The First Time I Saw You

Chapter 3

"It's okay, girl. It's going to be okay." Claire promised as she tried walk around and get closer to the eight-year-old triceratops. She was stuck in a mud pit. The takers couldn't quite explain to their superior how she had gotten trapped, but she had been seen taking a mud bath the day before. They were thinking the animal had fallen asleep or had spent way too long in the pit and now the mud was drying around her, "Who takes a nap in mud, babe?" The redhead tried step as close as she could but one more step would have her in the pit with Lovelace.

She looked down at her shoes and over to the triceratops. The animal was calling out for her after taking in her scent, they went way back and were old friends; every time Lovelace got in trouble Claire was there to save her. It didn't matter what she was doing, she'd drop it and come help her.

Claire gulped, she took a moment to study the mud pit surrounding the adult triceratops. She was laying down on the ground and at least three quarters of her legs were now glued to the dried mud. She looked weak, maybe out of exhaustion of being under that sun all morning and wasting all her energy trying to get out. She didn't have access to water or food either.

Claire bit on her lower lip and gently placed her right foot over to the pit, her heel immediately sinking. She pulled back, some areas seemed to be dried already but she'd have to bounce around looking for them. She was soon handed a pair of yellow rain boots, knee length ones. She grabbed from Owen's bicep and changed her shoes.

"What are you doing?" He wondered in shock, holding tight from her as she managed to put those boots on. Claire was handed a basket with the most rounded, juicy, and beautiful strawberries in the market. She liked spoiling her friend.

"She needs me." She simply explained before letting go of his arm. He still kept her hand on his while she slowly walked over to the animal in distress.

His arm length eventually was too short, but Claire was steadily making her way over to Lovelace. Once she reached over, she softly stroked her head and let her sniff her. Claire could see in her deep round eyes how weak and terrified she was.

Lovelace kept calling out, trying to explain to her what had happened. "I know." Claire murmured, her hands slowly trying to calm her down. "I brought you something." She was fighting to keep her balance while the mud was up to her ankles. The redhead reached out and grabbed one strawberry from the basket. She slowly brought it up to Lovelace's mouth and watched her gulp it at once.

Claire giggled and reached out for another one. She loved observing how her dark rough tongue poked out to take the treats away from her, it seemed to be cheering the triceratops up and it helped Claire calm down too.

Owen had spent the entire morning watching her ignore these creatures and the paradise surrounding her, the woman standing in the middle of that mud pit was definitely not the same one who had brushed off that one baby apatosaurus at the petting zoo. He was having a glimpse into Claire's core, the one trapped under the shatters of her old self. He was fascinated, he was intrigued and curious. There was more to her than meets the eye and he wanted to know every thing there was to know about Claire Dearing.

He asked for a pair of boots, he wanted to help her out and find a solution to take that beautiful creature out of the mud, he wanted to reach out and share this moment with her because something was telling him they didn't come around often. It was probably his only shot to have access to her vulnerable and gentle side, and he wanted to take advantage of it and be present.

She smiled over when she felt his hand next to hers as they both stroked Lovelace. Claire reached out and offered him a strawberry. He slowly took it and felt that dry tongue twirling around his fingers as the animal snatched it from him.