"Hey Joey, what gives?"

"Are you alone?", Joey quickly asked as if he was holding his breath.

"Yeah. Why?"

"On my way."

The line clicked off and Ben looked at the phone in surprise, wondering what was going on with his friend. Why did he sound so relieved to hear that he was alone? Ben just pocketed the phone and shrugged. He was in the kitchen, trying to fix himself breakfast. He was still skewing the eggs when the doorbell rang.

"Coming!", he called out and kept his word by running to open the door. The person that stumbled past him into the parlour was the person he least expected to see.

"Thought you were at home or somewhere far away."

"No no," Joey replied in an out-of-breath voice as he looked all about his surroundings as if searching for someone.

"You're alone, eh?"

"What's the problem, Joey?", Ben asked, moving closer to him. His friend promptly slumped down on the sofa and held his head in his hands.

"Where does Tara live?", he asked, his voice muffled due to his sitting position.

"What sort of a question is that?" Joey shook his head slowly.

"Answer me, man. Do you know where she lives or you don't?"

"Well.. I.. not really, but.."

"Then you need to see something."

"What?", Ben asked in a sarcastic tone.

"You gonna say she's cheating or what?"

"No," Joey shook his head as he got to his feet. "There's no way to say it. You have to see for yourself. Call me the next time she comes over."

"Hello!", Tara called as she stepped into the house.

There was no answer. It was all quiet. She wondered if Ben was asleep. She called again, but still no answer, so she dropped her bag and went in search of him. She soon found him immersed in a song playing from a headset he had on.

"Hello!", she shouted at the top of her voice.

He started and looked behind him, then smiled as he saw her, and she smiled back albeit weakly. His arms opened wide for an embrace. She rushed in and rested her head on his shoulder.

"You look tired, what's up?"

"Hmm. Nothing. Just haven't been catching enough sleep."

"Don't worry, we can fix that."

She looked askance at him, but he only smiled knowingly. He had a secret idea in his head that he planned to put in motion as soon as possible. He was sure of total success. This time she would stay the whole night.

They were sitting side by side as usual, watching a TV series. He held her in his arms as she placed her head on his shoulder, watching the show disinterestedly. He could feel her breath coming in measured whiffs and he smiled in satisfaction. He'd gotten her. The drug must be working now. He waited a few minutes to let it sink in properly, then he turned to her.

"Feeling sleepy, babe?" he asked softly. She simply nodded as she struggled to keep her eyes open.

"Okay, let's take you up."

He positioned himself properly, knowing how heavy she was and then lifted her into his arms. She didn't stir. He carried her carefully up the stairs to his bedroom and placed her on the bed, almost reverently. Drawing the covers over her, he promptly joined her in bed. She was in a deep sleep now and a proud smile spread over his features. She would thank him for this when she wakes up tomorrow, merry and fit.

***

The ringing sound kept recurring and Ben wondered whence it came. He was not asleep, neither was he awake. He was somewhere in-between as he lay down on his back. What the hell was that sound? He rolled onto his side in an unconscious effort to push off that disturbing sound from his ears, but instead, he now heard it louder than ever. He quickly sat up, picked up the offending device and stared at it. He was seeing almost nothing, so he cleaned his eyes, opened them wide and stared harder. Damn! It was that bastard Joey! It was time he gave him a piece of his mind.

"Hey Joey, what the h..."

"Is she gone?", Joey whispered from the other end of the line.

"What?", Ben was confused, he thought perhaps his friend had gone nuts.

"I mean.. are you alone?"

It was on the tip of Ben's tongue to say 'No' but his eyes involuntarily swept to where he had left his girlfriend just hours before. She was nowhere in sight! His heart skipped a beat. Where the hell had she gone to? The pharmacist who recommended the drug had told him she wouldn't stir till morning!

"You're alone, right?", Joey pressed.

"Um.. ye.. yeah.. I.."

The line was disconnected and Ben threw down the phone in frustration. Why was Joey so interested in his being alone? And why could Tara not stay the whole night for once? He was just so tired of everything. Going back to sleep didn't look so attractive now. He climbed out of the bed to go make himself a cup of tea in the kitchen. Hopefully, that would help him relax.

He was just about to put the cup of hot tea to his lips when he heard the doorbell. The sudden and unexpected ring shocked him and he jarred the cup, sending some hot fluid toward his skin. He jumped to avoid the hot spill, but it was in vain.

"Fuck," he exclaimed in anger as the hot liquid made contact.

To make matters worse, the doorbell rang again. Who the hell was bothering him at this time of the night?! Angrily, he marched to the door, unlocked it and pulled it open with so much force that could have sent it off the hinges. But he was slightly taken aback by the sight before him.

"You're alone?", Joey asked as he jumped in, looking about the place. Ben quickly recovered himself and found his anger again.

"What's your stress about me being alone, huh?", he shouted.

Surprisingly enough, Joey paid no attention to him. Ben stared at him open-mouthed.

"Good," Joey muttered, nodding vigorously. "Come on, let's go."

"Go where?", Ben was now seriously concerned about his friend's state of mind.

"My place. I know you have a lot of questions and perhaps you think I'm crazy, but you'll soon change your mind about all that. Just trust me and give me a chance.. please."

Ben was very much surprised. This was a side of his friend he had never seen before. Joey was a good friend, but was mostly playful and annoying. For once, he was earnest and pleading. Well, he couldn't help but let it play out. He would trust his best friend.

"Okay," Ben shrugged. "But for the record, I don't like this whole idea."

"I'm sorry, Benny but it's so important that it doesn't matter whether you like it or not."

Joey was moving swiftly, too fast for Ben to keep up. He was a little groggy and was used to sleeping at night, unlike Joey. Eventually, they soon stumbled into Joey's home. Joey didn't turn on the lights as they came in, instead, he guided them upstairs using a bright flashlight. Ben padded after him, grumbling as he went. When he saw that Joey ignored him completely, he decided to keep quiet. Perhaps whatever was upsetting his friend was really something serious.

Joey took his friend to the balcony on the top floor, taking his night vision binoculars with him. Ben came after him to find that he was scanning the area with the binoculars.

"What are you searching for?"

Joey said nothing. His heart was beating hard and fast. He wondered if all the effort would be for nothing. Ben would never forgive him. He made a silent prayer to the heavens, hoping beyond all hope that he was not too late. Just when he was about to think of an excuse to offer Ben for disturbing his rest, he noticed movement on the beach. Focusing in that general direction, he found what he was waiting for. He sighed in relief. Without a word, he passed the binoculars over to his friend and pushed him forward. Ben put them to his eyes and scanned the area. It didn't take him long to find the person that was moving quickly toward the water.

"What.. who the hell's that?", he asked as he followed the person's movement.

"Just keep watching," Joey answered quietly.

"Looks like someone familiar."

Joey made no reply. He waited patiently, but he didn't have long to wait. His friend soon let out a suppressed gasp. He rushed to his side to make sure that neither him nor the binoculars would fall over the railing.

"I.. It's Tara," he whispered. "What's she doing!"

"Just watch, Benny. You'll find out."

Ben didn't need to be told to watch. He would have fought anyone who tried to stop him from watching. His eyes followed closely as his girlfriend waded knee-deep into the water. He was entranced and confused as he watched her wade in deeper still. Then it hit him. Was she trying to commit suicide?? He quickly turned to his friend, but Joey was prepared.

"She's safe," he said quickly, before Ben could utter a word. "Just watch."

Ben turned back to view through the binoculars. He was just in time. His girlfriend was now belly-deep in the water. He looked on as she shook her head vigorously, sending her dark curls flying all about, then she leaned forward to swim in. Ben was beginning to think that Joey had really lost his mind. Tara was only going for a swim! But what was that?? Christ, it was a caudal fin... and a tail too!

Ben gasped in shock, his eyes almost popping out of his head. The binoculars dropped out of his hands, but Joey was ready. He caught them and held his friend to prevent him from toppling over. Ben still couldn't believe what his eyes had seen. Tara was a mermaid! Was he dreaming?

"Taraaaa!", he shouted, hoping that this was just a dream.

Joey felt this had gone too far already. He held Ben's arm and slowly dragged him back inside. Ben looked more like someone who had just crawled out of an ice-cold stream. He was shivering as Joey led him back into the house and made him sit on the couch. He then ran off to fetch a blanket and wrapped it around his shivering friend.

"Sh.. she.. she has a tail," Ben murmured like someone in a trance.

Joey simply nodded and wrapped the blanket tighter around him. He would have loved to have spared his best friend this shocking sight, but his blunt and impulsive character had revolted at the idea. Now that he had acted according to character, he had no choice but to stand by his friend through everything that would result from this.