Surface Tensions

by Jordan, G R

  Murdo heard his wife snicker, and he struggled to suppress a laugh himself. The arrival of the mermaids was quite shocking but the attitude taken by his session—or rather by Iain—was less surprising. Father, he thought, give me some wisdom on this.

  "Well minister, what are you going to do?"

  "I will pray, Iain."

  "Pray, is that it minister, just pray. I think some action needs to be taken."

  "Maybe so. May God guide me, Iain. Now, I have a service to be thinking about, and I look forward to seeing you all tonight. If in the meantime you feel that the sight of these creatures is too much, I suggest you avert your eyes and show our young men an example. I shall see you later all, thank you so much for bringing this to my attention."

  With practiced ease, Laura ushered the men to the door and closed it behind her. Returning to the room, she saw her husband in thoughtful pose in his chair.

  "Well done, Murdo. Avert your eyes. Maybe we can hold a sale of works in order to raise some money for a few bikinis or swimsuits."

  Murdo didn't rise to the bait.

  "Poor creatures, Laura. They should have remained in the deep. Now we'll see the wicked ways of our world, mark my words. Now they have something to exploit."

  "All God's creatures, Murdo, all God's creatures."

  The Reverend McKinney smiled.

  7

  You can Lead a Horse...

  All was quiet in the bathroom. They had left the door half open but had decided to give the mermaid some quiet after the excitement of the day. As Donald sat in an easy chair watching the door, he grew more worried. It was now eleven o'clock at night and he had missed the evening service. Given the situation, Donald wasn't going to leave Kiera in the lurch, but he knew he would have to have his excuses ready. This was a problem as there weren't many solutions presenting themselves for consideration.

  The Reverend McKinney was always saying that you should tell the truth but surely this was the exception to the rule. There was the problem of the mermaid, but at least that had just occurred. There was nothing he could have done about that, and he did reach out to help. No, it was the issue of explaining why he had been at Kiera's. Not only that, but in her bathroom and then seeing her in her bath, albeit with a gown on. Not that it had stopped him from seeing everything. And on a Sunday too.

  Inside he had a warm glow, generated by Kiera's reaction to him. For the last three months, he had looked forward to any chance he had of seeing her and had played out how he would gradually get closer to her. Bit by bit, and with the deepest intent to maintain propriety, he would engage her in conversation before stunning her with an elaborate meal and a first kiss along the sea shore. Bursting into her house carrying a topless fish girl, surprising Kiera while she also just happened to be scantily clad—well, that was not part of any plan he would have ever imagined. While he was nervous of the consequences, part of Donald was deeply excited by this turn of events.

  Kiera came through from her bedroom, dressed in warm pyjamas with a broad grin on her face. She hadn't seen it coming, but looking back, she could remember how Donald had been "about" these last few months. Always on the edge of the conversation, she now remembered his ever cheery face whenever she caught his eye. Inside she was quivering, which was a new sensation, as she prided herself on being able to stand alone in everything. Donald was shaking that desire to the core, and more surprisingly, she was delighted with this turn of events.

  "Donald, did you ring your Mum?"

  "Yes. I said you had had some urgent problems with the house, and I was sorting them. The gas cylinders, if anyone asks. And I'm going night fishing so they won't look for me until tomorrow."

  "Good."

  "I don't like lying to her."

  "I'm not sure she could handle the truth at the moment." Kiera popped her head into the bathroom before walking over to Donald and sitting down on his lap. Throwing her arms around him, she gave him another long, deep kiss.

  "Now that's enjoyable. You're a dark horse, Donald. It's okay, you can hold me tight. In fact, it would be better if you did."

  Awkwardly at first, Donald wrapped his arms around Kiera, careful not to touch an area by accident he thought may still be out of bounds. Kiera hadn't complained at anything he had done so far, and although he was itching to get closer, part of him was worried he’d do something wrong and scare her off.

  "So, you have your cover story, what excitement are you going to show me tonight?" Donald looked shocked at what Kiera was implying. "No," laughed Kiera, "what are we going to do about my house guest?"

  A little sigh of relief came from Donald, and he relaxed.

  "How about we wait until the wee hours, and then I could take her down to the shore. Maybe wade out with her into the water, and she can disappear off back to wherever she normally swims."

  "Okay, but is she fit enough for that?"

  "I don't know. What do we do? Call a vet?"

  "I get you, Donald, sure we'll do that. About two or three a.m. then. We can't keep her for long in here anyway. Might as well get comfortable, fella, as we have a wee wait on our hands."

  Kiera rose up and wandered over to the radio. Switching it on, she strode over to the lights and knocked them off. In the dim light, Donald watched her clamber back to him and snuggle in tight.

  The music of the station was varied, and between gently exchanged kisses, the tired couple hung on tight. Occasional splashes were heard from the bathroom, but an air of peace reigned in the house as the midnight hour approached. Kiera was half-dozing as the news came on when midnight was struck.

  "Reports are coming in of a shoal of mermaids being sighted off a ferry servicing the Scottish islands. The Loch Balerna was carrying out its normal Sunday afternoon crossing when several mermaids were seen in the water close to the ship's wake……."

  The new lovers sat motionless as the report described how several video clips of the incident had gone viral around the world with many photography and video experts stating they could find no evidence of a hoax. Mermaid societies and hunters were now converging on the ferry route along with the world's media. There was then a tirade against these creatures of the devil, brandishing their nakedness on the Sabbath by one of the stricter Island ministers.

  "Do you get the feeling we need to get her back offshore tonight, Donald?"

  Donald just nodded.

  Kiera stood up and disappeared into her bedroom before returning with an alarm clock. Manipulating the rear to set the clock, she then placed it on the table bedside Donald.

  "Two hours shut eye and then we go. Where do you wanna sleep?" Donald blushed heavily. "The chair or the bed?" Donald went totally red. "Donald, I'm not being forward. You take one, and I'll take the other."

  Inside, Donald was in turmoil. Half of him wanted Kiera to be forward but the rest of him felt apprehensive.

  As if reading his mind, Kiera said with a smile, "Why not the chair for both of us?"

  Without waiting for an answers, she settled into Donald's arms. Although excited, the events of the day were taking a toll on Donald, and within only a few minutes, he fell asleep. Kiera looked at his face as he slept and took a moment to appreciate a day when a lot of things were changing. Slowly, she drifted off to sleep as well.

  ***

  There was a loud ringing beside his head. Instinctively, Donald stood up, pitching Kiera onto the floor. Quickly, his senses came back to him, and he reached down to pick her back up. A mumbled sorry was accepted, and Kiera popped her head into the bathroom to check on her house guest.

  The mermaid was slumbering too and was quite motionless. Good, thought Kiera. Telling Donald to gently wake up their guest, Kiera retired to the bedroom to change. Returning in a black t-shirt and leggings, she noticed and appreciated Donald's survey of her before grabbing a fleece jacket.

  "You'll have to carry her, Donald. She would be too heavy for me, and I think one on the arms and one on the tail is not going to be very practical."

>   "We may also rip her arms off."

  Kiera smiled. His humour was very dry.

  Kiera entered the bathroom and spoke soothingly to the mermaid. She stroked her long hair and brought Donald down to his knees to sit close by the bath. Although pretty sure the mermaid couldn't understand her language, she tried by signs and actions to indicate their present intentions. Soon Donald was picking up the mermaid and carrying her in his arms. Kiera watched with just a hint of jealousy as her new man crossed the house with a bare chested woman.

  It was a good job she stank of fish.

  Kiera switched off the lights in the house and opened the door gently. At this hour of the night, the landscape was totally dark, the street lights having been switched off around midnight. Walking ahead, Kiera gently trod over the uneven ground checking for large rocks that often were half-submerged into the underlying peat. Taking a direct line to the sea, the trio walked through the middle of some disinterested sheep left at peace in their croft.

  This particular night was cool but calm with half the sky covered with an indistinct layer of cumulus cloud. The air upwind of the mermaid was fresh, and soon the sea breeze was pushing Kiera's hair back from her face, allowing her skin to embrace this refreshing wind.

  After a while, she heard a forced whisper behind her.

  "Kiera. Kiera, wait."

  She turned and saw Donald a good hundred meters behind, face dripping with sweat. She had become lost in the place and had forgotten to keep the pace reasonable.

  "Keep going, Donald," she encouraged. "There's not much left to go now. I can see the jetty."

  "No, don't. Keep to the left. Can you see the jutting rock over on the left? Keep left of that. It's an easy path down to the shore, albeit rocky, and we shouldn't run into any night fishermen."

  Kiera nodded, and a little shiver ran down her back. Up until now, she hadn't even entertained the idea that someone might catch them. It was two in the morning. Who in their right mind would be prancing about except mermaid protecting lunatics? The danger of the situation became very clear to her. The threat in that minister's voice on the radio made her start to shake just a little.

  It took another ten minutes before they reached the rocky shoreline. Donald, mermaid in arms, clambered down to the edge of the water. He stepped out up to his knees in the sea, before setting the mermaid into the water. She dropped under the surface, and Donald made his way back to stand beside Kiera on the shore.

  He felt cold, and he dripped from his knees down. Kiera grabbed hold of him and hugged him tight.

  "She's free, Donald. You saved her. She's clear to go back to wherever. Away from any trouble. Well done you." Kiera turned Donald's head and reached up to kiss him. For a few moments, they enjoyed one another before curiosity drove them to stare out to sea, hoping to grab a last view of their visitor. There was nothing to see. Just a gently rippling tide.

  Kiera took Donald's hand, and they turned away from the shore to start their climb back up the crofts. With the mermaid gone, her mood lost its nervous edge, and she looked forward to some quiet hours, cuddled in the arms of her Donald. He too was breathing easier after his exertions and his step seemed to be lighter. Kiera was going to enjoy these hours before sunrise. Now was a time to chat and tease and kiss.

  They heard a splash. Then something breaking out of the water. Then that seal-like call. Donald turned first, running back to the sea. The mermaid was in the same spot they had left her with a sorrowful look in her eyes. He splashed his way up to her and then just stopped dead. How do you ask what's wrong, he thought? He turned and saw Kiera at the rock edge.

  "Kiera, I don't know what's wrong. She's just sitting upright. There's no movement."

  "Try to show her, Donald. Ask if she can swish her tail?"

  "I don't speak mermaid."

  "No, you don't need to. Just use your hands, your body, whatever."

  He's trying, thought Kiera, but God bless him, he's making an arse of it.

  Kiera stepped down into the water beside Donald and started making hand signals at the mermaid. After a while of making figures in the air and receiving them back, Kiera felt she knew what was wrong.

  "Donald, there's something wrong with her tail. It seems like she can't move it very far. Poor thing can't swim."

  "What are we going to do? She was meant to swim off. Should I take her further out, do you think that will help?"

  "No, Donald. She can't swim. We need to get her looked at. We'll have to take her back." Donald swore. "Sorry, but we can't leave her here. If they find her, she'll be all over the news and that. She'll be a freak for them. Sorry, Donald, but you'll need to carry her back to mine."

  Kiera tried to sign their intent and believed the mermaid had understood. Only then did she let Donald approach the creature and once again pick her up to carry. He looks so tired thought Kiera, poor guy's shattered.

  It was a long, slow trudge back up the crofts to the house. As it was still dark, Kiera once again led the way pointing out jutting rocks and this time taking care to stay within reasonable distance. Occasionally they stopped as Kiera thought she saw movement but then realizing it was just a trick of the night, she encouraged them on.

  On entering the house, Donald placed the mermaid back in the bath and turned on the cold tap. Returning to the lounge, he found Kiera had changed back into her pyjamas. In one hand she had a steaming cup of tea which he took gratefully.

  "You need to get out of those wet things, Donald, or you'll catch your death of cold."

  "Have you got something for me to change into?"

  "No worries Donald, I'll get the duvet for you, you can wrap yourself in that. Get stripped and I'll put your clothes through the wash."

  As Kiera left the room, Donald self-consciously removed his clothes and stood naked in the middle of the room. A single hand covered his modesty when she returned and she teased him by giving him a good up-and-down stare before handing him the duvet. His embarrassment was obvious.

  "Sorry, that was cruel. But I liked what I saw."

  Donald hugged the duvet tight as he sat in the chair. He watched Kiera enter the bathroom, heard the tap being switched off and then she emerged and stood before him. Donald froze in his seat, and Kiera let out a brief tut of annoyance before sweeping back the duvet and sitting on Donald's lap. The duvet was then quickly pulled back over them again.

  "Donald, relax. You've made it, just enjoy these feelings. I know I am." Donald was exhausted, and his previous experience with women was not extensive. He found Kiera putting him on a wondrous edge, and her forwardness was a shock after longing for her with no real belief that he would ever have a chance. He slipped his arms around her and buried his face into her hair. He breathed deeply trying to take in her essence. "Kiera."

  "Yes, Donald."

  "Don't take this the wrong way but…..you smell of fish."

  Kiera laughed. "I think we both do. But if you are edging for a tandem bath, I'm afraid the tub's already taken. We'll get a wash in the morning. You can scrub me down." She giggled at the shock crossing his face.

  8

  Down the Town

  Laura McKinney struggled to park the car due to the large amounts of traffic in town that Saturday. Since the discovery of the mermaids almost a week ago, there had been an influx of the nation's media, all seeking to be the first to capture these exciting creatures on camera. Inclement weather had prevented the ferry from sailing from Monday to Thursday and had meant that the anticipated explosion of interest in the mermaids had been a relative damp squib. Nothing had been seen, and most of the equipment and broadcasting vans had been stuck on the mainland. Local news had only been able to report on bleak weather and the power cuts suffered had dominated headlines.

  Saturday was a fine weather day and with most of the media having arrived on the Friday sailings, the media circus was beginning to take hold. Many experts had taken centre stage, detailing how these creatures could be living out at sea, away from the sig
ht of man. Speculation raged about how many existed if they were real, and if there was a male of the species. Various mermaid appreciation groups and "believers" also arrived to join in the fun.

  Having eventually found a car park space a little way from the town centre, Laura defied her years by marching smartly into the hubbub. She was looking for a new duvet, as the old one had started spitting feathers, and with the only local outlet being located in town, she had little option on this busy day other than to risk all the noise and excitement. She could have ordered online, of course, but she was a true believer in the “shop local” philosophy, and despite the lack of customer service, she endured and continued to spend Murdo's money in his home town.

  There was something of a carnival atmosphere as off-island opportunists had arrived brandishing mermaid balloons and trinkets, hiking up and down the sea front, calling out their wares. A reporter from a television channel tried to accost Laura for an interview, but she politely declined and continued amid the dizzying array of people. She nodded to various local people she knew and watched them gawking.

  Then she drew upon a curious sight. One mainland paper had arrived with its topless models, famous for showing significant frontage. They were sitting on the sea wall with fake fish tails on their legs and bikini tops. The five girls, side by side, were being shouted at by various ministers with several members of their congregations. A photographer was imploring the church folk to move as they were blocking the light for his shoot. The girls were being labelled as anything from harlots to the spawn of the devil for their actions. Trying to pose but obviously affected by these calls, the girls would retort, occasionally using the odd obscenity.

  Laura tried to ignore the whole thing and pass by. Being a minister's wife, there was no easy way out of any argument that she engaged in. As nonchalant as she was, skirting around the incident, Laura was clocked by Mrs. McAllan, wife of the Reverend McAllan, always staunch whatever the issue.