“Okay, honey. Sleep well. I’ll be going to work soon, will you walk Billy when you get up?”
“Sure, Mom.”
They shared a quick hug before Hannah dragged herself up to bed. She flopped down, not even bothering with the covers. All she could manage was to take off her shoes before she passed out.
Her dreams were filled with pandas sleeping.
It was the most boring dream of her life.
It took a few days to get over the late night but everything eventually settled back into the usual rhythm. Hannah had spent all her time off looking up and planning her symposium schedule. If she cut a few of the talks short, she might just be able to get to all the ones she wanted to attend.
Three days after Mei-Ping had made his debut at the zoo, Hannah was back on her day shift. She was especially looking forward to being at the zoo today, Veronica was coming to visit.
She already felt incredibly guilty for spending so much time working over the summer and not paying her best friend enough attention. Hannah promised she would make it up to her once the semester started and they were at college, but Veronica didn’t see it exactly the same way.
“So where’s this panda everyone is talking about?” Veronica asked the moment she was taken through the visitors’ entrance to the zoo.
“At the back. He’s really cute and fluffy, kind of like a teddy bear. You’re going to love him.”
Veronica slid her heart-shaped sunglasses onto the top of her head, giving her the patented I’ll-be-the-judge-of-that look. Still, she trailed after her through the park until they reached the panda enclosure.
Hannah stood back silently and waited for the awe and awwws to kick in. Everyone did it when they saw the cute panda, nobody was immune to the adorable animal’s charms.
Except maybe Veronica. She scrunched up her nose. “He looks like he’s smelly. Does he smell really bad?”
“He smells like an animal,” Hannah replied. It wasn’t the reaction she was expecting. “But he’s really cute, right? You have to admit that.”
Veronica shrugged. “I guess so, in that fuzzy bear kind of way. Is he a real bear, or just one of those that they call a bear without it actually being one?”
“He’s a bear.”
“What else have you got here?”
Hannah was about to launch into a comprehensive list of all the animals in the zoo when she was interrupted. Harry spotted them from the other side of the enclosure and hurried over.
“Harry Shephard!” Veronica said happily. “What are you doing here?”
He approached with a broad grin stretched across his face. His hair was flopping in his eyes, reminding Hannah of the boy she used to know better than anyone else. She cringed at her two worlds colliding.
“I’m interning here,” Harry replied happily. “It’s nice to see you again, Veronica. It’s been ages.”
“Too long.”
“Yeah, that.”
“I’m just showing Vee around the zoo,” Hannah cut into their happy reunion. “We were on our way to the penguins. Vee loves penguins.” She might have been rambling, but all Hannah could think about was getting out of there.
Veronica didn’t get the memo. “You know, I was thinking just the other day about the time we all went to the circus and you did that crazy stunt. Remember that, Harry?”
“How could I forget? It was the highlight of my life,” he joked, but winked at Hannah to know that he wasn’t really joking. That summer had been amazing but she wasn’t going to admit it right then and there in front of everybody.
“We should catch up sometime,” Veronica continued. “I’d love to hear all about your plans for after the summer. Are you going to college?”
Before Harry could reply, Hannah grabbed Veronica by the shoulders and turned her toward the exit. “We really need to get going. See you around, Harry. Good luck with your panda shift.”
After being best friends for so long, Veronica knew when to go along with a ruse. She let Hannah push her out and they merged into the rest of the crowd as they made their way from the enclosure.
They stopped in front of the seals as she refused to go any further. “Why didn’t you tell me you were working with Harry again?”
Hannah could feel the blush of her cheeks rising and she didn’t want to show any kind of embarrassment now. She wanted to be stone-faced, giving absolutely nothing away until she could sort through her emotions first.
“I guess it didn’t come up,” she offered as explanation. She knew it was a lame excuse but couldn’t come up with anything more substantive in the moment.
“It didn’t come up?” Veronica gently slapped her on the arm. “Harry was your first love, you haven’t seen him for three years. This is a big deal, Han. What are you thinking right now? It must have been a surprise.”
“Yeah, it was. I didn’t expect to see him ever again, let alone in the middle of the Mapleton Regional Zoo.”
“Are things okay between you? I mean, is it weird or anything?” Veronica’s eyes were too intent, too focused on Hannah for her to think clearly. She felt like a trapped animal with nowhere to go. “Is he being nice to you?”
“Of course he’s being nice. He’s Harry, I don’t think he knows how to be mean to anybody.” At least that was one answer she could freely give. “It’s a little weird, seeing him again.”
“How do you feel about it?”
“Fine. It was a long time ago,” Hannah lied. She was anything but fine when Harry was asking her out and she wasn’t sure whether she was ready for it or not. Her mind was a constant state of confusion, it wasn’t fine.
Veronica eyed her suspiciously but held her tongue to stop herself pressing further. Instead, she had other ideas. “So if you’re over him and everything, would you mind if I asked him out sometime? I’ve always thought he was really hot. Harry the hottie, remember?”
Hannah went into an internal panic but let nothing show. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to start things up with Harry again but she didn’t want anyone else to have him either. Especially her best friend.
“I think he’s seeing someone,” she replied, regretting the lie instantly.
“Oh, really? That’s a pity.”
“Yeah, you know what boys are like, all the good ones are taken. Let’s go to the penguins.”
Veronica pulled her sunglasses back down and trailed after her friend. Their conversation was not over, it was just on pause as far as she was concerned.
They toured as much of the zoo as Veronica’s feet could handle. “I told you not to wear high heels,” Hannah said as they made their way to the exit a few hours later.
“Don’t talk about my babies like that. These things are more comfortable than your old lady shoes.” Veronica pointed to Hannah’s sensible black boots.
“I am required to wear safe shoes,” she replied factually. “If an elephant stepped onto my toes wearing those, I wouldn’t have any toes left.”
“Good point. Still… fashion is important.” Her gaze travelled over Hannah, taking in the full zoo uniform with disgust.
Perhaps the whole zoo thing wasn’t Veronica’s thing, but Hannah didn’t care. She would much rather be scraping up monkey poop than designing dresses with Miss Scarlett like Veronica was doing in her internship.
They hugged goodbye and Hannah watched her friend leave the parking lot before she headed back inside the zoo. Veronica might have been bored with all the animals, but she loved them. They all had their own personalities and she relished the fact she could spend all summer getting to know them.
As she stepped inside the cool foyer, Hannah ran straight into Harry. She stepped back like she had been shocked by electricity, at the same time wishing she could instantly turn invisible and scurry away.
“Hey, sorry, you okay?” Harry asked, his eyes searching for injuries.
“Yeah, it was my fault, sorry,” Hannah mumbled.
“No, it was all on me, really. I was thinking about how beau
tiful you were and I was completely lost in the daydream.” He flashed her a smile and it almost made her mind up. “It’s a good thing I ran into you, actually. I was thinking I should make a reservat—”
“Hannah!” Logan called out, interrupting their conversation once again.
Hannah let out the breath she was holding, relieved to be saved. “I need to go, it’s probably some animal emergency like there aren’t enough leaves in with the koalas. I’ll catch you later, Harry.”
She shuffled off before he could get another word out. Guilt started to creep in. Having an excuse to leave was one thing, but she needed to give Harry an answer, otherwise it was just mean.
CHAPTER 4
Hannah was in animal bliss. She was surrounded by a couple of hundred animal professionals, all dedicating their lives to the furry, slithery, scaly, and feathery kind. It was the tri-annual Edwardtown Animal Symposium and she had front row tickets.
She beamed up at Logan sitting next to her, unable to remove the smile from her face. Spending the whole weekend listening to people talk about their experiences and findings with animals was going to put her well ahead of her college classes when they started in the fall.
As if her brain was a sponge, Hannah absorbed everything she heard. She didn’t have time to take many notes, she wanted to listen to everything they said and keep the knowledge locked away for later use.
Break times were unwelcome, but necessary. As everyone filed out, Logan grabbed them both a coffee and they stood in the corridor, waiting to return to the lecture.
“Having fun?” he asked, already easily guessing the answer.
“This is better than going to Disneyland,” Hannah replied. She could barely keep still from her excitement. The coffee was only making her twitches worse.
“Safer, too.” Logan laughed. “All the animals discussed here are real, none of this giant mouse stuff. If you ask me, those characters are freaky. A mouse bigger than me? Terrifying.”
Hannah giggled, Logan always managed to find a different perspective of the world and she loved that about him. He could make anything funny.
“How did you become a vet?” she asked, curious all of a sudden. She’d never thought to ask before, just assumed it was a higher calling like in her case.
Logan took a sip of his coffee before he launched into the story. “It was a dark and stormy night… Nah, it was actually sunny and kind of hot when I was working on my family’s farm. We had all kinds of animals, goats and sheep and cows, the whole farmyard experience.”
“I didn’t know you grew up on a farm.”
“I was born on the farm, Hans.” He paused for emphasis. “Anyway, one of the goats was giving birth to a kid and she was having a lot of trouble with it. I just wanted to help her, in any way I could, but I didn’t know how. She died and there was nothing I could do about it.”
“So you became a vet so you could help again?”
“Kind of. It got me thinking about how animals lived their lives never being able to communicate with those that could help them. It must be terrifying being in pain or sick and not being able to get help for it. I became a vet so I could understand animals and give them the assistance they need. I wanted to take their fear and pain away so they could focus on being the awesome animals that they are.” Logan finished the story with a flourish of his hands. “I haven’t regretted it for a moment.”
Hannah smiled over her coffee, it was as good a reason as any. Sweet, too. “How old were you when you made the decision?”
“Six.”
“That’s pretty young.”
He shrugged. “When you know what you want, age isn’t a factor. I spent every spare moment after the whole goat incident with my dad, learning everything he knew. Growing up and getting to do it for real was like finally being able to do what I waited my whole life for.”
Hannah wondered for a moment if she would still have chosen animal science if she hadn’t worked at the Mapleton Animal Shelter three years ago. That’s where she really fell in love with animals and everything she could do to help them.
She was a big believer in everything happening for a reason. Maybe if she didn’t work at the shelter she would have found another reason for loving animals. She knew without a doubt she would have ended up exactly where she was, under any version of her life story.
The buzzer sounded for the end of the break and everyone filed back into the auditorium. The next talk was one Hannah had been really itching to hear. It was being given by the acclaimed zoologist Dr. Amy Pendleton.
Through her extensive research for the symposium, Hannah had discovered Dr. Pendleton was the leading voice in saving the monkeys of the Amazon rainforest. Their natural habitat was slowly being destroyed and hunters were rounding up the monkeys to sell. Their numbers were being depleted in scary swiftness.
Hannah settled into her seat and listened to every word she said, absorbed in the talk.
Dr. Pendleton’s voice floated from the speakers. “When I looked into the monkey’s eyes, I could see the intelligence behind them. He was speaking to me, not from another species but from the same soul. He was begging for help from the same race that was destroying them. There was no way I could walk away.”
She could understand what the doctor was saying. Sometimes when Hannah interacted with the animals, she could have sworn they knew exactly what she was doing and why. They could speak to her, not in words but with actions. Animals were so much more than anyone gave them credit for.
The talk continued. “I have spent the last twenty-nine years with monkeys all around the world. I have built fifteen sanctuaries where monkeys can live peacefully in their natural environments without the threat of hunters. They thrive, but more importantly, they survive. If it wasn’t for the work of my team we would see far less monkey numbers than we do today. Preserving animal life is a global problem, one that can’t be ignored. As animal professionals, we must each play our part in protecting them.”
As the talk continued, Hannah grew more and more inspired. Dr. Pendleton had done amazing work for her entire career, she really made an impact on the world and it was better for having her in it.
How many people could say that?
She wanted to do something. Instantly, Hannah knew she wanted to do great work. Her career needed to mean something, not just to herself but to the animals she would help. Sitting back and doing nothing wasn’t an option anymore.
The excitement of hearing Dr. Pendleton talk was still buzzing in her later that night as she and Logan were having dinner in a restaurant with tables set out on the sidewalk. The night air was balmy and full of the sound of crickets’ chirping.
“I want to make a difference,” Hannah said. “There are so many animals in the world that are endangered. If one person like Dr. Pendleton can make a difference, there is no reason why I can’t too.”
Logan’s smile had been on his face since they sat down. He was still wearing it, the expression lighting up his eyes until they sparkled under the street lamps. “I completely agree. Everyone should do their part and then the animals wouldn’t be in the horrible situation to begin with.”
“I just want to get out there and do it now.” Hannah knew she was being impatient but the zoologist had sparked something in her that would never be extinguished. Waiting until after she graduated college seemed like a lifetime away. Anything could happen to the animals between now and then.
“I’ve been thinking of volunteering for a stint in Africa to help with elephant poaching,” Logan said as he shoveled a forkful of spaghetti into his mouth. “I’ve had some experience with the elephants at the zoo so I think I could really help them out.”
“That would be awesome. You’re so lucky to be qualified already. The elephants would be blessed to have you,” Hannah replied, meaning every one of the words. She’d witnessed Logan’s crazy vet skills before, she knew any animal getting his medical attention would be in great hands.
“I might be in a
good career position, but I still have to find a way to pay the bills. I’ve been saving up so I can afford the plane ticket.” He scooped up a meatball and chomped down on it.
“I guess it’s not as easy as just running away to volunteer.”
“Nope. But where there’s a will, there is a way. If we’re not helping then what are we here for?”
Hannah thought the same thing. Working as an intern meant she wasn’t getting paid for her time, but she would find a way to be able to help the animals. Maybe she would start off small and work up to saving them all. Rome wasn’t built in a day, after all.
They finished their meal and slowly walked back to the hotel, enjoying the night and the electrical buzz of inspiration still coursing through their blood.
Logan insisted on walking Hannah to her door, despite the fact they were only one floor apart from each other. She took out her keycard, ready to swipe it in the door lock.
She paused, turning to face him. “Thank you for everything, not just dinner but this whole weekend. It’s amazing, to say the least.”
“It’s been amazing for me too. I love the way you love it,” Logan replied.
They stood in silence for a few moments but it wasn’t awkward. If anything, it felt right. Like they were both exactly where they were supposed to be at that moment. Like the universe had positioned them as if they were chess pieces.
Just as Hannah noticed the way Logan’s eyes sparkled when he was happy, their heads started to lean inwards. A million butterflies were set off in her stomach, startling her to the fact that something huge was about to happen.
Their lips headed toward each other, ready for a kiss that would change everything. They were so close their breath skimmed over the skin of the other.
They stopped, just an inch away from one another.
Logan pulled back, standing straight upright again. “Goodnight, Hans. I’ll see you at breakfast tomorrow.”
She’d forgotten how to speak before she managed to mumble a goodnight of her own. She watched Logan go until he disappeared around the corner.
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