Skinny Dipping

Last Chance

"I don't have to call you a mermaid," he said, "if you would like me to call you something else. A lioness or something?"

Sophie laughed. "Mermaid is just fine, thank you, Mr. Matthew Dolphin Silver, and here I was thinking you only liked me in the water."

"Did you know dolphins, like humans, can participate in lengthy foreplay?"

"To think if I'd known that before, I would have started swimming earlier."

***

Sophie found she liked learning further dolphin facts, first-hand. She was especially delighted to discover that her incredible Mr. Matthew Dolphin Silver was friendly, attentive, and extremely good in bed. He was even better than their first night together. There was no choice when he asked her, nuzzling into her neck, no feasible option but to simply agree: of course she would move in with him. The sooner, the better.

***

Sophie looked round the flat, walking through the rooms, saying goodbye to each one. Her bedroom floor was lined with packed cardboard boxes, just like when she first moved in. A triple tower of tea cartons contained books and the suitcases were filled with shoes. The boxes all waited to be carried into her little red Volkswagen Beetle.

Her breathing quickened. She hoped she was doing the right thing, leaving Carol whilst her friend was riding the wave of stardom. Sophie traced her steps back to the kitchen, taking the recent postcard she'd received from her parents in the Mediterranean. Placing the postcard in her cluttered handbag, she knew it was only a matter of time. They would come out of the recession just fine.

The doorbell rang. She took one last look around the house, feeling incredible warmth. She ran to the front door and pulled it open.

"I can't wait to move out..." she began, and then stopped talking, seeing the same portly policeman she had met once before, although in very different circumstances. Her back stiffened, and she held her breath, wondering what he would say.

"Miss Sophie Smart?"

Oh no. She closed her eyes. "Yes. That's me." She opened her eyes, supporting herself on the doorframe, wondering what his news was this time, hoping it wouldn't be something chaotic.

"I thought it was you. You look a lot different from the last time I saw you. You're blond now."

She ran a hand through her hair and then quickly flattened the front of her dress. The fabric flowed down beneath her breasts, so much so that she could have a Marilyn Monroe moment if a gust of wind blew by. She gave the policeman a sidelong glance, wondering why he stood on her doorstep.

"I thought I would drop by as soon as I heard. I saw some excellent news pass my desk."

Her hands gripped the doorframe. "What's the news?"

"I heard your dad got a job. I saw the official paperwork. He got the sign-off. I came to tell you just in case, you know, he was holding out on the truth."

A smile lit up her face, and she leapt from the step and hugged the policeman. "Yes, I know. Thank you. I thought you were going to tell me something bad like last time." She stepped back, realising she'd overstepped a boundary, again.

The policeman's cheeks reddened. Then, tipping his hat and waving slightly, he stepped backwards toward the street. "Well, good luck with the move, Miss Smart."

"Thanks again," she said, watching the policeman walk to his car. "Good day to you."

Standing on the street, she knew she would miss this house in Highbury.