4. Chapter 4

When Jayna emerged in the changing pool inside the cast staging area, the lights were off, the mertender's nook was empty, and she was alone. The stagehands must have already gone to the reception.

Unfortunately, her functional and decorative merbreather top fastened in the back and was much easier to remove with help.

The process would certainly be easier if she could stand up. Jayna sat on the edge of the pool and gently pulled at her shimmering turquoise mermaid tail where it met her waist. With a bit of effort, she slowly eased the tail down over the synthetic exomuscle that wrapped her legs and feet. Once free of the heavy silicone prosthetic, she carefully broke the connection between the powerful exomuscle and her mershorts and pulled her legs free.

The sensation of having two legs that moved independently of one another always felt strange and new after spending hours in a mermaid tail. She climbed from the pool and attached the parts of her tail to one of the waiting hoists.

Jayna looked around, hoping to find someone who could help with her merbreather, but she was still alone. She had hoped someone from the backstage crew would still be around, but apparently the prospect of free food had been enough to tempt even the most die-hard stagehand.

Jayna's merbreather was a bikini top with a pair of turquoise scallop shells, a thick gold necklace, and a broad turquoise collar decorated with the same scale pattern as her tail. Beneath the collar was a thin carbon scrubber, and each oversized seashell held a reserve air sac.

There was debate among mermaids as to whether the sac placement had been designed by a man or a woman. Some claimed only a man would have thought to take something as utilitarian as an air sac and turn it into a bust enhancer. Others were certain a woman had designed the essential air-filled push-up cup as a clever way to ensure performing mermaids wouldn't have to swim topless.

Although Jayna didn't need the underwater breathing functionality for a show like The Sirens of Atlantis, she found the secure fit of the merbreather made it much less likely to come off during her trip through the mer-cannon.

But while the top was ideal for avoiding wardrobe malfunctions, it was extremely difficult to get into and out of without assistance.

She glanced around again, but the changing area was still empty. Maybe the stagehands had been chased off by the boiled cabbage smell, which was even stronger than usual.

Whatever the reason, Jayna was alone. She'd just have to get out of the merbreather on her own. She could do it; she'd done it before. But it wouldn't be easy.

After releasing the air from the reserve sacs, Jayna stretched, twisted, and swore until she managed to get the top and bottom clasps undone, but the two in the middle remained stubbornly connected.

She needed to get to the reception before it was too late and was about to give up and just wear the infernal thing when the storage room door opened and someone with a mop came out. It was too dark to make out exactly which of the stagehands it was, but Jayna called out anyway.

"Roxie is that you?"

The figure with the mop froze. After a moment they began moving slowly away from her and she groaned in exasperation. "You with the mop, whoever you are, I need your help. Please?"

The figure hesitated, then walked towards her. When he got close enough, the maintenance light from the staging area revealed a concerned-looking stagehand. He wore the standard gray Realms of Neptune tech uniform, had a thick shock of jet-black hair, and a face so handsome it made her catch her breath. He must've been new because she would have remembered meeting someone who looked like that.

"What's your name?" she said, putting on the smile she used when interacting with hesitant children during Swim with the Mermaids events.

The new guy fidgeted with the mop and refused to meet Jayna's eyes. "Uh, Sid."

"Hello, Sid. I'm Jayna, and I need your help with my merbreather." She turned her back towards him and motioned him closer. "Come on."

"You need help with what?" Even with his brow furrowed in confusion, his face was attractive, and Jayna couldn't help but notice how the uniform shirt stretched tightly across his well-defined chest.

"My top. I need you to help me take it off."

The confusion on Sid's face was quickly replaced by something closer to panic. "I'm not sure if I…"

"Oh, please," Jayna said, amused at his sudden discomfort. "If you're going to work with mermaids, you'll be doing this a lot. Now, come on. I just need you to undo the two latches in the middle."

After a moment's hesitation, Sid finally set the mop down and closed the distance between them. He undid the latches on the back quickly. She probably could have removed the top herself now that it was unfastened, but it would certainly be easier with help. She turned around and said, "Now, grab the loops on the arms and pull."

Sid grabbed the ring on each armband and pulled before she had a chance to brace herself. She lurched forward, and their bodies crashed together.

The shock on his face told her the move hadn't been intentional. He quickly backed away from her, but not before she noticed just how firm his chest was beneath the tight uniform shirt. There was an intensity and intelligence in his dark brown eyes at odds with the uncertain hesitancy she had seen to this point.

Jayna caught her breath. Sid's close proximity had affected her far more than it should have. "Let me get my balance before you pull." She braced her feet and said, "Try again."

Sid hesitated for a moment before taking hold of the rings on the arm of her merbreather again. This time his pull was strong but steady, and Jayna shrugged her arms out of the apparatus as her entire top pulled away with a squelch.

Sid averted his eyes, took a step backward, and stumbled on his mop. She had to keep herself from laughing at the relief on his face when he realized that mermaids were not in fact naked under their seashells, though she did find it refreshing that he didn't gawk at her tight mer-pants and tiny strapless top.

"I need to shower and change. Do you know what to do with these?" She held the merbreather out to him, and then pointed at the tail parts still hanging by the edge of the pool. She hesitated to leave her gear with someone so obviously inexperienced, but she had to get to the reception and smooth things over with the new owner while she still had a job.

He opened his mouth to say something, but then apparently changed his mind. He took the merbreather and said, "No. It's my first day." She raised an eyebrow in surprise, and he quickly added, "But there are tutorials, right? I'm sure I can figure it out."

Sid was obviously hiding something, but Jayna's creep detector wasn't sounding the alarm, so she decided not to press him. "Well, this will be good practice. The tail and merbreather both need to be cleaned up and packed away. You do know how to use the tutorial, right?"

"Yes," he said quickly. "I've used them many times."

"Good. I should only be a few minutes. I'll help you finish if you're not done, then you can walk with me to the reception."