Mermaids of Glendale - a novel

Chapter 20

“So what was the emergency?” asked Lorna.

Lorna and Kitt were sitting at a weather-beaten picnic table overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Long ago, someone had painted the table a bright red however after years of salt and sea-spray and sandy winds the paint was peeled back to bare wood in many places. They sat above the bluffs, looking out to sea and listening to the distant barking of the fur seals on the rocks below, accompanied by the slow crashing of the waves.

Kitt and Dr. MacAvoy had taken Lorna on a guided tour of the Mexican research station. They had shown her the oceanographic labs, the botany lab, the animal recovery center, and the cafeteria, where Lorna had picked up a very welcome and warming cup of hot chocolate, the steam from which was even now rising like a specter in the night as Lorna cradled the blue-enameled tin mug in her hands. Rita had excused herself, electing to retire for the night to one of the cots in the women’s dormitory on the far side of the compound, leaving Kitt and Lorna alone in the night.

“A difficult birth for a mother fur seal, in the recovery center,” replied Kitt. “She had twins, Lorna. Generally, a marine mammal will only have one offspring at a time.  That’s a reproductive strategy of evolution, a way of ensuring energy and resources for the animal to survive. It was beautiful to see two fur seal pups come into the world.”

“I wish I could have seen it,” said Lorna.

Kitt was quiet for a few moments. He had is arm around Lorna and he held her just a little closer.

“The second pup died,” said Kitt.

“Oh, Kitt, I’m so sorry.”

“I could only observe. I’m not a trained marine veterinarian. Rita has experience in the field, but neither of us were able to do anything. Professor Villalobos did what he could to make sure the mother and the stronger pup survive.”

“I didn’t meet Professor Villalobos,” said Lorna.

“You will,” said Kitt. “He went down to the beach with a couple of the research assistants to get the fur seals back into their population.”

“Hola, Dr. Dawson.”

“There he is now,” said Kitt. “Good evening, Jorge.”

Professor Jorge Villalobos walked toward the picnic table. He was wearing a black roll-neck sweater under a lab coat, and ran a hand through his thick black-and-silver-streaked hair.

“And who might this be?” said Professor Villalobos, then bowed with a flourish of his arm. “Professor Jorge Santiago Villalobos, at your service, senorita…”

Lorna had a mental picture of Professor Villalobos dressed in a long flowing cape, wearing a rapier around his waist and doffing a feather-plumed hat. She tried not to giggle. As it was, this was a good antidote to the sad news of the fur seal.

“Lorna O’Shene,” said Lorna.

“Ah, Senorita O’Shene, Dr. Dawson has told me of you,” said Professor Villalobos.

“Not you, too,” said Lorna, on the defensive again. She slipped out of Kitt’s embrace and turned to face him in one fluid movement. “Kitt, what do you keep telling people?”

“My apologies, Lorna,” said Professor Villalobos. “What I meant to say is that Dr. Dawson mentioned you as being a part of the crew aboard your yacht, the Courageous Otter?”

“Yes,” said Lorna, thinking, Crew?

“I must make a point to visit with Dr. Milagros. We are old colleagues.”