Dolphin Tale 3

Chapter [11]

"So, what brings you here today?"

"That's what I'm asking myself, Doctor."

Dr. Stephanie Milton smiled. "You may call me Stephanie, Colton. Well then, keep asking yourself until the answer comes to you."

"That's what I'm doing, Dr. Milton."

"Good. I hope you get the answer soon, Colton. I heard that you're working at Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Do you like your job?"

"Hate it."

Dr. Milton looked surprised. "Why?"

Colton shrugged. "Because."

"Because of...?"

"Just because."

"Because of someone, something...?"

Colton sighed, staring aimlessly at the floor. "What do you do when you hurt someone?"

Dr. Milton raised an eyebrow. "Mentally or physically?"

Colton shrugged. "Mentally, I guess."

"Intentional, or unintentional?"

"It was unintentional, I swear. He was making fun of me and I was just defending myself. His words hurt me, Doctor, and I only harmed him to protect myself, I swear. I wasn't thinking straight---"

Dr. Milton held up her hands. "First things first, Colton, who did you attack?"

Colton ran a hand through his hair. "I didn't attack him, Doctor, I was just protecting myself. He provoked me."

"Okay. So, who provoked you?"

Colton looked up from the floor, staring into the doctor's eyes. "Sawyer Nelson. But please don't tell anyone. I swear I didn't mean to do it."

Dr. Milton stared thoughtfully at her client, wondering what on earth he could have done. "That depends upon the situation, Colton. It all depends on the severity of the situation. What did Sawyer do to provoke you?"

Colton bit his lip. "He was taunting me about how he was better with dolphins, and he said that I was hopeless and he had no idea why Dr. Clay even hired me."

Dr. Milton nodded. "So, what did you do?" She already knew the answer, but she was hoping it wasn't true.

"I pushed him in."

Dr. Milton closed her eyes and sighed. "Colton---"

"I didn't mean to, I swear!"

"You just pushed him in? You didn't knock him out before pushing him in?"

Colton turned his head to the side so he wasn't facing Dr. Milton. "Yes, I pushed him in, and I swear I didn't knock him out beforehand. It was all an accident."

Dr. Milton rested her elbows on the armrests and interlocked her fingers. From what she had heard from both Sawyer and Colton, something wasn't adding up. She wasn't a lawyer or a professional interrogater, but she knew that one of the two was lying because their stories didn't seem to add up.

•••

"Clay, we need to..." Phoebe froze at the sight in front of her.

"You can't force me to have a breeding program at Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Phil!"

"I can, because I feel that it would do CMA some good. Haven't I told you to think about your visitors, not only the animals, Clay? Sometimes you have to do things you don't want to; that's life."

"I get it, Phil, I get it. But right now, our main focus is on the animals."

"I know that, Clay. That's why I think that putting Nicholas and Winter together would be a good idea. They're at that age, Clay; it's natural for them. Bondi and Hope would be great for each other when they've matured. Come on, Clay; you need to see the bigger picture, or you're going to end up hitting a dead end."

Clay ground his teeth together, fuming. "So, what you're basically suggesting, is that I have to follow exactly what you say, do exactly what you do, in order to be successful."

Phoebe's eyes darted back and forth between Dr. Clay and Phil Hordern. She folded her arms and leaned against the door frame. "Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another."

Phil Hordern opened his mouth, before closing it. He opened it again. "You must be Phoebe."

Phoebe nodded, indifferent. "I am."

"Nice to meet you. What was that thing you just said supposed to mean? Was it a quote, or something?"

Phoebe nodded again. "I can't say it's nice to meet you too, Phil; I heard you've been hassling Clay for a while now, and I'm not feeling particularly pleased." She walked over to stand beside Clay, her hands now on her hips. "Yes, that was a saying by the author, Napoleon Hill. Be careful of what you say, Phil, because if we do as you say but fail under your guidance, all blame will be on you. You don't want that, do you?"

Phil Hordern shook his head. "No, I don't want that. But I still insist that a breeding program should be implemented at Clearwater Marine Aquarium, even if it's only for the dolphins." He sighed. "If you won't do it, I'll have to contact the United States Department of Agriculture and request a transfer order for all the animals."

"You can't do that! What's the reason behind it? The USDA placed a transfer order on Winter before, and I understood why. But this--- This is outrageous!"

Phoebe stared at Phil as though he had grown three extra heads. "Where's the reasoning? The USDA won't accept your claim without evidence of any wrongdoing. As far as I'm concerned, Phil, Clearwater Marine Aquarium hasn't done anything wrong. Clay was right; I understood the last time a transfer order was put in place, but this is outrageous. And all the animals? Are you mad?"

Phil picked up a file lying on the desk. "No, I'm not mad. I will have a breeding program at CMA, and Winter will be mated with Nicholas. Good day, and expect to be contacted soon."

"Just because you're funding our project doesn't mean you're a puppeteer. We're not your puppets, Phil, so we won't do everything you say. Just remember that." Phoebe turned to face Clay who had collapsed into a chair. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." Clay sighed, turning to look out of the window. "I just don't know what to do."

Phoebe ran a hand through her hair. "We have done nothing wrong, Clay. There's nothing to worry about. You didn't build CMA just to sit around and worry all day, Clay. There are animals out there who need our---your---attention. They need you, Clay. We all do."

Clay smiled. "Don't you have a session with Nicholas?"

"Always the one to get people back on task." Phoebe smiled. "Yeah. I'll talk to you later, Clay, and when I do, I don't want to see you moping around."

Clay laughed. "I'll just be here relaxing."