5 years later

"Thank you everyone! You are the best, we love you all! Peace and stay safe," Rita's voice rang out loudly across the concert hall, just before she put the microphone back on the stand. The audience responded with joyful shouts. The Dark Islanders lined up in front of the spectators and bowed low. A moment later, they disappeared behind the scenes one by one, accompanied by continuous cheers from fans.

Rita barely remembered leaving the stage and the whole process that ends each performance, which included changing clothes to casual, removing make-up and picking up their stuff. She exchanged congratulations on a successful tour with someone from the band and with someone from the staff, but later she couldn't say with who specifically. She was so tired.

It was the last concert of their big tournée in North America. It had been a long few months, which finally came to an end. Months, which were very productive, but also exhausting and filled with longing for loved ones and home.

…

The Dark Islanders managed to get into the mainstream. Now, they were listed by various media alongside bands like Evanescence or Within Temptation. It had started with recording a track together with popular pop singer Aquata. It had made them famous among people, who were not interested in metal music. They were very lucky, but it didn't negate the fact that everyone worked hard for the success. All members- past and present.

From the original line-up, only Rita and Nerissa remained in the group. The others went their own way.

Aurora didn't collaborate with them anymore, which Nerissa took with undisguised relief. She intended to found her own band, but they haven't heard about her yet.

Ross (and soon probably Dr. Ross) had begun his coveted doctorate and had decided to devote himself entirely to a scientific career. Rita had promised him that no matter what, she would attend defendation of his doctoral dissertation.

And what about Harry… Well, he and Rita had split up. There was no big quarrel behind it, or a knife stabbed in someone's back. They had done it in a friendly way. Sometimes it happens in life that yours paths diverge and priorities change. Both of them had discovered that other things mattered to them the most. On Harry's part, it wasn't something involving being in the band and in a relationship with Rita.

Obviously, the press had declared Rita guilty of Harry's departure from the group and their break-up. Harry even had given an extensive interview in which he had denied such made-up rumors but not everyone had been convinced by this. Rita had decided not to worry about it and keep doing her thing. At first it hadn't been easy to immunize to hurtful, unfair comments, but in the end she dealt with it. After all, when you are in show business, there will always be some haters. And among them are many sexists, who burden women for everything.

…

The band members entered the bus, which they rented for the duration of the tour. Nerissa rushed inside first and immediately headed for her laptop. In a few minutes she had a meeting with her partner over Zoom. She also wanted to see her two small children, who had been born in the last five years. Lauren (who sometimes still worked with them, but lately she rebranded herself a bit and was busy getting her own art gallery started) and her husband had become their godparents.

Once she was in the vehicle, Rita rested on a small sofa in the corner of the bus room. Like the rest of the mobile lodging, it represented a colorful interior style of the sixties- the furniture was upholstered with vivid red fabric and its shape resembled the appearance of the lips.

For the time being, they all were preoccupied with themselves and were just relaxing. The only person, who wasn't reposing in silence, was Nerissa. She connected with her family and at this moment she was talking happily to her lover and their older daughter ("So Zac is sleeping now? Oh, hi Mimmi! Tell mommy how are you!"). Other members of the group understood her difficult situation with separation from kids, so no one was bothered by her loud conversation.

Shortly thereafter, Maya, their next after Aurora keyboardist and a person performing the backing vocals, brought out the stemwares from the glass hanging cabinet in the kitchenette. She was Aquata's girlfriend and that was her, who had arranged for them production of a song in joint featuring.

"Let's celebrate, crew!" She said, pouring rosé champagne into tools. "To our continued winning streak! Solely platinum and diamond albums in every country!"

The Dark Islanders raised a toast. After drinking the contents of her wine glass and putting an empty utensil on the table, Rita settled back on the sofa. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes. She thought that she would be home soon, where Veridia was waiting for her. Then she drifted away into blissful sleep.

…

However, Rita contacted Veridia at that time.

She didn't want to hold a grudge. Veridia was too important to her, to bury so many years of mutual friendship. Moreover, since her former friend spoke to her first, it meant that she must have cared for Rita in some way.

They made an appointment while still in Germany, right after Wacken. They were talking for a long time in Veridia's hotel room.

"I'm so sorry Rita… I was a stupid, immature and impulsive kid. I wasn't thinking clearly. I was afraid of losing you… and as a result I lost you," Veridia confessed sadly.

"I understand. I suppose, I myself could have told you about my departure differently. Not so… straightforward. And about all my plans earlier. We were friends but I didn't say anything about my application to a European university."

"No, it was my quick temper. I should have let you finish what you were going to tell me. Please, don't use the past tense about us. I wish we were friends again. I missed you."

Veridia looked at her with that pleading gaze, which always made Rita's heart soften. And how could she reply no to that? She missed Veridia too, even if she wouldn't have admitted it just a few days ago. Thus, Rita decided to give them a second chance.

Initially, their newly reborn acquaintance wasn't the same as before. In their contacts, they kept a certain distance from one another. It was like both of them feared that they would inadvertently cross some hard-to-detect line, which would unduly intrude on the private space of the latter. There was a concern that this could nip their timidly blossoming amity in the bud. At this point, none of them would like it.

The factor that definitely favored this state of affairs, was the fact that they lived in two opposite corners of the world. They didn't have many opportunities to see each other in person, so they communicated mostly online and moreover- only from time to time by overflow of various activities on both sides. At that moment, Rita felt rather comfortable with how these things were. She needed time to reopen herself to her recovered friend. Additionally, she had Harry now and he knew her past, so the sudden tide of warmer feelings for Veridia or simple intensive renewal of their contacts might look bad to him. Veridia seemed to understand this and she didn't rush things. Rita was really grateful to her for that.

Rebuilding trust was a slow process but their bond eventually came back closer. Their chats grew more frequent, they also began to confide in each other. They were meeting when Veridia toured Europe and when Rita toured Australia or when she just dropped in on one of her rare visits to her family home. Gradually, they became best friends anew.

Their friendship, of course, didn't escape the vigilant attention of the media and fans. Their joint photos, when they were conversing and laughing backstage during one of the concerts, soon went around the world. Rumors quickly emerged about the alleged cooperation in three versions: one referred to both bands working together, other to two of them alone in a duet and the last to one of them with the second's group. Practically everyone stated that they're a cute pair of friends and their relationship is so precious.

Veridia was beside Rita when she and Harry broke up. Veridia proved to be an invaluable support for Rita back then. She was always ready to listen to and comfort. She didn't use her current position to make some move on the other vocalist. Veridia was just a concerned friend. She was exactly someone, who Rita needed at that point.

It was difficult to determine when precisely their relationship drifted to a much less platonic side. From an unspecified moment, their mutual gestures and words turned to be more and more intimate. As if they were suspended in something between friendship and romantic relationship but much more than plain attraction.

The tipping point came when one day they were sitting on the couch in Veridia's flat watching TV. It was very late in the evening, practically night. The only source of light in the room was a television set standing on the low cupboard. The way they were embracing each other, already seemed not friendly at all- Veridia, who was occupying one end of the furniture, was wrapping up her arm fondly around Rita's back, while Rita was conveniently half-laying on the other woman, with her own hands tangled around Veridia's waist. Suddenly, Rita rose a little to say something to Veridia, but she must have misjudged the distance because seconds later their faces were right next to each other. For a moment, they were looking at the second one's eyes in silence until Rita leaned over and pecked Veridia's lips with hers. It was completely spontaneous and in many ways similar to their first kiss years ago.

"I… I think I fell in love with you," Rita spoke quietly without much reasoning. What was happening with her composure? Veridia must have had such an effect on her…

Joyful sparkles appeared in Veridia's eyes. "I love you too. I loved you all that time," Veridia whispered, her voice breaking with happiness.

Then, everything became so simple. And beautiful.

…

Slowly, they began to plan their future life together.

Rita decided to move back to Australia. It was easier this way. The Dark Islanders already had members residing in several countries, they were recording albums in yet another country and were touring worldwide. It didn't really make much difference if Rita was returning to her motherland once in a few months. On the other hand, Veridia had many more obligations, holding her in place.

Mermaid Council actually focused on the home music market, so she couldn't leave Australia too often. And more importantly- she had a daughter from one of her previous relationships, who was living with her. Veridia couldn't pull Ondina out of the environment in which she grew up in and to which she was used to. She couldn't separate her from her father and grandparents.

"Ondina? Like ondines, these water beings?" Rita asked Veridia, when she heard the girl's name for the first time. "I can see that interest in this subject is still valid not only for me."

"Of course not only for you. You would probably also name the child in a congruous taste as I know you. And for example, how would you name your daughter?"

Rita pondered. "Hmm… Maybe Nixie?"

…

The plane finally landed.

Rita had the urge to think "home at last" but it was too early for that. After retrieving the luggage, she hurried off (if at all possible, with a carry-on bag and a heavy travel suitcase stuffed to the brim) to the appointed meeting point. From afar, she noticed the familiar bush of curly hair.

Correction. Two familiar bushes of curly hair.

"Aunt Rita!" Ondina exclaimed happily, as she ran to Rita.

"Ondina? Hi sweetie, how good to see you! I wasn't expecting you here." Rita hugged her step-daughter in greeting.

"She insisted on going with me. She didn't even want to hear about waiting with her Grandma. She was willing to see you so badly," Veridia said with a smile. At this information, Rita felt a pleasant warmth inside. At the beginning, Ondina had refused to accept her, but fortunately the girl had started to like her.

Veridia took a suitcase from Rita. "Welcome back," she kissed the love of her life fondly on the lips.

That was nothing missing for Rita to be happy.

Notes:

I really didn't want to make Harry dead. He and Rita should have a happy ending, together or separately!