Tails
Terri as Mermaid
By Rachel Carpenter
(Continuing a story started by Sapphire and Lyhnn Copper)

Chapter 37

The alarm sounded and I stretched. As usual, for a moment at least, I forgot about myself. Or at least I forgot about what I was. But when I reached down to scratch myself, in that typically male morning ritual, I was instantly jerked into awareness of my new reality. The touch of cool scales where my hand expected a hairy male crotch was a definite wake up. Still a mermaid, still a mermaid, damn!

“Terri, Honey, time to get up. We’ll be late for work if you don’t hurry.” Sam called from the bathroom. I peered through the open door, squinting to see what Sam was up to. She stood in her short robe, head swathed in slightly frayed pink towel, leaning in to the bathroom mirror, applying a coat of mascara to her lashes. I watched, fascinated as always. Putting something so close to your eye, and stroking thick goo on your eyelashes without blinking or putting your eye out or even making yourself cross-eyed seemed like a minor miracle to me. As many times as I saw Sam put on mascara, I was still amazed each time I watched.

As for myself, makeup was still a new frontier, looming out there, waiting to be explored, but still very scary. I thought I had done a very good job with foundation and blush, that was almost like sponge painting a wall , and lipstick was becoming old hat, but eye makeup? Still had trouble making the shadow on my eyelids match each other. It always seemed that one side was always darker or bigger and blotchier than the other side. I seemed to do the left side better than the right, so I tried to start on the tougher side first, thinking that the other side might be easier to match. But I invariably messed it up or if I got really lucky and got the shadow decent, I smudged the mascara, and would have to start all over. I would feel so frustrated that I would start to cry, which messed up the job further. How did Sam make it look so effortless?

“Come on, Sweetheart, up!” Sam reached for the covers at the bottom of the bed and yanked them off me. I squealed in protest as the sheet and blankets slid to the floor.

“Oh, Sam, why don’t we just blow off work today, we have so much to do, what with your parents coming tonight for the weekend. And besides, I don’t want to get up yet!” I whined, I cajoled, I even begged, but my tough, focused, grrrrrrrr wife would not relent. I dragged myself up, “legged” and stomped into the bathroom. I heard Sam switch on the hairdryer at the bedroom vanity as I started the shower.

Oh, how I loved water! Even in my clone/Sam shape, the water beckoned seductively. It seemed so odd to think almost romantically about a shower, but these days it was easy to imagine that the shower was the mist from a waterfall, washing away my thoughts and stresses along with the sleep smell that clung to my skin. I sudsed my hair, enhancing my fantasy with the scent of an herbal rainforest. The water cascaded over my face, neck and shoulders. My eyes were closed against the wet onslaught, drawing me further from the normal bathroom and into a dreamy reverie.

“Terri! Are you going to spend the day there or are we going to work? “ Sam shattered my dream and forced me back to reality in less than fifteen words. I quickly soaped my body, rinsed off, wrapped myself in Sam’s still damp bath towel and padded in to the bedroom. Standing naked in the middle of the room, I toweled my hair. The bath towel slid into a puddle at my feet from my gyrations. I emerged from my towel/veil and caught sight of my reflection in the mirror. My hair stuck out wildly in all directions. I leaped on the bed, struck a warrior pose, and gave an impressive rendition of a Xena war cry. Sam whirled around, her eyes wide with surprise. She stared for just a moment, and broke into helpless, soundless laughter. Her body crumbled into itself, her legs collapsing under her as she sunk to the floor in abandoned mirth. I froze, unsure what to do, but then I saw the total absurdity of the situation and started to laugh myself. We were never going to get out of here on time.

Ten minutes late wasn’t too bad in my book, but to Sam it was a nightmare. She fumed and fussed at every light, checked the car clock and her watch every few seconds and complained at least once in every block. But to me, it hardly mattered. I would just be further back in the line at the coffee machine. Sam needed to learn to lighten up. But I was smart enough not to say anything to her now. She was so stressed; I really didn’t want to strike any matches that would set her off. Time enough in the future to try to talk Sam into chilling out more.

The office was humming when I dropped my stuff at my desk. I decided to wait just a bit before I asked Bob about moving in with Linda and him. Friday mornings were never easy at the office. Nobody’s mind stayed easily inside the building, it tended to wander to the weekend.  As I finished filing and organizing the day’s tasks, my own thoughts drifted to the days ahead.

Staying with Bob and Linda….. Why did I feel apprehensive? I had known Bob and Linda for years. Sam and I had vacationed with them more than a few times, and we had stayed in each other’s houses before. Why then did I have this vague feeling of dread at the prospect of going there? 

Sam buzzed my intercom. “I spoke to Bob, he called Linda, and you are all set for a few days. They seemed to think that it was silly of me to consider it an imposition, but I still feel funny about it.”

“Me too, Sam, got a minute in your office?’ I asked .

“Sure, Terri, come on in.”

I looked around and no one seemed to be noticing, so I scooted in to Sam’s office. I didn’t want anyone to think I was goofing off, but probably no one cared anyway. At least the clerical staff here was very laid back, I guess the real pressure was on the professional people like Sam.

“What is the matter, Terri?” Sam looked concerned. I smoothed my skirt under me as I sat down opposite her. My worry must have shown on my face. She leaned forward and grew very still.

“ I have these vague feelings, apprehension really, about spending time with Bob and Linda. Nothing concrete, but I just feel uncomfortable. Does that make sense?”

“Not quite, Honey, do you have anything more specific?” Sam asked.

“Nothing….. except that, when I have been a mermaid around both Bob and Linda, they have acted, you know, different somehow. They seem uncomfortable, overly fascinated, even over sexed when I am in that form. They don’t seem to see ME at all, just the hair, and the naked breasts and the scaly tail. It is like there is no Terri in that creature at all. Does that make any sense to you now?” I asked.

“A little…Yes, I think I see your point. In that form, you have some sort of mystical something that makes people treat you differently. I think that I have been affected by it too. You know that I have never been attracted to women before, but I have made love to you in your mermaid form, and it has been very satisfactory. In reality, it felt that I was compelled, drawn in almost against my will. I had no control over my ability to refuse, and any guilt or negative feelings I may have had seemed to evaporate before I took serious note of them. And that night when we swam in the pool, the pleasure was almost surreal. I have never felt that way before. It was magical.”

“See what I mean, Babe. If it affected you so strongly, how might it affect them? Should I be worried, you think?”

“Worried might be too strong a word, cautious maybe. “

“Okay, maybe I am just thinking too much, everything will probably be fine.”

I left Sam’s office, not feeling overly comforted, but trying to calm down enough to finish my work. Not that it was very hard, in fact it was too easy. It was simple to let my mind to play out all the crazy notions that came into my head.

Lunch came and went, and the afternoon flew by and before I was mentally prepared for it, five o’clock arrived. Behind the closed door of Sam’s office, I held my wife in my arms and kissed her cheek. We were both frightened about being apart for while. We had been facing the challenges of this transformation together, and had come to need each other more than ever. Being on my own as a mermaid and a woman scared me half to death.  Time to grow up, fast!

Bob lifted my suitcase into his car trunk and I slipped into the back seat. We pulled out of the parking lot and I sunk deeper into the seat, trying to disappear. On the way to pick up Linda, Bob tried to engage me in light conversation. He talked about the weather, the football game from last night, the latest antics of the city council and his problems keeping up with the lawn. I kinda felt sorry for him, he was trying so hard to make me feel comfortable, and I hadn’t the heart to tell him that it was no use. I found myself answering in monosyllables, and trying hard to find something intelligent to say. Bob was kind and didn’t push.

 After what seemed like an eternity, we pulled into Linda’s office parking lot. She was waiting in the doorway with three other women. She strode to the car with that long-legged stride that, as a man, I had so admired. I wondered what I looked like when I walked. Did I have Sam’s seductive hip swivel, or Linda’s tipped back pelvis and cat grace? I wondered if you can choose your walk or it was something that you were born with. As I mused, Linda tossed her briefcase into the front seat and kissed Bob hello.

“Hi Terri” Linda said. “Glad to have you staying with us. Honey, any ideas for supper, are we cooking, or do you want takeout?”

“I don’t care, Sweetheart, whatever is fine with me, maybe Terri has a preference. Terri?”

“I don’t want you to go to any trouble, takeout would be terrific for me. Pizza with anchovies or shrimp lo mein are my favorites.” I said.

“Am I detecting a theme here? Overly fond of seafood are we? Is this a recent development?” Linda teased.

“I have always loved seafood.” I heard myself whine.

“Well, I vote for Chinese.” Bob said, “But I want Szechwan orange beef, extra spicy!”

Linda called ahead on her cell phone. They must have ordered from this restaurant a lot; she had the number programmed into her speed dial. We pulled into the parking lot and stopped under the sign for The Great Wall Kitchen. We had a few minutes to wait for the food to be done, so Linda and Bob chatted to catch up on their respective days at work. Every once in a while they threw a question my way, but mostly they talked to each other. I jealously watched as they spoke, spontaneously touching, and laughing at half told jokes. How I missed my Sam! I was so glad when the food was ready, I slid out with Linda to help carry the packages. Anything to end the torture of being the third wheel, I welcomed.

The scents of a traditional Chinese restaurant hit me like a wall as we walked in. How funny that they all seemed to smell the same, no matter where you went. We collected our food, paid the bill and hurried back to the car. The ride to Linda and Bob’s house seemed to take only a few moments, but by the time we got there, the scent of our dinner filled the car, and we were ravenous. We scrambled inside, Linda and I kicked off our heels, Bob got some cold beers from the fridge, and we flopped down on the floor. Brandishing chopsticks, we dug into the cartons and sighed a collective yum. Sooooo good! Amazing how phenomenal food can taste when you are very hungry.

We ate in relative silence, preoccupied with the food. But as our mad rush settled into more leisurely dining, I felt those vague feelings of dread creep into my head. I did my best to stay loose and act natural. But I was not really sure what natural was. Even though I had been female or mermaid for a few weeks already, it still took effort to “act” right. It certainly was not automatic, but I was trying as hard as I could.

I jumped up as soon as I finished my meal, grabbed plates, and despite Linda’s protest, carried them out to the kitchen. I tossed silverware into the sink and started to run the hot water, added dishwashing liquid and threw in a sponge. As the sink filled, I went back to the living room and picked up the leftover cartons of food. In the kitchen, I helped Linda organize the leftovers and wrap them for the refrigerator. The sink filled quickly and I started doing the dishes. I was going to be a good guest if it killed me. The job was over way too soon and again the dilemma, what to do next.

Linda dried her hands and returned to the living room to join Bob in watching the evening news. At the first commercial, Bob went out to the car and got my suitcase and put it in the guestroom. There was nothing for me to do but to sit down with them and watch tv for a while.

One program of local news, one of national news, and two sitcoms later, I was getting tired. I yawned several times, and excused myself. I went to the bathroom, brushed my teeth, washed the makeup from my face and brushed my hair. I tied it up in a ponytail and started the facial regime that Sam had taught me. It was at times like this that I really missed the simplicity of just shaving. First, an exfoliating scrub, some stuff with oatmeal and honey, got rubbed all over my face and massaged in for two full minutes. Using a washcloth, I took that off and rinsed several times, first with warm water and then with cool water. Then I used toner, an alcohol based green tinted stuff, which stung slightly and seemed to make my skin feel tighter. Next, some thick eye cream dotted around my eyes and smoothed very gently on my eyelids. Sam said to be very careful there as the skin was especially delicate around the eyes. And last, I slathered on a “deep moisturizing” cream all over my face and neck, taking care to use upward strokes only. I glanced in the mirror and was taken aback by Sam’s very bare face with creamy streaks staring back at me. I jumped before I realized my mistake. “My” face, not Sam’s, was the face I saw. And then I really started missing her. Tears welled in my eyes, and as I swabbed them, moisturizer made them sting and tear all the more. I sniffled and pulled myself together. It would not be good to get all blotchy, too many questions could be asked. And I just wasn’t in the mood!

A few deep breaths later, I went in to the living room to say my goodnights. Linda and Bob sat cuddled on the couch, looking like the perfect non-interfering hosts. Linda asked if I needed anything, which I didn’t. Then they wished me a pleasant night’s sleep and turned back to the cop drama on the television. I walked into the guest room and sat on the edge of the bed. I slipped off my panty hose, checked them for snags and runs and put them aside to be rinsed out in the morning. How domestic of me!

Next came the skirt and blouse, which I hung up in the empty closet. Then the silky camisole and slip folded along the seams and put in the lavender scented drawer. I slipped out of my bra and panties, put the bra on top of the camisole and the panties with the stockings for a washing tomorrow. I stood there, looking in the mirror at my nude body, checking myself out. So like Samantha, so like the woman I loved, looking at myself and seeing her made her seem closer somehow.

The phone rang, and I heard scrambling footsteps as Linda ran to answer it. Maybe it was…Yes! It was Sam! I grabbed a robe from the suitcase, threw it on, and padded out to the kitchen. Linda handed the phone to me and returned to Bob on the couch. I clutched the receiver and sat down on the floor, cross-legged.

“Hello, Darling! How’s it going? God, I miss you. Did your parents get there okay? Did the explanation work? Oh, Baby……”

“Terri, calm down. You are babbling.” Sam said.

“Sorry, Sam, I am just so glad to hear from you. Did your parents arrive?”

“Yes, there got here just as I got home from the grocery store. They pulled in just after me, I didn’t even have a chance to get the food in the door. They helped me with the bags and then I helped them with their suitcases. It was kind of funny.”

“How is your dad, Babe?”

“He seems a lot better than I thought. You would think that a heart attack would show somehow, even if it was very mild. But he seems just fine.”

“I am so sorry that I can’t be there to help you. Short of you becoming me and me being you, I can’t think of how we could have done it. And I doubt that it would have worked anyway. Even if the witch could have made the switch for us, I am sure I never could have fooled your parents, especially your mom. She knows you too well. I am sure I would have screwed it up. I feel rotten. I have so messed up your life.”

“Terri, it is not your fault. I will survive Mom and Dad’s visit. I just have to think of ways for dissuading them from moving too close to us. I am sure that I can handle things for a weekend, but not for much longer. “

“Sam, did you have any trouble explaining where I was?” I asked.

“Not nearly as much as I thought. It seems that when Mom and Dad were first married, he had to work away from home a lot. This situation did not seem at all strange to them. In fact, Mom thinks you are wonderful, she remembers how hard it was on Dad. She said that he wrote letters from the road and she still has all of them. They are some of her favorite mementos. So in a way, this has helped their opinion of you.”

“Sam, are you trying to say that your parents did not have such a high opinion of me before? That I had to go away before they think I am good enough for their daughter?  I am highly insulted! Hrmmph!”

“Calm down, you silly old bear. You should know a thing or two about parents by now, especially my parents. They are just very fussy. And they do love you, you know.”

“I know Sam, I guess I am just overly sensitive. We have never been really apart and I miss you so much. But I keep reminding myself that it is only a few days out of a lifetime.”

There was a pause on Sam’s end. I heard a little sniff, and a choked down sob.

“Sam, Honey, aww, don’t cry. Please don’t cry.”

“Our life has gotten so complicated. I didn’t know it before, but life was so much simpler before… before this.”

“And it will be again, Sam, c’mon, cheer up. At least life has not been boring recently.”

“You can say that again, Terri, but don’t”

“I guess it is getting late, are you sure everything is all right?”

“I think I got all worked up for nothing,” I lowered my voice. “They have been just perfect hosts. We had a really great dinner, this really good take out place and things have been really quiet since then. I was just getting ready for bed when you called.”

“I am glad that everything is going well. Have you “tailed” yet?”

“Was just about to when you called. Thanks for calling Sam, do it as much as you can, I can’t call you, can’t chance your Mom or Dad picking up.”

“I know, I love you so much, get some sleep, and try to have fun.”

“I will, love you too. Goodnight Sam.”

“Goodnight Terri. Sleep sweet, Bye.”

I stood up to hang up the phone and my body felt like lead weights were attached to every muscle. I didn’t know if I hurt from the position I had been sitting in or how sad I felt. This being apart really sucked.

I stretched, rewrapped my robe around me, and plastered a smile on my face. It wouldn’t do to upset Bob and Linda. I walked into the living room. Gave the couple Sam’s good wishes and said goodnight again.

I closed the door of the guest room and began to unpack my suitcase. I hung up everything, skirts, and blouses, and dresses and such. Then I put all the folded stuff in the drawers, refolding things so that they would not be wrinkled. Funny how as a guy, I never cared much about stuff like that. I would never think twice of wearing a wrinkled t-shirt or jeans, but now everything I wore had to look nice or I felt uncomfortable. How strange!

Well, I had put it off long enough. I shed my robe, then found a oversized t-shirt that I could wear to bed and slipped it over my head. I turned down the bed and plumped the pillows. Lying down, I closed my eyes and thought “tail”.

Such an odd sensation, I could almost feel myself get shorter in the bed. My “Sam” self was taller than the mermaid. My hips were also slighter and my waist a bit more slender, but my breasts were definitely bigger. I felt my hair grow until I had to lift my head to accommodate the increased bulk. I swept it to the side and it fanned out over the pillow. My smooth legs became scales, and chinked over the sheets like one of those expensive mesh evening bags. Strange how sometimes I could sense the whole process, I didn’t always just blur through it.

I snuggled deeper into the soft bed, thinking that it must have one of those “pillow top” mattresses, reminding myself to tell Sam how comfortable it felt. Oh Sam, just the thought of her made me ache for her. I turned on my side and just as quickly, flopped back again. The bed squeaked as I moved. I punched the pillow and shut my eyes. I had to sleep. I tossed and I turned, the bed musically accompanying my strange dance. But sleep eluded me.

The t-shirt rubbed across my breasts and the resulting shiver brought a thought. Maybe I could pleasure myself to sleep. I slipped the t-shirt over my head and turned on the light. I flung the covers off and sat up in the bed. I caught sight of my reflection in the mirror and it turned me on all the more.

I lifted my large breasts and licked the tops of the nipples. Oh, it felt so good. I watched myself make love to my breasts and squirmed in delight. I did not realize that the bed squeaks and my mounting sighs and moans could be heard outside the room, until the door opened and there stood Bob and Linda, concern on their faces.

“Terri, are you okay? Ohhhh!”

More Tails by Rachel Carpenter Coming Soon!

since 01/01/03