"So how did you two meet?" I asked, Veronica, sighed softly, "It's a long story." I motioned to the mermaid now sitting in my lap, "I'm not going anywhere anytime soon." Veronica laughed in response before turning to Oshun. "Do you want to tell it or should I?" She asked, Oshun's eyes twinkled softly. "I like hearing your side better." He spoke quietly.
Veronica smiled, her eyes crinkled ever so slightly. Turning back to me and Gwen the loving look faded for just a moment just to be replaced by a more devious one. "After I tell you mine. You have to tell me yours." She coyly spoke, I gave her a sheepish smile. "I... I suppose that's fair." I mumbled unsure how to deal with this side of Veronica.
Veronica chuckled before sipping her tea, once she was done the loud click of the cup on the saucer seemed to change the atmosphere of the room. "Now, where to start...."
It was my third expedition after graduating from my doctorate program. I had interned with a film crew during my studies. They wanted to find the lost city of Atlantis for a television program. Of course, that expedition was doomed from the start seeing as they'd never air such a thing on television. But nevertheless, the idea stuck with me afterward.
So when a new expedition set out for the same goal. Well, I wanted to try again, after all, who wouldn't be apart of the crew that found Atlantis?
"Now hold up a second," I spoke stopping the story in its tracks, "You have a doctorate?" I asked Veronica clearly impressed. Veronica beamed with pride, "I most certainly do, I have a degree in archaeology. I focus mostly on underwater subjects, however." Veronica spoke casually as if something so interesting was merely a hobby she did on the side.
"Is that surprising?" She asked blinking only a couple of times with her head tilted to the side. I let out a short breath and smiled sheepishly. "A little bit. But I always figured you were a woman of many talents." I admitted honestly, Veronica smiled smugly tucking some hair behind her ear. She looked over at her husband and nudged him slightly. "Hear that, I'm a woman of many talents." She teased, Oshun let out a snort. "Of course you are!" He exclaimed flushing slightly, when a glare was shot my way I understood what was going on.
Oh, that's cute, he's jealous that Veronica liked my compliment so much. I opened my mouth to lay to rest any jealous feelings that might crop up. But I was cut off by a very upset mermaid pulling on my cheeks just as I did her earlier. "Ow! Ow!" I complained trying to remove her pinching fingers from my cheeks. After successfully removing them from my cheeks I rubbed my face staring down at a glaring mermaid.
She signed something or at least started to before she realized I didn't understand what she was saying. She opened her mouth and the same noises I heard before came out. Oshun let out a soft sigh at this, "Gwen you know you..." he started to say before seeing the frustrated look on Gwen's face. "What?" I asked, Oshun adverted his eyes. "Gwen... Lost her ability to speak when she was very young." He explained, confused I looked back down at Gwen.
"That..." I started to say, Gwen turned to her side, her head still laying on my lap. The words died in my throat even though I had a million different things to say. But it didn't seem like the time or the place to bring up a subject like this. Instead, I settled on wordlessly stroking her hair. Gwen let out a noise, but I wasn't sure if she was pleased or not. But she didn't stop me so I just kept doing it. Veronica gave a small smile my way before saying, "Should I continue?" She asked, I nodded, not trusting myself to speak right now.
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