Dolphin Tale 3

Chapter [26]

All was dark, except for the streetlamp that illuminated the solitary figure like a spotlight. The figure watched as the lights slowly went off, one by one, in the house. At last, only one light remained.

The figure moved towards the light source and threw a pebble at the window. The window was open and the pebble flew through, clattering to the floor.

There was movement within the house. Someone was moving towards the window, silhouetted by the steady glare of a desk lamp.

The curtains were drawn open.

"Hazel, what on earth are you doing here?"

"Can I come in? It's freezing out here."

Sawyer sighed and stood back from the window. "Come in, but you'd better be quiet. I believe my mother and your father are next door.

"They're not... you know, are they?" Hazel asked as she climbed through the open window.

Sawyer sat on his bed. "No. They're talking, so we'd better stay quiet or they'll think we're the ones doing something odd in here. You're not even supposed to be here. What were you thinking?"

Hazel sighed. "Sawyer, look at me."

Sawyer stared at the floor, refusing to look up at Hazel. He heard the sound of footsteps and found himself staring at Hazel's shoes.

Hazel crouched down onto the floor and held Sawyer's chin in her hands. "Look at me, Sawyer. Look at me."

Sawyer jerked his chin out of her hands and turned to gaze steadily at the wall.

Hazel sighed. She reach out and cupped his chin in her hands again. "Look at me."

Sawyer looked involuntarily at Sawyer, and in that brief moment, a spark ignited within his heart.

"I need to talk to you."

Sawyer continued staring at Hazel, drinking in her features as though she was the most delicious drink in the entire universe. "You're already talking to me, but go on."

"Why have you been avoiding everyone, Sawyer?"

Sawyer sighed. "I haven't been avoiding everyone."

Hazel closed her eyes. "Don't deny it, Sawyer. You have been avoiding everyone, and that is a fact. Why, though? Why would you avoid everyone? What have we done wrong?"

"Don't you feel it's wrong?"

Hazel opened her eyes and frowned. "What's wrong?"

Sawyer sighed. "Hazel, if your father and my mother marry, we would become siblings. Isn't it known that siblings who love each other have bad luck? Isn't it weird to love your siblings? Isn't it wrong?"

Hazel laughed softly. "Just because other people believe it's wrong, doesn't mean we have to think it's wrong. We don't have to follow the sheep, Sawyer. It's a free country, and we're free to love each other. If we think it's right, then it's right. As long as we think it's right, then there's nothing wrong with it."

Sawyer sighed. "But it feels so wrong to love your own sister, or step-sister. Don't you feel that it's wrong to love your brother, or step-brother?"

Hazel sighed. "You're not my brother, yet, and I'm not your sister. If we love each other, we have a right to be together. Nothing, not even our parent's marriage should get in the way of that, you know? Marriage won't break our bond."

Sawyer sighed. "I guess..."

"Will you come back to Clearwater Marine Aquarium? Winter needs you. She misses you, Sawyer. Everyone does. Without you, it's like our world doesn't turn. It's like time is frozen. The mood at Clearwater Marine Aquarium is so dull and boring without you. Please, Sawyer. Please come back."

"I don't know, Hazel. I'll have to think about it."

"Please, Sawyer." Hazel looked up into his eyes, pleading with her own. "Please, Sawyer. Will you come back for me? We need you, Sawyer. We really do."

Sawyer sighed. "I'll sleep on it."

Hazel closed her eyes. "Take as long as you need, Sawyer, but just remember that Winter needs you. You're the only one she fully trusts, and she's pining for you, right now. She misses you so much. Even Hope misses you."

Sawyer sighed again, biting his lip. "I'll think about it, okay? I'll let you know, later."

Hazel nodded. "I'll see you later, then. Goodbye, Sawyer." She took her hands away from Sawyer's chin and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. "I love you."

Sawyer watched as she climbed back out the window and vanished into the darkness of the evening.

Outside his bedroom door, Lorraine Nelson was crying silently into Dr. Clay's shoulder. Dr. Clay was staring blankly at the wall.

Lorraine lifted her head from Dr. Clay's shoulder and said, quietly, "I don't think we should be together. Look at the effect we're having on Sawyer and Hazel. I can't bear to see them like this, can you?"

Dr. Clay sighed. "No, I can't. Maybe I jumped into this too fast? Maybe I should have broken the news later? I just do before I even think things through properly. It's all my fault."

Lorraine shook her head. "It's not your fault, Clay. If anything, it's mine. I shouldn't have broken the news so soon. I should have waited for a while before telling them. This is all my fault."

Dr. Clay shook his head. "Let's talk about this later, okay? We'll work this out later. Now is not the time to talk about this. We shall discuss this later, with Hazel and Sawyer. I'm sure we'll work something out."

"I hope so. I love you, Clay."

Dr. Clay sighed. He wasn't planning on telling Lorraine that he was leaving for a trip around the world anytime soon, but he knew he would have to tlel her, eventually. 

"I love you too, Lorraine. I love you too."

***

Hazel sat on her bed and cried silently. She still hadn't told Sawyer about her sailing trip, but she wasn't planning on telling him anytime soon. She'd only tell him when he came back to Clearwater Marine Aquarium, if he did. That was the only was she would tell him.

She just hoped that Sawyer would have the sense to return to Clearwater Marine Aquarium. She just wanted life to return to normal, though she doubted that it ever would.