“Have you ever thought about moving off the island?” I ask as I push the laundry cart down the hall and into the washing room. I close the door behind us as she moves the cart over to the rows of machines.

“No, never.” She smiles and then turns on the machines and dumps the sheets in with the soap.

“What about if you didn’t have the Mermaid? Would you want to leave then?” My chest aches when I think about what this might mean. What if I have to leave this place and leave her behind? I can’t live here full time. It would be impossible.

“That’s actually a...