They rode home together holding hands, talking about nothing of major consequence, trying to distract themselves from thoughts of the night ahead.
There was no question that Julie Stovall was deeply in love with Eric Anderson and vice versa, even long before each gave the other their virginity and Eric became a were-merman in the process. The fact that Julie proudly wore the single pearl necklace he gave her spoke volumes as to their commitment, for that was the equivalent of an engagement ring in were-mer society.
When Julie's mom pulled into the garage of the Stovall family house for the night, Eric insisted on opening their doors for the ladies before they got out of the car. That earned him a "Thank you" from Mrs. Stovall and a brief kiss on the cheek from Julie as they entered the house.
Once inside, Mrs. Stovall set her purse down on the kitchen table and went to check if there were any phone messages while they were out, as Julie said, "Mom's going to get the cabana ready for the night. Grab whatever you might need between tonight and tomorrow morning, and I'll be back down in a few minutes. Then we'll go outside together."
"Okay, but Julie..." began Eric, trying to find the words.
"Yes?" she asked, looking at him sweetly.
Then Eric leaned closer and whispered, "Please don't forget your were birth control pills."
"I won't silly," she said, kissing him on the cheek again. "Be back soon," added Julie, before racing up the back staircase to her room.
Thinking he was alone, Eric started to go to the living room where he left his overnight bag, when suddenly Mrs. Stovall reached from behind to give him a big hug while kissing the top of his head.
"Except underwater, a mer's hearing isn't as acute as other weres, but thank you for thinking of the future," she said, breaking the hug.
"You're welcome, Mrs. Stovall," said Eric, blushing from being hugged by his future mother-in-law.
"Considering what else will be happening someday, I think you can call me Melissa when we're alone," said Mrs. Stovall, before she caressed her multi-pearl necklace and thought longingly of her husband, who was still somewhere between California and home after going to check on his mother. "I'll see you two outside in a bit," added Melissa, before going out to the Stovall's backyard.
Uncertain exactly what to bring, Eric walked into the living room just long enough to grab his overnight bag, and then went back into the kitchen to wait for Julie, who came down a few minutes later, carrying an overnight bag of her own.
"Ready?" asked Julie, smiling at him.
"Definitely," replied Eric, smiling in return. She still looked exactly the same as when she went upstairs, but considering what Julie said of her plans for them this evening...
Eric took both bags, and then held his girlfriend/fiance's hand in his free hand as they walked out to the backyard.
There, Mrs. Stovall met the lovers in front of the entrance to the cabana, which was next to their fresh water pool.
"Okay you two," she began in a stern, motherly tone of voice. "Please keep the noise level down, especially if you're outside. Julie, like Eric said, don't forget to take your pill."
"Since we slept in late today on the living room couch," said Julie, thinking about how wonderful it was to wake up in Eric's arms, "I'm good till 10 am tomorrow morning, but I'll definitely take the next one sometime Sunday morning." Considering how fertile weres are, if not for their private medical studies, the world would have been overrun with weres years ago.
"Okay, but I'm so happy you two found each other now instead of having to wait as long as I did with your father," replied Melissa, hugging each of them in turn.
Mister and Mrs. Stovall did not meet until she stopped in Moon Lake for gas while looking for a post college graduation job. But despite feeling something at the time for her future mate, it was a decade before she finally accepted his marriage proposal and became both Martin Stovall's wife and were-mermaid. The one snag in an otherwise wonderful relationship she has never forgiven herself for.
As her mother went back inside the main house, Julie led Eric inside the cabana.
The interior was like a mini-house. Micro kitchen, dedicated but small living room. Since there were hardly any interior walls, the bedroom was visible from the living room. Eric could see the bed had been turned down and there were candles lit everywhere. The two lone interior doors in the rear of the cabana he figured had to be for the bathroom and a closet.
"Okay honey," began Julie, while taking her overnight bag from him, "make yourself comfortable and I'm going to go freshen up," she said with a smile, before walking away and confirming that the door on the far left in the rear behind the micro-kitchen was the bathroom.
Being still pretty innocent and naive when it came to the wiles of women, Eric was puzzled, thinking that Julie should of done that while she was upstairs back in the main house.
After setting his overnight bag on the coffee table between the small sofa and the TV, Eric just kicked off his shoes and socks before walking over to the wall unit stereo.
Turning on the AM/FM radio, Eric didn't know that he was now listening to the same radio station out of Seattle playing romantic music that Ben Twist and Kenya Adaeze were listening to on their date.
Just thinking it was good mood music, Eric sat down on the sofa and waited.
A couple of minutes later, Eric heard the bathroom door open as Julie lovingly called out, "Oh Eric..."
Eric Anderson stood and turned, but then stopped with jaw agape at the beauty before him.
Julie Stovall's blonde hair was draped across her shoulders. She was wearing a very lacy and small, but matching half-cup bra and panties set. While he couldn't see her nipples, the tops of Julie's breasts were completely exposed. Except for the lingerie, her body was only covered by a very sheer gown (which he would one day learn was called a baby doll teddy) whose bottom hem line barely passed her waist.
"I can see you like my outfit," said Julie, her sea-blue eyes sparkling at him in the semi-darkness as she approached. The fact that Eric's penis was fighting to break out of his pants wasn't lost on her either.
"You look beautiful Julie. I mean, you always do, but..."
"Flattery will get you everywhere," she cooed, putting her arms around Eric and giving him a seductive kiss.
Being were-mers, neither had to break for air right away, but when their lips finally did part, Eric stared at the woman in his life and asked, "Why?"
Julie stared deeply into Eric's now sea-blue eyes and said, "Yesterday was wonderful, but at first we were both nervous about what was about to and did happen, then we were all caught up in the excitement of you becoming a were-merman and finding each other. I know there are great days ahead for us," she added, while briefly caressing the single pearl necklace that rested against her bare skin, "but I thought we deserved a night alone to take our time and enjoy each other, as well as the romance of being together," said Julie, while laying her head against Eric's shoulder.
"I understand," said Eric, holding her closer to him. "I get seriously tongue tied when I think of you, and us, but I do love you Julie Alexandra Stovall, someday Anderson."
"And I love you Eric Robert(s) Anderson, my beloved," replied Julie, doing her best to pronounce his unique middle name.
The two lovers just stood there in the middle of the cabana's small living room, holding each other close.
It was not until minutes later when Eric broke the silence by asking Julie, "You know what?"
"What?" she asked, softly in return.
"We're dancing," said Eric, for they had naturally started moving together in time to the romantic music playing on the radio.
Julie raised her head to look at her love and quietly said "Shh," before kissing Eric deeply as they continued to dance.