Chapter thirty-eight
National Zoo
Washington DC

Spencer

The problem with having a deprived childhood, Spencer thought the next time he took Susanna out, is that you want to go back and make up for everything you missed. But those things are geared toward children and adults can, at times, feel uncomfortable entering the realm of childhood. Unless they have an escort.

"I want to see the lions!" Henry announced.

"We will see the lions." Penelope replied. "And everything else. But remember, Susanna needs to take her time to try to see as much as she can, okay? Now hold still while I slather." It was a battle of wills between a wiggly five year old and a godmother with a bottle of sunscreen.

"Okay." Holding still was clearly a relative term here. "Did you put your sunscreen on?" He asked Susanna.

"Yep, every inch." She was wearing a big hat to block the sun and her sunglasses with the leather shields as well. But on a pleasant spring day she'd opted for a dress that bared her arms and very nearly her knees. In her world, as he understood it, this was absolutely daring fashion. "I tested it in the backyard yesterday." She said, turning to him. "The doctor was right, this really stays on. Not even a tingle all afternoon."

"Good." Her skin was still as snowy white as ever. Some people stared but only for a moment, she just didn't stand out like she had in the cult dresses. "They have a petting zoo, you know. Farm animals from the look of it."

She smiled at him. "Have you ever been?"

"Um, no." He didn't even want to think about the cesspool of bacteria in there. But it was hands-on, so he'd just stuck some soap in his bag for after.

Her smile turned into a grin, "Hey Henry, mind if we do the petting zoo first?"

Henry huffed with impatience. "Okay."

Once at the petting zoo Spencer was given a vivid reminder that Susanna had grown up on a farm. Even without sight she expertly caught a chicken, wrangled a goat and milked a cow, almost better than the handlers. And what was worse, Henry was helping. "I like the bunnies." He said as he gently pet the one cuddled in Susanna's arms. "They're soft."

"Yes they are. I'm glad they have a home here." She gave the rabbit back to the keeper and moved back to Spencer's side. "That one's family sized." She murmured.

"Family…" Wait, the penny dropped. "You don't mean…"

"Henry had rabbit for dinner more than once? They reproduce quickly and easily, makes for a good meat animal. We probably shouldn't tell him though."

"Or Garcia." Or him. For a moment he was quite glad he was a city boy.

"I will say, in my family's defense, that they always cared for their animals well. Especially Daniel, he loved them dearly. I had hoped he could try for a vet…"

"Well, they offer educational programs in prison, maybe he still can."

"I think I'll keep my fingers crossed on that."

As they were heading for the restroom to clean up a fearsome roar echoed across the park Susanna jumped a little and clutched Spencer's arm a little more closely. "What was that?"

"One of the big cats," he replied.

"Actually that was Kavi." Someone nearby said, "Our Sumatran tiger male. He needs some dental work done, it's making him cranky. Hey Spencer."

"Hey Jay." The places where you run into old school friends. He had forgotten that Jay was working here now.

"A tiger," Susanna marveled; "A real tiger. I wonder how close we can get."

"Unfortunately not very." Jay replied.

Huh. "Susanna, this is Dr. Jay Holden, he's a biologist on staff here. Jay, Susanna." As he made introductions Spencer began formulating an idea.

Over the course of the day Susanna got to get up close with a sloth, an armadillo, an Aldabra tortoise, a boa constrictor, and even a small monkey, but later that evening, after taking Henry home and when the zoo was quiet, Spencer and Susanna returned to the zoo. "What are we doing here?" She asked

"My friend Jay owed me a favor." He said. "Come on."

They met with Jay, who led them deep into the Great Cat complex. "Okay, we only have a few minutes while the team is getting set up." Jay said.

"More than enough; I owe you for this." Spencer's voice was hushed as he looked at the magnificent beast lying out on the table. "You're sure he's out?"

"Completely. Wouldn't dare replace that tooth any other way."

"What is it?" Susanna asked.

"Come here." Spencer took her by the hand and the waist and led her over to the table. "Susanna, meet Kavi." And he gently placed her hand down on that furry head.

She gasped. "Is it…"

"A tiger. It's all right; they had to put him to sleep to fix his tooth. There's just enough time for you to have a good look.

Slowly, gently, she started running her fingers over the magnificent body before her, over the broad head and soft ears, the wide nose, the full muzzle. She shuddered slightly as she grazed over a fang designed for meat, smiled slightly as she felt the fine tracery of whiskers. Ever so gently down the thick front legs, to rest a massive paw in her hand and test the sharpness of a claw. Then up over the broad back, over that barrel of a chest and through the thick fur. Back along to the length of the tail, that thick rope of muscle and bone, before back up and over a muscular haunch to the back paw. And lastly up between them, to lightly, gently trace over his testicles.

Spencer couldn't help it; all those feelings came rushing back as he watched her. This is what she will do, he thought, she will touch me this carefully, this intently. If this happens she will know me like no one else. She doesn't need to look at me, and I think I'm glad of that, but I don't know why. I do know that I want this very much. Then she got to the last and he felt something hot and dark twist in his belly, making him almost dizzy with the intensity. But not so much that he couldn't see the look on her face. "Are you all right?"

She gasped a little when he spoke. "Yes." She said. "Thank you, Jay, he's magnificent. And thank you Kavi." She gave the tiger one last stroke along his side and then they got out of the way.

But the strange look did not leave her face, even as they were quickly walking back to the car through the late evening air. "Are you all right?" He asked

She nodded. "Yes, but…I think I'd like to go home now, please."

Uh-oh, she was not all right. "Okay."

He took her back to Bellflower house and walked her up the stairs. "Susanna…"

"I'll call you tomorrow, Spencer." She said, pressing a kiss to his cheek before stepping away. "Thank you. Good night."

"Good night."