Daniel woke to a knocking sound. Looking around with blurry vision, he could not see Ina. Panic made him jump out of bed fully alert. The bedroom door was cracked open. “What can I do for you little lady?” It was Travis. Daniel bolted out of his room. “Don’t talk to her.” “Woah there. Over protective boyfriend is a new look for you, Dan. You look like hell by the way.” While Ina had never heard that specific phrase, she knew it was in reference to Daniel’s crumpled clothes, half-flattened hair, and wide eyes. She walked over to him and flatly said, “I didn’t want to wake you, I thought Travis might be able to help.” “What do you need help with? I could be your guy. Let Marie have Dan back. I won’t tell about you two messing around.” Travis had a light tone but Daniel could tell he was hopeful for a chance. “The motions in the box have stopped. What did you call it? A laptop?” She directed the last two at Daniel who winced at Travis’s response. “Are you pulling my leg? You can’t possibly not know what a laptop is?” “Neither Daniel nor I are within reach to pull your leg.” “Seriously guys. Haha. you had your fun you can give up the schtick now.” Travis was becoming concerned. He moved out of the doorway and pulled Daniel away from Ina to whisper in his ear. “Dan, please tell me you did not abduct some sheltered child from somewhere, like a cult!” “No! Travis! Ina comes from… a… historical community… so she hasn’t had contact with modern society. They live like the early 1990s. Besides Ina is an adult. I think – Ina, how old are you?” They both turned to Ina. Both curious, Daniel slightly frightened. “I am… 29 approaching 30.” “Years! You barely look over 21. What kind of Amish magic do you have?” Travis was distressed. Daniel was surprised but he had braced himself before hand, 30 wasn’t the worst number she could have said. “Why are you unsure? Don’t you keep track of the years? If not, seasons?” “The seasons do not affect us as much and as I told you before our records are not extensive. I know my biological advancements though. Offspring first capable at 20 next at 30. Fairly good predictors as mer – my people have a very predictable advancements through life. Our ancestors compared it to your time schedule.” Travis leaned against the counter week. “I get historical colony but if you’re being honest, you are not like us… modern humans that is. There’s something fishy about this whole thing. You said, offspring, like baby? The earliest you can have a baby is 20? And that’s a hard and fast rule? No teenage pregnancy? None? Zip? Nada? You sound like a robot. Daniel please tell me she is not a robot.” Travis had migrated into the kitchen to for a glass of water to calm himself down. Daniel piped up, “No, she is not a robot.” Then cautiously turned back to Ina, “Ina, do you have a baby?” “I suppose he’ll be ten soon but yes I have a child.” Travis chocked on his water. While coughing, he made some hand motions that Daniel interpreted as a motion to the couches. He took Ina with him and whispered, “I think we are going to have to tell him.” “Is he trustworthy?” “I trust him to keep quiet but just in case I’ll remind him of the dirt I have on him.” Ina gave a confused look but Daniel dismissed it for another time. Travis entered the view of the other two, hands on hips. “Dan. Ina. You two have some explaining to do. This has been the strangest day for me and I bet it as something to do with you.” He pointed his finger at Ina but Daniel took the lead. “If I tell you what’s going on, you have to promise not to tell anyone, even after Ina goes back home.” He nodded in response and sat down. “Brace yourself, Ina is a mermaid.” Ina the need to add something. “He speaks the truth.” Travis looked suspicious. “How would you meet a mermaid. You go to the beach like once a year and that’s only because I drag you there.” “Remember a couple of months ago when I, uh, fell off the bluff?” “Right…” “Well I was knocked unconscious and Ina saved me. I was so confused when I woke up on the beach but I felt that there was something in the water. A reassuring presence like the one that helped me with my nightmares.” Ina, though curious, did not want to interrupt so she added dreams to her list of things to bring up later. “Anyway, I lied to you about where I’ve been going every morning since then, kind of. I was going to sit on the beach because I knew that presence, that Ina, would be there. Anyway, like two days ago Ina surfaced and now we are here.” “Okay… That’s a nice story and all, but do you have proof? Like, that sounded too fairytale destiny.” “I’m not human what more do you need?” “And I could say I’m from Mars but that doesn’t make it true.” “Do I look like terrafolk?” Ina was annoyed. “Sheesh, I’m guessing you mean humans but no you don’t look like the rest of them. But also, most people I meet don’t look like anyone I already know.” Daniel tried diffusing the situation. “Look Travis, of all the strange things that have gone down between the three of us, doesn’t it all make sense if she is who she says she is?” Travis responded flatly. “I want proof.” Daniel looked over at Ina, giving her the decision. “I have learned quite a lot today but not the amount I was hoping to acquire in my travels. If we must make a trip to the sea, tomorrow, at the earliest.” “We can go Saturday.” Daniel was surprised at Travis’s statement. It was only Wednesday. “We can make a day out of it. Gives you time to absorb our culture or whatever to take back to your people but if you decide to come back and stay a little longer, I’ll take you to a party. That’s the real way to get good info about people.” “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” “Oh, come on Dan, you just don’t vibe with party people. My gut tells me that they will love Ina.” “I can be good with social interactions.” Travis saw the doubt in Daniel’s face as he turned it away from Ina. “I agree with the little lady over here. She’s certainly old enough to make her own decisions. Besides we’ve got like three days. A lot could happen.”

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