“Yeah, I need to make a complaint.”
Luis swallowed and looked up from behind the plexiglass shield that separated his desk from the law enforcement center’s lobby. He nearly rolled his eyes when he saw Jared standing on the other side.
“Sorry, sir, I’m on lunch.” He sneered.
“Pff.” Jared sauntered around to the employees-only door and waited for Luis to unlock it from his side. He was still grinning as the door closed behind him.
“What’s that face for?” Luis crossed his arms.
“When are you going tell me?”
“Tell you what?”
Jared leaned closer and lowered his voice. “Tell me about your girl!”
Luis immediately flushed pink. “Excuse me?”
Jared waved his hand when the other receptionists began taking notice, and he corralled Luis into the employee break room. Once inside its relative safety, the officer continued the interrogation. “You can’t hide this one, Luis. I can see it five miles away.”
The office assistant shook his head and pulled two soda cans from the refrigerator. “Five miles, huh?” He set them both down at a small round table as Jared took one of the seats. “You really think so?”
Jared’s dark eyes narrowed. “Bro.”
“All right, all right.” Luis collapsed into the opposite chair. “It’s still in development... but I have a girl.”
“Yes!” Jared’s palms hit the table so hard, the soda cans leapt. “I told you! I could see it!”
He laughed and shook his head. “What exactly makes this so obvious to you?”
“Your mood! You’re all happy and stuff again. You’re focused, you’re cleaned up—you still smell like beach, but you know, she’s probably still working on that.”
“I don’t know, Jared,” he smirked, “she likes the beach.”
“I doubt she wants you to smell like one.” The officer pointed at him with the soda can in hand. He popped it open and took a sip. “Nah, in all seriousness, this is the happiest I think I’ve ever seen you. This girl must really be something special.”
Luis popped open his can as his eyes strayed aside. “She sure is.”
Jared laughed and set down the can. “Is she from here?”
Luis skewed his lips. “No.”
“Aw,” Jared moaned. “Lemme guess, she’s going to end up relocating you.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that.” The man rested his chin on his palm. “But I’d go anywhere; I’d do anything for her.”
“Dang, bro,” the officer raised his brows. “You’ve fallen and you can’t get up!”
Luis only laughed and rubbed his forehead in reply. He was surprised to realize his mood had changed enough that others were taking notice. But it wasn’t difficult to feel happier when he started every day with a visit from Sapphyre. It truly lightened his mood for the rest of the day.
“So, what’s she like, lover-boy?” Jared pulled Luis and his thoughts back into the room.
“She’s very kind; the kindest person I’ve ever met. She’s soft-spoken at first, but when you get to know her, she can be quite the talker. She’s really considerate. Secretive, but trusting. She’s smart, she’s pretty...”
“She’s clearly settling for someone as boring as you.” Jared grinned toothily.
“You’re telling me,” Luis embarrassedly shrugged.
Jared gave his friend a lighthearted shove. “I’m joking.” His grin warmed into a genuine smile. “I’m really glad. I’m happy for you both.”
“Thanks.”
Jared sat back in the chair, sipping the soda. “Does she have a sister?”
“A sister?” Luis repeated, mirroring the officer’s position.
“You can’t be the only one finding a girl; I’ll be demoted to third-wheel in no time!”
Luis nearly spit out his drink. “Wow. That’s quite the motivation, officer.”
“You know it, bro!”
—
Nathaneal bore a striking resemblance to his father. Stripes of deep green colored his back, arms, and tail, and two distinct marks across his eyes made their light blue seem even more vibrant. His fins were more rigid and ribbed, with pectoral fins at his sides and another pair near his fluke. Only his golden hair, tied back in a short ponytail, was inherited from his mother’s side.
He had matured into a strong young adult, and he was thankful for a similarly aged companion and sister when Sapphyre joined their family. However, since Sapphyre had generally kept to herself, the burden of keeping track of Khallista remained upon him.
“We’re going home, Khalli,” he reinforced, keeping the orange mermaid ahead of him on track.
She shot him a glance and slowly drifted back toward them.
“Let me guess, another shipwreck?” Sapphyre smirked.
“It’s the same one. She swears there’s more stuff on the lower decks, but it’s a little too claustrophobic for my taste. I told her I’d get Micah to go back with us; but, as you’re aware, he’s on his way back from the caravan.” He followed Khallista into a current around a series of rocks, and Sapphyre slipped in alongside him. “It’s honestly not far from here, but we need to get back to the village gate before they arrive.”
“Mama’Ne is having us do a lot more for the village lately,” Sapphyre commented idly as the current died out and they had to resort to swimming again.
“Well, now that you’re around more often—no offense,” he bit his lip apologetically.
“None taken,” Sapphyre waved it off. “I am well aware I’ve been practically nonexistent in the past. But I think I’m finally starting to feel… content.”
Nathaneal was noticeably relieved. “Oh, I understand! Don’t worry.” He smiled at his adopted sister as they continued. “Anyway, I think Mama’Ne is starting handing over some of her responsibilities to us. I’m sure they’ll mostly be given to me, but with Khalli still being young, I bet you’ll get some too.”
“Even though I’m not quite part of the family?”
“Of course you’re part of the family,” Nathaneal seemed surprised. “You weren’t born with us, but you are with us now, and that’s what counts.” His eyes darted aside. “Be’Khalli!” He barked.
An audible huff made its way back to her siblings as Khallista made an exaggerated loop back to the proper direction.
Nathaneal pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers as Sapphyre smirked. “But seriously,” he continued, “even most members of Enclei think of you as one of Neva’s children. You’re Lyra Sapphyre just as much as I am Lyren Nathaneal.”
“I don’t think Khalli thinks of me that way.” She glanced at the orange mermaid zigzagging ahead of them.
“I think if Khalli had a choice, I wouldn’t be her brother either.” He attempted a laugh, but he grew sullen as his lips pulled to one side. “Losing Dad has been really hard on her... she was very close to him.”
Sapphyre frowned and looked away. She never met the merman who would have been her adoptive father, but she knew that he meant a lot to everyone in Enclei—and especially to his children.
The green merman shook his head. “She rebels from everything Mama’Ne asks of her, as I’m sure you’ve noticed. She is always so focused on doing what she wants that she feels even her duties as Lyra are burdensome. That’s why, right now, she’s trying to act as frustrated as possible that we have to be at the village gate at a certain time today.”
“I guess I can see that.”
“All I’m saying is don’t think too harshly of it,” Nathaneal drew closer to Sapphyre to put a hand on her shoulder. “It will take her longer, but she will heal and grow to accept everything as she should.”
The blue mermaid smiled back at him. “Thanks, Be’Than.”
Her brother grinned widely. “You know, at the risk of sounding weird again... it’s great to see you smiling so much lately.” He turned his head aside and rubbed the back of his neck. “I mean, you just seem happier. It’s probably the happiest I’ve seen you since you got here.”
Sapphyre felt her face flush as she continued to smile, but she was unable to reply. She simply shrugged as the three began to slow their journey. When she and Nathaneal drifted up to Khallista at the village gate, they were both met with an odd expression.
“You’re both smiling... What have you guys been talking about?”
“You.” Nathaneal crossed his arms and nudged her with his tail.
Khallista scowled and pushed him away as if he were covered in something toxic.
He flopped aside and continued making faced at her as he drifted, upside-down, beside her.
Sapphyre simply grinned and watched the scene unfold. It was odd to think that others were noticing not only her presence, but also her change in behavior. She had been feeling genuinely happier lately; there was no more anxiety of what the day would bring, and no more anger from what had passed. There was only a happiness—an excitement—to start each day with a visit to Luis. It empowered her for the rest of the day, and it kept her present and active within the village—rather than drifting in the empty seas with loneliness. She had never thought about how much she had been perpetuating her own isolation.
A small gathering of merkind slowly began to assemble at the gate. Though it was usually Neva’s duty to welcome the villagers back from a caravan, they understood that her children’s presence meant the same event was about to occur.
The nearest village of merfolk was almost a day’s journey away, and travel through any expanse of the ocean deserved a great deal of caution—and a great deal of celebration upon completion of the journey. Therefore, as the three mermen faded into view, shouts of joy and cheers began to ring out.
Sapphyre grinned as the younger mermaids around her began to giggle at one particular merman’s arrival, but she was surprised to notice Khallista’s expression had grown very similar.
“Micah’s coming!” One deep blue mermaid began to tug on her friend’s arm.
“He’s so cute...” Her pink-hued friend swooned.
Nathaneal had also noticed the hubbub, and he smirked at his younger sister. “Why, Khalli, you’re looking a lot more excited about being here all of a sudden...”
“Shut up, Be’Than!” Khallista swiftly pushed her brother into Sapphyre—all without taking her eyes off the pale green merman ahead of them.
The cheering grew to a climactic celebration as the three travelers reached the gate and let down their canvas packs. The three siblings straightened up as best as they could and, customarily, bowed toward the travelers.
“Shale, Micah, Brandon—welcome home!” Nathaneal drew forward and reached for Shale’s hand.
Shale was the eldest and more experienced of the three travelers, and he was steadfast in making the journey despite starting a family of his own. “It’s good to be back,” he paused, nodding at Nathaneal and his two sisters, “And it’s good to see you three, as well.”
“And I’m sure you’ll see us more often,” the green merman grinned at Shale before thanking Brandon’s as well. He then turned to Micah, but the pale green merman had slipped past him.
“Hello, Sapphyre,” Micah said softly as he floated up to her.
Sapphyre’s lips pulled to a half-smile as she accepted his extended hand. “Hi,” she replied simply, though her eyes grew wide as the pale green merman brought her hand to his lips to kiss her fingers chivalrously.
The young mermaids that had once been bubbling with excitement now watched the scene with a look of stunned terror. Even Khallista’s expression had shrunk into a pouting frown.
“I wasn’t expecting this sort of greeting,” Micah grinned almost embarrassedly, still holding Sapphyre’s hand.
“...Neither was I,” Sapphyre glanced at Nathaneal with an expression that silently asked for help.
Her brother had to blink in bewilderment a few times before he noticed. “Oh! Micah!” He grabbed his friend in a playful headlock and drew him away. “Your first caravan—how was it? You’ve got to tell me all about it!”
Micah attempted to look back at Sapphyre, but Nathaneal was quick to whisk him even further from the throng.
Sapphyre let out a deep breath and relaxed. Around her, the throng of young mermaids had resorted to scowls and slow exits. She met her sister’s gaze only briefly before Khallista, too, rolled her eyes and started into the village.
Shale drifted near her as the remaining merfolk began to gather the packs of supplies. “Oh, to be young again,” he said, crossing his arms. “All the crushes and infatuations...”
Sapphyre smirked and shook her head. “I think those can stay in the past.”
The dull-blue merman chuckled, brushing his fingers against the stubble of his chin. “At least we can look back and learn from our experiences, right?”
“I’ll give you that one.” Sapphyre looked to the village. “How’s your wife?”
“She’s doing well; due to deliver soon. I told her not to come out and that I’d go to her as soon as I got home.”
“Then I won’t keep you,” she smiled and swam aside. “Thank you for making the journey.”
“And thank you for the warm welcome.” He nodded to her before taking his leave. “Lyra Sapphyre, you are doing a marvelous job.”
She wasn’t able to respond before he turned and swam away. Silently in thought, she remained at the village gate as the last of the merfolk sorting the new supplies had moved along.
She was finally able to smile to herself, feeling a sense of accomplishment she had scarcely felt before. True acceptance from her peers was giving way to more responsibilities and status among them. A more positive outlook was rising within her, and she felt as though she truly belonged where she was for the first time since waking up as a mermaid.
Her smile widened considerably when she thought of Luis. She had a lot more to tell him in the morning.