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Description
Chapter 24: Meeting With The Parents, Part Two

Once everyone else had left the pool area, Maura invited Diane and me to go for a swim ourselves. We readily accepted and enjoyed a glorious half hour in our proper medium until it was time to haul out and dry off. Our host was impressed at how effortless swimming still was for Diane, even with her expanding waistline and weight gain. As Maura had not previously met any pregnant Xanadu mermaids, Diane was able to offer her a unique perspective, which left her with a thoughtful look on her face.

We bade farewell to our hosts at around noon. We traded more impressions from our visit, and reflected there was nothing like personal experience and the experiences of others, for boosting one's confidence in many situations, whether it was living in the sea as real Mers, or training to become a Coastguardsman ready for any likely situation they might encounter.

We were also told we had an confirmed reservation on the ferry. That is often recommended, especially in summer. Once again we thanked out hosts for their hospitality.

Because it was an hour and a half until sailing time and the ferry terminal was only a fe miles away, we detoured through downtown Cape May, admiring the abundance of Victorian architecture, before driving past the Cape May lighthouse. This time we stayed in our car, but did stop long enough to snap a few photos. When we arrived at the ferry terminal and were directed to drive on board, we found ourselves at the head of our lane, with an (almost) unobstructed view forward over the water. The crossing itself was smooth and uneventful. I snapped a photo of another lighthouse out in the bay, and a ferry heading the other way, but Diane was soon dozing off, her hands clasped under her belly. I did not rouse her, if she didn't wake up when we made landfall in Delaware, I would just keep driving for a while until she did wake up, and then we would concern ourselves with changing drivers if need be.

Though the lower Delmarva has no interstate highways, it is also far less congested than driving driving through Baltimore, Washington, and northern Virginia, and we made good time southbound. About three hours after rolling off the ferry, we pulled up at the same motel we had stayed at a week earlier. Two nourishing meals, a relaxing swim in the bay and a restful night's sleep later, we were on our way again. Across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, through Norfolk and on into North Carolina until in the later afternoon we once more parked in front of our land home outside Beaufort. A refreshed Diane had spent at least as much time behind the wheel as I had. We exchanged greetings with those members of Brian's and Dan's families who were on hand, then brought inside the stuff I had brought from my old home with me.

For the remainder of that day and the next, Diane and I spent most of our time in the water, not doing very much except slowly swimming about or just floating at or below the surface. Only occasionally did we need to flick our tails to avoid drifting out of our local bay. As before, we tethered ourselves to the dock while sleeping. She in particular enjoyed the down time, she was now at the stage in her pregnancy where she could easily tire when exerting herself, especially when breathing air. We were not unduly worried, as the doctors had told us to expect this sort of developement at this stage, even before she had been implanted with her best friend's twins.

We just had to make allowances.

The parents-to-be, Sherry and Ross Thomas, had of course been keeping in regular touch the past several months. Diane periodically sent photos of herself which highlighted her gradually expanding belly, and would express the hope to visit them in their hometown before she gave birth. Now that opportunity was finally at hand. Tomorrow, following our day of rest, we would drive nearly the full length of the Tarheel state to their home near the Great Smokies National Park, perhaps an hour west of Asheville (I had passed through a number of times before but have yet to visit the Biltmore estate. Given my enduring interest in architecture that should be considered a sin. Maybe someday...).

Diane's former home was a couple miles from the Thomas's, with the added bonus of a small pond at the rear of the property. She said we could probably sleep there, and if that was not possible for whatever reason there was always the house, which was one-story and open enough we could easily move around within in our chairs.

Like my father and I, Diane had decided to put her old home on the market, and likewise had soon received a firm offer. Up till now her sister had been handling the myriad details involved in selling a house, but Diane's formal approval was required to finalize the deal.

We set out early the next morning, following a breakfast of fish and plants harvested from our little bay and an interval for drying out. We headed west on 70, the highway we had followed eastbound when we and Gizella and Yuki had first moved to the area last fall. We switched to Interstate 40 west near Raleigh, and thereafter it was pretty much just miles and miles of miles and miles. We changed drivers periodically and got lunch at a rest stop where a gathering of the 501st was apparently taking place - there were about a dozen stormtroopers in full armor there. Whether any had been caught up in the Xanadu event we did not ask and they did not say, but they made sure no one bothered us as we ate and used the bathrooms. One trooper even volunteered to pump our gas when we were ready to depart.

"It's strange starnge world we live in these days" Diane said as we got on the highway again.

"I have to agree" I answered "I think even some of the Darth Vaders, Klingons, and orcs are still confused as to what side they are on."

It was later afternoon when we finally drove up the driveway of Diane's old home. Her sister Jill and her husband Vince were out front, and soon got our chairs out of the back and opened them up so we could seat ourselves. They had also anticpated our need for ramps, and had laid a temporary one over the front steps. We thus had no trouble getting indoors.

Much of the house had already been emptied out but some rooms were still at least partly furnished, including Diane's bedroom.

"If I should ever change back, I don't think I would have a regular bed. I would have a water bed" she quipped.

The fridge and pantry had of course long since been emptied of all perishables which had been there when Diane had left to attend the Kubla Con, but Jill had partially restocked them for our visit. Meatloaf (still a favorite of mine) was the main course, and after some time for TV and the computer, we went out the back door, which also had a temporary ramp, and wheeled down a path which led to the rear, shooing a couple sheep out of the way. Since purchasing the property following her divorce Diane had rented out a portion of the back yard to neighbors who occasionally needed extra pasturage to graze their sheep, and occasionally horses.

After a few minutes we rolled through a gap in some shrubbery which served as a fence for the sheep meadow and there it was; a pond which looked like it might indeed be an ideal refuge for a couple Mers temporarily obliged to be far from the sea. There was little hesitation on our part, we pulled off what clothing we were wearing, slid out of our chairs, and crawled the last few yards into the water. That by itself felt oh so wonderful! As soon as we reached deeper water, we began slapping the water with our tailfins, trying to send up the tallest splashes we could. Only after we had thus stirred up the water did we finally submerge and cruise about the pond, both for the sheer joy of swimming and to check out edibles. There was plenty of fish to sustain us for the anticipated duration of our stay, plus an assortment of plant matter to nibble on as well.

By now Jill and Vince had arrived pondside as well, in t-shirts, shorts, and sandals.

"You want to join us for a swim?" Diane called out as we swam back to greet them.

"Thanks, but no thanks, at least not tonight. Tomorrow maybe?"

"Sure, if the weather is OK."

"What about breakfast for you two?"

"We will eat here...there is plenty of fish and other stuff for us."

"Raw fish?" Vince asked. He actually seemed a bit unsure of our dietary choice.

"Of course!" Diane giggled before her voice turned a little more serious "Some of us cannot stand cooked fish anymore, though we don't mind it in mixed company...don't worry, we will be alright no matter what we eat..."

Before long we did manage to get away from the subject of food, and Jill then told us "Our lawyer, and the buyers and their lawyer, will be here at around one tomorrow afternoon..."

That of course was a primary reason we were here in the first place. It would also give Diane and me plenty of time in the morning for a leisurely breakfast and swim around the pond and then to return to the house and get ready to have all the i's dotted and t's crossed, much as my father and I had done so recently. Had she not been changed as she was, Diane admitted in all probability she would never have considered selling as she had really enjoyed living there, with the park close by and mountains all around.

"This was my dream home then, as much as the sea is for me...for us now..."

Mountains and Mer tails don't always mix together well, but we felt quite at home in the pond, despite the absence of salt water. It was fed by a spring, which added to its clarity and freshness. I guess it was just that almost all the old legends of sirens had them living in salt water, which was also where most of the explorers of old did their traveling. Columbus, Magellen, Cook, the Vikings, the Polynesians...

The closing on Diane's old home the next day was something of a mirror image of my earlier experience, this time she was the one kept busy going over the details while I was largely a spectator. Even so, the buyers were curious about me, pointed ears and all, and I was willing to oblige them.

Once the visitors had departed, Vince, Jill, Diane, and me readied ourselves for dinner out at a local restaurant. No one seemed to think it out of the ordinary to have a couple Mers roll in, and we four were soon seated at our own booth and enjoyed a relaxing and sociable evening. Diane wore a maternity dress whose hemline would have reached just below the knees and which had short puffy sleeves, she felt it went well with her 'turtleneck' and said it was a favorite style of hers some years ago.

Saturday morning was set aside for visiting the home of Ross and Sherry to see for ourselves the preparations they had made for the pending arrival of their children. We had called ahead, so they were outside and waiting when we arrived. After seating ourselves in our chairs she asked "May I?" as she looked at Diane's belly.

"Certainly" was the answer. Sherry now walked up close, bent over, and began to reverently rub Diane's belly. I thought I saw Sherry shed a tear or two as she did so.

"Thank you...thank you...thank you" she said. Her voice sounded on the verge of cracking, but she managed to hold her composure.

"You're welcome" Diane replied with a smile. She had remained quiet throughout, even when Sherry had rubbed over her belly button, which was now fully popped out. It had been somewhat sensative a while back, but less so now, and she of course had had some time to get used to the sensation.

"I would so much have loved to do the...hard work myself, but I guess it just was not to be...thank you again."

I was on the receiving end of some thanks as well, from Ross.

"Thank you, Harry, for doing your part...your friend has told us you have been very supportive of her through all her ups and downs..."

Naturally we were eager to see what the parents-to-be had done to make the interior of their home babies-ready. The front steps did not have a ramp, but Ross and Sherry had no difficulty getting us up the steps and indoors, chairs and all. The house itself was a ranch-style, and open enough we could maneuver around with ease. It turned out the original owners had had a child who was in a wheelchair from an early age, and naturally wanted to make getting around as easy for him as they could (although a later owner did remove the ramps from the front and back doors).

Following a brief glimpse at the living and dining rooms and the kitchen, along with a large screenched porch, they showed us the bedroom wing.

"The master bedroom is here" Ross said as he gestured toward the front of the house "The kids bedrooms will be this way..." Both were painted a shade of light green. One room was empty except for some cardboard boxes, while a pair of cribs were already set up in the other.

"We will have them both sleep in here at first. Then when they get bigger they will each have their own room" Sherry now said. Some weeks earlier, via a sonogram, we had all learned the twins would be a boy and a girl.

"Perfect" Ross quipped "We had always wished we could have at least one of each."

"Well, your wish will soon come true!" Diane said with a broad smile on her face as she also gave herself another belly rub.

We next took another look at the screened porch. It was almost as large as the living room, and could easily serve as a family room in warm weather. It was bordered on one side by the rear of the house and on one side by the garage. All of us had childhood memories of having played in such porches on rainy days, either at our own homes or those of friends.

The back yard likewise looked like it would be a safe and secure place for children for children to play, flanked as it was on the sides and rear by dense shrubbery and fencing, with more fences with gates on either side of the house itself. The setting was further enhanced by a few trees of various sizes which offered additional shade, and perhaps a limb or two from which to hang swings.

"We think it is good for children to start learning how to use computers when they are young, but they should also spend some time outside just enjoying themselves playing or relaxing...sometimes we like to sit here on the porch or out in the yard under one of the trees when we check for messages" Ross said "Sometimes, I can get antsy when I'm stuck inside for too long."

His wife occasionally nodded her head in agreement, and offered some thoughts of her own.

"Some of the things we like about this street...this neighborhood, is that it is close to stores, schools, and such but is also kind of off the beaten path. The kids would be able to ride bikes (a favorite activity of mine when I had legs) and not have to worry TOO much about traffic, especially trucks, or tour busses heading to or from the Great Smokies park. There is also a local park just a short drive from here, where we could picnic or take walks..."

Sounds a lot like my old neighborhood.

Description
Chapter 24: Meeting With The Parents, Part Two

Once everyone else had left the pool area, Maura invited Diane and me to go for a swim ourselves. We readily accepted and enjoyed a glorious half hour in our proper medium until it was time to haul out and dry off. Our host was impressed at how effortless swimming still was for Diane, even with her expanding waistline and weight gain. As Maura had not previously met any pregnant Xanadu mermaids, Diane was able to offer her a unique perspective, which left her with a thoughtful look on her face.

We bade farewell to our hosts at around noon. We traded more impressions from our visit, and reflected there was nothing like personal experience and the experiences of others, for boosting one's confidence in many situations, whether it was living in the sea as real Mers, or training to become a Coastguardsman ready for any likely situation they might encounter.

We were also told we had an confirmed reservation on the ferry. That is often recommended, especially in summer. Once again we thanked out hosts for their hospitality.

Because it was an hour and a half until sailing time and the ferry terminal was only a fe miles away, we detoured through downtown Cape May, admiring the abundance of Victorian architecture, before driving past the Cape May lighthouse. This time we stayed in our car, but did stop long enough to snap a few photos. When we arrived at the ferry terminal and were directed to drive on board, we found ourselves at the head of our lane, with an (almost) unobstructed view forward over the water. The crossing itself was smooth and uneventful. I snapped a photo of another lighthouse out in the bay, and a ferry heading the other way, but Diane was soon dozing off, her hands clasped under her belly. I did not rouse her, if she didn't wake up when we made landfall in Delaware, I would just keep driving for a while until she did wake up, and then we would concern ourselves with changing drivers if need be.

Though the lower Delmarva has no interstate highways, it is also far less congested than driving driving through Baltimore, Washington, and northern Virginia, and we made good time southbound. About three hours after rolling off the ferry, we pulled up at the same motel we had stayed at a week earlier. Two nourishing meals, a relaxing swim in the bay and a restful night's sleep later, we were on our way again. Across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, through Norfolk and on into North Carolina until in the later afternoon we once more parked in front of our land home outside Beaufort. A refreshed Diane had spent at least as much time behind the wheel as I had. We exchanged greetings with those members of Brian's and Dan's families who were on hand, then brought inside the stuff I had brought from my old home with me.

For the remainder of that day and the next, Diane and I spent most of our time in the water, not doing very much except slowly swimming about or just floating at or below the surface. Only occasionally did we need to flick our tails to avoid drifting out of our local bay. As before, we tethered ourselves to the dock while sleeping. She in particular enjoyed the down time, she was now at the stage in her pregnancy where she could easily tire when exerting herself, especially when breathing air. We were not unduly worried, as the doctors had told us to expect this sort of developement at this stage, even before she had been implanted with her best friend's twins.

We just had to make allowances.

The parents-to-be, Sherry and Ross Thomas, had of course been keeping in regular touch the past several months. Diane periodically sent photos of herself which highlighted her gradually expanding belly, and would express the hope to visit them in their hometown before she gave birth. Now that opportunity was finally at hand. Tomorrow, following our day of rest, we would drive nearly the full length of the Tarheel state to their home near the Great Smokies National Park, perhaps an hour west of Asheville (I had passed through a number of times before but have yet to visit the Biltmore estate. Given my enduring interest in architecture that should be considered a sin. Maybe someday...).

Diane's former home was a couple miles from the Thomas's, with the added bonus of a small pond at the rear of the property. She said we could probably sleep there, and if that was not possible for whatever reason there was always the house, which was one-story and open enough we could easily move around within in our chairs.

Like my father and I, Diane had decided to put her old home on the market, and likewise had soon received a firm offer. Up till now her sister had been handling the myriad details involved in selling a house, but Diane's formal approval was required to finalize the deal.

We set out early the next morning, following a breakfast of fish and plants harvested from our little bay and an interval for drying out. We headed west on 70, the highway we had followed eastbound when we and Gizella and Yuki had first moved to the area last fall. We switched to Interstate 40 west near Raleigh, and thereafter it was pretty much just miles and miles of miles and miles. We changed drivers periodically and got lunch at a rest stop where a gathering of the 501st was apparently taking place - there were about a dozen stormtroopers in full armor there. Whether any had been caught up in the Xanadu event we did not ask and they did not say, but they made sure no one bothered us as we ate and used the bathrooms. One trooper even volunteered to pump our gas when we were ready to depart.

"It's strange starnge world we live in these days" Diane said as we got on the highway again.

"I have to agree" I answered "I think even some of the Darth Vaders, Klingons, and orcs are still confused as to what side they are on."

It was later afternoon when we finally drove up the driveway of Diane's old home. Her sister Jill and her husband Vince were out front, and soon got our chairs out of the back and opened them up so we could seat ourselves. They had also anticpated our need for ramps, and had laid a temporary one over the front steps. We thus had no trouble getting indoors.

Much of the house had already been emptied out but some rooms were still at least partly furnished, including Diane's bedroom.

"If I should ever change back, I don't think I would have a regular bed. I would have a water bed" she quipped.

The fridge and pantry had of course long since been emptied of all perishables which had been there when Diane had left to attend the Kubla Con, but Jill had partially restocked them for our visit. Meatloaf (still a favorite of mine) was the main course, and after some time for TV and the computer, we went out the back door, which also had a temporary ramp, and wheeled down a path which led to the rear, shooing a couple sheep out of the way. Since purchasing the property following her divorce Diane had rented out a portion of the back yard to neighbors who occasionally needed extra pasturage to graze their sheep, and occasionally horses.

After a few minutes we rolled through a gap in some shrubbery which served as a fence for the sheep meadow and there it was; a pond which looked like it might indeed be an ideal refuge for a couple Mers temporarily obliged to be far from the sea. There was little hesitation on our part, we pulled off what clothing we were wearing, slid out of our chairs, and crawled the last few yards into the water. That by itself felt oh so wonderful! As soon as we reached deeper water, we began slapping the water with our tailfins, trying to send up the tallest splashes we could. Only after we had thus stirred up the water did we finally submerge and cruise about the pond, both for the sheer joy of swimming and to check out edibles. There was plenty of fish to sustain us for the anticipated duration of our stay, plus an assortment of plant matter to nibble on as well.

By now Jill and Vince had arrived pondside as well, in t-shirts, shorts, and sandals.

"You want to join us for a swim?" Diane called out as we swam back to greet them.

"Thanks, but no thanks, at least not tonight. Tomorrow maybe?"

"Sure, if the weather is OK."

"What about breakfast for you two?"

"We will eat here...there is plenty of fish and other stuff for us."

"Raw fish?" Vince asked. He actually seemed a bit unsure of our dietary choice.

"Of course!" Diane giggled before her voice turned a little more serious "Some of us cannot stand cooked fish anymore, though we don't mind it in mixed company...don't worry, we will be alright no matter what we eat..."

Before long we did manage to get away from the subject of food, and Jill then told us "Our lawyer, and the buyers and their lawyer, will be here at around one tomorrow afternoon..."

That of course was a primary reason we were here in the first place. It would also give Diane and me plenty of time in the morning for a leisurely breakfast and swim around the pond and then to return to the house and get ready to have all the i's dotted and t's crossed, much as my father and I had done so recently. Had she not been changed as she was, Diane admitted in all probability she would never have considered selling as she had really enjoyed living there, with the park close by and mountains all around.

"This was my dream home then, as much as the sea is for me...for us now..."

Mountains and Mer tails don't always mix together well, but we felt quite at home in the pond, despite the absence of salt water. It was fed by a spring, which added to its clarity and freshness. I guess it was just that almost all the old legends of sirens had them living in salt water, which was also where most of the explorers of old did their traveling. Columbus, Magellen, Cook, the Vikings, the Polynesians...

The closing on Diane's old home the next day was something of a mirror image of my earlier experience, this time she was the one kept busy going over the details while I was largely a spectator. Even so, the buyers were curious about me, pointed ears and all, and I was willing to oblige them.

Once the visitors had departed, Vince, Jill, Diane, and me readied ourselves for dinner out at a local restaurant. No one seemed to think it out of the ordinary to have a couple Mers roll in, and we four were soon seated at our own booth and enjoyed a relaxing and sociable evening. Diane wore a maternity dress whose hemline would have reached just below the knees and which had short puffy sleeves, she felt it went well with her 'turtleneck' and said it was a favorite style of hers some years ago.

Saturday morning was set aside for visiting the home of Ross and Sherry to see for ourselves the preparations they had made for the pending arrival of their children. We had called ahead, so they were outside and waiting when we arrived. After seating ourselves in our chairs she asked "May I?" as she looked at Diane's belly.

"Certainly" was the answer. Sherry now walked up close, bent over, and began to reverently rub Diane's belly. I thought I saw Sherry shed a tear or two as she did so.

"Thank you...thank you...thank you" she said. Her voice sounded on the verge of cracking, but she managed to hold her composure.

"You're welcome" Diane replied with a smile. She had remained quiet throughout, even when Sherry had rubbed over her belly button, which was now fully popped out. It had been somewhat sensative a while back, but less so now, and she of course had had some time to get used to the sensation.

"I would so much have loved to do the...hard work myself, but I guess it just was not to be...thank you again."

I was on the receiving end of some thanks as well, from Ross.

"Thank you, Harry, for doing your part...your friend has told us you have been very supportive of her through all her ups and downs..."

Naturally we were eager to see what the parents-to-be had done to make the interior of their home babies-ready. The front steps did not have a ramp, but Ross and Sherry had no difficulty getting us up the steps and indoors, chairs and all. The house itself was a ranch-style, and open enough we could maneuver around with ease. It turned out the original owners had had a child who was in a wheelchair from an early age, and naturally wanted to make getting around as easy for him as they could (although a later owner did remove the ramps from the front and back doors).

Following a brief glimpse at the living and dining rooms and the kitchen, along with a large screenched porch, they showed us the bedroom wing.

"The master bedroom is here" Ross said as he gestured toward the front of the house "The kids bedrooms will be this way..." Both were painted a shade of light green. One room was empty except for some cardboard boxes, while a pair of cribs were already set up in the other.

"We will have them both sleep in here at first. Then when they get bigger they will each have their own room" Sherry now said. Some weeks earlier, via a sonogram, we had all learned the twins would be a boy and a girl.

"Perfect" Ross quipped "We had always wished we could have at least one of each."

"Well, your wish will soon come true!" Diane said with a broad smile on her face as she also gave herself another belly rub.

We next took another look at the screened porch. It was almost as large as the living room, and could easily serve as a family room in warm weather. It was bordered on one side by the rear of the house and on one side by the garage. All of us had childhood memories of having played in such porches on rainy days, either at our own homes or those of friends.

The back yard likewise looked like it would be a safe and secure place for children for children to play, flanked as it was on the sides and rear by dense shrubbery and fencing, with more fences with gates on either side of the house itself. The setting was further enhanced by a few trees of various sizes which offered additional shade, and perhaps a limb or two from which to hang swings.

"We think it is good for children to start learning how to use computers when they are young, but they should also spend some time outside just enjoying themselves playing or relaxing...sometimes we like to sit here on the porch or out in the yard under one of the trees when we check for messages" Ross said "Sometimes, I can get antsy when I'm stuck inside for too long."

His wife occasionally nodded her head in agreement, and offered some thoughts of her own.

"Some of the things we like about this street...this neighborhood, is that it is close to stores, schools, and such but is also kind of off the beaten path. The kids would be able to ride bikes (a favorite activity of mine when I had legs) and not have to worry TOO much about traffic, especially trucks, or tour busses heading to or from the Great Smokies park. There is also a local park just a short drive from here, where we could picnic or take walks..."

Sounds a lot like my old neighborhood.