Chapter 5- Part 1- Ariel

It was late. Eric and I had gone to bed hours ago but I couldn't fall asleep. My mind was reeling with thoughts. How was my father, my sisters? Did they still miss me after all these years? Would they even recognize me? I was older now, my red hair less bright, blue eyes not as enticing as they once were. Would they remember their niece? Melody would soon join them in Atlantica. The world I had left behind for Eric.

"What am I going to do?" I whispered into the quiet darkness. Maybe it would be better if Melody left the land. She loved the sea, even more than I had. And, Melody loved a merman. Her sixteenth birthday would come soon. Then she could choose what she would stay for the rest of her life. It would not be like when she was a little girl, wanting to stay with her parents but see her friends from the sea. No, this time it was final. For Melody it would be the land or the sea for the rest of her life.

But I was afraid. Would a good mother let her child become a mermaid? What would my mother have said to this? What would she have said about me?

I sighed and decided not to waste my time trying to sleep. Instead, I changed into a teal green summer dress. Before leaving the cozy bedroom I glanced at my husband. I could hear his slight snoring. Good.

The salty water was cold against my pale feet as I walked along the beach. At least it wasn't windy, just dark. Dark and lonely. A chill rippled through my aging body. I sat near the water's edge.

"Mother, what am I going to do? Melody is changing so fast and I know I can't stop her. She's so much like you. And me. What's going to happen once she leaves? What will happen to my family?"

"Ariel? Is that you?" I panicked. What was Eric doing out this late? That was a stupid question.

"Y-Yes Eric, it's me." I saw a tall figure move out of the shadows. There was Eric in his crisp black pajama pants and shirt. He looked worried. What did he think I was going to do, jump into the sea and swim away?

Eric sat down beside me. I snuck a glance at him and realized he was still wearing his pajamas. I almost laughed. But I didn't. A wave of guilt washed over me. Eric had to get up early the next day. He shouldn't have been outside.

I felt his arm around my shoulders. "What are you doing out this late? It's freezing." I shook my head and sighed. I stared into my husband's blue eyes. My head was buried in Eric's shoulder as I tried to explain myself.

"Melody will leave for the sea, I know it. Then it'll only be you and I left. We won't…we won't be a family anymore." Eric sucked in air and slowly let it out.

"It's Melody's decision on what to do with her life. We can't stop her. But that doesn't mean we won't be a family. No one said anything about not having another child. No matter what we will be a family."

I lifted my head and contemplated this. Eric was right, in his own way. We could always have another child. And just because Melody was going to live in the sea didn't mean we wouldn't be a family. She would visit. Unlike me. At the thought of my family, I felt a tear leave a watery trail on my cheek.

Eric wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his head on my shoulder. "Why are you crying? Melody will come to visit. You have no reason to worry." I shook my head.

"No, no it isn't that. It's just…my mother. I miss her so much." Eric kissed my cheek and held me tighter. "Can you tell me what happened to her? I heard rumors as a child but…"

I unwrapped myself from my husband and stood ankle deep in the icy water. "The rumors are probably true. A boat came into a cove where the royal family and my parents' court were relaxing. Suddenly, this….this huge boat crashed into the rocks as my mother was trying to save a music box my father had given to her. She didn't make it. It was so horrific. One minute my mother was laughing and the next…she was gone.

"Everyone said I was like my mother's exact replica. We've got the same passion for music. Every time I sing, it's like I can hear her inside of me. I wish she was here so I could ask for advice on how to raise a teenager, I wish she was here so she could be proud of her youngest daughter."

I felt Eric's hand rest on my shoulder. I flinched with his touch. I was so cold, so scared of what was to come in only a week. It was all so stupid and confusing. Why did that boat have to crash into the cove? Why did Mom have to die when I was so young?

Eric took my hand and pulled me into a hug. "Your mother would be proud of you. You've raised a wonderful and confident daughter. I'm sorry about your mother. It wasn't your fault." A cold breeze whipped around Eric and I.

"We should go to bed. You'll catch a cold at this rate." My husband tried to make me move but I wouldn't move. "Ariel? Come on. Please." I shook my head.

"In a minute. Just…give me a moment okay?" Eric slowly nodded his head. "If you're not in the bedroom in two minutes, I'll come and get you." I nodded. Eric left and once I was sure he was gone I sat in the salty water. I felt my summer dress soak up the water immediately. Oh well, I thought. It was just a dress.

Suddenly, the clouds disappeared and the stars came out. I looked at each one, wondering which star had been my mother's favorite. A shooting star shot across the night sky. I silently made a wish.

I wish my mother was here. I knew it was useless but what could it hurt? At that point I didn't care if it was silly. I just wanted to go home and sleep for the rest of the week.

The master bedroom was eerily quiet. I quickly changed out of my soaked dress and into my light purple night gown. I was about to crawl under the covers when I caught my reflection in the full length mirror.

My hair was the color as Mom's when she was my age. The eyes were exactly the same. Finally I looked ay my face and gasped. My mother. I saw her looking back at me in the mirror. She was me. I was her. That silly wish came true! A little, I guess, I thought to myself.

I smiled at my reflection then went to bed. Eric's arms were around me as soon as I was under the dark blue covers. There was no need to flinch, no need to shiver. I was warm, I was safe, but most of all, I was happy. What an odd night!

I drifted off to sleep, wondering what I should wear to Melody's birthday party.