What if mermaids are real? Liam wondered, looking at his toy dinosaur.
"Grandpa, are mermaids real?" Liam asked, running to his grandpa, who was reading a book about pirates.
"Well, some pirates say they've seen them, singing beautiful songs by the sea," Grandpa chuckled.
Liam’s eyes widened. "I want to see a mermaid! Can we go to the sea, Grandpa?"
"Mermaids love parks too, you know," Grandpa winked. "Maybe we'll find one there!"
Liam, excited about this idea, grabbed his grandpa's hand. They walked to the park near their house in San Jose. The park was full of sunshine and happy sounds. Birds sang in the trees, children laughed on the swings, and the smell of popcorn filled the air.
Liam, feeling brave and confident, started looking behind every tree. "Do you see a mermaid, Grandpa?" he asked.
Grandpa pointed to a group of ducks swimming in the park pond. "Maybe they know where to find one," he said with a smile.
Liam, full of self-confidence, walked up to the pond. "Excuse me, Mr. Duck," he said politely. "Have you seen a mermaid today?"
The ducks quacked and swam in circles. Then, one duck swam forward and pointed its beak towards a small, hidden path behind a willow tree.
Liam's heart beat with excitement! "Thank you, Mr. Duck!" he cried, and, taking his grandpa's hand, he ran towards the path. They walked for a bit, the path getting narrower and narrower, until they reached a small clearing.
And there, sitting on a rock by a tiny, sparkling pond, was a mermaid!
She had long, flowing hair the color of seaweed, and a shimmering green tail that sparkled in the sunlight. Her eyes were as blue as the ocean, and she was singing a song so beautiful, it made Liam's heart soar.
“Hello,” Liam said shyly. He was a little bit afraid, but he remembered how brave he felt when he talked to the ducks, and that gave him confidence.
The mermaid stopped singing and smiled at Liam. "Hello," she said. Her voice sounded like the tinkling of bells.
"I'm Liam," he said. "What's your name?"
"I'm Coral," the mermaid replied. "It's nice to meet you, Liam."
Liam and Coral talked for a long time. Liam told Coral all about his toys, especially his favorite dinosaur. Coral told Liam about her home in the ocean, and how she loved to sing and play with the fish.
As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the park, Coral said she had to go back to the sea. "It was so nice meeting you, Liam," she said. "You're a very brave and kind boy."
Liam felt a warm glow inside him. He knew Coral was right - he was brave and kind, and he should always believe in himself. "It was nice meeting you too, Coral," he said. "I hope we can play again soon!"
Coral smiled and slipped back into the water, her tail disappearing with a splash. Liam and Grandpa walked back home, hand-in-hand, as the moon replaced the sun in the sky.
"That was amazing, Grandpa!" Liam exclaimed, skipping ahead. "I met a real mermaid!"
Grandpa chuckled. "See? I told you mermaids love parks too."
As Liam drifted off to sleep that night, his head full of shimmering scales and beautiful songs, he knew he had made a friend for life. And he knew, deep in his heart, that he could do anything he set his mind to, as long as he believed in himself.
