The next morning, I wake up before Atla & Jake so I get started on breakfast. The smell of frying eggs and toast makes Jake roll off the couch. "I'm up! I'm up!" He stands up, rubbing his drowsy eyes. "Oh Chris sorry I just crashed on your couch. Yesterday was a long one, huh?"
"You could say that. You hungry? I'm making breakfast sandwiches. What do you want in yours?" Jake stumbles into the kitchen and pops a squat on the island's stool. "I'll have avocado, egg, bacon, and... strawberry jam in mine, please Mr. Magic." Poof, the ingredients appear on the counter next to me. "So, Lover boy, What's it like?"
"What's what like? Be a little more specific."
"Well I know you love Atla and all. Hell you guys are going to be parents! Which I still can't completely wrap my head around. But what's it like...you know... making little baby fishies?"
I almost toss the frying pan across the room mid flip, but I manage to catch it so I don't wake up Atla. "Jesus, Jake! That's a little personal don't you think?"
"Sorry! But come on, dude. We're best bros. When you were little Chris, we couldn't get any tail." I grunt in disapproval. "...pun honestly not intended. If you and Kimmy ever made it past first base that one time, I would ask for details then too. Now you're Mr. Ring with experience in the fine art of love making. Give my fifteen-year-old self something to look forward to."
I plate the eggs and turn around, placing my hands against the counter. 'Deep breath Chris. You old life was pretty void of any sort of attention from the opposite sex. Hell, I only kissed Kimmy because we both went to that party and she was super drunk. I owe him some details.'
"Okay, Jake. Now the first time I had sex with Atla... she had her tail."
His eyes practically bulge out of his skull. "Are you serious? With the tail? That's so freaky! What a first time, dude!"
I shush him before he wakes up Atla. "Come on, Jake she's still sleeping. And yeah, it was weird. But it was pretty straightforward on... what goes where." Jake laughs. "Shut up, you wanted to know. And we've done it since then with having legs so I know that way too."
"How did it feel?"
"Oh amazing. So much better than trying to masturbate in the bathroom without my parents finding out. It not just a quick release and you can go about your day after." Jake's face crumples up trying to understand. "Um, okay. You know after you jerk off, it feels good for a quick sec but then its just shame?" He blushes but nods. "Well get rid of the shame and take that little good feeling and multiply it by a million. It feels so good to be that close to another person, to feel them all over you. Does that help explain at all?"
"Wow yeah. Chris that sounds amazing. Hope I get to try that sometime with a girl of my own."
"You will buddy, Jake. With the right girl, it'll feel like you to were made for each other." I hand him his plate and grab mine and Atla's. "Now let's eat outside, its a nice morning." We set up on the patio table and I wish a pitcher of strawberry lemonade, some cups, and napkins to appear on the table center. When we sit down, Jake stretches and leans back in his chair with a cup of lemonade. "This is nice, dude. But you gotta put some clothes on. I don't wanna stare at your bare chest all day." I laugh and snap my fingers, changing my outfit instantly; a gray cotton tank top letting my arms still rest free, board shorts with a blue wave pattern so I can be ready for any impromptu swimming, and my favorite flip flops, shades, and baseball cap flipped backwards. Jake snorts on his drink. "Its gonna take a while for me to get used to that. Can you change my clothes too?"
"What do you want?"
"Just a fresh t shirt, some cargo shorts, and some flip flops." Snap! and they're there. "Cool!" We laugh, watch the horizon, and eat breakfast like two best chums do. The screen door behind us slides open and Atla is standing there watching us. "Hey, mind if I join you guys?"
"Of course babe. We were waiting for you but didn't want to wake you up. Good morning." I get up and kiss my girl on the cheek. "I made breakfast sandwiches." I lead her to her chair and push her in. "Thanks babe." She takes a big bite and grins. "Perfect. Thanks Chris." "No problem, Atla." She takes a few more bites before putting her sandwich down. "So you're Jake, right?"
"Oh yeah, I'm Jake. Sorry I was such a goof yesterday. Was trying to get up to speed on everything my good buddy has been up to lately." He slaps me on the arm playfully.
"That's fine. I'm sorry for being so sick yesterday. I was trying to get up to speed on how to be a pregnant human. We're even." We all laugh. "But I feel much better today. And I'm happy you're still here Jake. I've never met one of Chris's friends before."
"Well that's because I'm the only one. We've been best friends since we were five."
"Oh really? What was he like when he was a kid? I would like to know how our kids are going to be."
Jake beams wide. "Ms. Atla, I have too many stories about this guy. Where to begin." For the next hour or so, Jake tells Atla story after embarrassing story about me screwing up as a little kid. Fortunately, she takes them all with a grain of salt and finds them charming and cute. More importantly she and Jake are getting along like old friends.
After one particular good laugh about me falling into a pool while trying to catch a football to impress Kimmy Smithe, Atla reminds me "Speaking of swimming, weren't we going to try to swim today?" "Oh yeah, babe. Wanna do that now? Jake wanna hang out and watch?"
"Um sure. But what do you mean 'try'? She's a mermaid, isn't that what she does?"
"Well yeah, Jake. but she hasn't tried swimming since we found out she was pregnant."
"We want to see how I swim with this belly in the way. And I think you were interested in seeing me change. You can watch if you want."
"Oh okay, totally. Need me to do anything?" I help Atla out of her chair and lead her to the stairs. "No we got this. Just sit by the pool so you can see." I help lower Atla down the steps and Jake takes his place dangling his feet over the edge. I jump in and pull Atla to the center of the pool. Before she can turn, I quickly wish for her to turn with a top on. Jake's my best friend but no one gets in on the peep show but me. And with a quick shimmer in water, her blue-green tail appears, this time with a matching scaly bikini top to hold back her... wow they have really grown since last week. "Atla! That was so cool! Did it hurt? Of course it didn't, its what you normally look like right? But that was so cool!"
Atla giggles against my arms. "Thanks Jake. Now to try to swim. The scales are higher than normal, but everything else seems okay." I look down at her stomach and see that the scales had moved up to cover her growing belly. Atla starts moving around the pool, slowly at first but then she starts to go faster and faster, until she's almost at her regular speed. "Whoa, dude, she's pretty fucking fast." "This is nothing. She really opens up in the open water."
"She's your girlfriend not a jet ski." Atla surfaces. "I feel great. Hey Jake come on in. The water's great."
"Alright, cool" he says before jumping in the pool to join us. I wish up a couple of beach balls and a stereo and we spend the next few hours hanging out, laughing and swimming with my mermaid girlfriend. Today is a very good day.