At the side, Roxanne had also heard Benny’s screams, but by the time she turned, it was too late. The boy had already sought refuge behind Lucian.
The sight of the smile on that man’s face while the two of them were together left Roxanne with mixed feelings. As much as she had done for the children, certain forms of security were something only a father could provide.
Oblivious to her sentiments, the boy excitedly tugged at her as he wanted her to admire the fish alongside him. Out of nowhere, a mermaid dove from above and waved at them through the glass.
Wide-eyed, the boys asked Roxanne, “Is this real, Mommy?”
Amused by their innocence, Roxanne patted them on the head. “Of course not, but she does look pretty, though.”
“Could you dress up like a mermaid too, Mommy?” Benny looked at Roxanne in anticipation
Taken by surprise at first, Roxanne then went on to explain smilingly, “Well, I could, but I think that’d be a paid program.”
When the children heard her saying that she could, they stared at her with wide eyes as though that would make her agree to get into the water.
Meeting their eyes, Roxanne kicked herself for having said that. Had she been alone with them, she certainly would not have minded going in for the children’s amusement.
The issue for her was that Lucian was also around.
Although Lucian had not spoken much along the way, she still could not overlook the fact of his presence, and the notion of having to masquerade as a mermaid in front of him made her feel quite conflicted inside.
“Ms. Jarvis.” Estella cautiously tugged at her sleeve with a hopeful look on her own face,
Considering how good that mermaid she just saw looked despite not being as pretty as Roxanne, she was convinced that Roxanne would surely look even more beautiful in the same getup.
Roxanne’s dilemma was palpable on her face.
Oblivious to her reservations, Archie and Benny, too, looked at their own mother expectantly.
Just as Roxanne was hesitating, one of the crew members approached them.
“We’re running an event that offers our visitors the experience of dressing up in our mermaid costume for free. Might you be interested to participate? I think you’d look absolutely smashing in it.”
The children’s eyes lit up when they heard that.
Sensing their eyes on her, Roxanne found it hard to say no.
Lucian came up to them. “Go on ahead. I’ll watch over them.”
He spoke as though she had already agreed to do it.
Seeing how Roxanne remained unresponsive to Lucian’s words for some time, the crew member took her silence for consent and went on to half-nudge her toward the changing room.
Thinking that since she had already stuck one foot in, Roxanne decided to work with the crew member despite her own continued hesitance. She went on and got changed and, with the crew’s guidance, slowly went down into the water.
The children sat docilely beside Lucian with their heads raised to watch the space above them.
It did not take long before Roxanne showed up donning a slivery blue fishtail. A brilliant gleam of light was reflected off her body as she swam steadily toward them, making her appear as though she was really some mysterious mermaid that hailed from the bottom of the sea.
Her appearance had the children rushing forward elatedly to the front of the glass.
There Roxanne was, smiling and waving at them.
Lucian stood behind the children and regarded the swimming woman on the opposite side with an unfathomable gaze.
All around them, tourists marveled at the sight of such a lovely mermaid as they thought Roxanne was one of the staff who worked there.
