Another Hairy Tail 3

by Campbell, Jamie

  ANOTHER HAIRY TAIL 3

  Another Hairy Tail 3

  JAMIE CAMPBELL

  CHAPTER 1

  There was one place Hannah thought she would never be. It wasn’t the location of the aquarium that was so odd, it was the fact there was a table set up next to the stingrays and she was there on a date with Logan Barry.

  The aquarium had closed for the night and candles were their only source of light. Dinner of veggie burgers and fries was sitting on the table. Hannah still wasn’t sure how Logan had managed to arrange it all. “Are you sure we’re not going to be arrested for being here after hours?”

  Logan grinned from ear to ear. “I interned here, the manager loves me. She even gave me a key so I can come and go as I please.”

  “You have a key?” she asked incredulously. There was no end to the surprises Logan Barry sent her way.

  “Just to the front and back doors. It’s not like I can get in there and swim with the sharks or anything.”

  “A key is impressive enough.”

  “Well, Hannah Bear, there is nothing I like more than impressing you.” To anyone else the line would have sounded cheesy, but from Logan, it sounded right.

  Hannah giggled. “Then keep doing it, please. I wouldn’t want to put a dampener on your happiness.”

  As far as first dates went, Hannah figured this was probably very high on the charts. After they finished their meal, Logan gave her a personal tour of the aquarium. He seemed to know everything about the place.

  If there was something he didn’t know, Logan would make up a story so obviously wrong that it made her laugh. She couldn’t remember laughing so hard before.

  After the tour, it was still only eight o’clock and light outside. Neither of them was prepared to go home just yet. “How about we go for a walk on the boardwalk?” Logan suggested.

  “I’d really like that,” Hannah replied.

  They left the aquarium and headed for the old boardwalk that ringed around the largest beach in Mapleton. The old boards were covered in sand, both from the wind carrying it there and the kids who ran across it with sandy feet. As Hannah walked, the grains crunched lightly under each step.

  She wondered whether Logan would hold her hand, wondered even more if she wanted him to. The whole dating thing was still something she was getting used to; showing affection would be another issue all of its own.

  To be safe, she kept her hands in the pocket of her jeans to take away any temptation. Maybe one day she would know for sure if she wanted her hand held and by whom, but today was not that day.

  “The stars are dying to come out,” Logan said, pointing at the sky. Twilight was about to start, making it that time of evening when it wasn’t quite sunny and wasn’t quite dark either. It was in between, just like Hannah felt.

  “I like this time of day.”

  “Me too. You know who doesn’t, though? The Tasmanian Devils because they’re nocturnal. So they’re like, I don’t want to get out of bed yet, just a few more minutes.” He watched Hannah giggle out of the side of his vision, enjoying seeing the smile on her face. It made him smile too.

  They walked all along the boardwalk, the sound of the ocean lapping at the sand and the seagulls all settling down for the night. Everything was getting ready for nightfall.

  Hannah relaxed the further they went, enjoying Logan’s company without needing to think about it. She let her hands drop from her pockets, resting them at her side as she moved.

  It wasn’t long before Logan found her hand and twined his with it. Her heart skipped a beat when he did. His hand was warm as it wrapped around hers. It felt right, which surprised her. Just one more surprise to add to the list.

  They turned around when they reached the end and started to head back again. The stars were out now, twinkling in the sky and reminding the earth of their beauty.

  They were halfway back when all the blood drained from Hannah’s veins. She saw Harry on the boardwalk, his legs dangling over the edge as he sat with one of his friends.

  He’d seen her.

  Holdings hands and all.

  CHAPTER 2

  Hannah quickly slipped her hand out of Logan’s and shoved it back into her pocket. Her heart was racing now and not in a good way. They all said ‘hello’ as they passed, Logan completely oblivious to the ache in her heart.

  She’d never wanted Harry to know about her date with Logan. She’d hoped to keep it a secret until she could decide who she wanted to be with.

  She had been warned that somebody was going to get hurt and now she’d hurt Harry. She couldn’t stop thinking about it for the rest of the walk. Her intentions had been true, but yet she’d still managed to hurt him.

  They reached Logan’s vehicle. “I guess I should get you home now. We’ve got to be at work early tomorrow.”

  “That sounds like a good idea,” Hannah replied.

  She didn’t let on about how seeing Harry had upset her; she couldn’t explain to him why Harry’s feelings were still something she needed to consider.

  They reached Hannah’s house and Logan insisted on walking her to the door. It was this kind of chivalry that she appreciated in Logan; there was something old-fashioned about him that she liked and he was different to any boy she’d dated before.

  Harry had walked her to the door, too. But she couldn’t think of that right now.

  They reached the stoop and then stopped. Hannah’s mother had been thoughtful enough to leave the outside lamp on for them, shrouding them in a halo of yellow light.

  Logan brushed a piece of Hannah’s hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. She felt her stomach flip at the small gesture, setting off all the butterflies.

  They looked into one another’s eyes for only a few moments before their heads started to lean toward each other. In a matter of seconds, they were kissing.

  It was sweet and it was gentle. It was also over too soon. Hannah looked up into Logan’s eyes and she didn’t see the joking vet everyone else knew. She saw the tenderness and kindness he allowed nobody else to see.

  When their lips separated, Logan looked down at her moonlit face. “Thank you for tonight. I hope we can do it again sometime. Sometime soon.”

  “Sometime soon,” Hannah agreed.

  She watched Logan leave, walking down the path before he got to his car. He waved at her before climbing into the driver’s seat. She continued to watch even after he’d driven down the street.

  There was one thing clear to her.

  He’d left with a piece of her heart.

  CHAPTER 3

  The Mapleton Regional Zoo was busy as tourists and locals alike flowed through the doors to see all the animals. They saw them at their best when they were being cute and showing off their personalities.

  Hannah saw a different side of the animals. She saw all their poop, all the food they left over and threw away if it wasn’t to their liking. In a way, the animals were worse than celebrity divas. They always did their thing, regardless of the mess they caused.

  In order to avoid all the humans possible, Hannah had signed up for cleaning duty. She’d switched with Alicia who was all too happy to take the feeding duty instead.

  Cleaning was cathartic in a way. Hannah could focus on the task instead of turning over all the conflicting thoughts in her mind. Her stomach was still fluttery about Logan and their first date but on the flipside, she was still feeling horrible about Harry finding out the way he did.

  If she could have dated both, she would have. Not to hurt either one of them, but because she couldn’t decide. However, with Harry being hurt, she might not have to; Logan might have won by default.

  “Hey, Hans!” Alicia’s voice called out to her across the empty enclo
sure she was scrubbing. A new animal was coming, but no details had been given about what it would be.

  “Yeah?” she called back.

  “The penguin eggs are hatching!”

  Nothing more needed to be said. Hannah left the brush on the floor and ran to catch up with Alicia. They both rushed to the penguins, desperate not to miss the big event.

  The penguins had laid their eggs two weeks ago and sat on them patiently until it was time for their babies to come out and see the world. They’d all been waiting for this moment; it was a big deal in the zoo.

  A group of zoo staff was crowded around the staff-only area of the penguin enclosure. The penguin parents had been separated from the others as the time grew close. There were three couples in total, all waiting for the birth of their babies.

  Logan was standing at the edge of the enclosure, watching, not with excitement, but concern. He was the leading vet, so it was his responsibility to make sure the chicks came into the world unharmed and healthy.

  Hannah watched him just as eagerly as she gazed at the penguins. If he was concerned, then something wasn’t going right. If he smiled, then she would know it was all okay.

  Three lives depended on safe births in the penguin enclosure. The magnificent creatures were relying on the humans if anything went wrong. It suddenly grew tense in the observation area.

  The penguins were one of Hannah’s favorite creatures. They were so cute, the way they waddled around. She loved watching them swim and seeing the way they shot out of the water and always landed on their feet again.

  One of the eggs suddenly cracked as it rested on its father’s feet. The penguins all looked down at it, watching just as eagerly as all the humans. The crack grew larger, moving faster now. The shell moved apart just enough to see some feathery down inside.

  Logan watched more keenly than everyone. He wasn’t just watching, he was looking for all the signs of a successful hatching. If anything went wrong, he had to step in and help. Sometimes the animals didn’t agree with the interference, he would have to be certain his assistance was needed.

  The shell opened further and a little beak poked out; it pushed away the rest of the shell and emerged like a little Venus. It was a brownish-gray color and was round shaped. It didn’t look much like its parents yet. It was more of a squeaking, fuzzy ball.

  “Aww,” the crowd cooed together.

  Hannah glanced at Logan; he had a small smile on his lips. He was satisfied enough with the hatching. He would have to check the chick but that could wait for a little bit; now was the important bonding time between baby and parents.

  A second egg was also starting to hatch. It vied for attention with the new chick, everyone’s eyes flicking back between the two. It was something most people didn’t get to see and the specialness of the moment wasn’t lost on any of the zoo staff.

  The second egg hatched a lot quicker than the first. The little beak emerged but the chick didn’t step out of the shell. It was also a lot smaller than the first chick.

  Logan was frowning as he observed. The penguin parents tried to help free their chick from the shell, pulling it away so they could look at their baby.

  But the baby wasn’t doing much.

  Hannah could see all the concern flowing from Logan. She shuffled through the crowd to reach the side of the enclosure where he stood. She was intent on asking what was going on but didn’t get the chance. Logan entered the enclosure, carefully walking around the penguins to reach the newest parents.

  He crouched down and everyone held their breath. They watched Logan as he petted the chick and got a closer look at it. The parents watched on, not entirely happy but also used to the human’s presence. They didn’t let their chick out of their sight, beaks were ready to nip if they needed to.

  Logan picked up the chick and it sat in his hands unmoving. Its little eyes were on him, telling him something that nobody could read. He held it for a few moments, listening to what it was trying to tell him.

  He emerged from the cold enclosure with the chick. “Hannah, come assist me. We need to fix this little chick.”

  She hurried after him. Her main concern was the baby’s health. She could see the joy and then the concern on the faces of the parent penguins. They needed their baby back and now its life rested in their hands.

  Logan moved with the swiftness the situation required. He gave orders to his actual assistants, telling them what supplies he needed. Hannah felt powerless as she was forced to one side so she didn’t get in the way.

  The little chick chirped as Logan gave it a full examination. “It’s got a tumor in its belly. It seems to be crushing its insides. We need to operate immediately.”

  They all changed into scrubs and disinfected their hands before placing them in gloves. The surgery was now an operating theater; time was of the essence. A life hung in the balance.

  Hannah was the last to join the operating table. She hung back, close enough to see but far enough back to stay out of the way. Logan got straight to work, placing the chick under sedation and then operating on its belly.

  After just over ten minutes, he held up a round blob. “The tumor of the day. Let’s get it tested to make sure it’s benign. Hopefully, this little chick will have a long life without it.”

  He sewed up the baby while Hannah watched on in awe. If the chick had been born in the wild, it would have died quickly. With his skills and help, it should now live a full life.

  Hannah wanted to be able to save lives just like Logan did. She was always in awe of his skills and he never failed to impress her; being a vet seemed even more difficult than being a medical doctor. Logan could operate on any of the animals in the zoo and many others. They all had different insides, whereas humans were all largely the same.

  Everyone held their breath while they waited for the chick to wake up. It was going to be drowsy and sore for a while but then it would be returned to its parents. As soon as they could, the assistants would show the parents the chick was okay through the glass.

  The animals in the zoo placed great trust in the people surrounding them. Logan and Hannah felt the pressure and seriousness of that trust. It wouldn’t take much for it to be broken and rendered irreparable.

  “Will it be okay now?” Hannah asked as Logan was cleaning up.

  “It has every chance now,” Logan replied.

  “Do you ever get worried about not being able to save them?”

  Logan nodded sadly. “All the time. Every single time I perform an operation I have that worry. But then I get over it and do my job. You can’t think like that when there’s things to be done. You have to believe you can save each and every one of them.”

  “Well, they are lucky to have you.”

  “I’m lucky to be able to help them.” Logan smiled and it made Hannah’s heart melt. To find someone who loved the animals and wanted to save them as much as she did was something extraordinary. She always wondered if anyone could love them that same way and then she’d found Logan.

  Oh, and Harry.

  She didn’t get much time to muse on that fact as Logan was pulled into another drama in the zoo. The resident brown bear was in labor, about to give birth to her first cub.

  Logan stopped at the door. “Are you coming?”

  Hannah wasn’t sure; she stood awkwardly. “Should I?”

  “Of course. I mean, it’s going to be a bit gross, but I get the feeling that won’t be a problem for you.”

  “No, it certainly won’t be.” Hannah grinned and took off after him. She couldn’t help but think it was like being in a maternity hospital that day. There were children being born everywhere and their zoo was growing in size in just one day.

  The brown bear – named Kate, of all names – was in an enclosure out of the public eye. It was set up especially for her, ready for the bear to be isolated for the birth of her first cub.

  It was best for the humans to stay away from her while she was in labor, only intervening if something
started to go wrong. For now, they were letting nature take its course and Kate was given privacy for the big act.

  One wall of the enclosure was all black on one side but it was a window on the other. Logan and Hannah sat on hard plastic chairs while they watched the bear.

  Kate paced her enclosure as she went through the stages of labor. It was difficult for them both to watch and know there was nothing to do except look for problems. The mama bear had to do all the hard work herself.

  “Quite the day we’re having,” Logan whispered.

  “I can’t believe there are so many babies today,” Hannah replied. They kept watching Kate even while they spoke. “Is it normal for so many in one day?”

  “It’s baby season. But we didn’t expect so much to happen today, no. They could have been more polite and spread the births out over, say, a week.”

  “It would have been polite,” Hannah agreed, matching his teasing lilt. “How long will this poor bear have to be in labor for before the cub is born?”

  “Anywhere from an hour to ten.” Logan sighed. “Females get a raw deal in the whole baby thing.”

  “Sure do.”

  They continued to watch the bear as she stopped pacing. Kate laid down for a while before finally, she gave birth to a little brown cub.

  Logan and Hannah stood, trying to get a better look at the zoo’s newest addition. It was such a little creature compared to the large mother.

  Hannah waited in silence so Logan had an opportunity to get a really good look at the cub. He wasn’t noticing how cute the little creature was, he was assessing it as the vet he was. He would be looking at the size and how it was breathing. He would also be watching the mama bear to make sure she was acting with motherly instincts instead of shunning the cub.

  “What’s the verdict?” she asked after he had some time to think. She was dying to hear everything was going as it should be.

  “It’s looking good,” Logan replied. He managed to tear his eyes away for a moment to flash Hannah a big grin. “A brand new baby bear, it’s awesome, isn’t it?”