Dolphin Tale 3

Chapter [27]

Sawyer stared at the door and sighed. The normally busy carpark was empty, and the street was devoid of transport, save for the odd delivery truck. Near the door was a truck. It looked like a truck, but Sawyer didn't call truck. He called it the animal-ambulance, because that was where the sick and injured animals were tended to before they reached their destination.

Their destination.

Sawyer looked back at the door. He recalled what Dr. Clay had said around four months ago.

When one door closes, another door opens.

Sawyer sighed. One door had closed, and another stood waiting to be opened. It was up to him to reach for the door handle and twist it. It was up to him to make the decision.

It was up to him to open the door.

Sawyer sighed and placed his hand on the door handle, relishing it's cool touch. He turned itand the door opened silently. Taking a deep breath, he stepped onto the threshold, into a building he knew so well, and into a whole new life.

This, to him, was a whole new chapter. Because, when one chapter ends, there's always another, even if you have to write it yourself.

Sawyer walked through the buidling, his footsteps echoing his heartbeat, echoing around the spacious, yet deserted, room. He glanced around and wondered where everyone was. He wondered where Virginia and Rebecca were, where Phoebe and Kat were. Where Hazel was. He didn't even bother to think where his mother and Dr. Clay were. When Sawyer had left the house, they had been in the bedroom.

The room felt so big, yet it was deflated of energy, and of excitement. 

He walked over to the dolphin viewing window and pressed his palm to the glass, waiting for either Nicholas or Bondi to appear. After an agonising five minutes, neither had appeared. Sawyer peered through the crystalline water and saw the silhouettes of two dolphins, and a person. A person who had hair splayed in all directions like an angel. A person who had a halo of sunlight above their head. A person who made tingles of excitement run through Sawyer's veins whenever he saw them.

Hazel.

She was on the surface of the pool, playing with both Nicholas and Bondi. Even from below, she was recognisable.

After a few minutes, Sawyer decided to head up the stairs to visit Winter. He took one last fleeting glance at Hazel, before turning around and walking up the stairs. When he reached the top, he could hear Hazel laughing happily. Her laugh sounded so light and care-free, and Sawyer smiled as sparks cascaded down his spine in rapid succession.

He turned and walked over to the main pool, kicking off his shoes and climbing slowly into the water where Winter and Hope were basking in the early morning sunlight.

Winter opened her eyes as Sawyer entered the water and let out a soft whistle. Sawyer replied, smiling as Winter swam towards him.

"Hey, girl. How have you been?"

Winter whistled softly, and flicked droplets of water into Sawyer's face.

Sawyer laughed softly. "Attagirl."

Hope swam towards them and splashed Winter. She had grown since Sawyer had last seen her, and that had only been two weeks ago. Winter retaliated, and splashed Hope back, squealing.

Sawyer laughed as he watched the pair. He didn't really understand their squeals, but it seemed like to him that they were just two normal sisters who argued, made up, and acted like nothing ever happened. After watching the pair for a while, he stood up and clambered out of the pool, bidding both Winter and Hope goodbye.

He walked over to where the other dolphin pools were and paused before rounding the corner. Sawyer could still hear Hazel's laughs, and both Nicholas and Bondi's shrill squeals. He poked his head around the corner and smiled as Hazel tried to fend off both dolphins in an attempt to stop them from splashing her.

"Stop it, Bondi!" Hazel said, laughing and spluttering and water splashed into her mouth. "Nicholas, stop it!"

Sawyer smiled and walked up to the pool, unnoticed by Hazel who was too preoccupied by the two dolphins who had managed to corner her at one end of the pool.

"Guess who?"

Hazel felt a pair of hands cover her eyes and her heart stopped momentarily. Bondi and Nicholas ceased their splashing and began swimming around, whistling and calling to each other. 

Hazel's voice seized up, but she managed to say on word. One word that meant the world to her. A name. A name that she hoped she would get the chance to say again.

"Sawyer?"

Sawyer removed his hands from her eyes and straightened up. He watched, suddenly nervous, as Hazel turned around to face him.

"Sawyer! It's you. It's really you!"

Sawyer helped Hazel climb out of the pool and grinned as she ran up to hug him. "Hey, Hazel."

"Oh, Sawyer. I was beginning to think I'd never see you again. Why did you decide to come back?"

Sawyer broke apart from Hazel's embrace and drew in a deep breath. "I guess I just missed being here at Clearwater Marine Aquarium. I missed all the animals. I missed Phoebe and Kat and everyone else. But I missed you, the most."

"Oh, Sawyer."

"It was also because of something you said. You said that we don't have to follow the sheep. So, we won't follow the sheep. We can still be a couple, even though it's going to sound weird to people when we explain we're actually brother and sister, now. But, you know what? Of all the things I've learnt from you, Hazel, this is probably themost important lesson you taught me."

Hazel frowned. "What is it?"

Sawyer smiled. "Be your own person. Don't care about what others think about you, because, you know what? In the end, it's what you think about yourself that really matters. People can think of us as weird, strange, whatever. But I don't care. I just don't care, anymore."

Hazel gazed hopefully into Sawyer's eyes. "So, we're still good?"

"Only if you still want to be..."

Hazel laughed and flung herself at Sawyer, hugging him tightly.

"Of course I still want to be with you, Sawyer. You're one of a kind, Sawyer Nelson. One of a kind."

Sawyer smiled. "And so are you, my dear Hazel. So are you."