As fourth period began for the Freshman class and the Sophomores began their lunch break, Julie Stovall found herself in Study Hall. Julie asked the teacher for permission to call her mother about a private matter.
"Is it important Miss Stovall?" inquired the teacher.
"Yes, ma'am."
"It's not anything you need to see the school nurse about, is it?" asked the teacher in a lower tone of voice.
"No, ma'am."
The teacher thought about it for a moment, before giving Julie a hall pass so she could stand outside the classroom and make her phone call without disturbing the other students.
With a quick check of Caller ID, Melissa Stovall answered the phone and asked, "What's wrong dear?"
"I'm fine, physically," began Julie, "but something's come up that I seriously need your advice on."
Then she began to explain the situation to her mother. About how not only were she and Eric Anderson dreaming about each other, but now they were starting to have the exact same dreams.
"Wow. That's really something," said Melissa, after Julie finished. "How many times has that happened?"
"Just the once, so far. But Eric has told me he's been dreaming about me and us at least since our pool party, if not earlier. Yet, there's also another matter. I'm not sure he'll actually do it, but Eric has also told me that if he ever does decide to become a were, he's been considering something other than being a were-merman, because he doesn't want to feel weak and helpless anymore," said Julie, as she sat down on the floor against some lockers near the classroom door.
"My first thought would be that somehow, you two have turned out to be destined for each other, but you can't force Eric into any decisions. Otherwise, you'd be no better than that dang were-vixen," pointed out her mother.
"I know," said Julie, trying to keep her voice level. "Mom, I know I'm not crazy, but ever since I first saw Eric in school, before I even first said hello to him, there was just something... special about him that—"
"Your dad told me basically the same thing once I finally accepted his marriage proposal. Where are you now, and are you still having your date this afternoon?" asked her mother.
After Julie told her, Melissa added, "Okay. Go back to class. I'll call your dad for his opinion and we'll talk when I pick up your book bags. Okay?"
With a brief thank you and a quick goodbye, Julie went back to class.
MEANWHILE...
Melissa Stovall sat at the kitchen table, staring at the remains of her lunch, while she thought over everything her daughter said. Then she called her husband.
Although he was in a meeting, the moment Mayor Stovall felt his private cellphone vibrate, he excused himself for a moment before pulling it out of his jacket pocket and asking his wife what the situation was.
After hearing the details, the Mayor excused himself from the meeting room and went to his private office. There, he sat down behind his desk and realized, "Julie's really got it bad for this boy."
"I'm beginning to think that's a serious understatement," agreed his wife, before Melissa reminded him of what she knew of mermaid lore.
When she finished talking, Martin Stovall said, "Well, Eric's not saying no to Julie, just the possibility of becoming a were, or at least not a were-merman."
"She's just a teenager. In her eyes, they might be one and the same," pointed out his wife. "Besides, can a were-mer and another were..."
"I don't know," he confessed. "I've never heard of a were-mer ever marrying anyone other than another were-mer, or at least another aquatic were. Yet they're both only 14. I think we're a long way off from that."
"Marriage? Probably. But a broken heart?" asked his wife. "Remember how our courtship went?"
"Julie did tell me she thought her and Eric were you and me in reverse." Then Martin Stovall recalled the years he pined for Melissa Cooper, long before he eventually won her heart.
"And I remember a touching passage Julie read to me from one of her fantasy books:
<i>Heart to heart are life mates bound.
Soul meets soul when eyes meet eyes.
Maiden 'mongst us gathered round,
Stand your true love recognized?</i>"*
"But at 14?" Martin asked in return.
"This is Moon Lake."
Mister Stovall thought long and hard about that before saying, "I guess the two of us will have to have a more serious discussion about this before we have a chat with out daughter. Are our two budding love birds still having their date this afternoon?"
"Yes," confirmed his wife.
"Okay. Here's what to tell Julie..."
Then, after the Stovalls finished talking, the Mayor went back to his meeting and Melissa went on with her day.
*Quotation from Elfquest by Richard and Wendy Pini.