Two years had passed since her rescue and today was Cassie's eighteenth birthday. Rafe had remained patient and protective and loyal. They had fallen deeply in love. It was time.

She undid her braids before stepping into the shower. When she emerged, Rafe sat on the bedroom chair eyeing her like a hungry wolf while she stood beside her bed, non-verbally communicating an invitation.

She wore a sheer nightgown for the occasion.

She contemplated the old legends and how her kind supposedly seduced seafaring men by sitting on rocks, brushing their long hair, and singing their hypnotic songs.

Rafe didn't need enticement. He was already breathing heavy. "Would you like me to braid your hair?"

"Sure, if it pleases you."

He sat her down on the bed and took a seat beside her. He began forming the braids but soon lost interest and started kissing her neck and running his hands over her body.

Cassie let him take the lead. He slipped off her nightgown and eased her onto her back. After undoing his trousers, he fumbled for the condom in his pocket.

She stayed his hand.

He stopped and met her gaze.

"You won't need that." She studied him carefully, watching the confusion on his face.

"But you explained to me what would happen—"

"—I know," she interrupted.

After a long pause, Cassie figured she had scared him and now regretted it. Rafe rolled onto his side facing her and began stroking the side of her face with the back of his hand. "Cassandra, are you sure about this?"

"I'm an endangered species. I don't have the luxury of waiting any longer. Something could happen to me and..." It had been the wrong thing to say, because Rafe had been overly sensitive about her safety. She held her breath waiting for his reaction.

He continued stroking her hair. He remained silent, but she could see the concern in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Rafe. I shouldn't be pressuring you."

"Are you kidding me!" He kissed her forehead. "You don't need to be sorry. There are a lot of women serving in the armed forces in combat situations. Their boyfriends and husbands accept what those women do. I'm sure they hate it, but they understand."

Rafe took a breath before continuing. "I'm going to hate it when you leave for the sea, but I'll understand. I'll worry like crazy, but I'll understand."

Neither of them spoke for a while. Cassie figured his silence meant he wasn't open to what she wanted.

Rafe took her hand. "Cassie, I'm a sponge diver and a fisherman. I'm not going to college, and I'll probably never make tons of money. Sometimes I run simple errands for my stepfather, but if I wanted to make a lot more money I'd have to get involved in the shadier aspects of his businesses. I don't want to become a gangster. I'd be no good to you if I ended up behind bars."

Confused, Cassie wondered what he was babbling on about.

"How can I afford to buy nice things for you and our daughters?"

Now she understood. "Rafe, stop talking and listen to me. Nice things would be, well, nice, but it's you who makes me happy. We're getting by just fine right now, aren't we? At the risk of getting ahead of myself, let me just say if you ask me to, I'll give up my apartment and move in with you. That would give us extra cash. When we get older, I'm sure other career opportunities will open for you."

He laughed. "I love your optimism and confidence."

She laid her head on his chest and listened to his strong heartbeat.

Rafe stroked her back. "Can we compromise?"

She closed her eyes, reveling in the touch of his rough hand against her smooth skin. "What do you mean?"

"If you want a child, there's something we should do first."

What did he mean by that? 

He rolled on top of her. His firm, warm body atop hers sent a pleasant sensation zinging through her. He looked her in the eye. "I'd love to have a child with you, but I'd want to do it right."

She giggled. "As far as I know there's only one way to do it."

"I would want to be our daughters' father, but I would also want to be your husband. That's what I mean by doing it right."

Suddenly, she found it hard to breathe. "Do you really, really mean that?"

He chuckled. "You're so cute. Yeah."

After a quick nap, they lay in bed together while watching the late-night news and weather on the bedroom TV.

The young meteorologist on screen looked uncomfortable in his suit and tight necktie. He explained how a tropical storm in the Gulf originally was supposed to track due north toward New Orleans. He continued to say, "The high-pressure dome sitting over central Florida has unexpectedly weakened. The path of the storm has shifted and is now heading straight for the Tampa Bay and Clearwater areas."

"Sirena."

Cassie jumped from bed and checked the time. Quarter to midnight. "Rafe, I have to go."

He didn't argue and got dressed along with her. "We'll drive to Tarpon Springs and take the boat to Anclote Key. You can do what you must from there. I'll pack enough food and supplies for us to ride out the storm. I'll hunker down with you in the lighthouse after you return."

She liked that idea. "Mmm, romantic!"

*    *    *

Soon they were on the boat. Overcast skies and choppy seas served as a harbinger of the coming storm. Harbinger  had been yet another one of Miss Gracie's vocabulary words. After securing the boat and stowing their stuff in the lighthouse, Cassie felt an urgent tug from the sea.

"Rafe, it's time."

"I'll walk to the water with you."

They tracked across the sand holding hands. Cassie checked to make sure nobody was around and took off her clothes. She handed them to Rafe before stepping into the surf. Her eyes dilated as she began to transform. The sea angel spoke to her.

She wanted to let Rafe know why she was being called. She owed him that much. She decided she would always owe him that much. "Several fishing boats have been caught unaware by the sudden shift in the storm. I need to lead them to safety."

She waded deeper, the waves breaking across her torso, hiding the tail starting to grow behind.

She heard Rafe shout. "You stay safe, Cassandra, and come back to me. I love you."

His words warmed her. She considered how blessed she was to have Rafe's love along with the support of so many people who cared for her. For the first time in her life, she felt safe from hunters and felt grateful in the relief of that freedom.

She answered Rafe. "I love you too."

Cassie waved to him and dove under the waves. She swam nearly a mile out before having to surface for a breath of air. When she dove under again and used her powerful tail to propel her forward, she felt a presence, far away but closing in on her, singing an eerie song with a powerful voice.

Could this be one of her sisters coming to help? Would she finally be able to meet one of her kind? She sang in harmony with the other's song, guiding her helper toward her.

She kept swimming, the other  closing in on her fast, also continuing to sing.

A great shadow passed above Cassie. She looked up in awe at the humpback whale that had slowed to match her speed, its song an invitation. She joined up with the creature and ran her hands along its side.

The whale nudged her with a long pectoral fin. She understood its meaning. She grabbed hold of the dorsal fin and straddled the creature. She thought of herself as a mere pixie astride a great war horse.

With the ships in danger too far away, the sea angel had sent a helper to carry her.

The great beast dived deep and propelled them forward. With whale and girl in communion with each other, it sensed when Cassie needed to breathe again.

Up, up, the whale changed course. It breached sending them soaring into the air.

"Woo hoo," Cassie shouted in exhilaration while clinging to the beast as a cowboy would to a bucking bronco.

They plunged back under with a gigantic splash.

Cassandra's spirit leapt with joy, completely content, completely at peace, and living in the essence of whom she was meant to be.

She of the Sea

The End

Thank you for completing Cassie's story.  May all of you find yourselves joyful, living in the essence of whom you were meant to be.

Top photo credit: ihave3kids "Mermaid Island" http://www.flickr.com/photos/9012854@N05/50088463713 via photopin.com Creativecommons.org license

Girl in Water photo credit: Michael Vance1 http://www.flickr.com/photos/27498787@N04/50397069656 via photopin.com Creativecommons.org license

Girl on Whale photo credit: Michael Vance1 http://www.flickr.com/photos/27498787@N04/50040608762 via photopin.com Creativecommons.org license