The Bad Boy And The Mermaid

Hunter

Fred and Hannah helped me choose a wedding ring for Blue. It was a round solitaire diamond stud in a platinum ring, a little out of my budget but looked really beautiful. My bank account was almost empty, but it was worth it. Blue deserved this and so much more. I kind of wished I had enough money to move into a bigger house where there was a lawn, a fence, a room for when Blue and I decided to have kids.

I dreamed of it, about having my own little family.

I’d never thought this was possible in my wildest dreams, that I’d find a woman who’d love me enough to want to marry me.

The phone in my pocket began buzzing. It was from an unknown number. I pressed answer.

“Hello Mr. Brantley, this is Gracie. I’m a wedding planner. Your mother told me you wanted to discuss a few things.”

“Hi Gracie, please call me Hunter.” I spoke on the phone while walking out of the jewelry store towards the parking lot across the street, “I’m looking for simple wedding decorations, I’d like to discuss about this. Are you free around three p.m? We could talk it over lunch and—”

A loud blare of the honking stopped me dead in my tracks and I turned to look. I wanted to run but my legs weren’t moving. I was glued to the place.

A car was moving towards me in high-speed and there was absolutely nothing I could do.

I saw it that time.

Death was coming for me.

Blue

Adrian had tried convincing me that marrying Hunter was a bad idea. And then he’d given me another alternative that I knew would make Hunter really furious. Adrian suggested that I could marry him instead and visit the Land often to meet Hunter.

In other words, he didn’t mind me having an affair with Hunter on land as long as I married Adrian in our world. I’d told Adrian that he could stop talking and that I wasn’t going to have an affair with Hunter because I intended to marry him.

I’d been napping with Leslie when I got one of those bad premonitions that something was going to happen. Since then I couldn’t sleep and paced around the apartment. I tried calling Hunter’s number but he didn’t answer it and that gave me even more anxiety.

Adrian was reading a magazine upside down, a magazine he’d found discarded in a box within the depths of the storage room. The magazine had a naked woman on it. I didn’t know how I felt about Hunter going through this one. Adrian was merely leafing through the pages, his face masked with interest.

I tried texting Hunter.

Me: Why aren’t you answering my call?

I called him several times but each time it hit voicemail. Thirty minutes and forty texts later, I decided to call Hannah. When she answered the call she was sobbing and that was a clear warning that something was wrong.

“Hannah, I’ve been trying to call Hunter but he’s not answering my phone. Is he with you?”

“Blue...well, Hunter got into an accident. A car almost ran over him.”

My heart almost stopped beating, “What?!” It took me an entire minute to collect myself. “Is he alright?”

“He’s in the hospital.”

“I want to see him.” I said urgently.

Hannah told me that she was sending a car and a chauffeur to take me to the hospital. When I hung up the call, Adrian’s expressions clearly said ‘I told you so.’

“You still have time to stop the wedding.” Adrian suggested.

I gave him a sharp look, “I can’t ask Hunter to do that. We both love each other.”

“Is that love any use of if either of you end up being dead?”

I hated that he had a point.

What if something happened to Hunter before or during the wedding ceremony? We still had a week ahead of us before we got married.

felt helpless and angry at my situation, like there was nothing else I

about lifelong love but it’s going to be

before but I think I understand now.” I said, keeping the venom

He asked, still looking through that vile magazine

jealous of

looked at me, “And

Hunter, if my situation doesn’t allow me, then I won’t

we

Hunter as my husband and no one else.” The last part came in a choked

a price to pay for every

you to give up convincing me to

your children, your grandchildren, and everyone else you care about grow

said. “I would still be hurt if I left and watched him marry and have

his face,

in a casual t-shirt, jeans and sneakers and waited until

parked outside the apartment building. Throughout the entire twenty minute car ride, I recalled each and everything that

how much I loved Hunter, I valued his life

A stretcher occupied by

a very sad feeling. I couldn’t ignore the scent that lingered around

The scent of death.

Ryan speaking with a nurse. I walked towards them and found Elaine standing outside a room and knew that it had to be Hunter’s. She wrapped me in a warm motherly

serious happened to him. Fred and Hannah are on their way. You go see him now.” She

where I came from and what I had done to put him in the

lying on the propped up hospital bed, and when he saw me, he

when I saw him safe and smiling that a sob escaped my lips and I began crying. His eyes

patch of bandage covered his

hurt?” I asked touching

and all I remember

covered my mouth with my hand and cried, “I’m

You weren’t even—” He stopped talking and I saw his expressions

this was no

off the wedding.” I said firmly. “Adrian’s right. This was a

his features, “What do you mean this is a bad idea? What are you planning to

Adrian.” I said. “I can’t lose you. I can’t

and you’re not

been foolish to assume that I could live peacefully here with

slowly, “I’m going to marry you, Blue, and no one’s going to stop me. I won’t let anyone or anything come between us. I’ll move

with so much conviction, I believed him. His eyes, they told me he’d

I can’t bear the thought

you could ever imagine. I’ve loved you for a long

argue with him, this brave man. He was

time to think. Take

made up my

touched his arm softly, trying not to cause

my fingers around his elbow, holding his arm in place and closed my eyes. I began chanting softly in whispers, and seconds later I felt the burning sensation in my body, the glowing beneath my fingers.

heard Hunter whisper ′what’s happening? I

eyes, I saw Hunter giving me a

now. Do you still

what I’d asked him

gave me a surprised look. “I

thing. When it was done, I slowly peeled off the bandage

stared at me in awe, “how did you

but shhh...don’t tell

to his in a long lingering kiss. It felt so good to have his plump lips on mine. I moaned literally and forgot that I was kissing him openly in