Chapter Two

Dinner

The couple sat at an elegant table made of black and white ceramic tiles.  Lights dangled from the ceiling, dangerously close to their heads.  When they had had them installed, they miscalculated the distance the beautiful droplights would be to a person sitting in one of the high stools.  A birdcage was nestled in the corner, the parrot keeping unusually quiet.  Grant strolled over, holding up a piece of cookie.  "Can you say my name?  Is my name Alan?  Alan?"  Sighing, he tossed the cookie to the bird and rejoined his giggling wife at the table.  "He used to say it so often."

Ellie shook her head with amusement.  "Well, Alan, maybe he's forgotten you.  You are frequently leaving for digs."  Her voice was light and held no accusations.  She had sworn to herself that she would never take his passion away from him, which was his work.  She didn't want herself or the children to be an anchor that held him back from pursuing his goals, especially considering he never wanted a family to begin with.

He just shrugged and took another sip of his coffee.  "Well, I've been working on something very significant and remarkable."  He usually didn't bring work home with him.  After their experience on Isla Nublar, she had digressed her interest and eventually turned to writing articles and the occasional book on botany and fossils.

"What?"  Her interest was ignited nevertheless.  It had been six years since she'd actually worked on an excavation, and the missed time was catching up on her.  She didn't tell Grant she wanted to do field work again because she knew he would take her on one, which was something she couldn't afford considering their two young children.

"Raptors mostly."

She pursed her lips together.  "My favorite," she said without enthusiasm.  To this day she still had nightmares about being trapped inside the back-up control bunker with the raptor.  If she really concentrated, she could even feel Mr. Arnold's severed arm falling onto her shoulder.

Grant leaned forward, not dissuaded by her apparent distress.  "Do you remember the sounds they made?"

"I try not to," her voice pleaded with him to drop the subject.

"We've done a cranial scan.  They actually had a sophisticated resonating chamber.  As you know, my theory is that their key existence was based on their evolved ability to vocalize with each other.  They could talk to a degree we never even imagined.  Ellie, they were smarter than whales.  They were smarter than dolphins."  Excitement filled his eyes and his voice turned bone chilling: "They were smarter than primates."

Ellie bit her lower lip, looking briefly away before gazing at him with admiration and apprehension.  "You should hear yourself.  You're so passionate about paleontology that sometimes it scares me.  You would go back and study them if you had the chance, wouldn't you?"

"Not a chance.  No force on earth or heaven could get me back on that island."

"Damn," the parrot squawked and both flashed their attention to the bird.  Ellie smiled: "You taught him that.  All your cursing at the dig sites."

Grant gave a gentle, rugged grin.  "You can blame him when the children start swearing."  He glanced at his watch and leapt out of his chair.  "I'm going to be late.  God, I really need this funding.  I'd hate to have to let my students go.  I have a few really inspiring ones with so much potential.  Billy I give the most credit too."

"Billy Brennan?  Your assistant site manager?  The really young one?"

"Yes.  The charmer."  He headed for the door knowing that Ellie would follow him out.  "I really need to get going.  Then, I have to catch my flight to Point Peck Lake.  I'll be gone about a week."

"Ok.  Hey, Alan?"

He turned around.  "Yes?"

She wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him in for a long, sensual kiss.  "Just don't forget about us, ok?"

He smiled and got into his car.  He rolled down his window and said, "Just don't go finding a replacement while I'm gone."

"Not a chance.  Take care.  And call me if you need anything.  I mean it.  Sometimes you forget to ask and even though I'm not officially apart of the team, I am here for you."

Grant nodded, a small grin playing on his lips.  "Yeah.  Bye Ellie.  Give the kids kisses for me."  He pulled out of the driveway and drove off into the night.

End Chapter Two

I hope you like it so far.  I've decided to discontinue What Could Have Been for the time being with the desire that you guys will like this one more.