Lucky Man

I pulled my motorcycle up alongside the shores of the sea and clicked the kickstand down. I got off of the bike, dusted off the seat absently, and stood under the solstice twilight to wait.

I wasn't the type of man to wait out mermaids every day. I was 5'10, built, bearded, and in my mid thirties in a leather jacket, scuffed jeans, and aboard a motorcycle. I was also a man who had lost his job, had his fiancee move out on me, and was watching my mother slowly slip away from cancer. I was a man up against a wall with no lucky rabbit's feet or horseshoes left. Maybe I had a prayer or two left in me but they hadn't done much for me lately.

There came a splash and a spray of water. Then, with an enchanting Siren's Song to announce herself, a blonde seagodess emerged from the depths of the sea as if she found it only natural for her to do so.

"Hello." she said innocently.

The last time I had met a blonde goddess, she had been my now ex-fiancee. In her case, I had marched right into a single's bar, pointed her out, and lured her out with the studliness of rare, raw machismo. However, Sheila had also not emerged dripping wet from the sea as though it were only natural for her to do so. In the case of the mermaid, I, Bryan Shawn, macho motorcyclist, was actually tongue-tied.

"...Yeah; hi." I blurted; then, clearing my throat to recover my actual voice and buy myself some time to restore the coolness of the situation. "You're...Ariel, wasn't it?"

Miss Mermaid put her hands on her well-toned hips in exasperation. However, she also afforded me a giggle rather than a death cry.

"Ariana." she corrected the record, perching her slender arms on the sand by my feet. "You're Brian, aren't you?"

"Yeah; Bryan." I confirmed.

I instinctively reached into my jacket pocket for a packet of cigarettes, then gave pause. Yeah; I doubted that the sea goddess would be nearly as impressed with secondhand smoke as Sheila used to be. I dropped my arm limply back to my side. However, the motion that I'd already made gave away the fact that I was wearing the leather jacket and Ariana perked right up, rising up on her palms.

"That is a swell jacket!" she observed as her sea-green eyes danced over me.

I couldn't help blushing at her platitudes as I sat down in the sand to close the distance between us.

"Thanks!" I answered her, daring to chuck my little mermaid under her chin. "So how does this exchange work exactly?"

Ariana glanced me over one more time and cocked an eyebrow.

"You seem a bit well-to-do for this meeting to be necessary." she observed, warily.

"Well, lady, you're looking at all that I have left!" I blurted out. "I'm outta work as of last week, my fiancee ran out on me a month ago, and I've been watching ma slowly slip away from cancer and dementia since March!"

Ariana widened her eyes in surprise and placed a comforting hand on my knee.

"So you came to me on the evening of the Solstice?" she asked.

"Well, I've hounded my mother's god for long enough." I answered, sharply. "Check my wallet; I've got sixty bucks left to my name on top of everything else."

"Wallet?" Ariana repeated in confusion.

"Forget it." I answered. "Honey, I'm desperate here. I was promised that on the Solstice, you could grant three wishes; or were you just about to lose the tail, gain some legs to fit your fabulous frame, and ride away with me for a night?"

"Check your folklore; the latter might cost me my voice." Ariana retorted. "And, yes; we grant three wishes to worthy askers every Summer Solstice. You require Wealth for starters, then? Love? Eternal happiness?"

"Health for my family, the restoration of my job; and okay, I'll give you the part about the love of my life coming back." I spat; then, in case it could help, "Please."

Ariana appeared impressed by my wish list and even nodded.

"The health of another, a chance to earn your wealth back, and the opportunity to regain the fire of a former relationship." she murmured. "I believe that it can be done; for a fee, of course."

"Fee?" I repeated, checking my wallet one more time. "I...think...I..."

"...Your jacket." Ariana, the Little Wish-Fulfilling-Sea-Minx, amended.

A mermaid in a leather motorcycle jacket. Of course; because a mermaid flying off the back of a motorcycle would look ridiculous.

"Deal." I answered, removing the box of cigarettes from the hidden pocket before handing the jacket over. I even helped her into the jacket. Then, I caught sight of the new image before me.

"You look nice!" I blurted.

"Thank...YOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Ariana answered the Solstice moon's glow intensified and wrapped her in its glow.

I scrambled back to my feet and backed back up to my motorcycle. Meanwhile, I watched my precious jacket incinerate in flame as the mermaid sea goddess transitioned into a magnificent flaming phoenix. And to think that I had scoffed at prayer!

"Your wishes will be granted in time, Bryan Shaw." Ariana-Phoenix's amplified voice declared. "Wait by your phone for your previous employer's call. Your mother will soon receive excellent news. The doors are open for your Sheila's return; and you will have the guidance to be the better fiance this time."

For the first time, I reflected back on my relationship with Sheila from before and decided that I had deserved that part.

"Thank you, Mermaid Princess...I mean Phoenix Princess...I..." I answered.

"Queen Arianna will do for your sincere platitudes." Ariana reassured me.

"My queen." I amended as I knelt prostrate beneath the moon, got up, mounted my motorcycle, and rode away in renewed confidence...