An Australian Love || A Robert Irwin Story

S E V E N

RECAP:

Mari

He looks at me, surprised. "You just got off of a twenty two hour flight, don't you want to rest?"

I yawn, "Believe me, I do. But if I go to sleep now, it's gonna throw off my timing and I'm never going to be awake during the day."

Nodding, he leaves me to myself and unpacking. The door closes behind him softly, and I turn back to my suitcases.

Presently

Robert

After unpacking their things, she meets me downstairs in the living room, not expecting to see me with a present in my hands. I smile nervously, hoping they like it.

"What is this?" She eagerly takes it from his my and sits down on the couch.

Shrugging, I tell them it's not much, and when they unwrap the box, a khaki set is gingerly folded inside.

"We wanted you to feel like a real keeper here at the zoo. If it doesn't fit, we can always get you a new one," I stutter, wanting nothing more than to curl up in a ball and die. It doesn't take much for Mari to realize that we've done something else with the set, because why else would someone be so nervous over work clothes?

They pull the set out of the box, and on the right side, above the pocket, their name is embroidered in a forest green. Nothing fancy like cursive, but a clean, semi thick inscription.

Mari.

Her name it reads. They run their fingers over it, shock written all over their face.

They're not saying anything. Did I get the spelling wrong?

I'm beginning to panic, and my breathing is quickening. I look at her, trying to read her emotions. After a few seconds, they finally speak.

They sniffle and wipe their eyes before responding, "You have absolutely no idea how much this means to me Robert." And with that, hers tear flow.

I don't know what to do. What do I do? I'm beginning to freak out, and as she pulls the set into her, I do the only thing I can.

I pull her into a hug.

Mari sobs into my chest, and I rub her back, up and down, in a rhythmic pattern until she begins to calm down. I rock us side to side softly, remembering how my mum would calm me on the nights I woke up from a dream about dad.

For a long time, we rock.

We rock, and we rock, and we rock.

It's in her sobs I hear the emotions.

Happiness.

Sadness.

Acceptance.

Soon after, her crying slows to slight hyperventilating, and I know we're getting somewhere. I continue rubbing her back until all that's left are the occasional sniffle and whimper.

I lower my chin to their head and tell them, "Whenever you feel ready to talk, I'll be here to listen." And that brings all of the tears right back.

Oh my god I made it worse. How did that make it worse?

I try not to freak out, and I look up hoping to find someone who can help me. I see mum in the kitchen looking at us already with a smirk on her face.

What do I do? I mouth. She just shrugs and smiles before walking out of the room altogether. I take a deep breath and continue rocking us. It's all I can do.