My Little Mermaid

Standing in the semi darkness, watching the different multicolored fish swim by, my eyes couldn’t help but keep drifting back to her. The wonder in her eyes, the faint smile playing along her lips… It was mesmerizing and I was completely captivated by her. Truthfully I had no attention left to spare for the aquatic life at all. The strange blue light from the aquarium tank was lighting up her face in a way I wanted to remember forever. It tinted her normally hazel green eyes giving them a soft blueish color and made her skin eerily pale. Yet somehow the strange lighting suited her and made it seem like she belong there that much more.

She reached forward, pressing her hand against the glass and smiled as the fish started to cluster curiously around it; trying to kiss her slender fingers through the glass as they did so. There was a little sadness behind her smile though. As if she longed to be in that tank with them, swimming around with their carefree, simple lives. Enjoying nothing but the moment and occasionally the visitors who came to see them. I loved bringing her here to this place that seemed to unlock something more in her, something otherworldly. I loved seeing how absolutely entranced she was with the creatures of the deep. We had come here countless times together, but every time we came back it was like the first time all over again. It was quiet and peaceful as we stood there under the vast tank together. We watched as the jungle of seaweed stretched high up to the top of the tank swaying smoothly and rhythmically, almost as is it were dancing for all those around it to see. Shadows and light making intricate patterns on the rocks below. The fish swam expertly through the jungle, weaving through the tendrils of weeds. Glimpses of pinks, blues and greens flashed past the glass as they sped off through the water.

I watched wistfully as she drifted dreamily from tank to tank, visiting each of their inhabitants as if visiting old friends. Her beautiful wavy hair swaying behind her as she went. I trailed after her, content to be in the smoke stream of her bliss rather than look at the creatures myself. As we came up to the underground dolphin tank, I hung back to watch her dark silhouette against the bright blue tank. Similar to the previous tanks, the creatures who lived in them came up to the glass where she stood as if to welcome her back. She danced, twirling along the perimeter of the tank with the dolphins spiraling along side her behind the glass. Like old friends indeed. When she finally made her way back to where I stood she pressed her hands to glass again. By then her dolphin friends had gotten bored of her dancing and had swam off to play their own games. I came closer to her so I could see her face again. She was watching them play and swim circles above us, but that glimmer of sadness was behind her eyes again. That glimmer was almost akin to homesickness.

I tucked a strand of her long auburn hair behind her ear.

She looked up at me, “What’s up, babe?”

I smiled at her, running my fingers through her hair and down to the small of her back. “You’re just so beautiful. My little mermaid.”

Her lips split into a knowing smile, “It took you this long to figured that out?” She asked giving me a wink and a kiss before she swept me off to the next tank.