Chapter 48: Summer Fades

A few weeks later

Zane's POV

This honeymoon has been great so far. Fiji is a wonderful country with lots of things to see and places to relax. Rikki wanted me to go diving with her while we're here so today we got on a boat with six other visiting people to scuba dive.

We told the instructors that Rikki doesn't need the equipment, but they brought her some any way. They probably wouldn't believe the truth until they see it. So, as the boat's gliding along to our dive spot, Rikki says jokingly, "I can swim faster than this."

Before I can respond, another woman on the boat says, "Wow, you must be really full of yourself to think you're faster than a boat." She scoffs.

"I don't think it, I know it," Rikki says with a smile.

"That's not possible," the woman says angrily.

"Oh trust me, it is and you'll see. Besides who are you to invite yourself into our conversation," Rikki says.

I place my hand on her shoulder to calm her down so that it wouldn't ruin our day. Rikki looks at me and then at her before just smiling and turning back to look at the water.

The woman decides to just turn and talk to another woman by her. They're standing next to us and the first woman starts showing off her new engagement ring and the second asks if she could look at it closer, so the first takes off the ring just as the boat lurches to a stop. The ring slips through her fingers and falls into the water.

"My ring!"

Everyone leans over the side of the boat, and the instructor says, "By the time someone gets their equipment on, it'll be too deep. This is one of the deepest parts of the ocean."

"But my ring," the woman yells.

I look to Rikki, knowing that she's the only one who could get it, and ask quietly, "Will you get it?"

She arches her eyebrow. "Why should I help?"

"Because you're the only one who can, love."

She nods and says, "I'll get it."

Before anyone can respond, she walks to the platform and dives into the water.

"What is she doing? That's dangerous," one of the employees yells.

"Don't worry, she'll be fine. Just watch," I say.

Everyone watches the water and two minutes later, we can see Rikki approaching the surface.

"See, I told you," I smile as Rikki breaks the surface.

"I got it," she yells.

Everyone stands shocked as she lays the ring on the edge of the boat and proceeds to lift herself out of the water. As she goes to dry herself off, a man says, "Wait, thank you for saving the ring it cost a fortune, but I was wondering, can I touch your tail?"

The question bothers me, so I ask him, "How can you ask that?"

"I'm sorry, I don't mean any offense, it's just so amazing," the man says.

I open my mouth to say that it is still offensive, but Rikki cuts me off.

"It's okay, I figured people would be interested."

"Are you sure?" the man asks.

"Yes, and anyone else can, too," Rikki answers.

Everyone gathers around her to touch her tail except the man's fiancée, who looks disgusted. I move towards her and ask, "Why do you look disgusted?"

She turns to me and says, "She's a fish."

"She's a mermaid and human, and she just saved your ring that you were stupid enough to hold over the edge of a boat. You should be thanking my wife."

She turns red, and turns around to ignore me, but at least I told her off, which puts a smile on my face.

"Alright, everyone it's time to get suited up to go giving," the instructor yells.

"I'll go back in the water then," Rikki says.

She goes into the water and the rest of us get suited up to go diving. This will be a fun dive.

At Bella's apartment

Bella's POV

I decide to make lunch before Diana gets here for our weekly visit. Ever since New Year's, once a week the two of us get together with Ashley and spend the day together.

We've only hung out a few times since New Year, but things are going well.

In fact, everything in my life seems to be looking up. Will and I went on our weekend away and it was like starting over. We didn't have to split our focus between our relationship as lovers and our relationship as parents. As we were taking turns with Ashley before, we didn't spend a lot of time enjoying being together as a couple. We lost ourselves trying to figure out what we were to each other.

The weekend was exactly what we needed to reconnect. Over those few days, we made some decisions about our lives and Ashley's. renewing our relationship, we decided to have Will live with me and Ashley part time. He would still have the boathouse to go to if either of us need time to ourselves. We also agreed to take the time to be alone, have a date night and a separate family night.

Since school is starting soon, we planned to spend the weekends together for sure because the weeknights will be busy. We decided that I needed another job since we looked at my bills for my apartment, and even with Will helping out, my savings are dwindling since I don't get as much from singing at the café like it seemed to before, I hadn't realize how much living on my own had actually taken money wise. So, I now need to search for another job.

Just as I finish making lunch, Will walks into the room and places Ashley in her play pen and grabs his free diving bag.

"I'm heading out to practice for the free diving competition next week," Will says.

"Okay, and you'll be back for dinner?"

"Yes, a few hours training should be good."

"Okay, I'll see you then."

"Bye," he says as he opens the door just as Diana knocks.

"Hi, come in," I say and wave to Will.

"Hey, Bella, am I early?"

"No, right on time, just have some lunch and we'll head out."

We sit down at the table, and I place the sandwiches in the middle of the table.

"So, how are thing?" I ask starting the conversation off.

"Alright, but Bethany's been something else lately," When isn't she something else? "She keeps telling me that she's going to drag me and Kelly back to the states and never let us leave." She can't do that, can she?

I open my mouth to reply, but find that I don't know what to say to that. I shake my head. "What?"

"She's upset that we got "dragged over here" as she says and she wants to go back to the place we were before we came over here."

No one dragged her or them anywhere, and where does she get the nerve.

"Is that what you want?" I hope not, part of me wouldn't want you to leave me again.

"No, even if we aren't best friends or mom isn't the best supporter, things in the states were great, but it was because we were oblivious to what we were missing. At least, I was." So was I for some time. At least you had someone who was there for you.

"What did you miss? Mom and dad always being gone. Moving all over the world, not staying in one place for more than a year?" A lonely childhood.

"Things may not have been great on your side either, but if Bethany hadn't done what she did we would have grown together. Mom and dad might have been busy, but you would have had me to play with." If only that were true.

I smile at her. "Maybe we would have never become mermaids." Why does part of me, actually to go back in time and make that statement true?

"Or we could have become mermaids together and been smart enough to hide it." Yeah, like having someone else like me wouldn't have made me want to share the joy.

"We could have had all sorts of adventures together…" and I wouldn't have had to learn everything on my own.

"And never had to play alone," Diana says.

Always having someone my own age, who wouldn't be left behind when my family eventually moved.

I smile sadly at her, "Too bad we'll never know what would have happened." If only wishes could come true, I'd wish to see what could have happened.

"You know I don't blame mom and dad, that's funny because I certainly do, as much as I blame Bethany for making decisions for two defenceless four-year olds, when she was just 15."

I guess the blame should be on Bethany as well. "Really?"

"Yes, she made a choice that affected all of our lives, even yours."

"That's true. Anyways, we better head out now." and this conversation is a little depressing.

"Okay, let's go."

At the marine park

Cleo's POV

Summer school ended yesterday and I have a few days to prepare for the regular school year. I've been lacking in work because I've had to focus on school and Lewis has been making enough to survive for a little while, but I need to get back to my regular hours as soon as I can.

As I walk around bringing fish to the dolphins, I realized how different it is working here after everything that's happened in the past year. Lori had been avoiding me for the most part. He feels guilty about forcing me to be a part of the dolphin show as more like an animal than a human.

Maybe I should talk to him, tell him its' okay. Maybe not okay, but I understand his difficult position. He doesn't have to walk on eggshells or avoid me. Just as I decide that, Lori came around the corner.

I take a deep breathe. "Hey," I say to him.

"Hi, Cleo," he says looking around.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" I ask.

"Uh, sure." He doesn't look sure at all, but he follows me to a table nearby, anyways.

We sit quietly for a few moments before I press forward. "You don't have to feel bad about what has happened this past year." Even though if it had been me, I would feel bad.

He looks down and says sadly, "Yes, I do."

"No don't feel bad. It happened, it's okay and it's over." I have forgiven him for it, after all.

"I feel like I let you down." Well, after the guys being so supportive when they discovered our secret, it was a let down.

"You didn't let me down, but by avoiding me, treating me like I wasn't your friend before, and refusing to let things go back to normal, I'm starting to feel like an outcast." Maybe because I am different.

"I don't think things can go back to normal. No one can forget about your unique abitlities, and being a worker at a marine park kind of reminds people of your abilities." Is he blaming me?

"You're right, so we can use it to our advantage, as long as they don't try to look me in a tank again. I'm the only one that can clean the tanks without needing to put on scuba gear and if there's an issue with the dolphins, I can really help. Remember when I got one of the new dolphins to eat when no one else could?" That was part of my unique abilities.

"Alright, I'll let the other managers know that you're okay if they ask you to do some things that they've been avoiding asking you to do." So, it wasn't my imagionation, they have been avoiding giving me certain jobs.

"Thanks, Lori, I better get back to work now."

He smiles and I go on my way. Hopefully, things will return to normal.

Some time later

I'm finally finished at work and just get though my house;s door when I'm shot at with a water gun. Damn Lewis' resolution.

"Lewis!" I yell know that he did this as part of his New Year's resolution to get me used to getting wet and not changing. I immediately close my eyes and try to focus on not changing just like every other time he's gotten me wet this year.

I hear him click his stop watch to see how long I can put off the change. So far, I haven't been able to hold it off for longer than five seconds past the change. Lewis keeps trying, but one slip up in my focus and I change.

"You made it ten seconds passed," I hear Lewis say. Oh yay.

As soon as it registers, I fall over with my tail. My concentration is lost.

I glare up at him despite being part of this decision to accost me with water at any given moment, it doesn't stop me from being angry, about the change.

"You made it longer," he says with a smile as he hands me a towel. What does longer matter if I still change?

"Yes, but every time I lose my focus I change."

"True, but all you really need is enough time as a person to dry off thus avoiding turning into a mermaid." Then why not hand me a towel as soon as I get wet, hmmm?

"Yes, but I'd have to dry myself off thus losing concentration and changing anyway," I say shaking my head just as I change back to having my feet.

"Well, we've only just started making this happen. At least, we've made progress," he says smiling.

"You're right," I say as he helps me up and kisses me.

"So, how was your day?" he asks as he smoothly changes the subject. Better now, as always.

At Emma and Ash's apartment

Emma's POV

Ash is coming home today, so I'm getting the apartment cleaned up while Jenna and his sister try to help the girls walk between them. I was surprised when Rikki told me that Maria and James walked a while back, so I've been trying to help the girls walk as well. Shouldn't they have walked first?

The girls have been standing a lot more lately, and are willing to wobble a little bit if someone;s holding their hands. Lilianne seems to be the one that's doing better with the walking.

"Hey, what time is he supposed to get here?" Jenna yells over to me as I'm cleaning the kitchen.

"Uh, he said around dinner time." I say.

"So why are you so stressed out?" Jenna asks.

"He's coming home today and has been gone for the better half of two months and I want him to like what I've done to the place," I say. I've been trying to make the place more homelike.

His sister pulls a face as she looks at the more homey look of the living room with picture and paintings hanging up. She still isn't my biggest fan, although she wasn't very happy with Ash's decisions throughout our entire time since we got back from overseas, either. She seems to love complaining. Even Christmas Eve, dinner didn't help making things better between me and his sister. Then after the holidays she came over every day to spend time with the girls. I like that she cares about her nieces, but I feel like she isn't really coming over for them, like there's some secret motive for her to be here all the time.

"It looks great, don't worry about it," Jenna says, and I feel relief slide over me.

"Ehh…" Really? You have to say ehh?

"What is your issue with my decorating?" I finally ask his sister, as she's been making side comments every time I ass something to the walls.

"Ash didn't get a say in your decorating or your move here or anything since you got pregnant." Seriously? It's been over a year, and if he wanted a say, he could say it, but no he just kept leaving me, and she has the nerve to say something now?

I'm angry that she keeps having this issue with me when it was Ash's fault for continually leaving me.

"It's not my fault, it's his. I never said that if he had a problem, he couldn't talk to me about it. Besides the two of us have moved asses it so why can't you?" Or have we? It does upset me when it's mentioned.

"He's my little brother and you've practically ruined his life! What if, after he gives up everything else then you decide he isn't good enough, huh? Then you kick him out, and he's lost everything." She has some nerve accusing me of ruining his life. If anything, it's ruined both of our lives.

"I know that the two of us have had problems, but I don't think it's any of your business and you coming over to watch me while he's gone is stepping over a line." Now, I know what she was doing over here.

She stands up to yell at me, but then just decides to say, "You're right, I should go." Then leaves.

Silence follows before Jenna says, "Look Lily's walking!"

The two of us smile, and I decide to sit and play with my girls until Ash gets home, and I let his sisters issues go for now.

A few hours later, I'm making dinner, and Rosemary starts to wobble next to Lily-Anne just as Ash walks through the door.

"Ash!" Jenna and I yell excitedly.

"I'm home," he says with a smile. He walks up to me and gives me a kiss.

"And look, the girls are walking now," I say smiling at the girls each holding onto Jenna's hands.

"Aww, congrats girls," Ash says as he moves to hug both of them.

"So, how was it? Did you do well? Do you have a job set up for after your final year?"

"Slow down, slow down. Yes, I have a job when I get done with school. They loved me and it seemed like I was good at it. I enjoyed the job very much and the company is great."

"That's fantastic!" As long as he doesn't have to move away.

"It definitely is, and I can't wait to tell you all about it, but let me just put my stuff away while you finish dinner." Now I have to tell him I'm ready.

"Okay, um, why don't you put your stuff away in my room, ya know, if you want to make it our room," I say giving him a smile. It grows bigger when I see his eyes light up.

A/N Here is November's edition, I hope you like this, I decided to do more descriptiveness, tell me what you think. Thanks for reading, see you next time.