"Ugh!" Emma exclaimed dramatically, "Why is it so unbelievably hot!?"
Eight months pregnant in the middle of summer, Emma was more than a little uncomfortable. It was January 1st 2019, exactly one month before her due date, and 34 degrees Celsius. Emma was resting by the moon pool, cooling her stomach with her power. Bella sat next to her, reading a magazine, keeping a watchful eye on Jacob, Matthew and Eric, who were using their tails to circle around the moon pool. Lucy and Danielle were playing in the shallow end, splashing eachother with their tails, and Anna was nursing baby Thomas in the far corner.
"Just a little while left, Em!" said Anna encouragingly, "And then you'll have a beautiful little baby. Trust me, it'll be worth it when it arrives."
"I know, I know," Emma sighed, "I just wish it wasn't so darn hot!"
"Was Lewis able to find out what gender the baby's going to be?" Bella asked.
"No," Emma said sadly, "The baby is all curled up and he can't see… you know. I wish I knew what little Freckle was though. I really want to decide on a name." Emma rubbed her stomach gently.
"What!?" Anna exclaimed, "You mean you're not going to stay with Freckle? I thought it was so cute, regardless of the gender."
Bella and Emma laughed at Anna's earnest expression. The noon sun was now directly over the moon pool, and the alcove became even hotter than before. Emma moaned.
oOoOoOoOo
Rikki woke up with a start, awakening from a bad dream. She breathed a sigh of relief and rolled over to look at the alarm clock.
It was after twelve! Rikki panicked and jumped up quickly. She ran into Charlie and Leila's room, which was decorated with underwater scenes and dolphins. Already freaking out that she had forgotten to wake up and had left her children alone for the whole morning, Rikki then discovered two empty beds, and ran outside in a state of utter panic. Zane was sitting at the picnic table in the middle of the courtyard between the cottages. He was calmly reading a newspaper and drinking coffee in the noon sun. He and Rikki had closed the café for the holiday season, so he was staying on Mako till the following week.
"Zane! Where the heck are the girls?" Rikki screamed at him.
He laughed and said "Calm down, honey! Don't you remember that Cleo was going to baby-sit for us today? Leila and Charlie are hanging out with Jennifer and Max."
"Oh," Rikki said sheepishly, "I knew that."
Zane grinned at his clueless young wife.
"Oh stop it, " she balked. "Anyway, why didn't you wake me this morning?"
"You looked peaceful," he explained, "I didn't want to disturb you. Besides, with the new baby on the way, I figured you could use a little extra rest."
"What?" Rikki exclaimed. Then, remembering her New Year's news, she sighed fretfully. "Oh yeah."
"What's up?" Zane asked, concerned by Rikki's sad face.
"It's just… I don't want any more," she moaned, "I don't do kids, I'm no good with them!"
"You seem to be doing all right," Zane said sweetly.
"Don't get me wrong, I love our girls- but another one? I don't think I'll cope."
"Hey, hey…" Zane soothed, wrapping Rikki in his arms, "It'll be alright. You're a wonderful mother. Much better than you think you are."
oOoOoOoOo
"Hey Lewis…" Cleo called out. She was sitting in a hammock in the forest behind their house, watching Jennifer and Max play with Rikki's twins.
"Yup, yup, coming!" Lewis yelled from inside his office, and came skidding out clumsily wearing a lab coat and flip-flops.
"Hey sweetie, how's the research going?" Cleo asked.
Ever since they had moved to Mako, Lewis had been undertaking experimental (and of course highly confidential) research about the mermaids (and mermen), and he spent most days in his laboratory, examining microscopic tail cells and investigating the DNA similarities between humans and fish.
"Oh y'know," he sighed, "Slowly. But I did make an absolutely fascinating discovery this morning!"
"What's that?" Cleo questioned excitedly.
"The structure and function of a certain antibody found in many species of fish is the same as one that plays a predominant role in the intestinal systems of humans," he said elatedly.
"Oh my gosh!" Cleo squealed sarcastically, "I have no idea what that means!"
"It helps to explain the evolution of the human intestinal immune responses," Lewis explained.
"And…" Cleo said skeptically.
"It may or may not have a minute degree of relevance to my study of how you and the other girls transform…" Lewis finished cautiously.
"Wow," Cleo said mockingly, "That's just great." She smiled cheekily and kissed his cheek. "At least you're excited, sweetie."
"Anyway," Lewis changed topic quickly, "What did you call me out here for?"
Cleo, remembering her idea, stood up energetically. "So I was just thinking!" she said excitedly.
"That's a first!" Lewis laughed cheekily.
Cleo stuck her tongue out. "I was thinking that I'm bored of not working."
When they had first moved to Mako Island, Cleo had continued to swim over to the Marine Park daily for work, but she always felt like she never had enough time with Jennifer, and after Max was born, she decided to quit her job to be a full-time mum.
"And I came up with an amazing idea! What if we opened a nature and marine wildlife centre on the public half of Mako? We could have dolphin encounters, and nature hikes, and other stuff like that! And that would mean that we could have jobs to do, and I'd still have enough time to look after Jennifer and Max!" Cleo finished excitedly.
"It's a great idea honey, but need I point out the obvious?" Lewis asked.
"What's that?"
"You and all the other girls are mermaids…" he said slowly, "So, forgive me if I'm wrong, but dolphin tours require swimmers- preferably ones who don't have tails of their own."
"No, no, I thought about that already!" Cleo said impatiently, "Those of us who can't swim around the public- Me, Emma, Rikki, Anna, Bella and Ben-would be in charge of the land-based side of things. And then Will and Zane and Ash could do the boat tours and stuff like that. And you could keep doing your research."
"It does sound nice…" Lewis said pensively.
"So I can ask everyone at dinner tonight?" Cleo exclaimed.
"Sure, why not."
