CHAPTER TWENTY – FIVE<\/p>\n
Weeks went by as I learned more and more from the whale<\/p>\n
and at times even the dolphins. The training tank took on almost a<\/p>\n
classroom atmosphere; the dolphins and Dreamer were the teachers<\/p>\n
and I was the lowly student.<\/p>\n
The aquarium staff members constantly teased me about my<\/p>\n
obsession and belief in the mammals\u2019 ability to communicate. Pe-<\/p>\n
ter, though, rarely broached the subject, and his smiles now seemed<\/p>\n
more in pity than flirtation. Lambert tolerated my research because<\/p>\n
the whale seemed to learn the performance routines very quickly.<\/p>\n
My life was wrapped in a slow-motion dream as I absorbed all<\/p>\n
the whale could teach. But late one afternoon the reality of life at<\/p>\n
the marina splashed over me like an ice-cold shower. I was crossing<\/p>\n
the breezeway heading toward Dreamer\u2019s tank when I felt the fat<\/p>\n
fingers of the good doctor grab my arm and spin me around. \u201cAh,<\/p>\n
Sharoon,\u201d he drawled, \u201cno time for your normal foolishness, today.<\/p>\n
I was up north on the coast earlier this morning with the live-bait<\/p>\n
crew and we seemed to have snagged a little bonus in our nets. Get<\/p>\n
your medical gear ready. You\u2019re about to have a new pet to chat<\/p>\n
with.\u201d He laughed in my face and then waddled hurriedly away.<\/p>\n
I found Peter in the lab and he told me what had happened.<\/p>\n
Another dolphin had been isolated in a bay a short way up the coast<\/p>\n
from the marina; Lambert himself had made the sighting. In spite<\/p>\n
of federal and state sanctions and his lack of necessary permits, he<\/p>\n
had snared a new dolphin for his collection. I was put in charge of<\/p>\n
the transfer and recovery.<\/p>\n
Not knowing what to expect but having seen Lambert\u2019s crude<\/p>\n
netting techniques firsthand, I checked my stocks of antibiotics. A<\/p>\n
short time later Peter excitedly drew me outside near the medical<\/p>\n
holding pens and urged me to look up. There above us, hanging<\/p>\n
beneath a hovering helicopter, was a dolphin wrapped in a canvas<\/p>\n
sling. I grabbed the padded gurney that we used to move the dol-<\/p>\n
phins and with wheels wobbling we ran to the spinning sling. Work-<\/p>\n
ing in the downward blast of the helicopter\u2019s rotors, we lashed the<\/p>\n
struggling creature to the gurney as the clamps were released.<\/p>\n
The dolphin appeared to me none the worse for wear, but<\/p>\n
its eyes were opened wide in fear. We wheeled the gurney across<\/p>\n
the compound and into the lab. Lambert appeared moments later,<\/p>\n
his oily smile showing his feelings of self-satisfaction with the wild<\/p>\n
capture. \u201cThat helicopter hay ride,\u201d he mouthed, \u201cwas an act of pure<\/p>\n
genius. We had the media following us from the bay like ants follow-<\/p>\n
ing a trail of sugar.\u201d<\/p>\n
I wildly texted, \u201cDid you ever stop to think that we may not<\/p>\n
have room for another dolphin? Did you stop to think that there<\/p>\n
was going to be a furor over the capture of another dolphin without<\/p>\n
a permit?\u201d Peter who abruptly swung me around thwarted my anger.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome here,\u201d he mouth-spoke, \u201cyou better see this.\u201d<\/p>\n
I turned to the examination of the dolphin, and the source<\/p>\n
of Peter\u2019s concern was instantly obvious. The dolphin was female<\/p>\n
and she was very pregnant. As Lambert danced about in glee,<\/p>\n
celebrating his double capture, I examined the frightened creature<\/p>\n
that trembled on the gurney. Shots of antibiotic were quickly ad-<\/p>\n
ministered and then a small dose of tranquilizer. I rubbed my hands<\/p>\n
above her brow-ridge to soothe her anxiety, and then, mercifully, the<\/p>\n
drug took effect and she slept.<\/p>\n
While the dolphin was under the gentle restraint of the drug,<\/p>\n
I did a complete exam and was shocked to discover that, not only<\/p>\n
was the baby due at any time, but it was twisted into a breach po-<\/p>\n
sition. No matter how I twisted it and tried to move the embryonic<\/p>\n
sac, the child stayed in position. This birth could not be natural. If<\/p>\n
it had taken place in the wild, the mother and child would have died<\/p>\n
horrible and agonizing deaths.<\/p>\n
Peter confirmed my observations, and, after some discus-<\/p>\n
sion, we felt it would be better to leave her in the observation pond<\/p>\n
until just before she was ready to give birth. At that time, we would<\/p>\n
have to perform a cesarean section. As she began to revive from<\/p>\n
the drug, we moved her back outside and lowered her into the calm<\/p>\n
waters of the holding pen. I steadied her in the water until she was<\/p>\n
fully immersed and then left her to awaken fully and explore her tiny<\/p>\n
new sea. Observations began immediately, for this would be my first<\/p>\n
experience with a captive birth.<\/p>\n
Nothing of any consequence seemed to happen that night,<\/p>\n
so I slipped away for a time to the whale tank. There in the water, I<\/p>\n
signed of all that had occurred and of the impending birth. That is<\/p>\n
the only time I sensed the true outrage of the dolphins and whale<\/p>\n
at the random capture. \u201cWhy can\u2019t the sandwalker,\u201d the whale<\/p>\n
sang, \u201clet well enough be enough? Why capture more when more<\/p>\n
are not needed?\u201d<\/p>\n
I tried in vain to validate the capture but the arguments I<\/p>\n
once used freely sounded very hollow; the sandwalker\u2019s unquench-<\/p>\n
able thirst for man to understand all the natural things around him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThrough capture comes research,\u201d I lamely explained, \u201cand with<\/p>\n
research comes better handling of the captured creatures, along<\/p>\n
with fewer deaths as the result of captivity.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI understand,\u201d the whale whispered in contrasting vibra-<\/p>\n
tion in my inner ear, \u201cbut there would be fewer deaths of brethren<\/p>\n
if you left them in the wild. We who want to stay and are already<\/p>\n
captured should be plenty enough for observation.\u201d He paused, his<\/p>\n
eyes closed in contemplation. Then he continued. \u201cNo, my thin-<\/p>\n
finned friend, the sandwalker likes to possess things–alive or other-<\/p>\n
wise–just for the sake of possession.\u201d With that rebuff, he swam to<\/p>\n
the other end of the tank, leaving me feeling very alone.<\/p>\n
Early the next morning I was shocked to discover the preg-<\/p>\n
nant female had been moved from the smaller medical pen to the<\/p>\n
larger whale pen. They floated in the water–the older dolphins, the<\/p>\n
whale, and the mother-to-be. I\u2019m sure they were exchanging horror<\/p>\n
stories of capture and captivity.<\/p>\n
I stormed and fussed about, finally finding Lambert as he<\/p>\n
watched throngs of paying patrons milling about and looking expec-<\/p>\n
tantly into the tank. \u201cWho gave you permission to mix the new female<\/p>\n
with performance animals?\u201d I texted. \u201cShe is quarantined, Dr. Lam-<\/p>\n
bert, because she is about to give birth and needs to be observed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst off, little missy,\u201d he spat icily, continuing all the while to<\/p>\n
smile and nod at his paying guests, \u201cwhat better folk to observe a<\/p>\n
birth than the paying folk? Secondly, I don\u2019t need permission to do<\/p>\n
anything around here. I own this little circus, remember?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember a lot,\u201d I shouted in mouth speak, \u201can awful lot. It<\/p>\n
is best that you remember.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh,\u201d he smiled, \u201cyou mean the untimely death of that un-<\/p>\n
fortunate Beluga? Well, like many things remembered, that is best<\/p>\n
forgotten, too. Oh, by the way, my good doctor, have you seen your<\/p>\n
photos and the biopsies lately? I heard tell that things like that turn<\/p>\n
up missing every day. Just when you need them the most, poof!<\/p>\n
They are gone!\u201d With that, he turned away, chuckling, and waddled<\/p>\n
along with the crowd.<\/p>\n
I blindly rushed to the lab and my office. There I rummaged<\/p>\n
about through the back of my desk drawers where I had hidden the<\/p>\n
pictures and the biopsies. I needn\u2019t have bothered, Lambert was<\/p>\n
not one to idly boast of a deed not done.<\/p>\n
I sat back in my chair, wounded by the fact that my remaining<\/p>\n
employment at the marina could probably be counted in days, may-<\/p>\n
be hours. On the other hand, I was almost relieved that I was no<\/p>\n
longer involved in this twisted soap opera. Good had been done,<\/p>\n
but at what price to my own conscience! I sat there, feeling my<\/p>\n
office vibrate with the distant shouts and cheers of the audience as<\/p>\n
they watched the carnival whale and dolphin shows performed by<\/p>\n
the gentlest of philosophers. I really had no idea what to do.<\/p>\n
The crowd\u2019s clapping and cheers crescendoed and then<\/p>\n
subsided; I knew the whale and dolphins would be returning to their<\/p>\n
holding pen soon. Slipping into my wet suit, I rushed out, eager<\/p>\n
to \u201cspeak\u201d with my newest charge. As I approached the tank, the<\/p>\n
group floated gently waiting in anticipation of my visit.<\/p>\n
From the training pad I bravely signed, \u201cJoyful morning. I<\/p>\n
pray that the song will always be sung.\u201d<\/p>\n
I then dove into the water to sense their response. The con-<\/p>\n
trast of dryside to the waters of life shocked me with its crispness.<\/p>\n
As the water washed over my body, my mind was washed in a re-<\/p>\n
freshing answer to my dilemma. I knew exactly what I was going to<\/p>\n
do! Just after the birth, I would free this wild dolphin and her child.<\/p>\n
After exchanging pleasantries, I slowly began to sign-speak<\/p>\n
through the Orca to the new dolphin. At first, she did not under-<\/p>\n
stand my hand-speak signing nor how I heard them sing the song.<\/p>\n
I would sign and pause while Dreamer translated. Fortunately, she<\/p>\n
was very quick of study and soon abruptly asked, \u201cWhen, then, may<\/p>\n
I leave this place to join my mate? I am with child, and the birthing<\/p>\n
will be soon. It is my desire to birth in the open sea. How soon?<\/p>\n
How soon?\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at her, with her gentle way, and patiently began to<\/p>\n
move my hands slowly. \u201cYou shall be set free, if not by all, then by<\/p>\n
me alone. But you cannot leave yet. You will not be freed until after<\/p>\n
the baby is born.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut why not now?\u201d the little mother wailed in frustration,<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy must the child be born here?\u201d<\/p>\n
Once again I sign-spoke, \u201cWhen you first arrived here I exam-<\/p>\n
ined you with a device that can see beyond your flesh \u2013 deep in-<\/p>\n
side. The child must be birthed here, for there is something wrong.<\/p>\n
The child you carry is twisted, turned in an unnatural way. If you<\/p>\n
birth in the open sea, alone, the child will die and so will you.\u201d<\/p>\n
The dolphin eyes widened in fear much as a human would in<\/p>\n
a similar situation. Amazingly she quietly accepted the reality of<\/p>\n
the situation, an acceptance of the fact that the child would have<\/p>\n
to be birthed in this strange place and under my supervision. I<\/p>\n
liked the pluck of this creature; I felt camaraderie with her and a<\/p>\n
deep compassion.<\/p>\n
That day and the next, not knowing what Lambert\u2019s next<\/p>\n
move would be, I quickly worked with the little dolphin that the oth-<\/p>\n
ers called Laughter Ring. Her thirst for knowledge was unquench-<\/p>\n
able as she consumed the illogic of the sandwalker\u2019s history. She<\/p>\n
seemed most perplexed by man\u2019s desire to own parts of the world<\/p>\n
and mostly by a human\u2019s drive to accumulate wealth. Like all of her<\/p>\n
kind she was nomadic. All of the sea was her home.<\/p>\n
As I worked with her, she, too, began to work with me. Little<\/p>\n
by little Laughter Ring began to tell me more and more of her ev-<\/p>\n
eryday life. I was fascinated by the depth of her natural awareness<\/p>\n
— the relative values she associated with life. She told me of the<\/p>\n
waters of her birth; a place the dolphins call Winsome Bright. It was<\/p>\n
here she returned as a young adult and conceived the unborn child<\/p>\n
as she was mated for life–wedded, if you would–to her mate, Little<\/p>\n
Brother. She told me of their odyssey in the sea and of the chance<\/p>\n
meeting with the great white whale, Harmony. \u201cThat whale touched<\/p>\n
my life,\u201d she vibrated in the water, \u201cas he touched others with his<\/p>\n
special singing of the Song of the Sea.\u201d Her eyes misted as she ru-<\/p>\n
minated, \u201cHarmony\u2019s song in time will resonate in all of the seas.\u201d<\/p>\n
I nearly stopped breathing when she mentioned the great<\/p>\n
white whale. \u201cI, too, have met a great white whale. I, too, was<\/p>\n
touched by his passing in the sea.\u201d And I told Laughter Ring<\/p>\n
the story of the beaching–THE THOUSAND DEATHS OF THE<\/p>\n
SANDWALKER.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were there,\u201d she cried, as the vibration of her words rang<\/p>\n
like a bell in my inner ear. \u201cThat was Harmony, and that was my<\/p>\n
mate, Little Brother, and I who pulled him back to the sea.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the days went by, she and the others, hesitantly at first<\/p>\n
but with confidence later, told me stories of great wonder, stories I<\/p>\n
would be hard-pressed to tell others for fear they would think I had<\/p>\n
gone completely crazy. These were intelligent creatures and part of<\/p>\n
a complex society. They had a far deeper philosophical connection<\/p>\n
with reality and the life that spun around than I could even wish for<\/p>\n
on my most dream-filled nights.<\/p>\n
Some days later, as I neared the observation tank and prepared<\/span><\/p>\n for my daily conversation with Laughter Ring, Dr. Lambert blocked<\/span><\/p>\n my path. \u201cWell, Little Missy, I got good news, and I got bad news.<\/span><\/p>\n Good news is that we captured another one. Odd thing, though, is<\/span><\/p>\n that this dolphin wanted to be captured. Jumped right in the boat.<\/span><\/p>\n More the merrier, I always say. Once the fish gives birth, we\u2019ll sell the<\/span><\/p>\n mother and this oddball new one and keep the baby. That\u2019s the good<\/span><\/p>\n news. Bad news is that right after the birth I think you\u2019d best pack<\/span><\/p>\n your bags and go live in a home for the handicapped.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d I mouthed.<\/p>\n \u201cTo put it bluntly, you\u2019re done, Doctor Donelittle. Sorry, but I<\/p>\n just can\u2019t tolerate lippy staff–even if they can\u2019t hear. It\u2019s real bad for<\/p>\n morale. Heh, heh!\u201d<\/p>\n With that, he lit the butt of a partially smoked cigar and slith-<\/p>\n ered away.<\/p>\n Looking blankly into the pool, my mind began churning with<\/p>\n the prospect of kidnapping and freeing the dolphin. My plotting was<\/p>\n short-lived as suddenly Laughter Ring spun in the tank, twisted by<\/p>\n a great spasm. I leaped into the water and grabbed her in my arms,<\/p>\n not an easy task.<\/p>\n \u201cIt has begun,\u201d excitedly sang the other dolphins. \u201cThe child<\/p>\n within wants out.\u201d<\/p>\n I held her tight as spasm after spasm wracked her tiny frame.<\/p>\n Finally she exhaled softly and said, \u201cIt has passed, but the birthing<\/p>\n will be within this tide.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI will go,\u201d I signed, \u201cand bring other sandwalkers to help me<\/p>\n lift you from the water to take you where we can help.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo!\u201d she exclaimed. \u201cMy child shall be born in the sea,<\/p>\n even if it is a sterile sea. I will accept no other way!\u201d<\/p>\n I explained that there was great danger in attempting a ce-<\/p>\n sarean in the water; that the baby and she could both die, but she<\/p>\n refused to be swayed from her decision. I left her surrounded by the<\/p>\n dolphins and hurried from the pool to get Peter and my instruments.<\/p>\n As I raced down the concrete walkway, I saw splashing and<\/p>\n watched a member of the staff try to restrain the newly captured dol-<\/p>\n phin who was breaching over and over attempting to leap from one<\/p>\n tank to another.<\/p>\n Peter helped me up onto the platform and mouth spoke,<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s going on in the holding pen?\u201d<\/p>\n Quickly I signed, \u201cLambert has caught another wild dolphin.<\/p>\n Wild being the relative term.\u201d<\/p>\n Peter and I hurried up the metal stairs to Laughter Ring\u2019s<\/p>\n holding tank where the others gently supported her. I dropped my<\/p>\n medical bag on the training platform and slipped into the pool with<\/p>\n Peter right behind. Laughter Ring\u2019s head was just above the water;<\/p>\n her eyes squinted in pain.<\/p>\n Before I could continue, her body thrashed back and forth<\/p>\n with a heavy contraction. Twisting, muscle-tensing pain stiffened<\/p>\n her. Then, as quickly as it had come, it was gone, and she relaxed.<\/p>\n Moments later, she tensed again, and then again.<\/p>\n \u201cThe time comes soon!\u201d she groaned.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, dear little dolphin,\u201d I signed, \u201cI hope we are doing<\/p>\n right to stay in the water. We will help, but it will be extremely diffi-<\/p>\n cult and dangerous!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know,\u201d she toned, \u201cbut it must be this way.\u201d<\/p>\n An incessant hammering at the other end of the pool vibrated<\/p>\n through the water as the new dolphin kept throwing itself at the gate.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat was that?\u201d she sang.<\/p>\n \u201cThat,\u201d I signed, \u201cis yet another captured dolphin. He is an<\/p>\n odd catch in the fact that he seemed to demand to be caught even<\/p>\n though we didn\u2019t want to catch him.\u201d<\/p>\n Her body twisted in pain, but even so her eyes widened.<\/p>\n \u201cBring him here,\u201d she cried, \u201cHurry!\u201d<\/p>\n I reluctantly signed to Peter, who rushed to the end of the<\/p>\n tank and began twisting the massive gate control. Even before the<\/p>\n gate was completely open, the water at the end of the pool surged,<\/p>\n and the new dolphin scrambled through the opening.<\/p>\n I was rudely bumped out of the way as this interloper<\/p>\n splashed his way to Laughter Ring\u2019s side. She turned and seemed<\/p>\n to smile. \u201cThis,\u201d she sang as she grimaced in pain, \u201cis the cause of<\/p>\n all this agony. This is the father of my child to be, my mate, Little<\/p>\n Brother.\u201d Suddenly her body arched as she was wracked with a mas-<\/p>\n sive ontraction.<\/p>\n I pushed Little Brother out of the way and wrapped my arms<\/p>\n around her torso as she began to settle in the water. The baby was<\/p>\n coming and it was coming now. If ever I felt lost without sound,<\/p>\n now was the time. I bellowed as loud as I could, \u201cPeter!\u201d I have<\/p>\n no idea what the sound was but it was enough to get his attention.<\/p>\n As I struggled with the weight of the pregnant dolphin I saw a blur<\/p>\n behind me as totally clothed Peter leaped into the water. His arms<\/p>\n reached under mine and without effort lifted the dolphin to the<\/p>\n surface. I mouth-spoke quickly, \u201cRoll her in your arms. I need her<\/p>\n belly exposed. I have to get that baby out now!\u201d A mature dolphin<\/p>\n can weigh can weigh well-over 500 pounds. Laughter Ring was all<\/p>\n of that but Peter easily turned her body in the water and lifted her<\/p>\n clear. \u201cNo matter what, you must keep the wound above the water,\u201d<\/p>\n I signed.<\/p>\n \u201cGot it,\u201d he smiled trying to reassure me.<\/p>\n While he held her inert body I scrambled up onto the train-<\/p>\n ing platform and fumbled in my bag. I quickly arranged what limited<\/p>\n surgical tools I had along the edge of the platform: suture scis-<\/p>\n sors, scalpel, sponge sticks, surgical stapler and several syringes<\/p>\n pre-loaded with heavy duty anesthetic.<\/p>\n The other dolphins moved Little Brother a safe distance away,<\/p>\n and I set to work. After injecting Laughter Ring with a double load<\/p>\n of anesthetic, I grabbed the scalpel and leaned over the still form. I<\/p>\n looked up at Peter and took a deep breath.<\/p>\n \u201cHow many of these have you done, Doc?\u201d he mouthed<\/p>\n nervously.<\/p>\n \u201cNone,\u201d I mouthed as I silkily sliced open her abdomen.<\/p>\n The water quickly clouded with blood that leached from the wound.<\/p>\n I worked at a fevered pitch as I carefully cut through the layers of<\/p>\n skin and muscle. Then suddenly the embryonic sac was revealed.<\/p>\n I carefully incised the gossamer membrane, and carefully lifted the<\/p>\n still form of the fetus from the cavity. The calf didn\u2019t move and I<\/p>\n was beyond fearful that it was dead. My fears were short-lived. The<\/p>\n small dolphin eyes snapped open and I looked into its young trust-<\/p>\n ing soul. With a snap of its body it flopped from my hands and fell<\/p>\n into the water. I gasped for a moment fearing that the child was in<\/p>\n danger. But it was a creature of the sea and it was home. The baby<\/p>\n spun wildly through, the water the embryonic fluid and blood from<\/p>\n the surgery clouding the water in a pink mist.<\/p>\n My eyes blurring with tears, I quickly began suturing the<\/p>\n different layers of flesh and muscle. I could feel Peter\u2019s arms shak-<\/p>\n ing from the exertion of holding the weight of the dolphin out of the<\/p>\n water. The wound sealed as best I could under the circumstances.<\/p>\n I pulled myself from the pool and maneuvered the wheeled crane<\/p>\n holding the sling to the edge of the pool. Peter began floating<\/p>\n Laughter Ring\u2019s body into position as I slipped back in the water.<\/p>\n Carefully we rolled her back into an upright position and strapped<\/p>\n her into the canvas sling. For a time this was how she would have<\/p>\n to be maintained until the anesthetic wore off. In the meantime the<\/p>\n baby desperately needed to feed.<\/p>\n I then turned myself to the baby who was floating nearby in<\/p>\n the water, its tiny snout just above the surface. Carefully I slipped<\/p>\n my arm around its body and moved it beside the sleeping mother.<\/p>\n Instinctively it nuzzled the exposed belly and without hesitation be-<\/p>\n gan to nurse. With the dolphin pre-occupied I was able to examine<\/p>\n the calf. I looked up at Peter and signed, \u201cIt\u2019s a girl.\u201d An infectious<\/p>\n grin broke across his face.<\/p>\n As if to announce her own arrival, the calf stopped nursing<\/p>\n and gave forth an intense burst of vibrations. The first vibration,<\/p>\n this burst of buzzing, literally tickled me, and I broke out laughing<\/p>\n in joy, in relief, in exuberance at the continuation and the miracle of<\/p>\n life itself.<\/p>\n \u201cGiggles,\u201d I signed. \u201cIf the mother is Laughter Ring, then<\/p>\n surely her child should be called Giggles.\u201d<\/p>\n Exhausted, Peter and I pulled ourselves from the water as the<\/p>\n male dolphin stood guard over his growing family. We repacked the<\/p>\n surgical tools scattered about the training platform. Without speak-<\/p>\n ing we began walking back to my office, but a few steps from the<\/p>\n pool both of us turned and watched as the newly-named Giggles and<\/p>\n the rest of the dolphins gathered around the sling holding Laugher<\/p>\n Ring. I looked up at Peter and signed. \u201cThank you. It wouldn\u2019t<\/p>\n have happened if you weren\u2019t here to help. I don\u2019t know what I<\/p>\n would have done without you.\u201d<\/p>\n His arm snaked around my shoulder and he smiled that smile.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know, Doc. There are times I don\u2019t know what I would do with-<\/p>\n out you either.\u201d<\/p>\n We stood there for a moment looking into one another\u2019s<\/p>\n eyes and then both were washed over with a massive wave of awk-<\/p>\n wardness. What was going on? I could feel my cheeks reddening.<\/p>\n When in doubt my fingers flutter, signing like there was no tomor-<\/p>\n row. \u201cUh, yes. Without you there I would have had to call on Lam-<\/p>\n bert to help. I don\u2019t think he even knows how to swim.\u201d<\/p>\n Peter was still looking at me oddly as I continued rambling.<\/p>\n \u201cCould you take the med kit back to my office? I am going to walk<\/p>\n home. Good for me to walk off some of the adrenaline after what<\/p>\n just happened.\u201d Again, I blushed. \u201cI mean the birth and all. Not<\/p>\n the, uh\u2026 \u201d I stopped, my hands froze in mid air. What was happen-<\/p>\n ing to me? I hated this.<\/p>\n Peter smiled, took the bag from my hand, spun on his heel<\/p>\n and walked away. I watched trying desperately to put all of these odd<\/p>\n feelings into place. If all wasn\u2019t bad enough already Peter turned<\/p>\n as he reached my office door and looked back at me looking back<\/p>\n at him. He waved. I turned and walked briskly to the park entrance.<\/p>\n Like a balloon dancing on the wind I slipped through the security en-<\/p>\n trance and out onto the street bathed in the light of a misty sunset.<\/p>\n By the time I got back to the duplex, I was panting from<\/p>\n walking so fast but at least my mind was clear or at least as clear<\/p>\n as it was ever going to be. Better still, my parents\u2019 car was parked<\/p>\n on the street. I ran the last half of block and threw myself into their<\/p>\n comforting embraces.<\/p>\n Excited I began to sign. \u201cI am so glad you are here. I don\u2019t<\/p>\n have much room but you guys can have the bedroom and I will<\/p>\n sleep on the couch.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, no,\u201d my father quickly signed. \u201cWe were driving up the<\/p>\n coast and thought we could drop in for coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPlus,\u201d my mother quickly added, \u201cwe need to get home to<\/p>\n the kids. \u201dThe \u2018kids\u2019 were my parents\u2019 name for Beluga, a golden<\/p>\n retriever and Guppy and Plover the cats, all named by me years ago.<\/p>\n We bustled inside and my mom made coffee while I changed<\/p>\n out of my still-damp clothes. They were sitting at the table chat-<\/p>\n ting when I came out of the bathroom, comfortable now in sweats<\/p>\n and a T-shirt.<\/p>\n \u201cWe kind of drove out of our way to come by,\u201d my father<\/p>\n smiled. \u201cWe were having lunch and saw the news story about the<\/p>\n new dolphin Doctor Lambert had captured.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell,\u201d I added, \u201cnot exactly captured.\u201d Over several cups of<\/p>\n coffee I told them of the day\u2019s adventures. \u201cSo now we have three<\/p>\n more dolphins that we don\u2019t need; Laughter Ring, Little Brother, and<\/p>\n their child Giggles.\u201d<\/p>\n My mother looked concerned. \u201cWhat will happen to them?\u201d<\/p>\n I leaned back in my chair. \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d I signed. But I did<\/p>\n know. Lambert would sell them deeper into captivity. Without think-<\/p>\n ing I added, \u201cI think they will probably be freed. Back to the open<\/p>\n waters where they belong.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat would be nice,\u201d my father signed.<\/p>\n That will be nice, I mentally groaned, when I figure it out. I<\/p>\n have a feeling that in doing so I will be committing employment<\/p>\n suicide. Who is going to hire a marine biologist who keeps giving<\/p>\n away the examples she is supposed to be examining?<\/p>\n Coffee drank and after hugs and kisses I was again alone my<\/p>\n thoughts spinning with the day\u2019s events and knowing that I would<\/p>\n have to move quickly to free the captives.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" CHAPTER TWENTY – FIVE Weeks went by as I learned more and more from the whale and at times even the dolphins. The training tank took on almost a classroom atmosphere; the dolphins and Dreamer were the teachers and I was the lowly student. The aquarium staff members constantly teased me about my obsession and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1378","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-uncategorized","7":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stephencosgrove.com\/bookstore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1378","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stephencosgrove.com\/bookstore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stephencosgrove.com\/bookstore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stephencosgrove.com\/bookstore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stephencosgrove.com\/bookstore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1378"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/stephencosgrove.com\/bookstore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1378\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1379,"href":"https:\/\/stephencosgrove.com\/bookstore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1378\/revisions\/1379"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stephencosgrove.com\/bookstore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1378"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stephencosgrove.com\/bookstore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1378"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stephencosgrove.com\/bookstore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1378"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}