Surface Tensions

by Jordan, G R

  "Anyway," said Kiera, "I think we have a bit more to us than some advanced fish from the deep."

  "But what about getting paid for it? My family, well my extended family, see my parents aren't around anymore, think I am selling myself, Laura. My aunt called me a prostitute," said Alyssa.

  James started shuffling uncomfortably. The word wasn't one he liked being associated with Alyssa who he had held in goddess form on the pages of the paper.

  "Honestly dear, it wouldn't be for me. But it is up to you. I just think there's more to you all than a pair of boobs. What do you think Murdo?"

  Murdo had been hoping to remain outside the conversation, and like the rest of the men in the room, was feeling distinctly uncomfortable with the direction it was heading. Oh well, he thought, you pitched me in, Laura, so I hope you are okay with this.

  "Well, my Laura is beautiful. When we were younger, she was a little stunner. But as she has aged, and she has aged better than me, her physical beauty isn't what it was. And I remember her beauty but it's not what Laura is or was, only a part. I got to know everything else about her, and I still see her beauty as a person, as a lover still, and as a friend. For as a good of a body as she had, I would hate for her to be remembered at her funeral simply for having a nice pair of boobs. And she won't be. Whatever we put forward the world will engage with, some will use, some will bless and some will abuse. So in a roundabout way to an answer: As much as I and all us other guys love to look, the more you emphasize them, the more we just think you are them. Careful what you do."

  James sat feeling a little embarrassed. His dream girl seemed to be in a modelling crisis and was working out if she was a prostitute. It was all going so well when fishing was on the agenda.

  "Well, my boobs have got me to where I am today," said Tanya, "and I'm happy to show off what God gave me. Only natural, after all."

  Thank you, Lord, thought Murdo, that this moment was not one upon which you felt the need to have the Kirk session intrude upon. He felt Laura squeeze his hand. This was not going to be the last debate on the outrageous mermaids.

  11

  Mermaid Hunting

  Leaving the bar door swinging behind him, Donald scanned for Kiera. She was sitting with Hayley, the veterinary student, in one of the darker corners of the bar. The bar was rather shabby with the occasional piece of flaked paint and ripped coverings on the stools. Often quiet during the week, it could get lively on a weekend and was considered one of the social venues to be in. Donald wasn't a keen visitor of pubs, and he had been babysitting the mermaid while Kiera sought out help for their house guest. It was time to swap roles.

  The young couple had decided that before trying to reacquaint the mermaid with the sea again, they should let her get used to swimming in a more protected environment. Donald had come up with the idea of using the local swimming pool, but Kiera had seen how to do it. Her friend, Hayley, had started going out with the assistant manager of the facilities, and his boss was away for the next two weeks. As the pool was closed on Sundays, Kiera needed to convince Hayley that she should try for a late Saturday night rendezvous with her man at the pool. An after-hours special to which Donald and herself would double-date. Once in, they would produce the extra guest.

  Kiera had spent an evening working on Hayley and the idea seemed to be a runner. Hayley had phoned Tommy, her boyfriend, and after initial protestations, he took the bait when Hayley mentioned some night swimming, possibly al fresco. As Donald approached, the two girls were giggling.

  "Hello, my lover," greeted Kiera. Donald saw the two empty bottles of wine on the table. Oh heck.

  "Hi. Are you ready or do you want longer?"

  "Donald, my Donald. Just telling my mate Hayley here, he's super, Hayley, that you need a pair of speedos. One of those skimpy pairs for our little get together."

  "Oh, Kiera, you ever seen him in speedos?" laughed Hayley.

  "Seen his legs. Yes, I have seen his legs and those thighs. Yummy, Hayley, they are yummy. He's just gorgeous, my gorgeous babe. That right Donald."

  Oh boy, thought Donald, this could be a taxi job.

  "Anything for you, Kiera. Are we all systems go for tomorrow?" Donald's patience was wearing thin already.

  "Donald, I shall be delighted to join you and your speedos tomorrow night for a little night swimming. I think Kiera may just have the hots for you." Hayley raised her glass with aplomb and let her blonde hair swing ‘round her shoulders. Although she was a larger girl than Kiera, Hayley had the curves that carried her figure, looking buxom rather than overweight.

  "Are you ready for the bikini sisters, Donald?" asked Kiera.

  Flippin' heck, thought Donald, here we go. Trying to get the mermaid some sensible recuperation in the pool and Kiera's got Hayley thinking it's a snog-in. Hope she reacts positively when we turn up with our guest.

  "Think the ladies need to go home and get some sleep. After all, a big night ahead tomorrow, you don't want to be meeting these wonderful men with baggy eyes and sore heads."

  The girls jeered briefly but accepted their coats from Donald as he ushered them outside towards the taxi ranks. Hayley stopped him at one point and grabbed his cheeks with her hands placing her face right in front of Donald's.

  "Donald, you have lips of fire. Kiera says they are so hot. Oh, Donald, you take care of my girl, you hear me? Or I'll sort you out. I'll do you. I'll….." Hayley began to fall but Donald grabbed her.

  "Donald, hands off, you have Kiera. I may look like a siren, but I'm meant for another. I'm…." Hayley half-fell, half-ran behind a nearby wall before emptying most of her dinner from that evening.

  This mermaid better be thankful, thought Donald. Heck, it's right down her front.

  Twenty minutes later, Donald had cleaned up Hayley, dodged her accusations of his cleaning activities as a front to get his hands on her cleavage and had then sent her home in a taxi. Kiera was sitting on a wall, watching him wave goodbye to Hayley.

  "Donald, I'm drunk."

  "Yes, you are." Donald smiled.

  Despite her current inebriation, Kiera still looked stunning. He knew he was smitten. She sat with her head slightly down and her dark hair slightly obscuring her face.

  "Are you fit to look after her?" asked Donald.

  "Donald…..she's in a bath and has no legs, where's she gonna go?"

  "I'll get you a taxi." He waved his hand at the nearby rank and turned to Kiera. She intercepted him with a deep kiss.

  "Argggh, Kiera. Peach snaps too, you were on peach snaps! Flippin' disgusting." Kiera licked her lips.

  "Well, you tasted okay." With a peck on his cheek, she clambered into a taxi and watched him out of the rear view window as it disappeared. How long would this feeling last, she wondered? At least until tomorrow, she told herself.

  Donald, returning to the bar, was intercepted by Tommy, Hayley's new boyfriend. Recognising him from the leisure centre, Tommy looked just as smart in his jeans and striped shirt. Donald didn't know him that well, but like everyone from the island, they had been in secondary school around the same time.

  "Donald, you wee dancer. How did you get Kiera onto that idea? Private swimming…Hayley's gonna wear her bikini. She was even talking about the sauna or steam room." Donald did wonder if he displayed anything like the excitement a man should when faced with a night with his beloved, near enough alone and in amorous circumstances. But all he could think was, there will be an incredible smell of fish, how are we going to get rid of that?

  "Well, she's not behind the door."

  "And nabbing her in the first place, you dark horse, sir. Well done, mate, bloody well done. Once we get shut up tomorrow, just come down. I'll buy some wine and that. Hell, Donald, my loins are on fire!"

  Donald smiled at his forwardness but didn't want to get drawn any further on the subject. So he bought Tommy a pint but made his excuses to leave. Part of him saw only disaster for the venture, but Kiera had been so positive once they discussed the initial idea. Kier
a had teased him about what she should wear, whether her swimsuit or her thong. Except for her showing him, Donald would have doubted she had a thong. Whilst the idea was an enjoyable one, he had reservations about other people being present. Needs must though.

  The night was calm, and there was a slight cooling breeze off the sea. This inspired Donald into taking a walk home despite the considerable distance involved. So often he was stuck on the ferry on such nights and unable to fully enjoy the sea air by exercising his lungs with a brisk walk. On this particular two weeks of time off, he had not been getting out at all, what with the mermaid and being with Kiera. Despite being thankful for her intervention, he wished the mermaid was gone and his relationship with Kiera could have some normality about it, maybe even some late night walks.

  The moon was bright and almost full which caused a silvery reflection on the sea, highlighting the minor ripples it now displayed. There were things about this island he would change, things he could almost curse, but nights like these were the treasure of this place. Part of him mourned not having his rod and line with him for a quiet night's fishing. Once his pinnacle, it now ran a close second to a quiet night with Kiera.

  The peace and the calm allowed Donald a place to think and reflect on this mad week gone by. Tomorrow night could be a disaster but would definitely be a watershed. At last others would know, and the secret they had carried together would be exposed. Donald wondered if once the mermaid was gone and the excitement of this adventure had dissipated, would Kiera still be so keen on him? Was this a fling of excitement, or the start of a life's journey? Either way, there was no backing out, for Kiera was worth a risk.

  After an hour's walk and contemplation, Donald was heading towards the jetty where he had first found his stricken mermaid. Instinctively, he meandered towards the spot he had first seen her but froze suddenly on hearing some encouraging but directive words.

  "And turn up. Lift that head. Beautiful. Just stunning girl. Now pout. Lovely. And smile. Cracker-jack, girl. Bingo!"

  He tried to be casual but, in reality, he woodenly walked over to the wall at the harbour, seeking refuge while he ascertained who was ahead. He had an idea and was already feeling awkward. Donald juked quickly over the wall and had his suspicions confirmed. Two men were standing on the shore, one with a camera and one holding what looked like a large reflective shade. The man with the camera was unknown to Donald, but the other man was his work colleague, James. In front of them, knee deep in the sea was Alyssa, the model he had met at the McKinneys’.

  James was wearing a broad smile on his face but otherwise was standing, looking positively dumb-struck. Repeated flashes of light lit up the brunette girl whose hair was now more curled than that afternoon. She had a green strapped bikini top of two sea-shells and wore a fish tail from the waist down. Her body had been greased up, possibly with goose fat which gave her the same translucent skin as Kiera's house guest. Donald ducked back down and considered his options.

  He could just hide until they were done. If he was discovered, he would look like some sort of pervert who had been spying on Alyssa from behind the wall. Alternatively, he could leap out from behind the wall and say hello. This idea was better except Donald wasn't too sure what he would say. “Lovely evening for it” didn't seem all that appropriate. Would he ask James what he was doing here? If asked back, what would he say? Having a sea inspired refreshing walk at one in the morning didn't seem all that believable, even if it was the truth.

  "Okay, Alyssa, uncover. Lovely girl, just lovely. And lean forward."

  Oh, bugger, thought Donald sitting tight against the wall. If I pop out now, it's just going to be downright embarrassing. It's not like I'll be able to just look her in the face. I'd try, but wouldn’t happen. He recalled seeing Kiera "al fresco" as he preferred to call it and the embarrassment and the pleasure. No. One woman was enough. Well, there was the mermaid too. Not that she was an item, but there was those as well. Dammit, life was simpler just going back and forth on the ferry without this female beauty assault to endure.

  There was a reflection in the water at the end of the harbour wall. As his eyes adjusted, Donald could make out a small boat silently skirting the end of the pier with a figure standing upright. In its arms was a metallic object the top of which was glinting in the moonlight. Carefully, the figure was raising this metallic object and Donald suddenly saw an arrowhead at the front of the device. His brain screamed the word weapon at him just as he heard a pressure release and saw the arrowhead disappear.

  Alyssa screamed. In agony. Uncontrolled, pain induced yelling that ripped through the air. There was the sound of a man leaping out of his boat and stomping through the water, calling aloud for vengeance on these "damned bitches of the sea." James could be heard shouting at this intruder and racing into the fray. Donald raced around from the wall to see this woman of beauty lying face down in the sea with a harpoon speared through her right shoulder.

  The assailant was wielding a knife and kept pulling on the harpoon line with his other hand causing the stricken girl to twist in the sea. Donald headed to cut off the madman but James was beating him to it. Without halting, James launched himself square into the boatman and met his forehead with the man's nose. His body carried through emptying the man off his feet and sending both crashing into the water. As Donald reached them, James had the man by the scruff of the neck and was pummelling him with punches to the face.

  "Bastard, I'll kill you." Donald saw the boatman was stone cold from the beating and urged James to calm down. James rounded off another frenzy of punches before he would stop and Donald caught the boatman's head as James let him drop to the sea. Running back to Alyssa, James took her from the photographer's arms, holding her awkwardly as the harpoon would allow. Donald dragged the boatman with his bloodied face back to shore, recognising him now as Iain McClaren, the boy who lost his father to mermaids.

  Oh hell, thought Donald.

  The photographer was busy tapping in 999 to his phone and then repeating it. He looked at Donald asking where the signal was and Donald realised they were in trouble. He looked desperately for something to cut the harpoon line and had to search back in the water for the assailant's knife. James yelled at him to hurry while the photographer started to cry and become incoherent. Spying the knife in the water, Donald cut the line and told James to pick Alyssa up.

  "Where do we go? Where, Donald, bloody where? She's dying, there's pissing blood everywhere."

  "Up the hill to Kiera's. She's done first aid. She's got a phone. Bring Alyssa. I'll go on ahead. Camera guy, watch that guy, tie his hands, keep him quiet"

  "Just kill the bastard," yelled James.

  "That's not helping Alyssa, James. Hurry. Just hurry. Follow me. Come on."

  12

  Aftermath

  It had been one hell of a night, and as he watched the sun rise from his vantage point at the rear of Kiera's cottage, Donald began to wonder what drove people to such violence. Iain's story was well known and had been widely dismissed up until now. Even with the sighting of the mermaids off the ferry, his tale was still disbelieved. Iain clearly believed it, though.

  An arm hugged him around the waist, and he felt a gentle kiss on the neck and a tight embrace. Kiera had been so calm when it had happened. James had carried Alyssa in her half-naked state and placed her on the couch screaming at Kiera to help. And she had. Stemming the flow of blood, she put her training as a nurse to good use. Despite only having a few hours of sleep from Donald leaving her, the situation soon forced a sober head. When the ambulance arrived she was cool, informing the paramedics of Alyssa's condition and responses. Donald had been impressed as she ordered him about for all the necessary things to attend to the young woman's wound.

  The mermaid had slept through it all and only Donald had entered the bathroom for water and towels. This hadn't been deliberate, as Alyssa's wounds had taken priority, but Donald pondered how fortunate they had been. The police on arrival had taken brief
statements at the door and then made for the hospital to interview James, who had accompanied Alyssa in the ambulance. The secret was intact, but Donald was convinced their guest needed to be moved out as soon as possible.

  Kiera was shaking as she held him. He turned and held her face with his hands, looking into frightened eyes. There was a slight welling of tears, and she buried her face into his neck.

  "You were amazing, Kiera. You probably saved her life."

  "It was just the training. God, Donald, how do you do that to someone? To anything?"

  "I know. Just don't Kiera. You won't understand. He's got issues. He's just not right."

  "She'll not model again. Daft like, thinking about that when she could have been dead. But it's true, she won't."

  "James would have killed him, Kiera. He smashed his face to pieces before I could stop him. Camera guy just fell apart. What a bloody mess."

  "Get me a cuppa, would you? And the duvet from my room. I want to just sit on my bench and watch the sunrise. I need to see something good."

  Donald nodded and went to the kitchen. He ground the beans and then allowed the filter to work before taking two steaming mugs back out to the bench. Kiera had stretched out on the bench, but her eyes were red from crying. She reached out for the mugs and thanked Donald before reminding him of the duvet. It took a moment for him to register as he was taken aback by how much Kiera was reeling from the events. During the chaos she had seemed so strong, and now she was just a wreck. And he loved her for her brokenness for others.

  They had spent two quiet hours under the duvet occasionally kissing, more for reassurance than from passion. Right there, Donald decided to tell his mother of his desire for Kiera. He knew she wouldn't approve, worried that Kiera would eventually take him away from the island and would complain that she was Catholic, not fully saved or whatever. And how that would affect the kids? What kids, he wasn't even married yet? All he knew was he was hook, line and sinker into Kiera, and he no longer cared what anyone else thought about it.