Monday rolls around and I'm back at work. Kal comes with me running around the zoo. I'm at Seattle zoo, today. Kal will sometimes come to work with me. He likes Seattle the most. I work with the penguins checking over the chicks. Checking on their eggs as well, that there is good development, and the penguin parents are sitting on their eggs. We rescued an abandoned egg and gave it to a gay penguin couple. They have been dutifully keeping the egg warm. We think they are the cutest couple.
"Hey Lindsey, you have a guest." One of the girls says.
"I'll be right there," I say putting down the blood work I'm looking at. I leave my office. I see Paul and Billy.
"Hello, you two." I say kissing Paul. Kal is with them too. "I guess Kal found you."
"Found him wondering when I went to the Arctic section. You weren't there though." Paul says.
"Yeah, I had to check on an egg in the Penguin area. We had a penguin couple who had two eggs and could only sit on one. So, we gave it to our gay couple." I say. "I was checking on the growth of the chick in the egg. They are actually doing very well with sitting on it."
I point out the couple to them.
"Wow, that's amazing," Billy says looking at them in awe.
"Penguins mate for life. Our gay couple kept getting confused and upset that they would never have a chick. So, this will be a big thing for them. They will definitely be good dads." I say.
"That is honestly so cute." Paul says.
"Yeah. I was so happy when I got to give them an egg. They were sitting on a rock. When they left for a minute, I swapped it out for an egg. They have mourned the loss of a few rocks. But this time they get to celebrate a chick this time." I say.
"They get their happily ever after," Billy says.
"Yes, they do. Jake will get his too. He just needs some time. He is still very young. Give him time." I say when I see him giving the penguins a longing look. "He has a personality to grow into still."
"We heading for lunch?" Paul asks.
"Yeah, your probably hungry." I say. Kal follows us. "I know a great pet friendly place."
We head out in Paul's truck and arrive at the place I direct. Billy is loving having Kal in his lap. He has a massive smile while petting him. He wins everyone's heart. We walk into the place and take a seat. Kal hops up beside us. I order Kal a puppy spaghetti and myself a human one.
"Seems like you've been here before." Billy comments.
"I have. When Jasper came and stayed with me, he made it his mission to find the best food in a pet friendly restaurant. This one was the best." I say.
"But he doesn't even eat," Paul says.
"I have no idea. I just remember being five and loving it when he would take me to an ice cream place and have me rate milkshakes. We went all over the US. It was the best trip ever." I say.
"He seriously did that?" Paul asks.
"Yup, says it's one of his favourite memories." I say. Our food arrives and we dig in.
"You're right, this is amazing." Billy says having ordered the same as me. Paul got a few pieces of lasagna.
"Why didn't you tell me about this place for our first date?" He asks.
"The place you took us to was also good," I say.
"Not as good as this." I say eating.
Kal eats his dinner. We finish up eating. They drop me back off at work. Paul takes Kal. He will come get me on wolf back after work and run me to work in the morning. I head back to the penguins and check on then once more time before I head to my bears. The bears here are less trained, and we are working on training then further. They come to their name and show their paws when asked but that is all.
Seattle is still working on starting some of the stuff I set up in Tacoma. I took the stuff from Winnipeg. They teach that stuff there. Being the number one zoo for Arctic creatures. I'm excited for the rehab center, but I probably won't be there often.
I finish up with some of the training and pack up to go. I head out look around then head into the forest. I see Paul's massive silver wolf. I walk up to him and pet him.
"I still think your wolf is beautiful. You have to tell me how you keep your coat so soft." I say.
He huffs in return. I get on his back. We run back to La Push. I lean forward into his fur allowing him to run faster. I grab him and hold tight. I fall asleep, but we seem to arrive quickly. I get up and off of him. He changes back and pulls on his shorts. He traps me between his arms and a tree.
"Hi handsome," I say looking up at him.
"How was your afternoon?" He asks casually.
"It was good. I worked on training the bears for most of the afternoon," I say.
"The don't know all the tricks they need to?" Paul asks as he pulls away, taking my hand and we walk through the forest.
"No, they didn't start training till I got there. It was the same for Tacoma. It was something I learned while apprenticing in Winnipeg." I say.
"Ahh, so you made life easier for the trainers," he says.
"More like I made life easier for myself." I say. "These tricks allow me to do basic checkups without having to knock the polar bear out every time. It's also better for the animal's health."
"You're always looking out for the animals." He says.
"Well, they don't have a voice that we understand." I say. "Besides it's my job. Where are we going?"
"I mentioned our date at lunch and realized we hadn't been on one in a while. I thought a nice picnic would be nice." He says.
"That would be amazing." I say.
"I thought it was time I told you about my parents." He says.
"I would love that," I say.
"Why did you never ask?" he asks.
"It wasn't my business. I knew you would tell me when you were ready," I say.
"You just amaze me more and more everyday." He says in awe.
"Have you checked on Jake today?" I ask.
"Yeah, well Seth then then phased. He went to school. He's not feeling anymore pain just stiffness and an itch to phase." Paul tells me.
"I'm glad. If he can wait till Wednesday to phase. I would feel confident that he won't mess with his healing by then," I say.
"I'll make sure he gets the message some how. He hasn't found out that you asked that he get more help yet." He says.
"I'm not worried about that. I don't care if he finds out or not. I know why I did it." I say.
We arrive at a blanket and a big basket at the edge of a cliff. The scenery is beautiful. We can see the birds flying over the water.
"Did you know that birds didn't originally fly. They glided, flying came from further evolution from natural selection." I say.
"Where did that come from?" he asks.
"I saw the birds and remembered what one of my professors told me." I say. "Sorry."
"Don't be. It was actually pretty interesting," he says.
"You like evolution?" I ask.
"Kinda, not as much as Dinosaurs. Call it the little boy in me coming out." He says.
"That makes sense. You know the chicken is a descendent of the t-rex." I say.
"Does that mean the t-rex tasted like chicken?" He asks.
"One of life's greatest mysteries. I wouldn't know. I've never eaten one." I joke.
"Dang, Alright." He says. "Got any other cool facts?"
"There was a higher oxygen amount in the air back then, so insects grew bigger. The maganeura is a big dragon fly. They spent most of their time looking for food." I say trying to remember different facts I was told.
"That's actually pretty cool," he says.
"So, the maganeura would suffocate to death if they lived now," I say.
"Wow, I would never have thought of something as little as more oxygen in the air would change so much," he says.
"It changes a lot. If we were to travel back in time to then we would probably die from too much oxygen," I say.
"I guess that's possible." He says.
"Now, you wanted to talk about your parents and I've side tracked you completely." I say.
"That's right," he says. He pulls the food out and we start to eat. "I should probably start at the beginning. I was unplanned. My parents were both doing drugs and drinking. My mom got pregnant with me. As soon as I was born, she left for Tacoma. When I was five my dad found her, and she invited up to live with her.
I lived there with them for five years. She kicked us out and we came back here. My parents never stopped drinking. My dad stopped doing drugs though. My mom never stopped. I started getting in fights because it was easier. I started sleeping with girls, a lot of them.
Then I phased. All of a sudden, my fighting had a purpose. I heard the legend of the imprint and stopped sleeping around as often because I didn't want her to hate me because of it. Sam let me stay at his place to get away from my dad. I stop by once in a while now but, I'm not there often."
I sit there in silence for a few minutes eating and letting the information sink in.
"Is that why we've never stayed at your place?" I ask.
"Yeah, I didn't want you to have to deal with his drunk ass," he says.
"Alright, I can respect that." I say.
We finish up eating. We watch the sun set. He sits leaning back legs stretched out in front of him. I'm leaning against his chest between his legs watching the sun set. It's beautiful. Once the sun has set, I help Paul pack up. We walk through the forest to Sam's. I open the door for Kal to greet me.
"Hey, buddy." I say bending down and scratching him. I have missed him. "You missed a great sun set."
"He can come next time," Paul says.
"There will be a next time?" I ask.
"I hope so," he says. "I'm gonna have to leave part way through the night. I have patrol."
"Alright, thanks for telling me." I say nervously wondering how I will get to work, tomorrow.
"I will be back in time to take you to work tomorrow." He says as if reading my mind. Sam walks in the door.
"Just finish patrol?" Paul asks.
"Yeah, Embry and Jared just look over for me." He says. "Oh, remember we are in Tacoma tomorrow to start at the zoo there." He heads into his room I imagine Emily is already sleeping there.
"Is that why you wanted me to spend the night. Because you knew you would be going to Tacoma tomorrow and didn't want to drive." I say putting my hands on my hips. He grabs mt hips and pulls me close.
"Maybe, maybe not. You will never know." He says with a laugh. We head into the bedroom, Kal follows.
"Clair was really happy to see him. She asked when we can come visit you at work. Quil agreed to take her one day," Paul says.
"Give me a heads up and I will make sure I'm free to be her guide and I bring Kal. Wait? How is Kal getting back?" I ask.
"Kal can either go in a pack on your back or with Sam. I got him a pack he would fit in for times like these." He says.
"You're so thoughtful for him. I know he will appreciate it. Mind if we try the pack tomorrow?" I ask.
"If I minded, I wouldn't have mentioned it." he says with a smile.
Lying in bed my face in Paul's chest. I take a deep breath. My mind calms and I fall asleep shortly after to his heartbeat.
I wake up to Paul stirring. I get up and go put Kal out so he can use the potty. I get started on breakfast. I know we will be feeding the pack. So, I decide on hashbrown, eggs, and bacon wraps. Easy to grab and go for the working and schoolboys. The boys file in one by one and take their food to go. Paul should be waking up shortly to bring Kal and I to work.
"I can't believe you made this portable." Sam says breezing past and grabbing his food. "I actually can eat breakfast, today." He leaves right after that.
"Does Emily not make portable breakfasts?" I ask Collin.
"Not really her forte." He says.
"Well, I'll send her some ideas. You all need to eat." I say.