A text from Marina's mom popped onto the screen.
- Hope you're safe. How much longer will you be out? We're looking to start dinner soon.
Marina swallowed hard. A dozen scary questions ran through her mind. What would they think if they saw her like this? Would they try to force this "suit" off of her? Would they ever let her go near water again? How would she even get home to begin with?
Her thumbs started typing before she had fully decided on what to say.
- I'm fine. I'm back at the dock now.
She read the text over and over. With a heavy sigh, she continued her message.
- I'm okay and safe. But can you and Dad please do me a huge favor and come pick me up at the cove? Maybe grab dinner on the way?
Marina frowned down at her phone. Any good parent would freak out at a text like this that raised more questions than it answered. But she couldn't think of a better option. The boat rental company would be coming in an hour or so to take the boat back, and her tailfin lacked the bones needed to work her car's pedals. She looked at the fin flopping up against the wall, its sweeping membrane wide and majestic. She saw a beautiful mermaid; would her parents see a monster?
She squeezed her eyes shut as she pressed Send.
The phone rang seconds later.
"I'm fine, mom," she tried to speak in the most reassuring tone she could muster. "It's... the car. The oil leaked out or something. I don't know."
"Okay," her mom replied. She sounded skeptical. "Did you call a tow truck?"
"Yeah, I did. Uh, but, the garage is in the opposite direction from our house. With the distance, I just... don't feel safe calling a ride."
"I understand, honey. Your father can come get you and I'll have dinner ready for you both when you get back."
"No, it's--" she cut herself off. She needed them both to come so one of them could drive her car home. But was that really the most important thing to worry about here? "Okay, yeah. Thank you."
"Marina, are you okay?" The voice on the other end sounded gravely concerned. Marina expected her mom would be more testy, like if Marina was sneaking off with a clandestine lover. But instead, the voice was growing unsteady.
She took a breath.
"Mom, I'm okay and safe. I just really need both you and Dad here. Please don't rush. It's not an emergency. I'm sorry, but I can't get into it right now. You can call me while you're on the road, if you want."
A long, tense pause followed.
"Okay, sweetie. We'll get going right now. I'll call back in five or ten minutes."
Marina couldn't tell what emotion she was hearing in her mom's voice. Maybe even her mom didn't know. "Thank you. I owe you."
She hung up and slumped over the boat's steering wheel. "Uuuugh." It took close to 40 minutes to get to the cove from her house, meaning she had a decent wait ahead. She glanced over her shoulder at the water reaching out to sea. The waves lapped invitingly. Another swim was sure to soothe her nerves before she had to face reality once again.
Speaking of reality, though, out of the corner of her eye she noticed the fisherman staring. He was still standing at the far end of the dock, fishing line cast out, but he was turned and looking right at her.