by J P Books
Her phone rings, jolting her out of her guilt-ridden thoughts.
Peeling herself away from the window, Jessica goes back to her desk. When she sees who’s calling, she shakes her head. It’s almost like she can hear my thoughts.
“Hi, Auntie Sarah,” she says, answering the call. “How are you?”
“Hi, sweetie! I’m great. How’s packing coming?”
“Oh, well…I may have gotten a bit distracted,” Jessica admits with an ironic smile.
Sarah laughs. “Distracted? While packing? I’m shocked!” she teases.
“Yeah, you know me too well…” Jessica replies. She’s trying to keep her tone light, but she can’t help the note of sadness that creeps in at the edges.
Her aunt is silent for a moment, then says, “Sweetie, is everything okay? You sound a bit down. Or is it just the end of the year blues? I know sleepy Monterey isn’t as exciting as Oakland and San Francisco.”
“No, Auntie, it’s not…” Jessica sighs. “You know I love coming home to you and Uncle Jim.”
“Of course, sweetie. But what’s going on?”
“I…I just got an email from two of my profs,” Jessica starts slowly. “I got chosen for an internship. Everyone applied for it but…but they chose me.” Even she can hear the incredulity in her voice.
“Jess, that’s so good! And don’t sound so surprised. Of course, they chose you. You’re so smart and hardworking and amazing.”
“Oh, Auntie Sarah…” Jessica sniffs. I’m so lucky to have so many people in my life who love me so much.
“Sweetie, what’s wrong? Are you crying? Isn’t this a good thing?” Her aunt asks, clearly confused.
“It is! It’s an amazing opportunity to field research with some of the best in the field. Not to mention it’s in Costa Rica, which is also incredible, but…but…” Jessica swallows. “It’s this summer. I’d have to leave on Monday. And I can’t…I don’t want to abandon you and Uncle Jim for the summer.”
There’s silence on the other end of the line and Jessica hangs her head. After a moment, her aunt speaks again.
“You’re kidding, right?”
“Um…what?” Jessica asks, confused.
“You’re going to give up this amazing opportunity to come work in a hardware store in Monterey? Are you crazy, Jessica? I absolutely forbid it!”
Jessica blinks, not at all expecting this response. “But Auntie Sarah, you know Uncle Jim needs help in the high season and—”
“Then we’ll hire someone. I’ve been telling Jim we need to do that for months now.”
“But that’ll be such a big expense and I’m already costing you so much money and—”
“Jessica. Do you think we care about the money? Seriously?”
“No, Auntie Sarah, it’s just that you guys have been so good to me for so long and never, ever asked for anything in return and I just want to pay you back in some small way. So that you know how grateful I am. And how much I love you guys.”
“Oh, baby,” Auntie Sarah replies softly. “You don’t need to prove anything to us. We know you love us. And besides, you’ll be paying through the nose when we’re old and pathetic and need to take seventeen different kinds of pills five times a day.”
Jessica chuckles weakly.
“And besides…oh, Jess…when your parents died in that awful car accident…you know, I was so grateful that you survived, that I got to take you home with me and keep you close. It was like getting to keep a little piece of my sister even though she was gone. When she died…that was the worst night of my life. But getting to raise you has made it bearable. I’m the one who should be grateful. You don’t owe us anything, sweetie.”
Her aunt has never told her any of that before. Jessica doesn’t even bother to try to stop the tears from falling.
When she was twelve years old, her parents died in a freak car accident driving home from the movies. Just like that, Jessica’s whole world had imploded. Not only did she lose her parents, but her whole life: her home in New York, her friends from school, everything she had ever known. She’d had to leave it all behind when she moved across the country to Monterey to live with Aunt Sarah and Uncle Jim. But, like her aunt had said, their love and support had made the whole thing bearable. If she hadn’t had them, Jessica isn’t sure she’d even still be here today.
“Thank you, Auntie Sarah,” she whispers. “I…I feel the same way.”
“I know, sweetie,” her aunt replies. “Now get out of here and go to Costa Rica! I am so proud of you and all you’ve accomplished. So go make me even more proud. Do you need anything? Money or plane tickets or…?”
“No, no, Auntie. It’s all paid for. You’re so amazing, you know that, right? I’m so lucky to have you.”
“Ditto, kid,” her aunt says and Jessica can hear her smiling. “Now go do something amazing.”
“I will. Thank you. Give Uncle Jim a hug for me.”
“I will. He’s going to be so impressed. An internship in Costa Rica! Just wait ‘til I tell him how smart our girl is!”
“I love you, Auntie Sarah,” Jessica blurts out.
“I love you too, sweetie,” her aunt replies. “Call me if you need anything.”
“I will.”
“And send me a postcard for heaven’s sake!”
“I will!” Jessica laughs. “Bye! Thank you!”
The call ends on the sound of Aunt Sarah’s laughter. Jessica collapses back onto her box of textbooks. So many emotions in so little time! She doesn’t know how to feel.
Then, suddenly, reality hits.
“Oh my god, I’m going to Costa Rica!!!!” she screams, jumping to her feet. Flailing wildly, she does a little dance around her room. “I’m going to Costa Rica!!!!”
Then she pauses, her eyes widening. But only if I remember to reply to Wolovsky’s email!!
CHAPTER 3
Even before the plane lands, Jessica can feel the excitement building, tying knots in her stomach. Her face is pressed to the window as they begin their descent into Costa Rica’s capital, San José. The low mountains slope gently down into the populated valley, and the lush carpet of rainforest gives way to a jumble of brown, grey, and white, intersected here and there by long, thick highways and the dark ribbon of the Tiribi River that cuts through the city.
I can’t believe this is really happening! Jessica bites her lip as the buildings take shape below her, and she sees the airport up ahead. Even after the whirlwind weekend of packing and emailing and getting last minute vaccines, the internship still seems a little bit like a dream to Jessica.
The Juan Santamaría International Airport looms up ahead as the plane braces for impact. Jessica grips the armrests, but the plane touches down gracefully. Quietly, Jessica lets go of a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
It’s been a long time since I was in a plane, she thinks, trying to calm her frantic heartbeat. Too long.
The plan is to meet Wolovsky and Tallard in Arrivals. Since they came on an earlier flight, the professors promised to pick Jessica up, which had reassured Aunt Sarah.
Now all I have to do is make it through Customs.
Despite her fears, going through customs is easy. One look at her American passport and tiny carry-on, and the customs agent waves her through.
“Have a good trip,” the woman says.
“Thank you,” Jessica replies, smiling. “Err…I mean, gracias.”
Thanks to her father and his mother, her Abuela, Jessica learned Spanish as a child. She just hasn’t had to use it in eight years.
Grinning, Jessica pushes through the double glass doors and into the Arrivals waiting area. Then her smile falters. The huge waiting area is packed. How on earth am I going to find the professors in this? she thinks, her shoulders drooping as she starts to wade into the crowd.
“Hola, mamacita! Como estas, nena?” A good-looking man approaches her, his smile bright white against his d
eeply tanned skin. Around his neck, there’s a little card reading taxista.
“Estas perdida, gringita?” another man asks, coming up to stand with the first. “Ven conmigo, guapita.”
“Ay, no, que culo, mami,” a third man leers at her.
Jessica understands what the taxi drivers are saying, and she’s not sure if that makes it better or worse. As their words go from greetings to comments about her body to lewd remarks, she grows more and more uncomfortable. Her childhood Spanish doesn’t cover things like “Get lost, asshole!”.
Tears prick her eyes as the men press closer to her, grinning and tugging at her elbow. When she rips her arm away and stumbles back, they laugh. Why isn’t anyone saying anything? She thinks.
She takes another step back and hits something solid behind her. Her heart drops. Oh god, now what?
But then that something solid puts a comforting hand on her shoulder and a familiar voice tells the men to scram.
“Professor Tallard,” Jessica stammers, looking up behind her into her professor’s worried face. “I didn’t know you spoke Spanish.”
Weston Tallard blinks, then breaks into a smile, his handsome face lighting up as he chuckles. “That’s your first question? Not ‘Where the hell were you, you good-for-nothing academic loser, my flight got into half an hour ago and you said you’d meet me’?”
Jessica stares wide-eyed and horrified at her professors. “Professor Tallard, I would never—I just got through customs, I didn’t—”
Putting his free hand on her other shoulder, Tallard turns Jessica around to face him. She swallows, trying not to let her eyes run over his well-toned body. I’ve never been this close to him before, she realizes.
“Don’t worry, Jessica. I know you’d never say that. You’re way too polite. Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t at least be thinking it. I’m so sorry that we left you waiting. Dan and I meant to be at the gates with a sign but, of course, Costa Rica intervened. There was a mix-up with our connecting flights that we’ve been trying to sort out. In the end, when we saw what time it was, I ran and left Dan behind and sort it out. Hopefully, it’ll all be fixed by the time we get to the next airport. Anyway, excuses, excuses. I should never have let you arrive alone like that. I’m really sorry, Jessica. It won’t happen again. Because, let’s face it, with that hair, you’ll have men buzzing around you before you can take two steps.” He glances up, his soft brown eyes lingering on her long tawny waves and smiles. “Not that I can blame them, but still.”
Did he just compliment me? Jessica wonders, still slightly shell-shocked from the whole experience.
“And yes,” Tallard continues, “I do speak Spanish. Learned from our nanny when I was a kid. Graciela. The world’s most amazing woman. Anyway. I digress. Can I take your bag for you? You must be tired. Come on, let’s get you something to eat. My treat.”
Without waiting for an answer, he gently takes her backpack from her shoulder and hefts it onto his own.
Jessica bites her lip. Normally, she only sees her professors in button-down shirts and slacks. They look great in them, but now, seeing Tallard in a threadbare green v-neck t-shirt and well-loved work jeans, she has to admit, he looks even better like that. The t-shirt brings out the flecks of green in his eyes and shows off his broad chest, the short sleeve straining against his muscular biceps. And the jeans, she notices as he begins to walk away, showcase his tight ass perfectly.
“No, I—really, professor—” she stutters, jogging to catch up with her teacher. “Really, you don’t need to.”
“First of all, Jessica,” Tallard grins at her, “you have to start calling us by our first names. I can’t take three more months of being called professor. It makes me feel so old. So, Weston and Dan. Okay?”
“Okay, Prof—err, Weston,” Jessica agrees meekly.
“And second, it’s my absolute pleasure to treat you. If you’re not hungry, what about something to drink? They do amazing fresh-pressed fruit juices here.”
“O—okay,” Jessica gives in because the idea of a fresh-pressed juice right now sounds amazing.
“Excellent! Let’s find you some juice. We have a long day still ahead of us, Jessica, and I don’t want you collapsing halfway through. Not an auspicious start to the trip.”
Jessica giggles, slowly getting used to being treated as an equal by one of her favorite professors. “I guess not,” she agrees.
Half an hour later, Jessica has finished a huge glass of fresh mango-orange juice—Really more like a smoothie, she thinks—and she and Weston have just made it to the Tobías-Bolaños Airport, where Professor Wolovsky is waiting for them. Like Weston, he’s dressed casually in a t-shirt and jeans. Like Weston, the change suits him. Tall like Weston, Dan is thinner, his chest long and lean in a way that his white t-shirt highlights perfectly. From under his wavy black hair, cut stylishly short on the sides and long on the top, his dark blue eyes sparkle invitingly when he sees Weston and Jessica.
“Jessica,” he grins as they approach. “I hope Weston managed to find you before anything happened. I’m so sorry.”
Jessica shakes her head. “Everything was fine, Professor.”
“Dan, please,” he smiles, holding out a hand for her to shake. His skin is warm against hers and Jessica feels goosebumps trail up her arms.
“I tried to tell her,” Weston grins at his friend and claps the other man on the back. “All set with the flights?”
“All set,” Dan nods. “We’re leaving from Gate 22 in half an hour.”
“Why did we have to change airports?” Jessica asks, feeling stupid as she follows her two professors through this latest airport.
“Because you arrived at the international airport. But to get to Corcovado National Park we have to fly out of this one here, which is smaller and just does national flights,” Dan explains, smiling. “From here we’ll get a plane to—”
“Drake Bay,” Jessica finishes, remembering the itinerary she’d read on the flight down.
“Exactly,” Weston agrees. “And from there, we’ll catch a boat to the Sirena Ranger Station in the park and, if all goes to plan, a ranger will guide us out to our cabin.”
“Got it,” Jessica nods. “You weren’t kidding about it being a long day,” she says to Weston.
The tall, dirty-blond man laughs. “I promise we’ll stop for food between here and the cabin. They have great seafood in Drake Bay.”
“And the views are incredible,” Dan adds. “Jungle right down to the sandy beach.”
“So you guys have been here before?” Jessica asks.
They both nod. “We’ve been monitoring the spider monkeys in Corcovado Park for a couple of years now,” Dan explains. “But this is the first time we’ve gotten a grant to actually have someone help us out. I know you know that this isn’t going to be a luxury cruise,” he continues. “The cabin we’re staying in is really basic and we’ll be far from civilization, but at the end, I promise we can take a few days and enjoy the beaches before we head back. We always do.”
“And don’t worry,” Dan winks at her. “We’ll show you all the best spots.”
Jessica smiles, feeling a blush creeping up her neck. She can’t help it. When Dan smiles at her like that, his eyes fixed on hers, her body just reacts. “That sounds awesome,” she says, swallowing hard. “Interesting work, beautiful beaches, and fresh fruit juice. What more could a girl want?”
“What about an amazing company?” Weston points out, pretending to be insulted.
“Stroke his ego a little, Jess,” Dan says, teasing. “He’ll pout for the whole trip out otherwise.”
Jessica giggles. “Interesting work, beautiful beaches, and fresh fruit juice. Not to mention, an amazing company. What more could a girl want?”
“Thank you,” Weston replies haughtily, making Dan and Jessica both laugh.
“It’s like working with a kid sometimes,” Dan says, shaking his head.
“What happened
to being professional in front of the students?” Weston retorts.
“Yeah,” Dan muses, “what did happen to that?”
Weston chuckles, shaking his head. “I’m sorry, Jessica. Get ready for three months of this.”
I can’t think of a better way to spend a summer, Jessica thinks.
“I’m sure I’ll survive somehow,” she replies instead, feeling proud as the two men laugh. If they want to be friends, she’s more than happy to be friends.
CHAPTER 4
Jetlagged and exhausted as she is, Jessica catches her breath as the boat sweeps around a rocky outcropping and she catches her first glimpse of Corcovado Park.
“It’s beautiful,” she says.
“Eh?” Dan shouts over the roar of the boat’s engine.
“It’s beautiful!” Jessica shouts back, without taking her eyes off the coastline. Glistening, emerald green jungle sweeps down of low, mist-shrouded mountains, ending in the pale, pure arc of a sandy bay. The ocean laps, glittering and turquoise against the golden shore. Above them, birds wheel and soar in the bright blue sky. Everything seems like it’s made out of jewels, Jessica thinks, her eyes trying to soak up all the beauty. How can this possibly be real?
The view reminds Jessica just why she wants to become a biologist so badly. She can’t believe that places like this exist—and that they’re rapidly being destroyed. How could anyone want to harm something so magical? she thinks, shaking her head sadly. Hopefully, our work will help protect this incredible place.
As Jessica stares at the scenery, her professors share an understanding smile.
“I think she likes it,” Weston yells at Dan.
“I think you might be right,” Dan replies, laughing.
On the beach, the trio is met by one of the National park’s rangers, an older man with thick grey hair and a brilliantly white smile. “Back again,” he greets them in Spanish, holding out a work-calloused hand. The professors ignore the hand and embrace the ranger, clapping him on the back.
“Jorge! Still here!” Weston grins.
“Of course, how could I miss your annual visit? Especially when you bring such charming company with you.” He nods at Jessica.