Two pairs of eyes - one silvery-blue, one deep brown - stared at her uncomprehendingly.
"You want Kieran to turn you into a real mermaid?" Jacinth's musical voice carried a note of puzzlement.
"No, of course not a real..." Mandy started to roll her eyes, then broke off as she stared at the two Djinn. "Wait. Are you saying there are real mermaids?"
"Let's not get off on a tangent." Kieran waved one elegant hand in dismissal. "What did you mean, if not a real mermaid?"
"I meant professional mermaiding." She caught their blank looks and hurried on. "It's a real thing. People dressed as mermaids perform at aquariums, renaissance faires, even children's parties. They wear these amazing silicone tails and do underwater performances."
Mandy reached for her phone, grateful for a chance to show rather than explain. "Here, it's easier if I just show you." Her fingers flew across the screen as she opened TikTok. "Give me just a second to find my favorite video."
She scrolled through her saved videos, past dozens of cat clips and writing tips until she found the one she was looking for. The familiar sight of her favorite performer made her pause, a smile spreading across her face as she watched the graceful movements.
The mermaid in the video glided through crystal-clear water, her iridescent green tail catching the light as she twisted and spun. Long dark hair floated around her like a cloud as she executed a perfect backward somersault, bubbles trailing in her wake. The camera followed her movements as she swoopeddown to interact with a group of wide-eyed children pressing their hands against the aquarium glass.
Mandy reluctantly tore her gaze away from the mesmerizing performance to pass her phone to Jacinth and Kieran. "This particular performer is my favorite - she does shows at an aquarium. Look at how naturally she moves in that tail! You'd almost think she was born with it."
She bit her lip as she watched their reactions. Jacinth leaned in closer to the screen, her dark eyes wide with wonder, while Kieran's silvery-blue gaze remained fixed on the display with that intense focus he brought to everything.
"There are whole communities dedicated to it," she explained, warming to the subject. "They make these incredible tails of silicone - some cost thousands of dollars. And the performances they do... it's simply magical. Almost like underwater ballet. The mermaids can hold their breath for minutes at a time, doing these beautiful, flowing movements."
"I can watch videos of them for hours, imagining what it would be like. To move so freely through the water, without pain or limitations." She swallowed hard. "To bring that kind of magic and wonder to children."
"But you need to be physically fit. The tails alone weigh 30-35 pounds. Plus, you have to be able to swim powerfully enough to propel yourself through the water with your legs bound together." She gestured at her legs. "Obviously, that's not happening with my back and knee issues."
"They're absolutely incredible!" Jacinth's musical voice filled with wonder as she watched the mermaid glide through the water. "The way she moves, it's like she's dancing underwater." Her dark eyes lifted from the screen to study Mandy with keen interest. "How ever did you discover this? I've never heard of this."
"Pure accident, actually. I was having one of those nights where my back was screaming, and nothing helped. You know the kind - where you're so desperate for distraction that even counting sheep sounds too complicated? I never watch TV - I mean, almost never. Give me a good book any day. But that night, I couldn't focus enough to read, so I started browsing Netflix. They had this documentary series about professional mermaids. I thought it would be perfect - something light and fluffy to help me drift off."
Mandy laughed softly, shaking her head at herself. "Instead, I stayed up until dawn watching the entire series. I couldn't stop. It was fascinating - the training they go through, the way they make the tails, the performances..." She gestured toward her phone, still displaying the graceful performer. "That's actually one of the mermaids from the documentary. I found her TikTok account that same night and followed her, along with pretty much every other performer they mentioned in the show."
Jacinth leaned forward, her dark eyes sparkling with interest. "Tell me more about these costumes. How are they made?"
"The tails at least, and, I think, some of the tops, are silicone," Mandy explained, scrolling through her phone to find a behind-the-scenes video. "The professional ones are custom-made to fit perfectly. They're absolutely gorgeous, but they can cost thousands of dollars."
She paused the video on a close-up of a tail's iridescent scales. "If I were to try it, I wouldn't start with something that expensive. There are more affordable options out there, maybe even second-hand ones. Just to see if I really enjoy it before making such a major investment."
A wry grin spread across her face as memories surfaced. "I learned that lesson the hard way. When I was little, I had this dream of owning a pony - you know, like every little girl does.Well, I finally got my own horse when I grew up." She shook her head, chuckling. "Let me tell you, the reality was a lot different from the dream. There was all this work - currying and grooming, picking hooves, maintaining the tack. And don't even get me started on cleaning the stall and shoveling the paddock."
Jacinth's musical laugh filled the room. "Just like sailing isn't simply getting onto a boat and drifting off into the sunset."
"Right?" Mandy joined in her laughter, remembering her own brief… very brief… experience with sailing.
Jacinth looked back at the phone, scrolling to another video of a mermaid performing intricate underwater acrobatics. "This isn't nearly as easy as they make it look."
"No, not at all. I know that for sure, because I've been practicing in the complex's pool."
Kieran's gaze fixed on her with renewed intensity. "Practicing?"
"Well, yes." Mandy gestured toward the window where the pool's blue waters sparkled in the afternoon sun. "After watching that docuseries, I wanted it so badly that I started practicing during the quiet hours. Swimming with my legs together, learning their movements." She demonstrated with her hands, making a flowing motion through the air. "The poses, the preens, the smiles, the blown kisses - all those little touches that make it magical for the audience."
She smiled as memories of early morning practices flooded back. "I've been working on my breathing control too. I found these great free diving tutorials on YouTube that teach you how to learn to hold your breath longer underwater while still actively swimming." A smile tugged at her lips. "My record is only a minute forty-five seconds, which isn't much compared to free divers, or live mermaids, but it's better than when I started."
"The hardest part is remembering to keep smiling underwater," she admitted with a laugh. "You'd think it wouldbe natural, but when you're concentrating on everything else - keeping your legs together, maintaining good form, controlling your breath - the smile is usually the first thing to slip."
Jacinth scrolled through more videos, her dark eyes taking in the graceful movements of various performers. "They're mostly fairly young women," Jacinth observed, her musical voice thoughtful but not judgmental.
"Yes, they are." Mandy nodded, leaning to the side to look at the phone over jacinth's shoulder. "But I wouldn't be looking to join an aquarium show or anything like that." She hesitated, before continuing. "What I thought would be fun would be to do children's parties... you know, birthday parties and such."
