“Mom?”
“Hi, sweetheart,” Lorraine said, reaching her hand out the window and putting it on Sawyer’s arm.
“I’m sorry I’m late, I was just —”
“No, no, it’s fine. I just had this sudden craving for that Jamaican grouper they have over at the Island Way Grill. What do you say? Grab some dinner?”
Sawyer was quiet on the ride to the restaurant. He didn’t feel much like talking. He was still lost in thought when Lorraine parked the car and they walked into the restaurant.
“Oh, good,” Lorraine said, “they’re not crowded.”
Sawyer tried to take a look around. “How can you tell? It’s so dark —”
Snap! Suddenly, the lights went on, momentarily blinding Sawyer.
“SURPRISE!”
Sawyer’s aunt Alyce, his cousin Kyle, and tons of his friends from CMA were there with their arms in the air, standing under a colorful banner that read “Congratulations on Your New Adventures!” Sawyer blinked in the bright lights then looked at his mother, who was smiling at him. He knew how excited she was to do something for him. But the last thing Sawyer felt like doing was celebrating. He did his best to smile back.
After his guests had come over to congratulate him at the door, Sawyer made his way over to the drinks table, where Hazel, Kyle, Kat, and Phoebe were gathered.
“You must be so thrilled,” Phoebe said.
“Um … yeah,” said Sawyer.
“When do you guys leave?” Kat asked.
Sawyer and Hazel exchanged a look.
“Twenty-third,” Kyle answered. He grinned at his cousin. “We’re on the noon flight from Tampa.”
Over by the buffet table, Lorraine and her sister Alyce were getting some food. “You must be so happy for him, Lorraine,” Alyce said, putting a spoonful of rice on her plate.
“I am. I really am,” said Lorraine, picking up a pair of tongs to grab a piece of grouper.
“And such a nice turnout. Shows you how much people love that boy.”
Lorraine nodded and put her hand to her mouth. Suddenly, she burst into tears.
“Oh, Lorraine!” her sister said.
“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Lorraine said, and quickly wiped her eyes. She reached into her purse to get a tissue but lost control of her plate, spilling the grouper onto the table. “Oh, shoot —”
Alyce put down her plate. “I’ll get it.”
But Lorraine just got more flustered. “It’s okay, I’ve got it,” she said, putting down her own plate, then putting her bag on top of the rice.
Alyce took her sister by the shoulders and gave her a hug. “It’s okay,” she said.
“I’m sorry,” Lorraine gushed. “It’s just — he just got so big so fast!”
Alyce handed her sister a napkin to wipe her eyes. “I know. Same with Kyle. One day he’s your little boy, then all of a sudden — he’s a big, ugly man.”
Lorraine smiled at her sister while dabbing her eyes. She always knew how to lift her spirits. “Kyle’s very handsome.”
“Oh, you know what I mean.”
“I want Sawyer to go, I do. I just …” Lorraine said, starting to well up again. “I don’t want him to go.”
* * *
Later that evening, Sawyer sat down on a bench with a paper plate of cake. He picked up his fork and took a bite, but he didn’t have much of an appetite. He put the fork back down.
“Hey.”
Sawyer looked up and was startled to see Dr. McCarthy.
“I never pass up a free meal,” the doctor said, taking a seat beside Sawyer. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a little wooden box. “I got you something,” he said, handing it over. Sawyer took the box, feeling puzzled.
Dr. McCarthy shrugged. “Going-away present. Old Chinese custom. Open it.”
Sawyer lifted the box lid and pulled out an antique silver pocket watch. No one had ever given him something like this before. “It’s beautiful,” he said. He ran his thumb over the watch face, then took his forefinger and thumb and began to wind the knob. Nothing happened.
Dr. McCarthy pointed to the watch with his thumb. “The thing crapped out years ago. Belonged to my uncle Bill. It’s been sitting in my garage since the Nixon administration.”
“Oh. Well. Thanks.” Sawyer thought it was a little odd to give a broken gift, but then again, Dr. McCarthy was a little odd, too.
“Hit it,” the doctor said. “Hit the thing.”
Sawyer looked back at the watch. He gave it a gentle smack and it started to tick. “Hey, there it goes.” But a few seconds later, it stopped. Sawyer smacked it again. The watch ticked a couple of times, then stopped.
“You see the problem?” Dr. McCarthy asked.
Sawyer had a feeling he knew what was coming. He squinted at the doctor. “I’m about to get a lesson here, aren’t I?”
The two grinned.
“The watch is beautiful, but my guess is that it sat in that box so long that it finally just stopped,” said Dr. McCarthy.
“Okay …”
Dr. McCarthy took the watch from Sawyer. “Shaking the watch up a little, that’s the only thing that gets it moving forward.” He shook it and it started to tick once more. “The world is too big — and there’s too many possibilities — to spend your life sitting in a box.” He looked around at Sawyer’s friends and family, everyone who had come out to celebrate with him. “No matter how nice that box might be.”
Sawyer looked around the room and he nodded. “Thanks, Dr. McCarthy.”
The doctor smiled. “My pleasure.”
* * *
On the other side of the party, Hazel walked over to get some cake. Talking with people from CMA and having to keep the transfer order a secret was exhausting. Hazel was trying to take a quiet moment to herself when Susie approached.
“Uh, Hazel?” Susie said. “Hi, I’m Susie — I’m a new volunteer.”
Hazel was startled but then she nodded. She knew who Susie was and knew Sawyer did, too.
“Um, I don’t know if they’ll have Internet on the boat where Sawyer’s going,” Susie said nervously. “But I was just wondering — do you mind if I friend him on Facebook?”
“No,” Hazel answered. She thought for a second. “Why would I mind?”
“Oh!” Susie’s eyes grew large. “I thought you two might be —”
Hazel realized what Susie meant and tried to laugh. “Oh. No, gosh. Whatever gave you that idea — ?”
But Susie rushed on, “And can I friend you, too? I admire you guys both so much!”
“Oh, okay.” Hazel felt herself starting to smile. She felt lighter all of a sudden, although she didn’t quite understand why. “Sure,” she told Susie. “Absolutely.”
* * *
While Hazel was feeling better momentarily, her father, Clay, was feeling worse. He kept reading the transfer order again and again. Finally, he checked his watch. He wasn’t sure Sawyer would even want to see him at his party, but he had to show his support. Clay threw the transfer order to the side of his desk and stood up to go. On his way out, he stopped at Winter’s pool and watched her float out from under the platform. Memories of Winter’s rescue, the struggles with her prosthetic tail, and her joyful performance on Save Winter Day flashed through his mind. Did I make a huge mistake letting Mandy back into the wild? Why didn’t I keep Mandy just a little longer?
The buzz of his cell phone stopped Clay’s flood of regrets. “Hello, this is Clay Haskett.” The other side of the line crackled. “Hello? Who’s this? You’re breaking up.” Clay moved away from the pool and toward his office to try to get a better signal. “Yes, hello?” His forehead wrinkled as he listened to the caller shout information in his ear. Then, with a bright smile that practically lit up the aquarium, he shouted in reply, “Do we? You bet your life we do!”
* * *
“Guys, there’s an emergency.” Phoebe ran over to where Kat, Rebecca, Sawyer, and Hazel were gathered at the party. She had just
gotten off the phone with Clay.
“What’s going on?” asked Sawyer, putting down his plate.
“Clay needs us. Now.”
Sawyer and Hazel exchanged a worried look. No, please don’t let anything be wrong with Winter.
“Marine Fisheries — they picked up a stranding,” Phoebe added. “They’re on their way.”
The team immediately kicked into gear. Sawyer ran over to tell his mother that a beached dolphin had been found and was being taken to CMA. He and the other staff had to get back to the aquarium right away. Within fifteen minutes, Phoebe, Kat, and Rebecca were already in their wet suits back at CMA. At the medical pools, Reed and Clay drained the water to prepare for the wounded animal’s arrival. “I need this down to four feet,” Clay explained.
“We got it,” said Reed.
“Clay! I got him!” Phoebe said, holding up her cell phone. She put it back to her ear. “Steve? Can you hear me?” She squinted, straining to hear the other end of the line. “What’s your ETA? … Okay … Twenty minutes?”
Clay nodded. They would be ready.
“Say again, Steve,” Phoebe continued. “You’re breaking up.” She listened for a moment, then her eyes jumped to Clay. “It’s a juvenile … Male?” Just then, Hazel and Sawyer approached. Phoebe lowered the phone. “Clay?” She looked utterly amazed. “It’s a female.”
Down in the CMA parking lot less than twenty minutes later, Hazel filmed the huge group that had gathered. The CMA staff and volunteers, as well as Sawyer’s party guests who had come over with hopes of getting a glimpse of the rescued dolphin, stood together.
“All right, everybody,” Clay commanded. “The minute they arrive, there will be one voice only — and that will be mine.” He scanned the group. “I need a stretcher team. Phoebe, I want you with me at the head. And I’ll need some strong backs.”
Kyle stepped forward. “Here’s one right here,” he said, raising his hand.
Clay nodded and gestured for Kyle to join him at his side. He looked back to the crowd for one other important person. “Sawyer.”
Hazel turned the camera just in time to catch Sawyer’s stunned expression. He would never have guessed that Clay would choose him. He assumed Clay would think he was too young, and besides, wasn’t Clay still angry with him?
Clay gave the boy a soft smile and looked him squarely in the eye. “I want you beside me.”
Lorraine stood filled with pride next to Dr. McCarthy and watched her son join Kyle on Clay’s stretcher team. Kyle seemed stronger than ever despite needing a brace for his leg, and Sawyer continued to inspire her every day. She was so proud of these two young men. She peeked up at Dr. McCarthy. He must be thinking the same thing, she thought. “Hope this one’s not missing any pieces,” said the doctor. “If it’s lost its head, there’s not much I can do.” Lorraine laughed. Could Dr. McCarthy ever be thinking the same thing as me? Nope.
In the next moment, Lorraine heard someone announce, “They’re here!” A blue truck with Harbor Marine Rescue on the side rumbled into the parking lot with its emergency lights flashing. It screeched to a stop in front of Clay. Clay went around to the back of the truck and opened the doors to see a small dolphin lying on its side on a yellow stretcher. The rescue workers in the truck sprang into action.
“How’s she doing, Steve?” Clay asked.
Steve wrapped up the dolphin in several blankets and lifted her off the stretcher. “She’s stiffening up. Might not make it. Gotta get her in the water fast….” he said, lifting her out of the truck.
Still filming, Hazel gasped from behind the camera. “Dad, she’s little!”
But Clay was only focused on getting the dolphin into the medical pool as quickly as possible. “I’ll just take her,” he said to Kyle as he took the dolphin from Steve and carried her in his arms. “Get the stretcher ready up top!”
Hazel, the stretcher team, and the Harbor Rescue workers followed Clay and the dolphin into the building and straight up to the medical pools. After a few minutes, the dolphin was back in a stretcher.
“Get the hooks on,” Clay instructed. Kyle and Sawyer quickly attached the hooks to the stretcher while Phoebe and Kat rushed into the water. Kyle double-checked that each hook was securely fastened, then signaled to Reed that they were ready. Reed shot a look toward Clay to confirm everything was set. Clay nodded. “Here we go, everyone.” Reed hit the button to hoist the stretcher into the air.
“That’s enough,” Clay said. He and Kyle let the stretcher swing gently over the water.
“Okay, down now,” Clay guided Reed. “Easy … easy does it.”
From the pool, Phoebe and Kat reached up and grabbed the stretcher to steady it. Together they helped lower it into the water. Just as the stretcher hit the water, the dolphin let out a loud whistle.
Hazel peeked her head out from behind the camera again. “Listen! She’s vocalizing!” Hazel quickly got back in position and adjusted the camera lens, zooming in on Phoebe and Kat as they slid the dolphin out of the stretcher and into their arms.
“Good work, everybody,” said Clay. He turned to the Harbor Rescue crew. “Well done, guys.” He returned his attention to the pool, where everyone else was looking at Kat and Phoebe cradling the dolphin in their arms. “Now all we can do is hope….”
Hazel lowered her camera. “That’s her name!”
“What is?” asked Clay, lowering his eyebrows.
“Hope!” Hazel looked pleased. “I just named her.” Then she glanced over to Sawyer.
“Sure,” her friend agreed.
Clay addressed the group. “Everybody, say hello to Hope.”
Up in the rooftop dolphin pools, Winter could also hear the whistles of the young dolphin. Winter bobbed to the surface of the water, and when she heard Hope vocalizing, she tweeted back.
The next few weeks were a blur of activity at the aquarium. To everyone’s relief, Hope was recovering at a rapid pace. She was given a full workup of tests within her first few days. The staff determined that she was too young to have learned from her mom how to survive in the wild and therefore could never be released. As soon as Clay had verified Hope’s test results and medical records, he called George Hatton requesting that the transfer order for Winter be postponed. But George had to see Winter and Hope together himself. He would be coming in a few days and the staff had a lot to do to prepare.
When word got out that a new dolphin had been rescued whose presence might make it possible for Winter to stay in Clearwater, news teams started reporting every day on progress at the aquarium. But it turned out that Hope wasn’t the only animal getting buzz. While Hope would not be able to return to the wild, Mavis the sea turtle was fully recovered and ready to head back home. One morning, when the sun had just crept up over the horizon, a crowd was already gathered at the beach surrounding Rebecca, Hazel, and Sawyer. The trio carried Mavis wrapped up in a folded rubber mat, and shuffled down the shore while a television news cameraman trailed them.
“Whoa!” the cameraman called out suddenly. A pelican had just jumped into his shot then scurried after Sawyer, Hazel, Rebecca, and Mavis.
Sawyer turned back to see what was causing the commotion. “Rufus! Cut it out!” he scolded. A few feet away from where the waves were hitting the sand, Sawyer and the girls set down the mat. Seeing his opportunity, Rufus scuttled forward and nipped at the mat.
Hazel shooed him away. “Get back! Go, go!” She held out her arms like a basketball player on defense, blocking the pelican so Rebecca and Sawyer could unwrap the turtle. As soon as she was free, Mavis’s instinct kicked in and she started shuffling toward the water.
“There you go, Mavis,” Rebecca said with encouragement.
Aaawp! Rufus screeched.
Hazel spun her head around to cheer on the turtle while still fending off Rufus. “Go, Mavis! Go!”
As Mavis reached the water and scrambled into the shallow surf, the crowd started rooting louder. “You can do it, Mavis!” “Go, Mavis!” “
Yay, Mavis!”
Rufus paced back and forth, flapping his wings. Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore. He bolted around Hazel and lifted off into the air.
“Hey!” Hazel cried, waving her arms.
The bird flew low right over Sawyer and Rebecca. If they had raised their hands in time they could have touched him. “Rufus, no!” Rebecca shouted.
But Rufus zoomed on ahead. He spied Mavis’s shell, just barely visible in between the breaking waves. Squawk! Squawk! Squawk!
Down below, Mavis swam farther out to sea, her body disappearing under the waves then reappearing again. Rufus circled overhead. When he was directly above her, he swooped back toward shore.
“That crazy bird,” Hazel murmured. I guess he just wanted to see Mavis off himself. After all, he was the one who technically found her. Hazel smiled thinking back on all the times Rufus got himself in trouble. He could be annoying, but deep down, she liked having him around. She looked up as he approached the shore. The pelican locked eyes with her. Squawk! Hazel expected him to dive back down to the sand and waddle over to her. But to her surprise, the pelican banked to his right and made a huge turn heading back to the sea. “Rufus — no!” He isn’t coming back. He is going with Mavis! Hazel’s eyes shifted back and forth from the sky to the sea, watching the two animal friends disappear in the distance.
* * *
That night, Sawyer sat in his bed trying to read, but none of the words were sinking in. All he could think about was George Hatton’s visit in two days. Tomorrow the team was going to put Winter and Hope together for the first time. Putting a wild animal with another animal always had potential dangers. But with Winter missing her tail, nobody knew how Hope would react. She could try to hurt Winter or end up hurting herself. Winter might be upset that Hope wasn’t Panama and act out. Adding to the pressure, if the two dolphins couldn’t get along, Winter would be transferred to Texas. They only had a few days to make sure Winter stayed. Sawyer pushed the thought out of his head — again.
Dolphin Tale 2 Page 5