Dave Smith was what you'd call a hard man. The kind of man who after spending decades of his life working in an auto factory still loved God, Texas, his family, and the USA, in that specific order. The kind of man whose gaze could only be softened by a doe-eyed look from his wife or one of his two daughters.
The kind of man who had been taught from boyhood to bottle up every feeling there was, ranging from simple happiness to clinical depression. The kind of man who definitely changed for the worse when his eldest daughter disappeared without a trace.
So when Camila called him at work, blubbering some nonsense about Anna being home and being turned into a mermaid, he didn't really register that second item—didn't hear it, didn't process it. He just heard that Anna was back, and he did something he hadn't done in thirty-five years. He walked off the job and raced home.
* * * * *
Austin came down the stairs with a bra and a t-shirt for Anna. Anna was sitting down on the couch now, the crutches on the floor beside her, and her tailfin flopping out in the open. She was very careful to keep herself covered by the dress while she peeled off the starfish and put them carefully into her bag. (She sighed a sigh of relief when they were finally off. She would have to stay sitting or lying down for the time being now, but at least her boobs wouldn't get any more tender and tingly than they already were.)
Laura came back with a huge cup full of water for Anna, who took it gratefully and chugged it down. Laura stared in fascination—some of the water seeped out of the gill-slits in Anna's neck. "Thanks," said Anna with a heavy gasp. The water was all gone; and Laura had brought out a full 50 oz soda-cup full of it!
"Are you gonna dry out?" Laura asked.
"Not if the water keeps coming," said Anna. While she spoke, she accepted the clothing from Austin, maneuvered the bra onto herself, and then quickly switched the dress for her t-shirt. It was a lot more comfortable, but now her tail was visible all the way to the waist, and her mother paled visibly.
Camila crossed herself and muttered, "It was the devil. The devil must have done this to my Anna."
"Oh, shush, mama, it wasn't the devil. It was a merman—who changed me by accident."
"Was he hot?" asked Laura.
Camila looked scandalized, but Anna leaned in close to her sister, smiled, and nodded. "He is. His name is Eric—"
"Like the prince from the Little Mermaid?" Laura giggled.
"I don't know about that," said Anna. "But we're together. I love him."
"How romantic," Laura sighed.
"No," snapped Camila suddenly.
"No, what?"
"No, you cannot be in love with this—this—fish-man," said Camila. "I forbid it. You are clearly under a magic spell, cast by some—some triton brujo in league with the devil!"
Anna just rolled her eyes. Austin, though, cleared his throat and stepped in. "I did, uh, meet the guy. Briefly. He seemed very protective of Anna."
"Eric would never hurt me, and he would never let anyone hurt me," said Anna definitively.
"Oh, and what do you call this?" screeched Camila, pointing at Anna's tail. "He turns you into a sirena but refuses to change you back?"
"We don't know *how* to change me back!" Anna snapped back angrily. "And even if I *could* get my legs back, I wouldn't, because I'm going to live in the sea!"
"Can you take me with you?" asked Laura.
Anna froze. Her sister sounded really serious. "I… don't think that's a good idea. The change would be permanent, as far as we know. I don't think you're old enough to make that decision yet."
Laura pouted. "Awww… come on!"
"Absolutely not!" said Camila. "Neither of you are leaving this house. I won't allow it! You," she said to Laura, "won't say another word about following your sister, or you are grounded! And you," she didn't know quite what to say to Anna, who was definitely too old to be grounded, "…you just wait until your father gets home!"