"What is so -" he stopped, shaking the mermaid off of him.

"Will you just stop it, for one minute?" he said to her.

"No," the mermaid said.

He was looking at Sarah. Demanding. "I really don't see what's so -"

He stopped to look at the mermaid. "What did you say?"

"No," she smiled, grabbing his hand again, "I don't want to stop."

John's face lit up in a huge smile, turning to Sarah. "Did you hear that? She's talking. On her own!"

He turned back to the mermaid, and studied her face.

"You're talking now?"

"I think so."

"Oh. Brilliant."