April finally broke the silence. "What do you want to do?"
"I...I don't know" said Kendra. "We have to talk to Lisa about this. But not tonight. I've had to deal with too much today. Let's just go..."
"Where?"
"Just...drive..."
April started the car and drove, Kendra staring out the window trying to sort out the information and emotions of the day. April lowered the windows, letting in the cool night air. They drove on in silence for awhile until Kendra noticed a familiar smell in the air.
"Are we going to the beach?"
"Yeah, I figured it would be a good place to get away from it all."
"I haven't been to the beach since my first transformation. I was afraid of being outted."
"I didn't go for awhile after I became a mermaid for the same reason. It finally occured to me to go at night to one of the beaches that rarely gets used. I've never seen anyone else there. I go when I need to get away and have some time to myself."
Kendra took April's hand and squeezed. They held hands until they arrived at the little sand parking area that was easy to miss.
"Do you want me to leave you to your thoughts and come back for you in the morning?"
"No, I'd appreciate if you stayed" Kendra said with a smile.
The girls got out of the car and took a deep breath of the salty night air. They left their shoes in the car. Kendra had only taken a few steps when she fell to her knees. April rushed to her side.
"Are you okay?"
"I feel the change starting."
"That's impossible. You're not wet and you've alread transformed today. Several times."
April helped Kendra to her feet and they staggered toward the beach.
"Too many times I think. When I transformed at my parents house it occured to me I'd never transformed this many times in a day before and wondered for a moment if there were side effects because of it. Transforming for no reason might be one."
"Maybe it's because the ocean is right there. I'm sorry, Kendra: maybe I shouldn't have brought you here?"
"It's okay. It's not..."
And then Kendra fell again, accidentally pulling down April with her. The change was now apparent on her legs: they would not seperate and the purple splotches were errupting all over them.
"We're far enough from the beach access we should be okay."
"Thank you" said Kendra. "For everything."
Kendra wrapped her arms around April who returned the embrace. The girls sat side by side in the sand holding each other as Kendra's legs slowly merged into a purple fish tail. The transformation complete, Kendra ripped away the twice-torn remains of the borrowed pants from Lisa.
Kendra and April sat in silence awhile longer, enjoying the night and each others embrace. After awhile, Kendra turned to April to find April looking back at her. The girls giggled. Then Kendra took the initiative again and leaned to kiss April. April met her this time.
"I believe we were going to continue something later" Kendra said when their lips parted, refering to their kiss on the drive from Lisa's to Kendra's. "It's later."
Before April could say anything, Kendra pulled off her shirt and cast it aside (she'd not gotten a bra when she borrowed clothes from Lisa). Her breasts had grown a little as with previous transformations. Kendra embraced April and pressed their lips together again. She gently lowered Lisa to the sand, somewhat awkardly rolling over onto her stomach in the process.
April felt a tingle across her body as her own changes began.