Come To Stay

Come To Stay-09

Chapter Nine

Aubrey sat on a burned-out log along the beach. Her flute lay across her lap, and L.J. hobbled about her feet. The early-morning air contained a crisp chill, but Aubrey was only vaguely aware of her surroundings.

"I should be the happiest woman in the world," she told the attentive seagull. "Reeve said he loved me last night." She raised the flute to her lips and played a few mournful notes. "Talk to me, L.J. Tell me why I feel so miserable."

The bird looked back at her blankly.
"Come on," Aubrey moaned regretfully. "This isn't doing any good. Let's go back."

She stood and continued to play as she walked along the sand-covered shore, L.J. trailing behind. Once she glanced back, and a smile lit up her face. She felt like a pied piper.

When the house came into view, she noted that Reeve was standing on the veranda, looking out. She paused and waved. He returned the gesture, but even from this distance she could see that something was bothering him.

He was still outside when she put L.J. back into the fenced yard and returned to her room. She carelessly laid the flute across the mattress and joined Reeve on the deck.
"What's wrong?"

He glared at her for a moment, his look thoughtful. "I didn't know you still had the bird."

"He's just like a pet now."

"The two of you made quite a pair walking on the beach like that." Somehow he didn't sound like it was a pleasant sight.

"Something's troubling you. What is it, Reeve?" She placed her hand on his forearm, and he covered it with his own.

"You say the bird is tame. For everyone?"

"No, only me. But I was the one who treated him and I'm the one who feeds him."

"Hasn't he ever given any indication he wants to be free?"

"No ..." She stopped, remembering his reaction the other day when some gulls were near.

"I notice his wing is still bandaged. I'd think by now it would be healed."

Aubrey straightened her back and took a step in retreat. "What you're suggesting is that the time has come to set the bird free." She struggled to take the protest out of her words.

"I know how you feel about him."

"You couldn't possibly know. I found him; I was the one who took care of him. He eats right out of my hand now. He's tame, I tell you. He doesn't want his freedom; he's content to stay here." Her voice became thinner with every word as she argued.

"You're right," Reeve reasoned. "The bird is yours; you're the one who worked with him. I'm just asking that you think about it."

Aubrey tried to smile, but the effort resulted in a mere trembling of her mouth. She squared her shoulders. "I think you're right. L.J. deserves a better life than this." Abruptly, she turned around, intent on doing it while the strength of her conviction remained strong. "Where are you going?"

"To set L.J. free."

"It doesn't have to be done now."

"Yes, it does." Unreasonably, she felt like shouting at him.

Her mouth was set in a firm line as she marched down to the back portion of the yard and opened the gate. She didn't need to say a word for the gull to come rushing out. Like a tiny robot, he followed her down to the beach. Tears blurred her eyes as she knelt at his side and unwrapped the gauze bandage from his wing. Carefully, she extended it, checking for any further damage. There wasn't anything that she could see. "We've become good friends over the last few weeks, haven't we, Long John?"
He tested his new freedom, then quirked his small head at an inquiring angle when he experienced the first unruffling of his broad wingspan.