Dolphins in the Mud

by Jo Ramsey

He grinned. “I think so too. Cecelia, do you want to see the dolphins?”

  Cece’s face lit up. “Dolphs!”

  That was the clearest she’d ever said it. Dad and I took that as a sign that we should take her to the harbor.

  Of course, everyone else in Wellfleet had had the same idea. During the late spring, summer, and early fall, there were usually plenty of whales and dolphins in the waters off Cape Cod, and whale watch tours did a booming business. When whales or dolphins wandered close to land, everyone suddenly started acting like they’d never seen the animals before.

  The area near the harbor was completely jammed with people. That big a crowd was usually a recipe for disaster with Cece. Dad and I both kept an eye on her, and he put one hand on her shoulder to make sure she stayed with us. She walked along with her hands over her ears and even closed her eyes a couple times as we tried to thread our way through the crowd to get close enough for her to see the dolphins, but she didn’t freak out the way she often did in large groups. I figured she was so excited about the dolphins that she’d decided to try to ignore the people for a change.

  Somehow we managed to reach a spot where we could sort of see the dolphins. Two of them were on the beach in front of us. The rest were splashing around in the harbor, making noises like they were trying to persuade their buddies to go back and join them.

  Cece peered between the people in front of us. She looked completely happy for the first time I could remember. Even with all the people and all the noise, she focused only on the dolphins. One of the ones in the water turned its head toward us and kind of squeaked. If I hadn’t known better, I would have sworn it knew Cece was there and wanted to say hello to her.

  “This is pretty freaky, isn’t it?” someone beside me said.

  I hadn’t heard that voice in months, but I recognized it immediately and whirled around.

  Noah stood beside me. He was thinner than the last time I’d seen him, and his hair had been buzz-cut. My heart did a little flip. Apparently my feelings for him hadn’t changed as much as I’d believed. Not that it mattered. I had Colin, and no matter how I felt about Noah, I wasn’t ready to get involved with him again.

  Noah smiled. “Hi.”

  “Hi.” I hesitated. “You’re back in Wellfleet?”

  He nodded. “Dad’s working from here for a while. My doctor said it would be good for me to settle in one place for more than a month or two, and this place is quieter than anywhere else we have homes. Besides, it’s near the hospital in case I flip out again.” He rolled his eyes. “Dad thinks that’s a possibility. The doctor doesn’t, as long as I take my meds.”

  “Oh.” I didn’t want to hear about his issues or his medication. Over the past few months, I’d mostly managed to forget the sight of him lying on his hallway floor. Now the images were all coming back. I kind of wished Noah hadn’t decided to talk to me.

  On the other hand, I was glad to see him doing better. At least I knew he was okay.

  “What’s going on with you?” he asked.

  “I’m working for the summer.” I decided not to tell him where. I didn’t want to take a chance on him showing up at work and causing trouble for me. “I joined the baseball team this spring. And I met someone.”

  “I see.” He looked out at the harbor. “Dating?”

  “Yeah.”

  “That’s good.” He smiled again. “I’m glad you found someone good. I kind of hope you and I can still be friends, anyway. I mean, I’m going to be here in Wellfleet for a while, and I don’t know anyone here except you. Dad wants me to have friends now, because the doctor said it would be good for me, so he won’t complain if people come over to visit.”

  “I might stop by.” I refused to go any further than that. I didn’t know if I could be friends with him after what had happened.

  “Cool.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Dad’s waving at me. I saw you over here and wanted to say hi. Now I guess I need to go back to him. Take care, okay?”

  “Yeah, you too.”

  “Hope I’ll see you soon.” He started weaving his way back through the crowd.

  I turned my attention back to the dolphins. Two more had gotten themselves up onto the beach, and the rescue workers kept trying to move them back into the water. Meanwhile, other workers were in the water trying to block more dolphins from stranding themselves. In front of me, Cece practically danced with joy as she watched the animals.

  A lot had happened since the last time dolphins had visited Wellfleet. That first time, I’d believed my family was doing just fine. That day, as I’d stood beside Drummer Cove talking to Noah, I thought I’d met a guy I might have something good with. So much had changed in the past few months.

  My life had gotten a lot better, though, and I knew that whatever else might happen, I’d be okay.

  A cheer rose from the crowd, and I turned toward the beach in time to see two dolphins swimming back to join their pod. Some of the others had already begun swimming toward open water. They would be okay too.

  More from Jo Ramsey

  For the past two years, since meeting in ninth grade, Mira MacDonald and Rob Stevens have been inseparable best friends. Rob’s struggles with depression, and his reliance on Mira, sometimes make the friendship difficult for Mira, but she wants to support Rob. Especially since he’s the victim of severe bullying at school due to his sexuality. Even though Rob isn’t out, he is gay, and the suspicion is enough for some people to torment him.

  Now Mira has her first girlfriend, Talia Acevedo, and Rob’s jealousy is becoming even more of a problem. Rob insists that Talia doesn’t like him and is trying to break up their friendship. Mira tries to stay neutral, but it isn’t easy when Rob’s obsession with her escalates—along with his anger as the harassment gets worse.

  One night, during one of their typical midnight text sessions, Rob tells Mira he’s decided to take drastic action at school to stop the bullying once and for all. And if she tries to stop him or tells anyone else, she’ll be first on his target list.

  Kellan McKee is different, but not for the reasons everyone thinks. He’s open about being transgender and grateful to have his mother’s support, even if his stepfather disapproves. When Kellan is attacked by one of his stepfather’s friends, he’s more than capable of defending himself. But doing so comes with a price: Kellan is forced to reveal what really sets him apart—his psychic abilities.

  Now Kellan must escape his stepfather’s vengeance with only the money his mother can provide. In Denver he meets Shad, a person with powers similar to his own who is willing to help him. The two agree to travel together, and Shad reveals there’s a group in Boston where Kellan can find a safe haven and learn more about his gift—and how to control it.

  Kellan’s respite might be short-lived, however, if his stepfather manages to find him. And not everyone in Boston welcomes him with open arms. Kellan might not be as safe as he’d hoped.

  Deep Secrets and Hope: Book One

  Sixteen-year-old Evan Granger has no problems with being gay. Despite his mother’s objections, he wears nail polish and makeup to school and pursues his goal of becoming a professional drag queen.

  TV drag star Taffy Sweet gives encouragement and Evan’s cousin Holly tries to protect him, but school bullies abuse him so badly because of his sexuality and the girly way he dresses that he ends up at the hospital emergency room. After that, even his new crush, a closeted football jock named Moe Garcia, is unhappy about Evan’s choice to live his life openly gay. But even in girly clothes and nail polish, Evan is a force to be reckoned with, and he soon shows the bullies—and everyone else—that beating a drag queen up does not mean the queen is beaten down.

  Deep Secrets and Hope: Book Two

  High school football star Guillermo Garcia can count himself among the popular kids—for now. Although he secretly dates Evan Granger, who is openly gay and badly bullied for it, Guillermo doesn’t dare let his teammates, classmates, or close-knit family learn about his
sexuality.

  But Guillermo witnessed an attack on Evan, and now the school bullies plan to out Guillermo in retaliation. In their small town, word spreads rapidly, so Guillermo must make a quick choice—come out now on his own or risk having someone else do it for him.

  Deep Secrets and Hope: Book Three

  Chastaine Rollo follows her own rules, even starting rumors about herself before others have the chance. Others’ opinions don’t matter. Her life is fun, and she likes being a rebel, until now. When she comes forward as a date-rape victim, pinning a popular former student as her attacker, the entire school turns against her.

  Two months ago, Chastaine admitted to her friend Guillermo that Jim Frankel date-raped her, and Guillermo coaxed her to report it. When word spread about what had happened to Chastaine, a freshman girl, Maryellen, reported that she had also been raped by Jim. Since then Chastaine and Maryellen have endured nasty messages, cyberbullying, and threats in school.

  Chastaine has lost many of her so-called friends and now leans on Guillermo, his boyfriend Evan Granger, and Evan’s cousin, Holly McCormack, for support. Especially Holly.

  When Jim pleads guilty to the charges against him, Chastaine’s happiness is short-lived when she realizes the truth won’t change the way her peers view her. Unable to take the news and the way people are treating her, Maryellen attempts suicide, and Chastaine blames herself for not being more supportive. However, Chastaine needs support too, and Holly is one of the only people she can now trust, but Chastaine isn’t sure whether her attraction to Holly is only because of that or if it’s something more.

  Readers love Jo Ramsey

  Midnight Chat

  “I loved the complexity of relationships in this story. I thought the character building was good.”

  —Boy Meets Boy Reviews

  “…it is a good book and it is good to see stories like this one bring this serious issue out in the open.”

  —Wicked Reads: YA Edition

  Where No One Knows

  “I recommend this book to fans of twist endings, stories about being on the run and YA. If you’re looking for a good book featuring a transgender character and psychic abilities, or something without romance as the main focus, you should check this one out!”

  —For The Love Of Books

  Ball Caps and Khakis

  “This is a novel that takes on some weighty issues, and handles them with sensitivity and care.”

  —Just Love: Romance Book Reviews

  JO RAMSEY is a former special education teacher who now writes full-time. She firmly believes that everyone has it in them to be a hero, whether to others or in their own lives, and she tries to write books that encourage teens to be themselves and make a difference. Jo has been writing since age five and has been writing young adult fiction since she was a teen herself; her first YA book was published in 2010. She lives in Massachusetts with her two daughters, her husband, and two cats, one of whom likes to read over her shoulder.

  Website: www.joramsey.com

  Facebook: www.facebook.com/JoRamseyYA

  Twitter: @JoRamseyYA

  Tumblr: joramseyya.tumblr.com

  By Jo Ramsey

  Dolphins in the Mud

  First Time for Everything (Harmony Ink Anthology)

  Midnight Chat

  Where No One Knows

  DEEP SECRETS AND HOPE

  Nail Polish and Feathers

  Shoulder Pads and Flannel

  High Heels and Lipstick

  Blue Jeans and Sweatshirts

  Work Boots and Tees

  Ball Caps and Khakis

  Published by HARMONY INK PRESS

  www.harmonyinkpress.com

  Published by

  HARMONY INK PRESS

  5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886 USA

  publisher@harmonyinkpress.com • harmonyinkpress.com

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of author imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Dolphins in the Mud

  © 2017 Jo Ramsey.

  Cover Art

  © 2017 Brooke Albrecht.

  http://brookealbrechtstudio.com

  Cover content is for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted on the cover is a model.

  All rights reserved. This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of international copyright law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. Any eBook format cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Harmony Ink Press, 5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886, USA, or publisher@harmonyinkpress.com.

  ISBN: 978-1-63533-775-4

  Digital ISBN: 978-1-63533-776-1

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2017901559

  Published August 2017

  v. 1.0

  Printed in the United States of America