You feel her grip begin to falter, just as you break free, you catch the sight of her face. It was a look of sadness and despair. Tears streamed down her face as she covered it with her hands. You think back to what she said before, “…trapped here alone for years?” Everything she’s ever owned is probably repossessed or stolen, everyone she’s known has given her up for dead; you realize what she did was merely an act of sheer desperation.
“I can’t imagine how lonely it must’ve been for you; but there must be a better way than that.”
“Believe me, I’ve tried;” she sobbed; “but there’s nothing else I can do.”
“Maybe I can try?”
The mermaid uncovered her eyes, a gleam of hope sparkled in them. “You would do that for me, even after what I almost did to you?”
“What can I say, I’m a sucker for hard luck cases.” You say with a smile.
The overjoyed mermaid wrapped her arms around you sobbing with joy this time, “Oh, thank you!” and gave you a kiss square on the lips.