something out of the sweetest lullaby pierced the sound of the waves.

Anna woke up in her deck chair, with a stiff neck. The moon had set, but the horizon was still dark with no sign of sunrise. She stumbled to the door, shivering, and entered her cabin. A hollow clunk let her know she'd tripped over the empty wine bottle as she slid inside. Stripping off her cover up and bikini, Anna collapsed into bed and passed out again.

When she woke the second time, her head and throat were screaming at her. She tumbled naked to the floor and crawled into the bathroom. Freezing cold water blasted her in the face as soon as she turned the nozzle. Holding back a scream, she opened her mouth to drink as she huddled on the cold fiberglass floor. Then she panicked, was ship bathroom water drinkable? She sputtered and spat, then turned off the tap.

"Well, Anna. You are officially your mother. Wine drunk, alone, and bitter. The lying on your bathroom floor is probably new though. Mom would never do that."

She shifted her weight to her feet and leaned against the door jam. The bathroom mirror reflected a haggard-looking young woman with eye bags, stringy wet hair, and smeared lipstick.

"Lovely. You definitely won't die alone now."

A knock on the door pulled her from her self-loathing.

"Housekeeping!"

"Just a moment!"

She hobbled to her suitcase and pulled out a big, fluffy robe. The tie for the waist got caught around her calf as she hopped to the door. Finally tying it tight she threw open the cabin door to admit a smiling woman with a thick eastern European accent.

"Good afternoon! I am Amy, I will be servicing your room." Anna's eyes caught on the woman's name tag which did indeed say, "Amy, Bulgaria". She quickly assumed "Amy" was not the woman's real name.

""Thank you! Um, I don't really need anything at the moment."

"No? I can retrieve you fresh towels. I am sure you two could use more."

"It's just me. So I'm good on towels. Thanks."

"Oh, uh, I am sorry. I thought two persons were to occupy this room."

"There were. She didn't come."

"Ahh, I see this. Please accept my apology. Do you have any trash you would like me to dispose of?"

"Oh, yeah." Anna went to the veranda and grabbed the empty wine bottle. Pushing it into Amy's hands with a tight smile. "That's it. Thanks so much."

Anna's fake smile was clearly off-putting for the housekeeper. Her own smile faltered as she took the bottle. "Ye-yes. Of course. Please alert me if you need anything else." She turned as Anna let the door swing closed.

Anna returned to the bathroom. "Okay, first day was bad. Let's see if you can get it together for day two."

Unfortunately, day two proved to be worse despite sleeping in so late. She was hit on by a bachelor party on the pool deck, had wine spilled on her by a clumsy, drunk twenty-something, and bit her tongue while trying to eat a cheese sandwich at dinner. She returned to her cabin around seven, drank half of her second bottle of wine and passed out naked on the bed.

Day three began with a far too cheery voice yanking her from her slumber.

"Goooood morning everyone! Welcome to day three! Today we will begin ferrying to the island at oh-eight hundred hours. This is our private island so feel free to explore all of the beaches. Our barbecue pits will fire up at noon for an outdoor luau. Those that have signed up for the snorkeling excursions should meet your group on deck seven. Please remember that you need your ID card to get on and off the boat and the last ferry returns at eleven o'clock local time after the celebration bonfire. Happy sailing!"

Anna scowled at the sunshine streaming through the door. She rolled off the bed to find her bottle of aspirin and swallowed two pills. Again, her image in the mirror was pathetic.

"That's enough, Anna," she scolded her blurry reflection. "You are a lady! Fucking act like it."

Forty-five minutes later, the woman who exited Anna's room looked nothing like the drowned rat who'd practically crawled her way in the night before.

This Anna was wearing a white cover up that came alarmingly high on her slim thighs. Her hair was dried and curled in soft rolling waves around her face. The crimson lipstick she wore pulled all attention to her mouth and a wide brimmed hat was perched askew on her head. She strode down the hall in her designer sandals and pulled a set of shiny sunglasses from her bag as she approached the ferry deck.

"Right this way, madam."

The island was everything the brochures promised. White sand beaches, warm teal waters, and, most importantly, ample space for the passengers to spread out. Anna found a palm tree of her own at the far end of a deserted beach. The lone beach chair under it looked so inviting. As she approached, she caught a splash out of the corner of her eye and heard an excited little girl yell.

"Mommy! A dolphin! Did you see it? A real life dolphin!"

A dolphin?

Suddenly, a fuzzy memory pierced her mind. Not a dolphin, but a girl in the water below her veranda. A girl with a pale face and beautiful voice. She had sung to Anna, hadn't she? A lullaby. No, a love song? She couldn't be sure. The more Anna tried to process the memory, the more of it slipped away. Like trying to cup water in your hands, eventually only a few drops remain.

Anna shook her head to clear it, then took up the chair and retrieved her book. The ocean waves, light breeze, and flecks of sunlight truly felt like paradise.

After a little while of reading, the barbecue lured her over. Grilled pineapple, salad, and fruit was a pleasant surprise for the vegetarian.

Walking back to her shady spot, she heard more cries of "Dolphin!" from people along the beach. Anna lifted her sunglasses to look, but didn't catch the animals in the water.

As she looked out over the water, she could see the cruise ship splitting the smooth horizon. It looked huge from her perspective. She shook her head at the opulence she was indulging in.

The sun was high in the sky and it was heating up the island to truly tropical temperatures. Anna removed her hat and cover up to walk in the water. It was warm, sandy, and clear. She watched a few little fish flit away from her legs as she went deeper.

Turning back to the island, a flash of silver to her left among some rocks and bushes caught her attention. Hoping to spy a dolphin and not a shark, Anna stepped closer cautiously. Although, if it is a shark, maybe it will put me out of my misery, she thought darkly.

As she closed in on the little, hidden cove, a tail slipped out of the water and sprayed her with saltwater.

"Arrg!" she spluttered and wiped her sunglasses.

"Oh, I'm sorry!"

Anna took her glasses off and wiped them on her bikini top. "No no, it's fine. I'm in the water after all, gotta expect a little splashing."

"True," giggled the woman. "But I know you surfacers like to keep your heads dry."

Anna nodded as she finished wiping her glasses, "Yes we do. I actua-" her voice choked off as she slowly looked up from her hands.

Before her sat a pale woman, she was so fair that parts of her skin looked blue like the veins underneath, especially around her bare breasts. Her hair was long and white-blonde, with bits of colorful shells woven in. But all this escaped Anna's notice in a millisecond as her powerful, dolphin-like tail slapped the shallow water.

"Holy SHIT! HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT SHIT SHIT!" Anna's voice went hoarse with her shrieks.

The pale woman looked horrified and motioned for Anna to keep quiet, but Anna kept yelling. Suddenly the blonde opened her mouth and emitted a few high, beautiful notes. Anna's voice died away and her head sagged as she slipped sideways in the water. Strong, petite arms caught her before she went under. A light snore escaped her lips as the swimming woman supported her.

She swam Anna into the cove, listening for any signs of them being followed. When none came, she found a small sandy bank to lay the taller woman out. Her tan legs fell at odd angles and the mermaid cocked her head at the blue fabric she decorated herself with. Surfacers always decorated themselves in the strangest ways, but it must help them attract mates because they only seemed to be multiplying.

The mermaid sang two quiet notes and Anna stirred.

"Wha- where am I? Who are you?" Anna thought the woman lying beside her looked familiar, but somehow not, like she was from a dream not reality. Her pale, full lips curved in a smile, her teeth just a touch sharp, her tail a pale gray like a cloudy sky. Wait. Her tail?!

Anna made to scream again, but the mermaid put her hand over her mouth. "Please don't shout or I will have to sing you to sleep again."

The human whimpered as the strong fingers clamped over her lips.

"It's alright. I will not hurt you. You are very beautiful. I have been watching you aboard your ship. I came to see you closer and to touch you."

Anna's eyebrows shot up to her hairline. "Whashamansyoucjme?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't understand that."

Anna pried the cold, webbed fingers away from her mouth, "What do you mean touch me?"

The mermaid smiled, "Intimately."

The brunette balked. "What, I mean, how....where did, wait, why-"

"Is there a question in there or are you uncomfortable speaking English? I can speak Spanish or French if you like. But if there are more surfacer languages than that I do not know them." The mermaid waited expectantly.

"Yo- you don't have scales."

The mermaid giggled, "Of course I don't! I'm not a fish."

"But mermaids are part fish...they're supposed to have scales."

"Oh? Met many other mermaids have you?"

"N-no, not at all."

The mermaid smirked, "Then I think you should take my word for it."

"Right," Anna still stared at the dolphin-like tail. "Sorry. How can you speak English?"

"A sailor taught me. He washed ashore on an island not too far from here and I helped him fish. He taught me English and French before his death."

"D-death?"

"Yes, he grew quite old. You surfacers age quickly. I think it has to do with being so exposed to the sun." The mermaid looked off into the distance, musing over her thoughts.

"P-pardon, but how long do you live?"

"Oh, we don't keep time like you do. My sailor tried to explain it to me, but it doesn't make sense. How can you count by the sun and moon when they are not always in the sky?"

Anna didn't know how to answer this so she changed topics. "What is your name?"

The mermaid giggled, "Oh you can't pronounce it. My sailor tried, but he couldn't vibrate his vocal cords correctly. He chose to call me Isolde. You may call me the same."

"Isolde? Isn't that an old fashioned name?"

Isolde shrugged, "I do not know. What are you called?"

"I'm Anna."

"Anna," she repeated. "I like that. It's simple. May I touch you, Anna?"

The brunette opened and closed her mouth several times, gaping at the blunt question. The mermaid quirked her brow.

"I believe you are the one who is part fish. What are you trying to say?"

"Yo-you don't usually go around touching people you've just met,"Anna stuttered.

The mermaid frowned, "You don't?"

"No! That's usually just for partners."

"Oh!" Isolde slapped her tail, "You mean mates, yes? I do not have a mate. The ones in my village were ugly and cruel. I prefer surfacers."