Hanging up, I walk down the steps to my grassy backyard and head toward the lake where sand greets my feet. When I reach the edge, after kicking off my sandals, I walk into the water, feeling its delicious coolness greet my legs. Once I am halfway in, I dive underneath, feeling the water whip through my long hair.
My body shifts into my merman form, and I kick my tail as I swim toward Murphy's cabin. The water feels welcoming, pushing against me as I make my way through the lake. While I enjoyed swimming in Corvid Valley Lake, living up on the mountain with a cabin directly on Lake Summit has practically changed my life. I feel younger, stronger, and more in tune with the world around me because of these now daily swims.
Reaching the shore behind Murphy's cabin, I see two young children playing. I'm grateful that my shifter heritage is not as ancient as Murphy's, since my ancestors evolved to shift without requiring us to strip down to our birthday suits. When I reach shallow water, I shift back into my human form and stroll out of the water, my khaki shorts and t-shirt plastered against me.
The two boys gawk at me, and one of them shouts, "Mom! Dad! That merman helper guy is here!"
I take a couple of minutes to get the shed door open while the father profusely thanks me.
"Sorry you had to come out. I didn't want to get too rough with it," he says sheepishly.
"No worries at all. I needed to get in my evening swim, anyway."
After he thanks me again, I say goodnight to him and his wife as their two boys excitedly explore the shed's contents.
Walking down to the lakeshore, I turn one last time and watch the family, who are obviously having a fun vacation together. A pang of envy squirms in my gut as I observe them.
Smiling to myself, I turn back to the lake, walk in halfway, then dive under and shift into my merman form. As I swim home, I can't help but think that even though I achieved my dream of living on this mountain lake, I still haven't accomplished what matters most: falling in love and becoming a father.
2
Lexi
The late May sun warms the back of my neck as I sit across from Great Aunt Gertrude, who is a good five minutes into a long screed about how I am a family embarrassment for still being single at 44. The server comes over and awkwardly looks between the two of us, clearly unsure about whether he may interrupt.
"Aunt Gertrude, it's time for us to place our order," I say firmly, giving my aunt a gentle pat on top of her wrinkly hand.
She shuts her mouth mid-sentence with a loud sniff and glares up at the poor waiter, who is practically trembling in his black sneakers. After we order, I see the familiar expression in Great Aunt Gertrude's eyes that tells me she's about to start lecturing again. I quickly play defense.
"I understand your thoughts, Auntie, but remember, Iamseeing someone, and I have been for a couple of months now," I remind her.
"Oh, yes. That's right. Well, good then. You'll have a date for your cousin's wedding next month," she says, locking her gaze on me as she takes a sip of sangria.
"Uh, well, I don't know about that, Auntie. That's a huge ask."
Aunt Gertrude waves her hand as if she's shooing away an annoying fly.
"It'sonlyin California. You're planning on driving anyway, right?" she says irritably.
"Yes, Auntie, but still. That's asking him to take time off from work and travel," I say, staring out at the promenade as the Phoenix sun blazes in the sky.
"Well, Lexi, you either are seeing someone or you're not. And if you're seeing someone, then I am expecting to meet him at your cousin's wedding," my aunt sniffs.
Knowing that I am fighting a losing battle, I take a large sip of my pinot grigio and swallow it before saying, "Yes. Yes, Auntie. I'll ask him."
After brunch, I close the apartment door behind me, dump the mail and my purse on the table, and collapse dramatically onto the couch. Elinda, my roommate, looks up from her book.
"Fun brunch with your aunt?" she asks with a knowing grin.
"Super fun. I am now to ask Ralph to be my wedding date in June," I say with a groan.
"What? I thought you were planning on ending it with Ralph?" she says, furrowing her brow.
"I was. We, like, have nothing in common. He just has those pretty green eyes," I say with a chuckle.
"So then?"
"I haven't gotten around to it yet. But, yeah, I don't see a future there," I say with a sigh. "But you know what? Maybe I've been too hard on him? Maybe I'm being too picky?"
