The next day arrived and Melvin went into the NASA Air Cadet room in the NASA building.
The other nine Air Cadets relaxed and read magazines about life in the water world.
Hazel also relaxed in the room while she read a book.
“It’s Melvin!” one of the Air Cadets yelled out all excited to see the hero.
The rest of the Air Cadets cheered at Melvin.
Hazel got up, swam out of the room in a huff and slammed the door shut when she left.
The other Air Cadets noticed and looked baffled.
“What's her problem?” one of the Air Cadets asked.
“Probably jealous because she’s not the first one to fly in outer air,” another Air Cadet answered.
“Yeah, I think you’re right,” one of the other Air Cadets replied.
Melvin looked guilty while he stared at the closed door.
Two more days passed and Melvin received offers for television interviews in the towns of Sandyville, Clamville, Nauticville, Seaweed City, Pearlville and the major city of Aquadelphia.
But today was the big day for Stephanie and Melvin, as it was their wedding day.
The Aquaticville church was full for this glorious day.
Melvin looked so happy at the altar while a Priest fish waited along with him.
On the other side of the Priest were two bridesmaids fish.
Off to the side, the Aquaticville band played the Canon wedding song from conch shells.
In the front row of the church, Rocky floated with June who wiped tears from her eyes.
Hazel floated next to her, pissed and ready to blow a gasket while she stared at Melvin.
In the back of the church, Rodney swam Stephanie down the aisle. She looked so happy while all the fish looked and commented about her beauty.
Rodney and Stephanie swam to the altar then Stephanie swam over to Melvin while Rodney floated in the front row next to Hazel.
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the face of all Aquaticville to join Melvin and Stephanie in fishy matrimony,” the Priest fish addressed the church.
Hazel fumed while she watched Melvin gaze into Stephanie's eyes.
“If anybody can show just cause why these two should not be joined together, speak now or forever hold your piece,” the Priest fish addressed the church.
“Melvin’s a fake! He didn’t fly that airship mission. I did! He was too scared and got sick!” Hazel yelled out when she couldn’t keep it inside her any longer.
Everybody looked at Hazel and busted out laughing.
“Why would you make up such a story Hazel? Are you jealous of Melvin?” Rodney asked and looked mad.
“Ah yes, I got seaweed stuck in my throat,” Hazel replied in the same fake male voice she used when talking to Rodney during the mission.
Rodney looked at Hazel while that voice sounded so familiar. Then his eyes widen it dawned on him and he got pissed. “Is that true Melvin?” he asked Melvin.
“What's going on? My son went on that mission. Tell them Melvin! Tell him that you flew that historic outer air mission,” Rocky asked Melvin.
All eyes were on Melvin and he felt the pressure then he hung his head down in shame.
Stephanie looked a little confused with Melvin’s reaction. “Is it true Melvin? Did Hazel fly that mission instead of you?” she asked afraid of the answer.
“Yes. I chickened out at the last minute,” Melvin shamefully replied.
Everybody stared at Melvin in shock and talked amongst themselves, which caused Melvin to shrink with embarrassment.
It dawned on Stephanie that Melvin lied big time to her. She got furious and slapped Melvin with her fin.
She stormed off and swam down the aisle.
Hazel looked at Melvin then she swam away down the aisle and out of the church.
June stared in shock then she broke down sobbed.
Rocky saw June sobbing then he glared at Melvin who hung his head down in shame.
Rocky fumed! “You’re not my son!” he yelled then lunged after Melvin with fins ready to strangle him.
“You’re fired!” Rodney yelled then lunged at Melvin with fins ready to strangle him.
Melvin's eyes widen in fright when he saw Rocky and Rodney coming after him.
He quickly swam away down the aisle.
Rodney and Rocky crashed into the band when they missed Melvin.
Melvin raced out of the church in a panic.
Melvin raced down the streets of Aquaticville in a panic.
Melvin headed to the cave entrance in a panic.
Melvin raced out of the Aquaticville cave entrance in a panic.
Melvin raced away from Aquaticville in a panic.
Fifteen minutes later, Melvin swam to Paradise reef were he spent many romantic days with Stephanie.
He huffed and puffed while he floated at the ledge.
“What have I done? I screwed up my entire life!” he said then smacked his face with a fin or being so stupid.
He continued to pace back and forth on the ledge with his head down in shame.
Five minutes later, Stephanie swam up to Melvin on the ledge. “How could you Melvin? How could you embarrass me like that in front of the entire town? I may have to move, as I can't show my fins around there anymore. Nobody will want me as a model. Nobody! Plus father fired you as an Air Cadet. Nobody will hire you now!” she yelled at him.
Melvin's head sunk lower in shame.
A school of 20 Jack fish swam by the ledge and they overheard their entire conservation.
“Liar, liar, fins on fire!” one of the Jack fish yelled out in a teasing tone at Melvin.
Melvin eyed the school of Jack fish and watched while some of them made chicken sounds.
“Great, now the whole water world knows you're a liar and a chicken,” Stephanie yelled out and threw her fins up in the air in frustration.
Melvin looked at Stephanie and his eyes suddenly widens with fear when he saw Cooter and Sara with their embroidered suits right behind Stephanie. They both had their dip nets slowly inching towards the fish he loved.
Without thinking Melvin quickly turned around and raced into a nearby hole scared to death.
“Melvin, why are you hiding in that hole when I’m talking to you?” she said while she looked at Melvin’s dark hiding place.
Melvin's frightened eyes visible inside the cave. “Air Aliens are out there Stephanie!” he yelled out from the cave.
Stephanie turned around and her eyes widened in fear when she saw Cooter and Stephanie a foot away.
But it was too late as Sara swooped her dip net down and snagged Stephanie.
“Ahhhh! Help me Melvin!” Stephanie cried out in a panic from inside the net.
She frantically swam into the net to break free. “Help me Melvin!” Stephanie screamed out from inside the dip net.
Inside the cave, Melvin's frightened eyes shook with fear when he heard Stephanie’s cry for help.
At a nearby reef, that school of Jack fish peeked out and watched while Cooter and Sara swam away with Stephanie.
The Jack fish watched while Melvin cautiously swam out of the hole and looked around for more Air Aliens.
“Why isn't he going to try and save her? I thought he rescued his parents?” one of the Jack fish asked his friends.
“I guess he also lied about that,” another Jack fish replied
“He's just a born liar!” another Jack fish replied.
“We better alert Aquaticville,” another Jack fish offered.
The Jack other fish shook their heads in approval and they got out of the reef and swam in the direction of Aquaticville.
Melvin looked stunned when he realized he could never return to Aquaticville or home.
A little while later, the school of Jack fish hurriedly swam to the cave entrance to Aquaticville.
They paced outside the cave, since they were too big to enter through the opening.
Marvin was a middle-aged fish that wore a construction hard hat and held his lunch pail in his fin while he swam to the cave opening. He returned after his 8 hour shift of painting NASAs new Airship 3. He had blue paint splattered on his hard hat, lunch pail, fins and body and he was exhausted.
“Excuse me,” the lead Jack fish called out to Marvin who stopped and looked at them.
“Yeah,” Marvin replied with tired eyes and really didn’t want to stop and talk.
“We were over by paradise reef and saw some Air Aliens snatch away Stephanie,” Jack the lead Jack fish told Marvin.
Marvin’s eyes widened in shock over hearing that news from the Jack fish. “Air Aliens captured Stephanie?” he asked to be sure he heard correctly.
“Captured by two Air Aliens!” nine of the Jack fish replied in unison and looked worried.
“But the worst part was that that so called liar, Melvin was there and did nothing,” one of the Jack fish said.
“Yeah, he hid inside a cave while those Air Aliens snatched Stephanie with a net,” another Jack fish yelled out from the back of the group.
Marvin eyes squinted when he got furious when he visualized Melvin hiding in the cave while Stephanie was captured. “Stay here and I’m getting Rodney,” Marvin quickly replied then he bolted to the cave opening in a flash.
The Jack fish all high-fived each other for a job well done on squealing on Melvin.
They swam back and forth by the cave opening.
Marvin bolted through the cave opening.
Marvin bolted out of the cave opening and raced down to Aquaticville.
Marvin bolted through the streets of Aquaticville.
“Why is Marvin in such a hurry?” Casey asked Albert while they floated outside his plant food store.
“Must be in a hurry to get home after his shift,” Albert replied with Casey nodded in agreement.
He watched while Marvin zipped down another street.
In the NASA headquarters building, Rodney worked behind his desk while he reviewed Hazel’s new design for Airship 4.
On his desk were pictures of his wife, Agnes with Rodney and babies Hazel and Stephanie all in small clam shell carriages. The Air Aliens kidnapped Agnes six months ago and Rodney missed her terribly.
Marvin busted into Rodney’s office in a panic. “Rodney!” he yelled out of breath with eyes widened with concern.
“What?” Rodney snapped back at Marvin and was upset for being interrupted with his work.
“I just heard from a school of Jack fish that Stephanie was captured by two Air Aliens,” Marvin blurted out.
Rodney jumped up from behind his desk. “Are you sure?” he said while he swam over to Marvin.
“Yes and those fish are waiting outside the cave opening.”
“Let’s go!” Rodney said while he bolted out of his office.
Marvin bolted after him and went out of the office.
Rodney and Marvin bolted out of the NASA headquarters building.
Rodney and Marvin bolted down Aquatic Boulevard.
“What is going on with Rodney?” Daniel asked Harriet his wife while they floated down Aquatic Boulevard for a their daily stroll.
“I don’t know, but he looked really upset,” Harriet stopped then watched while Rodney and Marvin raced up to the cave opening. “Something must be wrong!” she added and looked curious.
She bolted down Aquatic Boulevard and raced after Rodney and Marvin.
“Must be,” Daniel replied then noticed his wife was gone. He looked and saw her race toward the cave opening. “Here she goes again, snooping around,” he said then he bolted after Harriet.
Rodney and Marvin raced through the cave opening.
Harriet with Daniel on her tail raced up to the cave opening.
Rodney and Marvin raced through the cave opening and over to the school of Jack fish.
Harried and Daniel poked their heads out of the cave opening and eavesdropped.
“Marvin here told me that you know about my daughter Stephanie being kidnapped by Air Aliens?” Rodney asked out of breath.
“Yes, and we saw that lair fish, Melvin, hiding in a nearby cave scared to death,” Jack the lead fish stated.
All the Jack fish nodded in agreement with what their lead fish stated.
Rodney looked like he was going to blow a gasket over the Jack fish confirming the news Marvin told him.
Inside the cave, Harriet and Daniel looked shocked.
“Stephanie has been kidnapped and Melvin watched!” she said to Daniel.
“We better git before Rodney comes back,” Daniel replied.
She nodded in agreement then turned around and bolted out of the opening, headed back down to Aquaticville and Daniel followed.
Rodney turned around and bolted back to the cave opening with Marvin following.
Rodney and Marvin raced down to Aquaticville and headed down Aquatic Boulevard.
Harriet and Daniel floated down Aquatic Boulevard and watched while Rodney and Daniel raced up to Barney, the Chief of Cops of Aquaticville Cop Department.
Rodney raced up to Barney and slid to a stop.
“What’s the hurry Rodney? If you don’t slow it down, I’ll have to give you a citation for speed swimming,” Barney warned him.
“Barney, I want an arrest warrant issued for Melvin,” Rodney blurted out of breath and was angry.
“Just because he lied about being a hero?” Barney replied a little confused.
“No, I just got word that he let some Air Aliens kidnap Stephanie.
“He what?” Barney quickly replied and looked mad.
“The coward let two Air Aliens kidnap my sweet Stephanie,” Rodney replied and his anger turned to tears when the gravity of the situation hit him.
“I’ll send out a All Water Bulletin out for the arrest of Melvin,” Barney replied then he swam away toward his police station down on Seaweed Lane.
“Thanks Marvin,” Rodney said while he shook Marvin’s fin. “I’m going to promote you to foreman fish for telling me the news about my daughter,” he added then he turned around and swam down Aquatic Boulevard and headed toward NASA headquarters.
It took five minutes for the news of Stephanie’s kidnapping to spread all over Aquaticville.