Chapter 9

The next morning, Ariel was very annoyed.

Sure Melody was asleep, and B.E.N. did keep his promise: He didn't trash the house... instead he just broke the toilet.

"If I wanted to live in water, I never would have made that stupid bargain..." Ariel snarled as she isolated the room, trying to fix the leak.

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"For the hundredth time Ariel, no!" King Triton replied, "I'm not letting you go back to the surface to find that Hawkins boy. It's bad enough you had his kid."

"That's exactly why I need to do this, Daddy!" Ariel protested. "Jim deserves to know who Melody is!"

Triton angrily turned away. He loved both his daughter and his granddaughter, but he knew that if he got too enchanted with the surface, he would lose both of them, like he almost lost Ariel once before.

"How do you even know he wants to be a father?" he finally asked

Ariel shrugged. "I don't, but I can't let Melody go another day not knowing who her father is. Please, Daddy, let us have one chance... if not for me, then for Melody..."

Triton turned to his granddaughter who was chasing Sebastian around, giggling while her aunts were trying to stop her from terrorizing the poor crab.

"I'm not a toy!" Sebastian was yelling.

Ariel laughed as Sebastian took refuge in Triton's beard, giving Ariel a chance to grab her daughter.

"Please, Daddy..." Ariel repeated.

Triton rubbed the bridge of his nose, exasperated. When his daughter had her mind made up, there was no changing it.

"Ok... I'll tell you what." Triton began, "I'll give you a set number of days to go onto land, find Hawkins, and tell him the truth."

"Thank you, Daddy!" Ariel cheered, hugging her dad, "However!"

Triton continued, "After the set number of days, you and Melody will turn back to mermaids, whether or not he knows the truth, UNLESS!"

"Unless what, Daddy?" Ariel asked, letting Melody go so she could play tag with Andrina and Aquata.

"If Jim ends up loving both you and Melody, and can prove it, you will both remain human, but that's only if he loves BOTH of you. Understood?"

Ariel nodded. "I know we'll probably come back though..." Ariel began, "with how Jim and I parted, he definitely hates me. This visit is for Melody alone."

Triton nodded, "Get your daughter and meet me by the rock." He said.

Ariel picked up Melody and the three of them surfaced. Triton gently zapped them with his trident, giving them legs.

"Thanks, Daddy." Ariel whispered.

"Remember, if he doesn't love BOTH of you by the time the magic wears off, back to the sea with you." Triton replied.

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"Mommy?"

Ariel turned to see Melody cowarding in the doorway.

"What's wrong, sweetie?"

"Is BE.N. not allowed to babysit anymore?" She asked.

Morph popped up behind Melody, chirping as well.

"Oh, sweetie..." Ariel began, "no. Probably not."

"Does this mean you won't be seeing Daddy anymore?" Melody asked.

"Well," Ariel began, getting up as water dripped off her, "tonight, you're going to be spending the night with Daddy."

"Is this because of the toilet?" Melody asked.

Ariel shook her head. "No, Daddy and I decided we would let you spend more time with him before..."

Melody hung her head as a tear slipped out. "He doesn't love us, does he?" She asked.

"No!" Ariel began. "He loves you deeply. Don't ever doubt him. He loves you very much. It's me he doesn't love."

As soon as she said that, there was a knock on the door.

"That must be Daddy." Melody began, running to the door. Pulling open the door, Jim stepped in.

"Hi Mel." He said, hugging her tightly.

"I'll be there momentarily." Ariel called from the bathroom.

"B.E.N. broke our toilet." Melody explained.

"You let B.E.N. babysit?" Jim asked in disbelief. "We're lucky the toilet was the only thing he broke."

"And the microwave." Melody added.

"What?!" Ariel yelled, running into the main room.

"He tried to microwave his hand."

"You look nice." Jim jokingly said. "You look as you did when we first met."

"Don't start..." Ariel groaned, then went to the microwave to inspect the damage.

"So, you ready?" Jim asked. "Grandma is making you a yummy dinner."

Ariel came back into the room, carrying an overnight bag.

"I'll come get her tomorrow. You two have fun."

Jim popped Melody on his head, grabbed the bag and headed for his house.

"Mommy's so beautiful, isn't she?" Melody began, "I wish I could be beautiful."

"Mel, sweetie." Jim began, "You and your mom are both extremely beautiful, and one day, you'll break hearts too."

"Do you think you and Mom will ever get back together?" Melody asked.

"Not likely... look, when we were together, your mom hurt me deeply. I don't know if I can risk going through the pain again."

"Do you love her?" Melody finally asked.

"I..." Jim began, then paused.

Saying I don't felt wrong, but so did saying I do.

"I don't know..." He finally said.