by Bill H Myers
It was clear she had done this before. She knew how to get the kitten's attention and get it to start nursing on the bottle.
Lori and I did the same with the kittens we were holding. Watching Callie do it and seeing her smile as the kitten worked on the bottle made me think about her future.
What would happen if she dropped out of college? Where would her life take her? Should we get involved?
After the kittens had finished their bottles, Lori handed out paper towels. “You know the drill. Put these over your shoulder and burp your kitten.”
She nodded in my direction. “Walker, you've got the big one, so be prepared. He might burp up a hot mess.”
Lori wasn't wrong. The big kitten burped out a stream of undigested formula. Most of it landed on the paper towel, but some of it ended up on the back of my shirt.
Callie laughed. I was glad she enjoyed the show.
Her kitten did the same thing. It burped up its own hot mess, but not nearly as much as the big boy I was holding.
When all three kittens had been burped, Lori took the soiled paper towels and dropped them in the trash under the sink. She grabbed three more paper towels and handed one to me and one to Callie. “Time to clean up. Wipe around their eyes, ears, and mouth then do the other end. In that order.”
I was pretty sure Callie, with her years in veterinary school, already knew how to do this. Lori's instructions were mostly for me. But I didn't mind.
When we were finished cleaning, Lori put the now sleepy kittens back in their box and took it to the back bedroom so they would be near their mother.
While Lori was in the back, Callie turned to me. “Thanks for taking us to the hospital. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't shown up.”
I nodded. “So when I stepped into the camper, did you recognize me?”
“Not right away. You looked familiar, but I didn't know why. I was pretty much out of it. Then I remembered seeing you at Oasis with Doctor Joy. Everybody there was talking about the handsome guy Dr. Joy had brought with her. We all checked you out.”
I smiled. Interesting that they thought I was handsome.
She continued, “You may not know this, but you probably saved Kenny's life. He had an allergic reaction, and if they hadn't shot him up with cortisone, he could have suffocated.
“So you did good. You kept the kittens from falling into the wrong hands, and you saved a life.”
She leaned over and hugged me, poison ivy and all. Just as she released the hug, Lori walked in. “Am I interrupting something?”
Callie shook her head. “No, I'm just thanking Walker for saving our lives.”
Chapter Fifty-Eight
With the panther kittens put away, a few decisions had to be made. For me, the big one was where I was going to sleep.
Before Callie had shown up, it had been decided I'd be sleeping in the chickee hut with Lori. But that might have changed. Lori might not feel comfortable sleeping with me with Callie around.
After Lori had finished cleaning the bottles, she said, “Time to go outside and let the kitties sleep.”
She went out first, and Callie and I followed. Outside, Lori turned to Callie and said, “You said you were going to go see your grandfather tomorrow?”
“Yes, that's the plan.”
“And you're going to sleep in your car tonight?”
“Yeah. There's a parking lot a few miles down the road. I'll pull in there and park behind a dumpster. No one will bother me there.”
Lori shook her head. “I've got a better idea. Stay here in the campground. It'll be a lot safer than sleeping in a parking lot. There's a bathhouse, with toilets and showers you can use.
“If you stay, you can help me with the kittens in the morning. Then we can go to the Blue Crab and have breakfast together.”
Callie smiled. “I don't want to impose, but staying here sounds a lot better than sleeping in a parking lot. If you're sure it's okay, I'll stay.”
“It'll be fine. Just pull your van up behind the motorhome. If anyone asks, tell them you're here with Doctor Joy.
“Walker and I are sleeping in the chickee hut. If you need anything, we'll be up there. If you need to visit the bathhouse, follow the road you came in on and you'll see it on your left. Take a flashlight with you.”
Callie nodded. “Will do. I promise I won't bother you tonight. See you in the morning.”
She went to her minivan, started it up and moved it behind the motorhome. Then she climbed into the back and started hanging privacy curtains around the windows.
I was watching with interest while she was doing this until Lori tapped me on the shoulder. “Walker, quit staring at Callie. Lock up the motorhome.”
I started to say, “Yes dear,” but decided better of it. I locked all the motorhome doors and did a quick walk around to make sure everything was secure.
After that, I caught up with Lori, and we headed up the stairs to the chickee.
Bob was waiting for us on the window sill. When he saw us, he said, “Murrrrph?” which sounded a lot like he was asking, “Where have you been?”
He likes it when I answer him, so I said, “Bob, we've been checking on the motorhome. We're back now. Anything you need?”
He didn't reply. But as soon as we were inside, he jumped down from the window sill and trotted over to Lori. He rubbed his body against her ankle. He was saying he was happy that we were back.
It may seem strange that Bob ran up to Lori instead of me, especially since I'm the one who keeps his food and water bowls full and the one who cleans up after him. But cats are strange that way. Sometimes they show their appreciation by ignoring you.
This was one of those times.
While Bob was with Lori, I checked his food and water. Both were nearly full. He hadn't eaten much and hadn't used his litter box. That was to be expected. His poop schedule has him in the box around two in the morning. He takes care of business, covers it up, and then walks away meowing loudly to let everyone know how well it went.
We'd hear him later on if he was still on schedule.
It was getting late, and I wanted to see what Lori was planning. When I turned to see how she and Bob were doing, she had moved over to the bed. She smiled and said, “So, where were we before Callie showed up?”
I knew the answer. “We were in bed listening to the sounds of the Everglades.”
She nodded. “Why don't we do some more of that?”
She turned off the light, and in the darkness I could hear her pull off her shirt and shorts. She slipped under the sheets and said, “Your turn.”
Before I joined her, I checked to make sure the front door was locked and all the window screens were closed. We were in the Everglades, and I didn't want anything flying or crawling in and joining us during the night.
With everything locked up, I pulled off my clothes and slid into bed beside Lori. I was a little concerned about what she had in mind, but soon realized it wouldn't be a problem. She was snoring softly. She was already asleep.
To put a further damper on things, Bob had jumped up on the bed and curled up beside her. He had placed himself between us, making sure the only thing that was going to happen that night was sleep.
I gave him a few pets and soon fell asleep.
* * *
The next morning, I woke to discover Lori gone. She wasn't in bed or anywhere in the chickee hut.
Figuring she had probably gone over to the bathhouse, I rolled over to check the time on my phone. It was seven thirty. Time to get up.
I got out of bed, got dressed and looked for the keys to the motorhome. I was sure I'd left them on the nightstand the night before. But they were gone. Apparently, Lori had taken them.
Looking around, I saw she had taken more than just the keys. She had gathered up her clothes and everything else she'd brought in and taken those as well. The only thing she'd left behind was Bob and me.
Bob didn't seem overly concerned. He was still sleeping in
the center of the bed. Rather than wake him, I decided to go find Lori and see what our plans for the day were.
Outside, I was relieved to see the motorhome still parked in the same place it had been the night before. No one had moved it. Callie's minivan was parked behind it, which probably meant both Lori and Callie were somewhere nearby.
As I made my way down to ground level, the side door of the motorhome opened, and Callie stepped out. She was followed by Lori. They both had smiles on their faces and seemed to be in a good mood. When Lori saw me, she waved and motioned me over.
“Walker, it's about time you got up. Callie and I have been up since daybreak. We've fed the kittens, packed up our gear and have been waiting for you to join us.
“We're hungry. We're going to the Blue Crab for breakfast. You coming?”
I nodded. “Yeah, breakfast sounds good. Give me five minutes then meet me by the van.”
While they waited, I headed over to the campground bathhouse for my morning routine then headed back to meet them.
Back at the van, Lori said she needed to get something from the chickee hut and wanted me to go with her. I was pretty sure she hadn't left anything up there, but I went anyway.
When we got inside, she closed the door and said, “You think Polly might need a maintenance man back at Mango Bay?”
Polly was one of the owners of Mango Bay, the place where I lived in my motorhome. She was also the person who had asked me to drive Lori to Oasis.
I'd met Polly several months back and had helped her and her friend Buck purchase Mango Bay. Since then, I'd been helping them as they took over the chores of running and maintaining the place.
They didn't have an official maintenance person. They just had me, and I was only doing it as a favor. They really did need someone full time. They'd just been too busy to interview people for the position.
“Lori, you want me to call Polly and ask?”
She nodded. “Yes, and tell her I put you up to it.”
I called. Polly answered on the third ring.
“Walker, you're up pretty early this morning.”
“You're right. It's your fault. This little favor I've been doing for you has turned into a real adventure. Thanks to you, I now have four panthers living in my motorhome.”
There was a pause on the other end of the line. Then, “Walker, I think I misheard you. It sounded like you said you have four panthers in your motorhome.”
“You heard me right. There are four panthers in my motorhome. A full grown one sleeping on my bed and three panther kittens beside her.”
Another pause. Then, “Walker, have you been drinking?”
“No Polly, I haven't been drinking. Your friend Doctor Joy has turned my motorhome into a panther refuge. I'll send you a photo later to prove it. But that's not why I'm calling.
“How would you like to have a full-time maintenance person at Mango Bay? Someone with experience. Someone who'd live there and be available to you and your guests whenever you needed him?”
Polly was silent for a moment. Then she said, “You know we could use someone like that. But can we afford them?”
“I think you can. We know the right person for the job. He was the maintenance guy for a park in Fort Myers. The park's closing and he now needs a job and a place to live. He might be a perfect fit for Mango Bay. Would you be interested in talking to him?”
Polly hesitated then asked, “Did Lori put you up to this?”
“Yes, she did. She's standing right here beside me if you want to talk to her.”
I handed the phone to Lori and stood back.
She and Polly continued the conversation. I could only hear Lori's side.
“Yes, it's going well.
“Yes, there are four panthers in his motorhome.
“No, that wasn't part of the plan. But he's taking it well.
“Yes, I think you should at least talk to him. He's experienced with park maintenance, and he might be a good fit. Talk to him then decide.
“Okay, I'll let him know.”
“You'll have to ask Walker about that.”
With a chuckle, she ended the call.
She handed me back my phone, a sly smile on her face.
“So Lori, what'd she say?”
“She said she'd be willing to give him a try.”
“What else did she say? What was it you told her she'd have to ask me about?”
Lori smiled. “You'll have to wait until you get back to Mango Bay to find out.”
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Lori and I left the chickee and went back down to ground level where Callie was waiting. We all piled into the rental van, and I drove to the Blue Crab. We could smell breakfast before we entered the door.
After taking our seats, we ordered. We all had the same thing; eggs over easy, a side of bacon, toast and orange juice. While we ate, we discussed our plans for the day.
Lori spoke first. “So here's what we need to do. Walker, you need to return the rental van. It has to be somewhere close because I'm not driving your motorhome through Naples or Fort Myers traffic.
“Then we need to get the panthers to the Big Cat Rescue. I've called, and they have everything ready. But we have to get there before three this afternoon. After that, we're free.”
I nodded. “Okay. I'll call Enterprise and find the nearest drop point. Maybe we'll get lucky and there'll be one close by. If there is, you can follow me there in the motorhome. But you have to promise to be careful.”
Lori shook her head. “Walker, I don't want to drive your motorhome in traffic. See if Enterprise can come pick up the van here at the park.”
I pulled out my phone, found the Enterprise number and called. They said the nearest drop point was in Marco Island, forty miles west. They didn't have pickup service and I would have to deliver the van in person.
When I told Lori about this, she said, “I don't want to drive the motorhome on the narrow streets of Marco Island. Is there a better option?”
Callie spoke up. “How about this, I follow Walker there in my car and bring him back after he drops off the van? That's the easy solution.”
She was right. It would be a lot easier on Lori and the motorhome if Callie followed me to the drop point in her car and then brought me back to the campground. This way Lori wouldn't have to drive the motorhome, and I wouldn't have to worry about it.
But I wanted to make sure Callie didn't mind doing it.
“Callie, are you sure? You don't mind driving to Marco and then coming back here?”
She smiled. “I don't mind at all. Glad to help.”
Lori nodded. “Good. That solves a big problem.
“Speaking of problems, you think your grandfather would be interested in a job at an RV resort in Englewood? We know the owners and they are looking for a full-time maintenance person. The job pays a salary and includes living quarters.”
Callie's eyes lit up. “You found Papa a job?”
“Maybe. He'll have to go up there and talk to the owners. But Walker and I have already told them about your grandfather, and they seem interested.”
Callie beamed. “That's great! I'm sure he'll want the job. How soon can he talk to them?”
Lori looked at me then back at Callie. “Probably as soon as tomorrow. Just let Walker know, and he'll set it up.”
Callie was smiling. “I can't wait to tell Papa Carlos. Thank you both so much.”
Lori reached over and placed her hand on Callie's. “There's something else. I called a friend at UF, and we discussed your situation. We both agreed it would be a shame for you to drop out with only one semester to go until you graduate.
“He thought that, based on your grades and family situation, he could get you a scholarship covering your tuition for your last semester. You'll still need to cover your living expenses, but as a senior veterinary student, you shouldn't have any problem finding a part-time job until you graduate.
“If you're interested, I can arrange a meeting
with the adviser.”
With a tremor in her voice, Callie said, “I don't know what to say. This is so … so unexpected.”
Lori smiled. “Just say yes. Make your grandfather proud.”
Callie dabbed a tear and said, “Yes. And thank you so much. I can't tell you how much this means to me. I'll be forever indebted to you.”
Lori patted Callie's hand. “Callie, the only debt you owe is to your grandfather. Make sure you don't let him down.”
* * *
While Lori and Callie finished their meals, I entered the address of the rental drop off into the GPS on my phone. I showed the map to Callie. “Here's where we need to go. Probably take us an hour and a half to get there and back. I'll pay for the gas.”
Callie looked at the map then said, “I'm ready whenever you are. Just say the word.”
After paying for our meal, we headed back to the campground. I gave Lori the keys to the motorhome and asked her to please not drive off without me.
“Walker, don't worry. Your motorhome will still be here when you get back and so will I. While you're gone, I'll get everything ready. Just be sure you get back in time for us to make Big Cat Rescue by three.”
I nodded. “I'll be back in time. If anything comes up, I'll call.”
She smiled. “You do that.”
I went over the directions to the drop point with Callie. “It's a straight shot to Marco Island. Then two turns once we get there. Do you have enough gas to make it?”
She nodded. “Yes. You lead the way, and I'll follow. Give me your cell number in case we get separated.”
We exchanged numbers and headed out.
***
The drive to Marco was uneventful. Traffic was light, and we had no problem finding the drop point. After settling up in the rental office, I got into Callie's minivan, and we headed back to the campground.
Her van was old but in pretty good shape. It seemed to run well, and the check engine light wasn't on. She held it at a steady fifty all the way back.
She was quiet as we were leaving Marco, but when we reached Alligator Alley, she started asking questions. The first few were about Lori or “Doctor Joy” as she referred to her.