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Momma's Little Mermaid

For My Daughter

By Breeze GhaluntahPublished 6 years ago 3 min read
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She danced and played throughout the waves. The familiar sounds of currents hitting the rocks nearby brought a smile to her bright, little face. She flipped her tail up and down. In circles she swam round and round. The icy water brought her great joy. And she giggled as it enveloped her tiny body. She splashed and jumped with so much courage, it brought me pride and I waved.

"Come little mermaid," I called out, saddened to disturb my daughter's little heaven. "It's time to go home."

She swam as quickly as possible to where I waited. Her tail jumping out and catching the sun's rays. It sparkled and I chuckled. I patted my daughter's soaking wet hair.

"Ah the struggle this will be to brush out."

She hopped up on a rock. "That's ok, momma. We can just not brush my hair at all."

I gave her a look as if to say, you know we have to. Then reached down into the water and undid a buckle.

The girl undid the other one herself and pulled her feet out. I reached in and grabbed the tail as it floated to the surface.

"I swear one day you will grow an actual tail," I said jokingly.

"But then I'd have to stay here in the river momma."

"Nope I'd keep you in the bathtub."

We both laughed and I watched as she slipped on her sandals before running up the riverbank.

I continued to laugh and scrambled after her. “Wait up my little mermaid!”

She skidded somewhat ungracefully to a stop on the gravel ahead of me. Such a contrast to the grace she had in the water not mere moments before. I felt a little pain at having to pull her from such a happy place, but her dad would be home soon and we had plans to go out for dinner.

“What do you want for dinner?” I had asked her earlier that morning.

“Not fish!” was her reply with a crinkled nose.

As always, a smile had crossed my face. She detests fish unless it is cooked by me.

“C'mon Momma!” she shrieked pulling me from my thoughts. “It’s cold!”

I lifted up the towel I had brought with us and held it out for her. She got a look of embarrassment before bolting back to me and straight into my outstretched arms. I wrapped her up snugly in the towel, decorated with tiny mermaids as most of her stuff is. She smiled and hugged me through the towel. When she pulled away, my shirt was wet from her hair, still dripping from the edges.

“I love you momma.”

“I love you too Little Mermaid.”

Once again she raced up the river bank, slipping on the gravel the whole way. I watched her go, following slowly behind. The pang returned. I wanted to stay here, in this moment, for as long as I could. I didn't want to give up my little mermaid. Not for a single second.

When we reached the car, she clambered in. I handed her, her tail. She grabbed it and pulled it to her chest as if letting it go would mean she’d sink to the bottom of the ocean. I smiled at her, ruffled her hair, and climbed into the driver’s seat.

“Katy Perry?”

She nodded her head vigorously. A smile spreading from ear to ear. I put the CD in and Teenage Dream filled the small space with its upbeat tune. She listened and sang quietly along in the back until we pulled into the parking lot of the apartment complex.

“Momma, can we go back again tomorrow?”

“Of course! Now let's go get those knots out of your hair,” she shrieked, jumped out of the car and raced up the stairs to the third story apartment.

“Little Mermaid! You dropped your tail!” I called after her shaking my head and grabbing the monofin, I headed up after her smiling the entire way.

children
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