Fresh Air

Chapter Eight

“Neptune?” she asked shocked. He smiled, as did everyone else. “How? What? I’m confused.” said Rosette looking at all of them.

“After we parted for the night, King Triton came up to me and offered me legs or a new fin. I talked it over with my parents and they agreed to legs,” he said.

“We found him wandering the beach this morning and Ariel recognized him immediately. He said he was looking for you and of course we had to invite him to stay,” said Eric.

“I’m confused still, Neptune, why would you chose legs? And how on earth did your parents agree with that? Why would legs even be an option?” she asked.

“I think we better leave the two alone for this next bit. Come on,” said Grimsby and he ushered Carlotta, Ariel, and Eric off of the balcony.

“Would you like to sit down?” asked Neptune gesturing to the chairs. Rosette nodded and they each took a seat and she watched him, waiting.

“So?” she asked after a while of silence.

“I don’t really know how to explain this,” he said looking at his hands that were folded on top of the table, “I guess I’ll just come out and say it. I like you, a lot.” He glanced up at her and she had a stoic face.

“That’s it? You just like me?” she asked and he was taken aback.

“Well, yes.”

“Neptune, you don’t change species because you like someone, and hardly anyone does it because they love someone. We’re friends, it’s nothing serious like Eric and Ariel. And what about your parents? How could they have agreed to this?” Neptune was shocked, he was not expecting this reaction.

“I thought you’d be happy,” he said getting angry.

“We met just yesterday! We’re friends, that’s it. I’m sorry if it appeared like something more.”

“Well can’t it? Over time? I’ve never had a friend before and here comes my first friend, my parents were so happy, and then you just blow up in my face like those stupid fireworks! I knew we were just friends and I just wanted to be able to spend more time with you,” he said getting up and now pacing.

“Okay, we both just need to calm down and talk this over. Please sit back down,” said Rosette taking a deep breath. He glanced at the chair before taking a seat and staring at Rosette, waiting for her.

“Well?” he asked.

“I appreciate the feelings you have, and the sentiment that you would chose legs over a new fin, don’t get me wrong. But this can’t possibly be what you want. You gave up your life, your family all for me?”

“What life? I was nothing, a nobody. My parents tried everything to help me but nothing worked. It was time to take extremes and it came. I chose legs and I don’t want to go back. So you’re stuck with me on land.”

Rosette thought about it a bit before smiling.

“You’re kind of crazy aren’t you?” she asked.

“A bit,” said Neptune laughing.

“Well I guess I’m going to have to talk to Eric about all this, see what he thinks. Did you have any plan while you were on land?” she asked.

“Just to find you,” he said shrugging.

“Okay, I’ll see what I can do about getting you to stay in the palace. How about you finish eating and I’ll go and talk with Eric,” she said. He smiled and nodded and she left the balcony to find everyone trying to listen through the door.

“You could have just stayed on the balcony,” she said with an amused smile.

“We heard yelling. Are you okay?” asked Eric.

“Fine, we’re both fine, everything is all understood now, but he does need a place to stay,” she said.

“Well of course he’ll stay here,” said Ariel.

“He will?” asked Grimsby.

“Yes, he will. Any friend of Rosette’s is a friend of mine,” said Eric.

“He can stay in the room I was in when I first arrived,” said Ariel. Rosette nodded and quickly went and put her things away before heading down and getting Neptune.

She opened the door to the room and he stepped in.

“It’s a bit on the girly side, but I can help get rid of all the pink,” she said as he looked around.

“Thanks, pink never was my colour,” he said looking at the sheets. Rosette just chuckled and started pulling the sheets off and folding them up.

“I’ll be right back,” she said and quickly went to the linen cupboard and changed the pink sheets for some green ones. She carried them back and Neptune helped her put them on the bed.

“Well I can let you get settled in unless there is any else you need?” she asked.

“Um, yes do you think you can send Eric in here? I have to ask him something,” he said awkwardly.

“I can ask but I don’t know if he will be available. What did you have to ask him?” she asked.

“Er, it is kind of a personal question.”

“Personal?”

“As in a human male question.”

“Oh!” said Rosette catching on, “yes, I’m sure he will help you. I’ll go get him.” She left and went down the hall to see if she could find Eric. She found him in the kitchen trying to talk to her father but he wasn’t listening.

“Rosette! Thank you, can you please talk to your father and explain why we can no longer eat seafood,” he said.

“Sure, but you have to go help Neptune. Male problems, he is in his room,” she said.

“Right, I knew this would come up. Okay, just get through to your father,” he said. Rosette nodded and Eric left before she turned to her father.

“Now father you must understand what is happening in our lives and everything that is changing. I know you don’t fully understand these changes but you have to compromise as much as us. Now we have all agreed that we need to stop eating fish, I know it is your specialty and if you feel you can’t do it then let us know now, but if not then please make the changes needed,” she said putting a hand on her father’s shoulder. He looked at hi s daughter and sighed.

“All right, I will change, for you,” he said softly and patted her hand.

“Thank you father, now do you need any help?”

“No I am fine. But I did hear a new guy showed up here today looking for you. Anything you wish to tell me?”

“No, he is just a friend. Trust me, I’ll let you know if anything happens between us.”

“Good daughter, now go run along,” Rosette nodded and left the kitchen. She was making her way to her room when she saw Eric up ahead leaving Neptune’s room.

“Everything settled?” she asked.

“Yep, everything is good, and incredibly awkward, but everything is understood. You didn’t do that for Ariel did you?” he asked as he walked with her to her room.

“No, Carlotta did that,” she said.

“Oh well, that’s good, it is really awkward.”

“But it is kind of necessary and needs to be explained. Anyway, new subject, are you planning on letting Neptune stay here forever?”

“Well just until he marries you and you move out and buy a little house in town and open up a shop of some sort,” he said and smiled at her as she raised at eyebrow at him.

“Sure,” she said.

“Oh come on, you know it isn’t such a bad idea, the guy really likes you,” said Eric shoving her a bit with her elbow.

“Right, well when he proposes, I’ll think about it,” she said before going into her room. Eric just shook his head and went to go find his wife.

Over the course of the next week Rosette found herself working as the peace maker. Both Neptune and Ariel were going through lessons to learn about the human world, and Eric, Carlotta, and Grimsby all took turns educating them. Sometimes they would get frustrated and Rosette would be called in to calm the situation down. She was usually the calm one around the castle and was very good as dispelling the conflicts.

Then there was her father. He was not taking the issue of ‘no cooking seafood’ very well. He tried to be calm and happy around his daughter but he was trained and skilled in cooking seafood and his food was paying the price. Everything he made just was ‘okay’ not ‘spectacular’ like it use to be. And this was not only just making him on the verge of quitting, but he was also on the verge of being fired. He was trying but it wasn’t going very well.

It was after a not so great dinner and Rosette was drying dishes and sighing a lot. She had made her father get some rest and try to get over this minor speed bump when Neptune walked in and started helping her.

“How are things with your dad?” he asked. He understood the situation, and where he was uncomfortable around her father, he still cared for her.

“Things aren’t looking so great. I try to help as much as I can but things just aren’t looking the way I hoped they would,” she said.

“I’m sorry, I know this is partly my fault,” he said.

“Well we would have had to have done it anyway because of Ariel being married to Eric. She can be quite headstrong when she wants to be,” said Rosette placing a dry plate on her stack and grabbing a cup.

“If your father leaves, what will happen to you?” he asked softly, as if he had really been struggling with the question and answer, which he had.

“I don’t know for sure, but he is the only family I have and I must stay with him no matter what happens,” she said and sighing, “I would like to stay, but that is not a guarantee.”

“Can’t you talk to Eric about it? You’re friends, he should stand up for you,” he said putting his cup down and towel and turning to her.

“I could, but I want to wait and see what happens first,” she said, “thanks for helping me. We should get some sleep now.”

“I agree, it was a long day of learning, you’re culture is very interesting,” he said as they left the kitchen.

“I know, there are a few things where I wonder where they came from as well, but I’m glad you are fitting in.”

“Same here, I finally feel like I belong. But I just don’t know what I am going to do once I am done with my lessons and all that, like what will I do with my new life?”

“You’re smart, you’ll figure it out in time,” said Rosette as they stopped outside of his door.

“So are you happy that I decided on ‘legs’?” he asked as he opened his door.

“I am actually, it’s nice to have someone to talk to at the end of the day,” she said smiling.

“Good to know. Good night, and try not to stress too much,” he said as he hugged her.

“I will. Good night,” she said as they pulled away and she gave him a reassuring smile before heading off to her room.