Dolphin Tale 3

Chapter [9]

"There's someone here to see you, honey."

Sawyer looked up from his laptop, frowning. "At this time of night? Who?"

Colton sidled into the room.

Sawyer blanched. "Mom, can you give us a minute? Just one minute."

"Okay." She left the room and closed the door.

"So..."

Sawyer turned his back on Colton. "Out. Get out."

Colton raised an eyebrow. "Nice place you've got here. Of course, that could change in an instant."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sawyer said through gritted teeth.

"Nice suburban street for a new hotel, don't you think? Very quiet and peaceful. What do you think?"

"Is that a threat?"

Colton shrugged. "It could be either a threat or a suggestion, don't you think? It depends on the way you interpret it."

"Hordern."

"Sorry?" Colton attempted his disguise his shock as befuddlement.

"Don't pretend to not know, Colton Hordern." Sawyer turned to face Colton. "Phillip Hordern's son. I should have known."

"I'm not his son."

Sawyer raised an eyebrow. "Grandchild, then? How did I not see this?"

"Because you're blind. You're as blind as a bat."

"Not as blind as you are, Colton. You can't see that everyone is suspicious of you. You're lucky I haven't told anyone about---" Sawyer sighed, biting his lip. "About our incident, yet. I'd watch your feet, because one wrong step could land you in prison."

"Well, you better watch your step, Sawyer, because my grandfather is a very wealthy man, and if he---"

"Money isn't everything, Colton. Don't you get that?" Sawyer said abruptly. "As long as you're happy, and the people around you are happy, then everything is fine. Just because one has a lot of money, doesn't necessarily mean that they are happy."

"So you think," Colton scoffed.

"So I believe."

•••

Hazel sat on the deck chair, watching people walk past. She closed her eyes, before opening them again. To her surprise, Sawyer came riding past on his bike.

"Hey, Sawyer."

Sawyer came to a halt, looking behind him. He spotted Hazel and smiled. "Hey, Hazel."

"Want a lemonade popsicle? We haven't had one together in ages."

"But I haven't heard any bad news, lately," Sawyer said, recalling what Hazel's grandfather, Reed Haskett, had once said.

Hazel just smiled. "My lemonade popsicles are for all occasions. Come on."

Sawyer sighed. "All right, then." He walked his bike to the Haskett's boathouse and left it by the door.

Hazel disappeared and reappeared, now carrying two of her famous lemonade popsicles. She handed one to Sawyer and gestured for him to sit down on the deck chairs.

"Thanks."

"So, why so early?"

Sawyer looked at Hazel, confused. "What do you mean?"

"It's really early, Sawyer, for you to be going to Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Why are you here so early?"

Sawyer bit into his popsicle, immediately regretting it as a severe bout of brain-freeze overcame him. "Oh. I just wanted to see Winter and make sure everything was okay."

Hazel licked her popsicle, thinking. She surveyed Sawyer for a while. "Any other reason?"

Sawyer blinked. "What?"

"Did you have trouble sleeping, or something?"

Sawyer shook his head. "No."

Hazel sighed. "You can tell me anything, Sawyer. I promise I'll understand. There's something you're not telling us, and we're not sure why. Why don't you just tell us and get some weight off your shoulders? You've been acting really oddly recently, Sawyer, and we're all worried."

"There's nothing wrong with me," Sawyer said sharply, turning away from Hazel to avoid her skeptical gaze.

"I'm not suggesting that something is wrong with you, Sawyer," Hazel said, choosing her words carefully. "I'm just saying that opening up could actually do you some good. Why won't you tell us what happened that night? I know you didn't just trip; it wasn't an accident, Sawyer, so don't try to fool me."

"It was an accident."

"Sawyer. Both you and I know that's not true. Sawyer, you can just tell me. For me, please?" Hazel tried appealing to his better nature.

"Hazel, if I told you, you're---"

"Morning, Hazel. Oh. Hello, Sawyer. Having an early morning catch-up?" Reed Haskett, Hazel's grandfather, came ambling out of the boathouse, smiling.

Hazel groaned. "Morning. Would you mind leaving us to our thoughts? We're discussing something serious, here."

Reed Haskett raised an eyebrow. "Got the popsicles out? Must be terrible news."

Sawyer smiled slightly. "Hazel's lemonade popsicles are for all occasions."

"Oh." Reed chuckled. "Well, then. Don't do it too soon; you're still a bit young."

Hazel frowned. "What?"

"What else do you think young couples do? Anyway, I'm off to work on my boat. See you later."

"What? Kissing? That's not what we were talking about."

Sawyer shrugged. "I don't think he was talking about kissing..." He licked his popsicle stick clean and stood up. "Well, I better get going. Thanks for the popsicle; they're as good as ever."

"Sawyer, wait!" Hazel sighed as she watched as Sawyer hopped onto his bike and rode off. She ran a hand through her hair, watching as Sawyer's silhouette disappeared.

•••

Sawyer sat on the edge of the pool, his feet soaking in the cool water. Winter was lounging around on her mattress, watching Sawyer. Hope was dozing peacefully beside Winter.

"Hey, girl. How are you?"

Winter whistled softly and slid off the mat. She swam up to Sawyer and nudged his feet with her nose.

Sawyer reached into the basket behind him and pulled out a yellow rubber duck; it was Winter's favorite toy. "Here, girl. Do you want it?"

Winter raised her nose and the yellow toy slipped onto it.

"Sawyer, there's something I have to ask---"

Splash.

"Sawyer? Colton, where's Sawyer?"

Colton placed his hands in his pocket, an innocent look on his face. "In the pool with Winter. She must have pulled him in."

Hazel sighed. "Sawyer, you all right?"

Sawyer surfaced, gasping for air. 

"Sawyer!"

"I'm fine, Hazel. I just thought..." Sawyer caught sight of Colton standing against the wall. "Never mind."

"You sure you're okay?" Hazel helped Sawyer clamber out of the pool. By now, Hope was awake and had distracted Winter from Sawyer.

"Yeah. Fine."