Bay swam with me to shore where I had left Emory and Sean. My tail felt as strong as I had always imagined Bay's was as it propelled me forward with a light flick and pulled at muscles straight through my core. I could see why Bay was so strong if that was how his muscles worked.
He glanced at me every so often but just to smile or glance back at my tail, probably because of the way I stared at his tail when we first met.
Emory waited with my parents at the shore, she wrung her hands nervously until she spotted me and ran toward Bay and me. We pulled ourselves up to the shore but left our tails in the water, they were too heavy outside of it.
"Stop doing that!" she snapped smacking my shoulder, her palm came down with a sharp clap and left a stinging sensation behind.
"Ow." I whined rubbing at the spot.
"You're always swimming off and not letting anyone talk to you." She grabbed me and pulled me into your arms. "I'm not leaving you." She said firmly. "I'll live near the beach. I'll live on the beach. I'm not leaving you alone." Her arms squeezed me with more strength than I realized she had but then again, I always assumed she needed me to protect her. She never actually asked.
"I'm sorry." I patted her back. "you're right. That was inconsiderate of me. I was mad."
"Well at least tell me you'll be back. You just grew a fin and someone tried to make a wish on you and—" she took in a sharp breath. "Just tell me you'll be back next time."
I nodded, my cheek rubbing against her hair "I can do that."
She let me go and sat back on her heels the water lapping against her legs. "Good. I'm holding you to that." She looked back as mom and dad walked toward me. "your mom's mad at you too." she stuck her tongue out at me and made way for mom. She dropped to her knees and folded her arms around me and then dad did the same.
"I thought you left without saying goodbye." Dad tries to joke but there was a stiffness to his words.
"Never." I clung to them. My anchors in a stormy sea. "I just needed to clear my head.
Mom pressed a kiss to my forehead. "That's understandable." She offered a tightlipped smile and then her eyes fell to my tail. "It suits you."
"Bay thought so too." I flicked it the way I had seen Bay do a hundred times over, but it still felt surreal. That was my tail. Attached to my body.
"And you?"
I shrugged. "Getting used to it still." I poked at the soft scales.
She nodded. "That'll probably take some time."
"Um," I swallowed hard. "It doesn't go away... I don't know if Emory told you."
"She told me." Her arms wound tight around me, crushing me to her chest. "We're going to get it all sorted out." She pressed another kiss to my head. "I'll stay with you for a while, show you everything that I should have been teaching you."
"That's okay." I glanced at Bay, warmth crawling up my neck and into my cheeks. "Bay's been helping me."
Mom glanced between the two of us and a smile tugged at her lips. I wasn't even sure if I wanted anything at the moment, but he was my friend even if nothing else, but I also didn't correct whatever she might be thinking.
"Bay." Mom beckoned him closer and she pulled him into a hug "thank you for looking out for them and for always bringing them back home."
Bay shrugged, cheeks red. "it's nothing. Just helping a guppy out." His eyes flickered to me a smile quirking his lips at an angle. Mom giggled and I could only assume that was some kind of mer slang. I ignored it and looked to Emory.
"Do you know where Sean is?"
Emory shrugged "he took off about an hour after you left. He said he'd try again later." Emory glanced a Bay and dug her fingers into the sand. "He took your skin."
Mom gasped. Black ringlets sprouted over Bay's skin. Dad rested a hand on my shoulder.
"I'll get it for you." He started to stand but I caught his hand.
"Give him a chance to bring it back." I met Bay's eyes as he raised a brow. The black ringlets disappeared as quickly as they had come. "I already jumped to conclusions once, I'm gonna give him a chance first."
Bay pressed his mouth into a tight line and glanced at mom for a moment before returning his gaze to mine. "Whatever you say?" he laid on his stomach. Crossing his hands once over the other to rest his head on.
Mom, Emory, Dad, and Bay sat with me as I waited. Mom had me flip my fin back and forth and then examined my tail herself which felt oddly intrusive but it could have just been the mom eyes. She stared so intently that I questioned whether she had developed X-ray vision but she just smiled and sat back.
"Strong and healthy." She ruffled my hair like I was five and glanced back at Emory who was huddled up as far away from the water as she could get while still being close enough to be apart. Mom's skin must still be used to the cold.
"Emory." I called she lifted her head wearily and offered a tired smile. "I think you should go home and get some rest."
"No. What." She shook herself and sat forward. "I'm fine. Just—"
"I can see you shivering from over here," I said. "I'll be here tomorrow."
"But..."
Dad stood. "Come on, Emory. Let's get you warmed up." He rubbed his own arms. "I don't think we're made for these temperatures, especially not near the water." He offered his hand and Emory sighed as she took it.
"You'll be here tomorrow?" She met my eyes.
"Yes." I promised. "I'll be here tomorrow."
"Okay." She let dad lead her away from the frigid ocean. I turned to mom
"You should head back with dad too. I'll be fine."
"Are you sure?" She asked and glanced at Bay. "I never gave you the mer verision of "the talk""
"Mom." I hissed. Bay snorted and my entire body burned with embarrassment. "Stop."
"It's not the same as on land—"
"Mom." I begged, "don't. I don't need this right now. I'm not doing anything."
Mom gave me her I-know-better-look. "It always starts—"
"For the love of whatever god or deity we're supposed to believe in. Stop."
She took a deep breath and sighed. "Okay. Alright." She placed a kiss to my head and stood. "Then we'll be back tomorrow, a little late in the morning so it has a chance to warm up for Emory and your dad."
"Thank you."
Bay made another noise that sounded cross between a snort and a cough. I didn't want him there anymore either.
"Try to get some rest. I'm sure Sean will be back soon."
Bay pulled himself up beside me. "And if not. We know where he is." He clapped a hand onto my shoulder. "Don't worry, Mrs. Keyes. I'll watch out for them."
Mom smiled. "I'm holding you to that." She watched me for a few extra seconds before retreating from the water, back to the warmth of the house with Emory and dad.
Bay dug his elbow into my side. "So uh..." he snickered, barely containing a laugh. "You want me to give you the talk?"
"Shut up." I shoved him away and he flopped onto his back, laughter making him weak. I glared at him. "I hate you." Why did mom have to go and say that? Bay laid on his back and gripped his sides as he laughed. His chest filled with his laughter and my anger faded. I'd have laughed too.