Day two of MerMay prompt month. We meet Ferb's mom in this, just barely... but possible trigger warning for those with an overbearing parent...

Warm drinks - Lawrence

Linda sat next to him sideways on the couch, looking at him with wide eyes. Candace and Phineas shared the loveseat, both watching their step-father with interest. Ferb was in the chair on the other side of him, still wrapped up in a towel even though he was completely dry and fully back to his human form. He looked a little lost, but he hadn't wanted anyone to touch him so Lawrence decided to wait on holding him. Ferb wasn't as small as he once was, but he was still his son and he would comfort him whenever he needed it.

"Lawrence," Linda said. He could see her heart break when, even though she spoke softly, Ferb still flinched at the sound. She bravely continued, "What happened?"

Lawrence shifted in his seat, pondering where to start. "Well, I met a girl soon after I finished university." Might as well start at the beginning. "I had just started working at an antique shop in Dover with an eye at becoming a partner and someday buying it out. We met during one of my lunch breaks."

He did his best to keep his story short and to the point, instead of letting his inner drama-nerd get carried away like it desperately wanted to. He watched Ferb's face as the boy learned more about his mother than ever before. Sure, Lawrence had explained why they split—that they had differences of opinion; that his mother was extremely firm in hers, which didn't lead well to compromises or collaboration between the two when they were together. But there was more to Meris as a person than what happened between them as a couple.

Still, as he spoke of his former lover, he recalled the pain he felt when she left him and their six-month-old baby. They hadn't really been in love, but what they did have was more than an infatuation. She had once meant something to him… and then she threw it all away.

His eyes caught Linda's gaze and he immediately softened. Yes, Meris had left him; yes, she was too stubborn to wait until he was financially able to make the move across the country; and yes, she had abandoned their son…

But he wouldn't change a thing. Not when all of that hurt led him back into the arms of the redhead who had stolen his heart at his first concert when he was only twenty-one—before he had even met Meris.

As his story trailed off at the point where his parents stepped up to help raise their grandson, the aforementioned redhead bit her lip in thought. He waited, expecting her to say something…

It was Candace who spoke up instead. "So, wait… Ferb's mom is really a mermaid?"

"That's not the correct term, but essentially yes."

The teen made a face, her nose wrinkling. "How did that even work?"

Lawrence had to take a moment, not because he didn't know exactly what she was implying, but because it was Candace who was implying it. And no father, by blood or otherwise, wanted to deal with the idea that his daughter was thinking those thoughts. I'm going to have to start keeping a better eye on her and Jeremy.

He coughed. "It works the same as any two people. Môrfolk can walk on land just like you and me. They simply make their homes underwater."

By this point, Linda had centered her thoughts. "Well…" she took a breath. "You did tell me she was a siren… I just hadn't realized she was an actual siren." Then she looked at him, worry in her eyes. "So what happens now?"

Lawrence sighed and turned to look at Ferb, who was watching them with his big eyes as wide as they could get. "Now," he said sadly. "Now I have to take Ferb to England."

Lawrence stepped out of the rental car, Ferb bravely doing the same, though his dad could see the wince in his shoulders and behind his eyes. It was obvious, to those that knew him, that the recent teenager was more than reluctant to be there. And he did not want to stay—it was not home. But, as per usual, he refused to complain. It was something that needed to be done, and Ferb was one who never shied away from doing something important.

Even if it was the last thing he wanted to do.

They walked towards the ice cream shop, The Moomaid of Zennor, catching sight of a group of young adults, most of whom had different colored hair. "Pardon me," Lawrence called to them as they stepped closer. "I'm hoping one of you could do me a favor?"

A lavender-haired man with a goatee raised an eyebrow at him, but then saw Ferb standing uncomfortably next to his dad. His expression showed understanding and he came closer. "What, or I'm guessing who, do you need Sir?"

Lawrence tried to smile, but it came out as more of a grimace. He rested a hand on his son's shoulder. "Meris," he said simply.

The other guy blinked once at him, then again at Ferb, then once more back at him. "Really?" he asked. All Lawrence could do is shrug in return. "Well, alright then. I'll catch her for you." He waved a hand at the little store. "Enjoy a bite while you wait. Tell them Taron said it's on the reef, yeah?"

Lawrence nodded, even as his mind stalled a moment on the different phrase. "Thank you, Taron."

Before he left, the youth stooped down enough to be face-to-face with Ferb. "I know this might be difficult at first, guppy," Taron told him solemnly. "But we are all here to help." Taron straightened and ruffled Ferb's hair with a grin before heading off towards the cliff side.

Neither felt much like eating, so they each went with a scone with Cornish cream and tea as they waited. Lawrence didn't even touch his scone, sipping at his tea more to have something to do rather than enjoying it. Ferb picked at his scone, dipping a couple of pieces into the cream or jam. He barely touched his own tea.

Taron came back soon, his hair slightly damp. He waved to them and stepped up to the counter asking for something. He grabbed a pencil and a sheet of paper from an older woman with striking blue hair before going over to them. "So," he started, snagging a chair nearby and straddling it. "Meris is kind of a stick in the mud, as I'm sure you know."

Lawrence merely raised an eyebrow at him before taking another sip of his tea, not bothering to comment.

Taron nodded, as if his silence said it all. "So, here's what we will do. You, Sir, write down an email address or some way we—" he gestured from him to the group he had originally been hanging out with. "—can contact you and we will be your go-between until guppy here can come up and do it himself."

Ferb watched the young man with wide eyes. Lawrence blinked rapidly as he accepted the pencil, quickly writing his wife's email and both their names on the paper. On a whim, he scrawled Ferb's name above everything so they'd know who the information was for.

Taron grinned, accepting the pencil and paper to return to the counter. He waved over a teal haired girl that looked to be the same age as Taron. "One last thing before I go," the man said with a smile. He dramatically swept a hand over the girl as she came closer. "Guppy, meet Deema. Deema, meet your new cousin."

Lawrence's eyebrows rose, along with Ferb's. Deema, who had been giving Taron an arch look, turned to Ferb with her eyes wide. "Wait, what?" She smacked her friend on the arm. "You better not be messing with me, Koi."

Taron chuckled, his hands raised in defense. "I promise I'm not, starfish. He's Meris' guppy."

A bright smile grew on Deema's face and she wrapped Ferb in a hug. "Oh, I'm so excited to meet you!" She pulled back and pushed some of Ferb's green hair off of his forehead to see his eyes better. "Oh, you have your dad's eyes." She glanced between Ferb and Lawrence, her eyes lit with joy.

Lawrence stood and extended his hand. "My name is Lawrence Fletcher. This is Ferb."

Deema shook his hand enthusiastically. "Have no fear, Uncle Lawrence! I'll be with Ferb on every turn or flip he might take. And I'm sure between Taron and me we will be able to keep you fully updated on everything he's up to."

Lawrence smiled, his eyes shining. "Thank you Deema, though I'm not your uncle."

Deema shrugged. "So? You're my new cousin's dad. Makes you close enough, yeah?"

At that moment, a green-haired woman wearing a long dress and no shoes stepped off of the trail that went to the water. She squinted in the bright sunlight as she made her way towards the little parlor shop. She nearly passed them, but Deema reached out and grasped her arm. "Aunt Meris, I think this is who you want."

Meris blinked at her, her eyes still squinted. She turned to gaze over the group and she blinked again at her ex. "Lawrence," she greeted with a nod. Then she looked over Ferb, who had stood and was now standing next to his dad, doing his best to not shake. Lawrence reached a hand to his shoulder, wanting to help ground and comfort him a little.

Meris smiled at her son, as if she wasn't just meeting him for the first time. "Hello Ferb. Are you ready to go?"

If Lawrence hadn't been holding his shoulder, he was sure Ferb would have stepped back. He also saw Deema and Taron share a look before the girl pulled an arm through her aunt's. "Before you go, Auntie, I think you should try the newest flavor of ice cream since you've already come up here."

Meris glanced at the menu and nodded. "Which is the new flavor?" she asked, already turning towards the door.

Deema started listing a few different flavors as they walked away. Taron ruffled Ferb's hair again before clasping Lawrence on the shoulder. "You have a few minutes to say your goodbyes," he whispered before walking away.

Ferb grasped his dad around the middle, and Lawrence felt tears finally falling down his cheeks. They didn't say a word, just pulled as much comfort from the other as they could.

"I'll come home as soon as I can," Ferb promised into his dad's shoulder.

Lawrence sighed, his arms wrapping around his son even tighter. "I know, son. I know."

Siren

Sirens come from Greek mythology. They were dangerous creatures who lured in passing sailors with enchanting music, deliberately causing ships to wreck on the rocks surrounding their island.

Contrary to common belief, Sirens are not mermaids. Sirens are actually a combination of women and birds, either as large birds with a woman's face or as a beautiful woman with a bird's legs and wings.

It is said that the Sirens were originally companions of the young Persephone. They were given wings by Demeter in order to look for the goddess of spring when Persephone vanished with Hades, but they were cursed by Demeter for failing to locate Persephone to live forever until mortals who heard their songs were able to pass by them safely.

The most common story that includes the Sirens is that of the Odyssey. As the crew sailed closer to their island, Odysseus was so curious about what the Sirens sang that he had his sailors tie him to the mast before plugging their ears with beeswax. As they sailed past, the beeswax kept the sailors from hearing the Siren's songs, thus their ship crept through safely.

Linda said Lawrence called Meris a siren, but that was simply as a description based on the popular belief that a siren is a mermaid, not a hint to her being alluring or a maneater or anything.

[So... let me explain something. Meris is not a bad person. But she has this idea in her mind that she knows best for everyone, including people completely unrelated to her—and she doesn't care if it isn't what that other person wants themselves. She is the epitome of a busy body combined with a high maintenance female, and she absolutely refuses to budge on her opinions. You might note later on that I don't really use her much as a character... I cannot agree with anyone who is too stubborn to allow others thoughts and opinions to be expressed freely. I have been having a hard time, emotionally, writing her character, so I admit I am trying to avoid it...]