by V. Vaughn
“Are you a science major too?” I notice that Ekton isn’t like most tall people who don’t account for my short legs, because he’s walking slowly.
He says, “Chemistry, pre-med.”
“Really?” I knew he had to be a good student to be in our dorm, so I shouldn’t be surprised. We turn off the main sidewalk to go toward the dining hall. “What kind of doctor do you want to be?”
“I don’t know.” He holds the door to the cafeteria open for me, and it occurs to me that this is a usual gesture and not something he does to impress me. He says, “Pediatrician maybe. I haven’t decided.”
We swipe our cards through the reader that lets us through the turnstile. A plastic tray is slick in my hands when I grab it, and it thumps onto the shelf in front of the food on display. I ask for the pasta and move over to the salad bar before we make our way to a table.
Ekton sits across from me and asks, “What are your career plans?”
“Research. Genetics.” I twirl my fork in my spaghetti.
“Like finding cures for diseases and things like that?” Ekton takes a bite of chicken. I notice how straight and white his teeth are.
“Kind of. I want to work on ways to make humans more adaptable to the world as it changes.”
“That sounds interesting,” he says.
I’m excited about my research but can’t share too much, so I say, “I think so. I’m working on a project that studies animals and how we can introduce some of their traits into our genome.”
Ekton swallows milk and asks, “Do you mean like mice and rats?”
“Oh, no. Bigger animals, like lions and tigers and bears.” My glass of water is cool on my palm as I grab it.
He frowns. “You don’t have them in cages or anything like that, do you?”
“I wish. No, we don’t have the right facility for that here.”
“You’d want to work with animals that live in cages?”
His voice is cool, and I wonder why he’s acting like it’s not something that’s done. “It’s more like sanctuaries, and yeah. There’s so much we can learn from them.”
His fork clatters on his plate as he sets it down. “You don’t see anything wrong with keeping animals in captivity to be poked and prodded for research?”
Uh-oh. “It’s not like we hurt them.” I sigh. “Look, it’s for the good of the human race, and the animals are well cared for. They’re actually safer in the lab than they are in their natural habitat.”
Ekton snaps back, “You’d be safer in a cage too.”
“Whoa. Look, I’m not involved in any of that. I’m still just studying scat and stuff, okay?”
He sighs and lifts his drink. “Sorry. You surprise me, Mia Maybee.” I feel about six inches tall in his gaze. He says, “I’m probably just touchy because of the wolves around here. I can’t imagine someone keeping them locked up, that’s all.”
He begins filling his tray with his dishes and says, “I’ve got to study. You about ready to go?”
My stomach sinks. I think we just broke up before we even started dating. I sigh. “Sure.”
When we get outside, I decide I might as well salvage something out of tonight, and I say, “Tell me about the wolves. I’ve heard they’re pretty special to this town.”
Ekton glances at me to say, “They are. Did you know that they’ve lived here since before Winter Valley was incorporated?”
“I didn’t. Have you ever seen them?”
“Sure. I grew up here. They’re beautiful animals.”
“They live by Silver Lake, right?”
“Yup.” He stops, and I turn to face him as he says, “I think if you saw them, you’d understand how I feel. They have personalities and an intense loyalty to one another.”
I gaze into the eyes of a man who’s gentle and kind. Of course he cares about the welfare of the wolves. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound so callous. Sometimes I let my passion for research take over. I think I understand what you’re saying.”
Ekton takes my hand and begins to walk again. “Did you know that when wolves mate, it’s for life?”
His touch sends electric currents through me, and I give him a little squeeze. “That’s pretty amazing.”
He squeezes back. “Imagine taking a wolf away from his mate. He’d never want to be with another and would mourn the loss for life. Would you want to do that, Mia Maybee?”
Oh god. I never considered such a thing. The research Dr. Sand is doing could save our whole race. But my tender feelings have no place in science, and some day I may have to. I shake the thought for now. “No. I wouldn’t want to.”
We’ve reached the landing by his floor, and he lets go of my hand to touch the tip of my nose. “Good. See you ‘round, smart girl.”
I smile back. “See you.”
I climb the stairs to my floor slowly as I wonder if I’ll ever have to decide the fate of the Silver Lake wolves.
4
The rec department at the university lets us check out bikes for the day, and I decide that would be a great mode of transportation for the three-mile trip to Silver Lake. Once I get there, I can rent a canoe and paddle out to one of the islands the wolves are known to frequent.
My plan sounds simple, but the reality is not. I’ve never set foot in a canoe, and I stand on the shore, watching the couple who are preparing to leave. The cord on my lifejacket zings as I tug it tight and study how the man pushes the canoe over the sand and into the water. He steps in, sits, and then shoves off with his paddle so they glide. Got it.
My boat scrapes against the ground as I drag it toward the water. I’ve already put my pack in and remembered to place my phone in a sealable plastic bag to keep it safe from moisture. The water is cold on my bare feet, and I sure hope I don’t capsize the boat, because I won’t enjoy the swim.
Once I get the canoe almost all the way in the lake, I attempt to get in the boat the way the man did. I let out a little squeal when it rocks with my movement, and the bones in my butt thud hard on the seat when I fall to it. Okay, Mia. So far so good. I take the paddle and stick it into the water until I hit the sandy bottom. Pushing, I manage to get the canoe to move forward. Yes!
Using both hands, I stroke the oar along the side of the boat, and it works. Kind of. I veer off to the left and realize I’m going to have to switch sides to go straight. After a bit of practice, my path becomes less erratic. I stop for a moment to wipe the sweat on my forehead with the sleeve of my shirt. This is exercise.
I gaze out toward the island I located from the shore. According to my map, the wolves utilize it, and I should be able to find some scat. If I’m lucky, bits of fur too. The cotton of my shirt scrapes against my arms as I shove up my sleeves to get back to the business of water travel.
A half hour later, I’m convinced an exercise program will be in my future, because my arms are already like jelly, and I’m still not there. It looked a lot closer from the shore. I glance back to where I started and see I’m not nearly as far as I would expect. I sigh and get back to it.
I want to cheer when I finally get close enough to the island that I’m sure I’ll reach it. I notice an inlet that appears to be a good place to beach the canoe so I can explore, and I paddle my way to it. I realize I’m going too fast when I get there and the boat jerks me forward when I hit land. I scramble out, and my arm muscles are like noodles as I drag the canoe up onto the dirt as far as I can.
I lift my backpack out of the canoe, and water drips from the bottom. It never occurred to me that there’d be a puddle in the boat, and I sigh as I wipe the bag over my jeans. But it doesn’t appear soaked, and not much is inside that could get ruined. The zipper hums when I open it to retrieve my functional ankle boots and socks. Excitement is coursing through my veins at my first real field trip. This is just the beginning of me making a name for myself in the research world. I envision an award ceremony, with me giving a modest speech. When I’m ready, I hoist my bag onto my back to begin my explor
ation.
The woodlands are not thick, and it’s easy to push my way through the brush. Twigs snap and catch on my clothing as I walk. Bugs buzz around my face, and I swat with my hand to get them out of the way. But it doesn’t really work, and I sputter when I breathe one in. Gross. I swallow hard to chase it down and kill it with stomach acid as I placate myself with the idea that it’s just protein.
While I’m scouring the ground for scat, I’m not finding any. “Really, wolves? Don’t you guys poop?” I trip over a root and go down. “Shit!” I glance at my burning palms, but they’re only scraped, so I get up and slap the dirt off my knees. I flap my hand at another group of insects. “This is not very glamorous,” I sigh as I trudge along.
Two hours later, all I’ve managed to collect are bug bites, a hole in the knee of my jeans, and a meal’s worth of bugs that I’ve inhaled through my nose and mouth. In short, I’ve failed. I return to the canoe and plop down to the ground to eat my lunch.
So much for my fame and glory. I can’t even collect poop. Salty turkey flavor comforts me as I chew, and it occurs to me that Ekton must know this lake, and I’ll bet he’d have an idea where wolf scat might be. Cola fizzes on my tongue, and I welcome the sugary sweetness that races to my bloodstream. I’m exhausted, and I still have to canoe back to land. I really should have thought to ask for Ekton’s help before I tried to become an explorer. When I get back to the campus, I’m going to go find him, because this fieldwork stuff sucks on your own.
It’s past dinnertime by the time I get to my dorm. I’m so tired that I don’t entertain the thought of stairs and take the elevator to the second floor. I shuffle slowly toward Ekton’s room. I’m almost there when he calls from behind me.
“Mia Maybee, are you coming to see me? Yes? No? Maybe?”
I turn to him as he chuckles at his own joke. The sight obliterates my crappy day in an instant. He’s fresh out of the shower, and a towel hangs low on his hips. I let my gaze travel the lines that lead downward and snap it back up to his face to answer. “I am. I need your help.”
He comes closer and reaches for my hair. When he pulls out a stick, he inspects it before giving me the once-over with his eyes. He frowns as he asks, “What on earth happened to you?”
“I was doing a little field research, but it didn’t go so well.”
“So I see. So how can I help you?”
You could let me lick that drop of water running down your chest. I shut up my inner voice. “I need wolf poop.”
He grins and shakes his head. “Wolf poop. Do I want to know how you tried to get it?”
“No. You really don’t.” I sink to the ground because my legs are close to giving out. Mia Maybee doesn’t fail, and admitting it is hard for me. I blink to hold back my tears of frustration.
Ekton crouches down across from me. The scent of soap with a hint of him floats toward me. “I’ve got an idea. I can’t promise any poop, but I can promise you’ll learn something cool about wolves.”
I swipe at the tear that fell. “Okay.”
“Go get yourself cleaned up, and come get me when you’re ready.” I nod, and his brow knits. “Did you eat?”
I shake my head in response.
“Uh-oh. You’ve stopped talking. Don’t worry, I’ll feed you too.”
“You will?”
“Yes, I will, Mia Maybee.” He offers me a hand and helps me up. He winks and asks, “Say yes?”
I smile at his kindness, because he’s made me feel better. “Yes.”
CHAPTER
After a few ibuprofen tablets and a hot shower, I feel ten times better and even manage to take the stairs down to Ekton’s room. When he opens the door, he’s holding two sweatshirts. I ask, “Should I go get a coat?”
“No. One of these is for you.”
It’s a silly thing, but I like that he wants me to wear something of his. He takes my hand when we get to the stairwell, and I ask, “Where are we going?”
“First we’re going to the diner where I work to get you dinner. And then when it’s dark, we’re going to Silver Lake.”
“What do you do at the diner?”
“I’m a cook.” He leads me toward a motorcycle, and I stiffen with nerves. Ekton glances down at me. “Have you ever ridden on a bike?”
I shake my head, and he takes my other hand. “I won’t scare you. I’m a safe driver.”
I nod, and he smiles at me. “I’d say you’re cute when you get speechless, but I’m told I shouldn’t call you that.” A compartment on the bike clicks open, and he pulls out a helmet for me.
My hands tremble as I work on the buckle, and Ekton says, “If you really don’t want to ride on my bike, we can do this another time. I don’t mind.”
I force myself to speak, because this is my chance to get close to the wolves, and I’m not going to blow it because I’m afraid. “No. It’s fine. I’m just really hungry.” Or really nervous about wrapping myself around the hottest guy I’ve ever met.
He shows me where to put my feet and helps me on the motorcycle. He climbs on too, and the engine roars when he starts it. “Now for my favorite part. Hold on to me tight, Mia Maybee.”
I grab around his waist and tuck my chest against his back. It’s a bit of a death grip, but when I inhale his scent, my body relaxes, because I feel safe. Wind whips around us, and I experience a sensation of freedom that makes me think of flying. Ekton drives slowly off campus, and even on the road, he must be going under the speed limit. When I glance down at the pavement rushing beneath my feet, I appreciate that he’s being careful with me. I focus forward and relax my grip a little more. When we get to a shiny silver building one would expect to be a diner, he pulls into the parking lot.
I climb off and remove the helmet. He asks, “You doing okay?”
I finger comb my hair quickly and say, “Yeah. I think I almost had fun.”
Ekton’s smile makes me want to keep it on his face, so I say, “Thank you for being so cautious with me.”
“You’re welcome.” After Ekton puts the helmet away, he grabs my hand. “C’mon.”
I glance down at my fingers. He’s about to take me into where he works while holding my hand? I think I’m on a real date. A grin covers my face as we walk inside.
The diner’s interior is classic silver, with booths and cushioned stools at the counter. A woman in a turquoise-blue uniform says, “Well, look what the cat dragged in.”
Ekton says, “Darla, this is Mia.”
“Hello, darling. Nice to meet you.”
“Hi,” I say to her as Ekton tugs me toward a booth. He releases my hand when we get there, and red vinyl is cool under my bottom as I slide into my seat. We grab menus that were stuck behind a napkin container, and the plastic coating is slippery in my hand as I open it up.
“If you like burgers, they’re really good here,” says Ekton.
I set the menu down. “Perfect. That’s what I’ll have.” I glance up when Darla comes to take our order.
When she leaves, I ask, “How many hours a week do you work here?”
“About twenty.”
“That’s a lot with school. You mustn’t have much free time.”
He shrugs. “Someone’s got to pay for med school. And until lately, I haven’t had a need for extra time.” Ekton reaches for my hand. “But I hope that’s about to change.”
I drop my gaze for a second, and when I glance back up, Ekton is staring at me. His lips are parted, and I wish I could reach over and kiss him. I say, “Me too.”
Darla arrives, and I pull back when two drinks thump down. Ekton doesn’t let go of my hand, but as soon as she’s gone, I pull mine back to rip the paper off my straw. Ekton asks, “Want to tell me about your day?”
I shake my head as I smile. “Let’s just say canoeing isn’t as easy as it looks.” He raises his eyebrows, and I add, “I didn’t fall in or anything, but I don’t think it’s my sport.”
A laugh twitches at his lips, but he controls it. “Ah. G
ood to know.”
Our burgers arrive, and the scent of the beef makes me salivate before I bite into it. Salty flavor mixed with the tomato and condiments is like heaven, and I let out a little moan of appreciation. After I swallow down the bite, I say, “This is so good.”
Ekton smiles at me, and I’m so hungry that I keep eating instead of being polite. But he does the same, and we don’t talk again until all I have left is fries. I drag one through ketchup as I ask, “So what got you interested in medicine?”
“I love science and helping people. I’m fascinated by how the body works and what we can do to fix things.”
“Me too.” I dip my half-eaten French fry in ketchup again. “That’s why I love research. There’s so much we don’t know, and I hope to make a difference in people’s lives by figuring out ways to save us from the evils of humans.”
“Humans? Evil?” Ekton’s eyes twinkle as he teases me. I imagine him holding a sick baby and the look of concern that would be on his face. What is it with me and reproduction lately?
“We’re ruining our planet. We continue to make decisions and invent things that only hurt our existence.” I feel my passion building pressure like lava in a volcano, but I tamp it down. Ekton doesn’t want to hear my rant about the future of our race. I reach for his hand as I shake my head. “Not all humans are evil.”
His warm fingers wrap around mine as he says, “No, Mia Maybee, not all of them.”
5
After we finish dinner and get back outside, it’s dark. There’s a chill in the air, and Ekton pulls out the sweatshirts he brought along with the helmet. He hands me one. “Here. It will be huge, but you’ll stay warm.”
The cotton is thick and slides over me like a soft embrace. When I detect the odor that’s Ekton on it, I want to claim it as mine. I glance down to find it hits my knees. I ask, “Perfect fit?”
He lets out a low noise that’s a bit like a growl and says, “You look good in my clothes.”
