Page 12 of Wild Bred

Well, if there’s a problem, the vet will do what they can. It’s not like I could be of any help.

I return to my work. I try not to wonder what that speeding veterinary van was about. But, later, when I see it driving past in the opposite direction, I can’t stop thinking about it.

Despite my resolution to stay away, I go over to the sanctuary.

When I arrive, Mackenna is walking out of a shed with a bucket in each hand. She looks at me curiously as I approach, setting down the buckets and wiping her hands on her hips.

“Is everything okay?” I ask. “I saw the vet come and go.”

She nods. “She was just doing some routine checkups. Everybody’s good. Well, one of the owls has a minor eye infection, but it’s nothing serious.” She smiles. “That’s why you’re here? You were concerned about the animals?”

I feel like an idiot. The van wasn’t rushing. I was imagining it. “Just wanted to make sure there wasn’t an emergency. That’s all.”

“That’s kind of you.” She takes a breath. “How’s it going? It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”

“It’s going fine. Just been working. You?”

“Same. There’s always more to do.”

Should I apologize to her for going silent after all those texts? It feels like I should, but…fuck. I don’t know. Maybe it’s better left untouched. Boundaries and all that.

“Since you’re here,” she says, “would you be interested in a tour?”

“A tour?” I echo.

“Yeah. I didn’t get much of a chance to show you around when you were here before. You only saw a small part of the property. So I was thinking you might like to see the rest of it.”

I’m not. But…ah, hell. She looks so excited about it. If it would please her, what’s the harm in it? I’m already here.

“All right,” I say. “But can we keep it short?”

She brings me over to Daisy’s enclosure first, to show me how well the new fence has been holding up. Daisy chitters excitedly, scrambling down a tree to come over and greet us. As much as I haven’t liked the little troublemaker, I’ve gotta admit, it’s sort of nice to be greeted with that much enthusiasm.

From there, Mackenna shows me the macaws, the owls, and the reptiles. I recognize many of them from her website, but there are a lot more animals than I expect. When we get to a large enclosure full of squirrels, I find myself asking Mackenna if they’re the ones she had as babies.

“They are,” she says, curiously peering at me. “How did you know that?”

I shrug. “I saw your post about it.”

A smile lifts her lips. “I see.”

“So are these guys going to become ambassadors, too, or…?”

“Nope. They’re going to be released back into the wild. Actually, I was planning on doing a soft release today. Would you like to do the honors? All you have to do is prop open the enclosure’s door.”

I glance at the door she’s referring to. “You just want me to open it? That’s it?”

“Yep. That’s it. The squirrels will venture out at their own pace. Letting them make the transition on their own terms is a lot less stressful than abruptly dumping them somewhere out in the wild.”

“Right. Makes sense.” I make my way to the enclosure’s door and undo the latch. When I pull open the door and get it propped open with a rock, a few of the squirrels look over with curious eyes, but none of them bolt out.

“How long does it usually take for them to leave?”

“It depends on the individual animal. Some leave within minutes. For others, it can take hours, or even days.” She smiles at a squirrel that’s coming closer to the open door. “Hey, sweetie. Are you ready to explore the world?”

The squirrel hesitates, then tentatively crosses the threshold. Then, with a sudden burst of energy, it dashes away, disappearing among the trees.

Mackenna laughs with joy. I watch her as she looks out at the trees where the squirrel disappeared. Am I imagining it, or are her eyes a little misty?

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