Page 77 of Mail Order Splash

“She already knows.”

You can’t leave. I don’t want to leave either.

Chapter Nineteen

KLEINE

“What did you think of the name Dalton picked for your little one?” Charlie brought me a drink. “I think Scrapper is fitting.”

“He never told me. I like it, he is a little scrapper.”

”Why don’t you let me sit with him so you can stretch your legs, go to the bathroom, anything else?”

“I don’t want to let him go. I’m so scared for him. He needs to feel loved.”

“Do you see the size of these arms? I could hold him on my shoulder like a real baby. We could swim around.”

“Charlie, that’s it! I must be tired; I didn’t think of it. He needs to have movement as soon as the IV is done.”

“While we wait, tell me, what made you want to be this kind of doctor?”

“My granddad, father and uncle. I’m not sure I had a choice but, if I had, it would still have been this.”

“I get that. I do what I do because of my father.”

“It means something to me to carry on what they did. Growing up immersed in it helped forge my love for it.”

“I’m sure they’d be proud of you for fighting the fight.” He looked out over the pool.

“Do you name all of them?”

“We give numbers if we think they’ll leave soon, names if they’re staying in longer.” I laughed as Netty splashed Charlie. “Did you want to name a few?”

“Yeah, tell me what that one is.” He pointed to the one I thought to be the mother.

“That’s who I believe to be Scrapper’s mother. She has been watching us without resting.”

“I need to think about that one. Maybe Cassandra, or Luana. Both are warriors.”

“I like Cassandra. We can call her Cassy for short.”

“Okay, now the one that came in injured.”

“That’s a boy, as is the one that was with it. They’re both young.”

They’re both young, and Scrapper is young. Solitaire is too old for babies. We’re missing more of the pod.

“Wait a minute, we have three missing. Where are they?

“The other three I moved to the south pool. Doc needed it quiet in here.” Josh walked up.

“Bring them back. They must be the mothers and will be frantic.”

“We have one male and two females out there.” Josh counted on his hands.

“Release them to this pool. Maybe Scrapper will hear them.” I rubbed a fish on his snout to get a reaction. “He’s moving his mouth. Lower me more so they can see him.”

The pod closed in one-by-one, clicking and whistling. At first the mother was blocking him, but eventually allowed the others to come in closer. Charlie and I were on alert for any nudging that would be too rough, but they only did it softly. It made me fear they knew his fate.

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