Chapter 36

Lewis waited by the path to their village for Rikki and Cleo to return home from work. As soon as he did, he pulled them aside.

"Hey Cleo," Lewis said giving her a hug and a peck on the lips. He turned to see Rikki still walking.

"Rikki, wait!" She turned around, "There's something I need to talk to you both about."

"Lewis?" Cleo asked worriedly, "What is it?"

"Someone, has...found out about you two."

"What? Lewis! What have you done!" Rikki exclaimed.

"Rikki I'm sure he didn't do anything." Cleo defended.

"You remember my colleague Alan? I told you that he had mentioned an interest in mermaids. Unfortunately I didn't know he placed sonar scanners and motion activated cameras where you regularly swim..."

"It's always those cameras." Rikki muttered to herself.

"And no Rikki, I didn't give him any information. He got the powerful sonar images from his aunt, Linda Denman."

"Her nephew?" Rikki asked in disbelief. "Why was he interested in mermaids."

"Denman has been having vivid, strange dreams involving mermaids. Alan got sonar scans of all of you swimming by, back and to work, various days."

"You mean...all of us?" Cleo asked

"I'm afraid so. He only got identifiable photographic evidence of you two however."

"How do you know this?"

"He confronted me today...about you Cleo, he asked me whether I knew my wife was a mermaid."

"And you obviously couldn't deny it...So, is this guy going to spill?" Rikki demanded, hands on hips.

"I talked to him and for the moment he's not going to."

"I hope you're right Lewis, I hope you're right."

Alan Xavier's Apartment, later that day...

As he reclined on the couch, putting his feet up, he brought the photos up again on his laptop, examining them closely. The printed versions he had burnt but he had yet to delete these.

Wow. Real mermaids, how was this even possible? He knew it was the right thing to do but somehow he felt reluctant as he pushed the delete button. The photos were gone forever. Maybe he could actually see the mermaids in the water? He was very curious. He mind wandered at the possibilities, he was very excited, it would be amazing. Alan thought to why he had been interested in mermaids in the first place. For one, his aunts recurring dreams had brought to the surface a fascination with mermaids he had had as a boy. The possibility that there actually could be mythological creatures out there waiting to be discovered, more for personal gain and experience that profit. Had Denman actually seen mermaids? Were they the reason behind her mysterious 'fall' and amnesia? Those with forgotten trauma often regained their memories through dreams...especially recurring ones. He would talk to Lewis later.

Meanwhile at Mako...

Lewis and Cleo announced the news to the adults after dinner, everyone was worried as they had no guarantee that Alan would keep the secret.

"Don't worry," Lewis said, "I don't think he's the kind of guy to spill for money,"

"You don't think?" Emma asked incredulously.

"He gave me his word, and that man is a word of honour."

"You better be right Lewis," Zane said.

Lewis' Office, the following morning...

"Hi,"

"Hey Alan,"

"Can I talk to you for a moment?" Lewis nodded at the chair.

"Sure, is this about what I think it is?"

"Yeah..."

"You have no idea how grateful I am that you've decided to keep the secret, you have no idea, thank you."

"It's okay; I promise I'm not going to tell. I couldn't do that to you."

"Thanks."

"That said; would it be too forward if I could meet them? I really am curious."

"Meet them?"

"I really want to see the amazing creatures personally..." Alan saw Lewis' frown, "Sorry, people. How is it even possible?"

"I have been trying to figure that out for years, we've just put it down to magic."

"Magic doesn't exist,"

"I said that once, but how else? You won't be saying that once you've met my family."

"Family? Or just Cleo?" he saw Lewis' small smile, "Are you saying..."

"That's exactly what I'm saying, mermaid genes are dominant over human DNA, and therefore there is a 99% that offspring would be mers."

"So that is why there were smaller ones, they indeed are children mers..." Alan muttered to himself. Lewis chuckled at his realisations.

"This is why I was so happy you decided to keep the secret..."

"Because It would have put your whole family at risk..." Alan finished.

"I'll ask Cleo whether she'll show you, it is her decision, she has been ill recently so I'm not sure how soon it'll be even if she says yes"

"I understand."

OoOoO

"Guess what Lewis!"

"What?" Lewis replied to excited wife as soon as he came in the door.

"I'm pregnant again!" Cleo gave it a few seconds to sink in. A grin spread across his face, he hugged her tightly.

"So that's why you've not been feeling so well in the mornings,"

"Yup, I had my suspicions, did you?"

"Actually it didn't cross my mind, but I'm happy anyway." He grinned. "We'll have to tell everyone later. Have you told the girls?"

"Not yet, I was waiting for you."

"Jen! Andy!" Their daughters came into the room. "How would you too feel about another brother or sister?"

OoOoO

Once the excitement had died down and Jennifer and Andrea had left the room, Lewis decided he would tell Cleo of Alan's request.

"Cleo, Alan asked whether he could see you today." She gave him a confused look, "In mermaid form," he continued. Her mouth formed the shape of an O.

"Why?"

"He is 'Curious'" he replied, "He just really wants to meet a real life mermaid."

"And he's not going to spill..."

"No, I'm pretty sure we can trust him in that area."

"Well if you trust him, I do. Maybe Rikki would like to come too," Cleo said brightly.

"But, she won't want to..."

"It's worth a try." She replied.

"Rikki, do you want to show yourself to Alan as a mermaid with me?" Cleo asked point-blank.

"Why on earth would I want to do that?" she replied incredulously.

"He already knows you're a mermaid and I don't want to do it by myself."

"Fine then. If he tells about me to anyone, I swear I'll boil him alive."

Cleo gave Lewis an 'I told you so' look. Rikki wasn't as hard to convince as they thought...

A/N: I'm so sorry this one has taken so long to upload, I have been really busy. I hope you enjoyed it.

I'm so excited, I'm going to Taylor Swift's third Auckland concert tomorrow :P I guess that doesn't help with my time management...

Oh and thanks for the review! I really really appreciated it. Shout out to Free Blaze,nina19123, PeacePinkSeddie, CrazieGirlie, GracieSunset, Catlover10808, wella4ever25, and sophia68696. Thanks again.