The Lonely Mermaid

I Disdain All Glittering Gold

Connor's POV

     I couldn't believe that my beautiful Rain came from such vile, horrid people. They were awful. As soon as they walked across the threshold of her house, they were examining it like one might dissect a frog in science class.

     Her mother didn't even speak. And her father... well let's just say that I wish he couldn't speak. He wouldn't shut up about how disappointed he was in her and how he wished that he hadn't had her as a daughter.

     At that point, I couldn't let this go on any longer. That was my mate they were attacking. Parents or not, nobody messes with my mate.

     But Rain beat me to it.

     "Enough!" The force of her voice was so strong that even I couldn't have resisted it. But it wasn't aimed at me. It was aimed at her parents.

     "Sit down and shut up!" She ordered them.

     They complied.

     "Now. You are going to listen to me and you will not interrupt. Nod if you understand," Rain still had the power in her voice. 

     They nodded.

     "I am not going to swim in the Olympics. I will never swim competitively again. Not by my choice, but by necessity," Rain paused before divulging her secret. "I'm a mermaid. If I am in the water for too long, I will grow my tail whether I want to or not. That's why I can't swim anymore. And no matter how hard you push me, threaten me, or beg me, nothing will change."

     Rain looked hopeful. She wanted her parents to accept her for who and what she was. Not just a swimming machine that would let them reach their goals through her. But their daughter that they loved unconditionally.

     "Rain, I'm so sorry. We had no idea..." her mother trailed off.

     "That you were so troubled. You need help, then you can swim again," her father said looking determined.

     "You don't believe me. You think I'm crazy," Rain laughed sounding wild. "I'll show you."

     She took her father's hand and her mother followed them to the beach. Our beach. Rain sighed looking at the water like it was as precious as the air to her. And it was. I made the mistake of keeping her from the water once before, and I never intended on making that mistake again.

     "If I show you, then you'll believe me. Right?" She asked, not really looking for an answer.

     She let go of his hand at the water line and stepped into the water. She waited. Nothing happened for a minute.

     "See Rain. You're not a mermaid. You need... help," her father's eyes bugged out as her watched his daughter fall to the ground. Her tail could not keep her up right.

     "I told you, daddy. Do you think I'm crazy now?" Rain said pulling her self out of the water and using her powers to dry herself off.

     I had brought some clothes for her since her tail shredded her other ones. She put those on and observed her parent's reactions.

     Her father was still speechless. His mouth kept moving up and down, but no words would come out. Her mother was in no better condition.

     "If you want to get everything out into the open now, I'm a werewolf. I'm also Rain's mate," I said, holding her hand and bringing her closer. 

     Her parents were closer to passing out. Her father was on his knees now. His legs no longer able to support him in this state. Rain's mother took small hesitant steps forward until she stood before her daughter. Slowly raising her hands up, she took Rain's face in her palms and gazed into her eyes. 

     With no more secrets between them, maybe they could finally move forward as a family again. Rain would never swim in the Olympics, but she could swim with her family now.

Rain's POV

     I couldn't believe it. 

     They had found me.

     They knew what I was now.

     They didn't hate me anymore.

     Looking into my mother's eyes, I could see that she knew that I hadn't changed on the inside. She could see the struggles that I went through. Quitting swimming. Keeping this a secret. Dealing with their constant anger and scrutiny.

     I could see that she understood. I could see that she was sorry. And most of all, I could see the love that I had been missing in her eyes.

     Without warning, I pulled her in for a hug.

     "I missed you mama," I whispered in her ear.

     She gripped me tighter and whispered back, "I missed you too baby girl."

     My world was right in that moment. The only thing missing was . . . 

     "Daddy?" I called to him. He didn't react. Trying to snap him out of it, I formed a water ball and turned it into snow. I made it circle him and then hit him on the back of the head, just like how we used to have snowball fights when we went on Christmas vacation as a family.

     His eyes jumped up and met mine. A sad smile crossed his face and I knew that we wouldn't be coming out of this without crying.

     I could practically read his mind. We had always had a special connection before they didn't trust me anymore. What can I say? I was a daddy's girl.

     We all went back to my house, because the pack house was to public of a place for this talk. We needed the privacy for when the water works started.

     I never imagined that when I was telling Connor everything yesterday, that they would show up out of the blue. This was like something out of a dream. or a nightmare. I couldn't really tell at this point. It could go either way.

     "So, now that you believe me, how is this going to work? Do you have any questions?" I asked, wanting to clear the air of everything that we possibly could. I didn't want anything to get in the way of my parents accepting who I was and what my new family was as well.

     "We obviously can't argue with our own eyes as far as the mermaid thing goes, but... are you really a wolf, Connor?"My dad asked. He was still skeptical and apprehensive about the entire situation. That much I could tell. 

     "Yes, sir, I am indeed," Connor said proudly with a cheesy grin. "Would you like me to show you as well?"

     "I suppose that would make it easier to believe," My mom said gently with a small smile. At least she was making an effort here.

     "Okay, well, here goes nothing," Connor began to take his clothes off and I stood in front of him as a shield for his nudity. This was nothing for me, but my parents weren't used to it. My dad was covering my mom's eyes until I moved in front of Connor, but after I did he looked like he wanted to puke. I can imagine it's hard for a father to think that his little girl was so used to the nudity of a man. Let alone the nudity of a supposed wolf man.

     Connor's limbs began to shake and crack. Hair sprouted from his pores as his face elongated. Soon enough it was over and there was a silver wolf in front of us with a white chest and ears. 

     Even though to me, the wolf looked amazing and majestic, my parents had a different opinion. I suppose they wanted to believe that the craziness stopped at me being a mermaid. 

     But this was reality and life was never that easy.