The Adventure Kids in A Dolphin's Sequel

Chapter 5

Early the next morning, everyone was still pretty much sound asleep... All except for Hazel. Aviva and Koki happened to come out of the Tortuga to feel the early morning breeze right as Hazel was leaving the aquarium. 

"Good morning, Hazel" Aviva waved while spotting the young girl. 

"What are you doing out so early?" Koki asked. 

"I'm going for a run" Hazel replied. 

"Ooh, that sounds like fun. Mind if we tag along?" Aviva asked her. 

"Sure" Hazel said, feeling she could really use the company right now. 

With that, the girls headed out for their run, soon ending up at the hospital to meet with Lorraine. Hazel really needed to let out her frustration on the issue at hand and she knew that Lorraine would listen to her.  

"It's like I'm a plate-glass window" She ranted. "He doesn't even see me!"

"Your dad does have a lot on his mind right now" Lorraine told Hazel softly. 

"Yeah. I'll bet it's not easy running an entire aquarium" Aviva mentioned.

"Yeah, but he doesn't listen to me, and he doesn't tell me things" Hazel argued. "All I'm saying is keep Mandy for a few months just till Winter's settled and we can pair her with another female. But he won't try. It's like he doesn't care about Winter anymore"

"Oh, Hazel. Now you know that's not true" Koki said. 

Hazel sighed before apologizing to them. "I'm sorry for just dumping all this on you guys... I just didn't know who else to talk to" 

"We understand" Aviva gave a comforting smile to her. 

"It's hard to cope with change" Koki added. 

Lorraine then spoke to Hazel. "I don't know much about dolphins. But I do know about hospitals though. You know what I sometimes think?"

"What?" Hazel looked at her. 

"What if someday I came to work and the place was empty? Just room after room, no patients. Bunch of bored doctors and nurses sitting around because everybody was fine. No need for surgery. No sick people..."

"No one's here because they want to be. They're here because they need to be" Lorraine told Hazel. "And I assure you, no one stays one minute longer than they have to"

Hazel thought long and hard about Lorraine's words of advise. 

"Talk to your dad" Aviva encouraged Hazel. 

"You kids take us by surprise. You grow up so stinking fast" Lorraine added, telling her. "Talk to him the way you want him to talk to you. Do something grown-up"

"Take him out for coffee" Koki suggested, noticing the coffee cup in Hazel's hands. 

"I hate coffee" Hazel told them. "This is hot chocolate"

The girls all chuckled together while sitting on a bench outside the hospital. 

Later that day, the Akids had been helping out around the aquarium as usual when they overheard that Hazel had assertively yet respectfully talked with her father, stating how she wasn't a child and was as capable of making informed decisions as anyone here. 

Soon, everyone had gathered over by the rehab pool for Mandy's final test. 

"Okay, Clay. We're all here" Cynthia said. 

"How's she doing, Kat?" Clay soon asked on Mandy's condition. 

"I think we're good" Kat replied. 

"All right," Clay said before turning towards the rest of the group. "Martin, Sawyer, get the gate"

Martin and Sawyer did so, allowing Mandy to swim into the bigger pool just as Ann and Teeders came over with a bucket of fish. 

"Hey, is that it?" Brock asked, getting a look inside. 

"Yeah. Half-dozen" Ann replied, showing everyone. 

"Okay. That should be fine" Hazel said. 

"Okay, everyone ready?" Clay asked while everyone nodded, indicating they were ready to go. 

"Remember, don't stand too close" Chris reminded. 

Ann, Teeders, and Cynthia then dumped the bucket of fish into the pool, which Mandy caught all effortlessly. The gang, especially the kids frowned knowing what this meant. 

"So that settles it then?" Teeders said. 

The other Akids all hung their heads in silence while Kali sighed. "Yep..."

"So we lose Winter?" David asked. 

Kali hesitated to answer. The adventure girl hated to even think that. "We might..."

The gang knew they couldn't morally keep Mandy in captivity. They had to remember the aquarium's mission. Rescue, rehab, and release. With that, they all agreed to make the tough decision and release Mandy.