Dolphin Tale 3

Chapter [28]

Phoebe rounded the corner and stopped in her tracks. "Whoah."

Sawyer and Hazel sprang apart, guitly looks on their faces.

Hazel cleared her throat awkwardly, her expression now resembling a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car. "Hi, Phoebe."

Phoebe back away slightly, looking awkward. "Sorry if I disturbed an intimate moment..."

Sawyer shook his head. "It's fine, Phoebe. It's fine."

Phoebe sighed, but she smiled gratefully at Sawyer. "It's really good to have you back, you know. We all missed you. Everyone. All the staff, volunteers, animals, and even the tourists missed you. We need you here, Sawyer. We really do. Why did you come back, anyway?"

Sawyer shrugged. "I just missed all of you, and thinking of Winter made me feel slightly guilty. But, it was also because of what Hazel said."

Phoebe couldn't help but grin. "What did Hazel say?"

"We don't have to follow the sheep if we don't want to. We are allowed to be different. We're allowed to be our own person. That was enough to make me change my mind."

Phoebe smiled. "Wise words from Hazel. Anyway, you have a long-overdue bonding session with Winter, Sawyer. Don't you think you should go and see how she's doing?"

"She's fine. I saw her this morning; swam with her, actually. But I wouldn't pass up the chance to swim with her again. I'll see you two later?"

Hazel smiled and nodded. "Yeah, see you later, Sawyer."

"Bye, Sawyer."

Sawyer walked off, smiling to himself. It was as though the previous two weeks had never even happened. Hazel was happy again, and to Sawyer, that was the one thing that mattered the most.

***

"Why do you look so cheery today?" Dr. Clay grumbled as he stared wistfully at Kat

Kat gaped at Dr. Clay. "Haven't you heard the news?"

"What news? I haven't watched the news lately, no. What news have you heard?"

Kat sighed. "And I would have thought that you would have been the first to know, seeing as you are technically his employer, and step-father."

"Wait, what did Sawyer do to make you all this happy?"

"He came back."

Dr. Clay blinked, struggling to process the information Kat had just thrown at him. "Sawyer came back? He came back to Clearwater Maine Aquarium? Are you kidding?"

Kat frowned. "You say it like it's a bad thing that Sawyer came back."

Dr. Clay shook his head quickly. "No. I'm really glad he came back, actually. We need him."

"Admit that you missed him, Clay. I missed him, and I know you missed him too."

Dr. Clay sighed. "Yes, I missed Sawyer. Where is he?"

"With WInter, the last time I walked past. He's been there since this morning. If you're lucky, he might just still be there."

Dr. Clay stood up abruptly and brushed past Kat. "Good."

"Wait, where are you going?"

"To see Sawyer. I need to talk to him."

***

"I got to go now, Winter, but I'll come back as soon as possible, I promise. I won't desert you anymore."

Winter appeared to nod, whistling softly.

"Attagirl." Sawyer stood up and turned around, almost falling backwards as he caught sight of Dr. Clay.

"Here." Dr. Clay offered Sawyer a hand.

Sawyer took Dr. Clay's hand and climbed out of the pool. "Thanks. Why are you here?"

Dr. Clay sighed. "I wanted to talk to you."

"About your relationship with Hazel."

Sawyer frowned. "Oh. We sorted everything out this morning. Everything is fine, now. Is there anything else you wanted to say?"

"I wanted to talk to you about something else. Follow me, your mother and Hazel are waiting."

Sawyer looked back at Winter and Hope, both lounging on the blue mattress. "What about the rest of my chores and duties?"

"I'm sure that Phoebe and Kat will take care of them. Come on, Sawyer, this is important as well. Follow me."

Sawyer took one last look at Winter and Hope, before following Dr. Clay to his office. Dr. Clay ushered Sawyer into his office and shut the door behind them. Sawyer smiled briefly at his mother and Hazel, but only his mother returned the smile. Hazel was looking sombre and upset about something, and Sawyer had the sudden impulse to comfort her, but Dr. Clay interrupted his thoughts before he could do anything.

"Take a seat, Sawyer. I have something I need to tell you. Well, Hazel and I need to tell you something."

Sawyer shot Hazel a quizzical look, but Hazel just closed her eyes and shook her head. He sighed, knowing that if Hazel didn't want to talk about it, it couldn't be good news.

"The other evening, my father—Hazel's grandfather—told us something. He said that he had been refurbishing his boat, which is the one I sailed around on, with him, as a kid. The reason he was fixing his boat was because he wanted us to go on a world sailing expedition, or an around the world trip."

Sawyer nodded. "And...?"

"By 'us', he meant Hazel and I, with him, of course. The entire trip would take an estimated three to four—possibly more—months. I'm sorry, Sawyer, Lorraine. I really am."

Sawyer searched Hazel's face, looking for any sign that what Dr. Clay had just said had been a joke. He closed his eyes when he realised that Dr. Clay had been telling the truth. He drew in a deep breath. "Who's going to run Clearwater Marine Aquarium when you're gone?"

Dr. Clay sighed. "I don't know yet, but I'll have someone responsible do it. Trust me, Sawyer. I'll find the perfect person to run CMA, so there's no need to panic."

Hazel swallowed. "Our relationship..."

Sawyer sighed. "It's going to be hard, Hazel, but I believe we can keep our relationship. Everyone says that long-distance relationships tend not to work, but like you said, we don't have to be everybody. We are our own person, and you never know what might happen. I believe in us, Hazel. I really do, and I always have."

"It's not going to be easy, you know," Dr. Clay said hesitantly. "You're not going to see each other for a quarter—possibly even a third—of a year. It's highly likely that you would have changed, by then. You might have moved on, found another love interest."

"If Hazel left, the only living thing that I could love, other than her, would be Winter, maybe even Hope. I strongly doubt that my love would stretch towards another human being," Sawyer said, gazing levelly into Dr. Clay's eyes.

"Guys, I haven't decided if I want to go or not, yet," Hazel said quietly. "You can discuss this after I make my final decision."

"What decision is there to make, Hazel?" Dr. Clay said. "You're going, and that's that."

Hazel rose from her seat. "Dad, have you ever stopped to think that one day I'd be old enough to make my own decisions? Or do you not think I'm mature enough?"

"Hazel..."

Hazel laughed bitterly. "You'd think that you'd be able to make your own decisions in your own life." She shook her head and walked to the door, wrenching it open and stalking away.

Sawyer stood up. "I'd better go after her."

Lorraine Nelson nodded. "You do that, honey. I need to talk to Clay about something, too."

Sawyer gave his mother an odd look before hastening after Hazel.