Lewis POV
Lewis still could believe what their wives had found. Not only did mer people exit so did Christmas elves, especially when I stopped believing in Santa when I was five. I am a man of science with a PhD in marine biology. It all changed when I saw for myself when Ashley, the merboy elf came into our lives. He's the son of Grace Matthews. Lewis remembers soon after the girls became mermaids, Grace became obsessed with other mythical creatures. She often had a reoccurring dream of a remote elf village in the northern part of Finland. After graduating from high school, Grace began her quest and no one could talk her out of it, not even the girls. We all thought she was crazy for chasing after rainbows and unicorns. It's so weird that she found what she was looking for.
After leaving Rikki's that night after meeting Ashley. Zane, Ash, and he took a boat out to Mako to see for themselves. They came face to face with Ashley's reindeer, Vixen. She even had the brass name plate on her chest, along with the sleigh bells strung across her harness.
After Lewis, Zane, and Ash took Melody and Harmony home, Rikki, Emma, and Cleo took Elisha, Ellie, and Ashley home to the Dove residence.
"Alright Elisha and Ellie," announced Emma, while we work with Ashley's first mer lesson, why don't you fix up the spare bedroom with clean sheets then you can go to bed.
"OK, mom", the girls said in unison.
"Now Ashley, the first thing that we're going to teach you is to dry yourself quickly to regain your legs. Your mom could do this in five seconds, she was the fastest. Emma and Cleo, keep the water of glasses coming", ordered Rikki. Remember as soon as your tail appears, the stopwatch starts. Just concentrate on your task.
Rikki throws the first glass in Ashley's face and once his tail appears, the stopwatch starts. Ashley holds out his right hand over his tail to dry it. After 18 seconds, his legs are back.
"Eighteen seconds, not bad, Ashley", said Rikki. Let's try it again.
Another glass is thrown in the merboy elf's face. His tail appears and the watch starts. Twelve seconds later his legs are back.
"Better," said Rikki, try it again. Another glass in thrown in the boy's face. His tail appears once again, and the stopwatch starts.
Eight seconds later, the boy's legs are back.
"Eight seconds, impressive, complimented Rikki, try it again and another glass is thrown in the boy's face. His tail is back, the stopwatch starts.
One thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand, four one thousand. On the fourth count, Ashley's legs had returned.
"Very impressive Ashley offered Rikki. You even beat your mum's rate. You are certainly your mother's son.
Emma couldn't help herself; she got up to give Grace's son a bear hug.
"Now, I think that you have had enough for tonight. "Tomorrow, we will teach you how to cloak yourself", announced Rikki.
"You mean like make me invisible", asked Ashley.
"Why yes", answered Rikki.
"No problem with that", said the boy. Ashley moved his right hand over his body and immediately cloaked himself and then he uncloaked himself.
"Wow said all three mermaids. How did you do that so quickly"?
"I've been doing that all my life as an elf boy", answered the boy.
Ashley is led to his bedroom and to bed because he was exhausted. He had such an eventful day.
One more thing I need to ask you. "What can you tell me about my momma, for I still don't know much about her", asked Ashley.
"We can say is that we had known each other since kindergarten. Soon after, we became mermaids. Your momma had become very interested in other mythical creatures", offered Cleo. Once she started to have reoccurring dreams about a remote elf village in Finland and I think that's when she went out on her quest to find it after graduation. We tried so hard to talk her out of it, but her mind was made up. I realize now that she found what she was looking for and she had you. Her sweet little merboy elf prince", offered Emma.
Ashley also wanted to ask about this Denman person but thought better of it. for he suspected that this was a touchy subject for the three mermaid mothers.
Well, good night, Mrs. Dove, Mrs. MacCartney, and Mrs. Bennet. Thank you for letting me stay", said Ashley.
"Good night to you too, Ashley", said Rikki, Emma, and Cleo.
Rikki, Emma, and Cleo left and closed the door to Ashley's room behind them.
Rikki and Cleo leave for home and Emma goes to bed next to her already sleeping husband. Soon, Emma is asleep and dreams about her own son, Andrew, who had who had been stillborn as the triplet with her daughters. Andy was so tiny with a tiny little tail. Emma was carrying triplets. Emma remembers seeing the sonogram. Her little boy was between his two sisters. When they were born, Andy was stillborn, but he was the only one born with a tail while his sisters had legs. Two months later they had their own tails. To this day, her daughters don't have any idea that they had a brother born with them. What bothered Emma the most was when her daughters would swim off with Melody and Harmony to explore some reef, there should've been a fifth merchild, her merboy son, Andy, swimming with them.
Ashley dreamt dreams that were happy. Even though, he hadn't found his momma yet. He was a part of her world. That he belonged here, just as much as the elf village had. This world was so much different than the elf village in Finland. He was still sad, knowing that tomorrow that he had to send his favorite reindeer, Vixen, back. Mika, the winter mouse, snuggles next to Ashley's head as he sleeps.
