Healing the Vet's Heart

by Annie Claydon

  ‘Ellie says it’s a smallish patch of oil, they’ve just been all the way around the edge of it. Most of the birds are in this quadrant.’

  Drew nodded. ‘So we’ll start here?’

  ‘Yes. Her boat will be joining us shortly, and Lucas is staying over the other side.’

  The boat was going slower now and Caro could see a bird in the sea alongside it, smeared with oil and struggling vainly to fly.

  ‘Drew...!’ She tugged at his sleeve and his gaze followed the line of her pointing finger. ‘Can we get it?’

  ‘That’s what we’re here for.’ Drew opened the storage compartment, under the bench at the back of the boat, taking out two long-handled nets and a bundle of flat-packed cardboard boxes. Pulling a box into shape, he set it down on the deck then picked up one of the nets, trailing it in the water next to the bird. It flapped and squawked, but it was too weak to put up much resistance, and Drew netted it and swung it back onto the deck.

  ‘Are we going to take the oil off now?’ Caro couldn’t bear to see the poor creature in such distress.

  ‘No, we can’t. Cleaning oil off a bird is a traumatic process, and they’re already exhausted. We’ll keep them at the clinic for at least a day, feed them and keep them warm until they regain their strength.’ Drew carefully extricated the bird from the net, laying it down in the box.

  ‘Okay. So we’re just collecting them.’

  ‘Yes, both live birds and dead ones. We need to remove as many of the carcasses from the sea as we can to prevent secondary poisoning of predators.’

  ‘What do you want me to do?’

  Drew handed her the net. ‘Take this and net as many as you can reach. Bring them back to me and I’ll put them into the boxes. If you can’t reach, don’t lean over the side. The most important thing is that you don’t fall overboard.’

  ‘Gotcha. Most importantly, don’t fall in.’

  Suddenly the task ahead of her seemed impossible. Trying to rescue half-dead birds from a polluted sea. It already made her want to cry, and she looked down at the deck, embarrassed at her own faint-heartedness.

  ‘Hey.’ She felt his finger curl under her chin, and when she raised her gaze his face was tender. ‘I’m really glad you’re here, Caro. I would have left you back at home, but you wanted to do something, and you came with me. That means a lot.’

  He wanted her here. Maybe even needed her, just a little. Bravery flooded back into her heart. Clutching the net, Caro walked over to the side of the boat.

  It was hard work, both physically and emotionally. For as many birds that she leaned over and pulled alive from the sea, there were many more that were dead. Drew examined each bird that she and Jake netted, putting the dead ones into a large box with as much care as he took with the live ones. He fed the weakest birds with a gastric tube, keeping them warm by wrapping them in old towels. He was tireless, and every time Caro wanted to give up, she knew that she only had to look at Drew to receive a smile.

  Gramps was manoeuvring the boat slowly and skilfully through the water, while Drew’s father was using binoculars to spot the birds. After three hours of back-breaking work, Drew decided that they should take the birds they’d rescued back to the clinic.

  Suddenly Caro was very hungry. Very tired. She stripped off her gloves, sitting down next to Drew at the stern of the boat, and he reached into Diana’s bag, taking out one of the flasks and pouring some hot chocolate for her. As the boat swung round, he reached out to steady her, keeping his arm firmly around her shoulders as Gramps piloted the boat away from the oil.

  CHAPTER TEN

  THE BOATS CARRYING Ellie and Lucas were also making their way across the bay, and there were people waiting to receive the boxes of birds. Ellie jumped onto the dock, supervising their transfer up to the clinic, and Lucas was carefully unloading the boxes from the boats. Even Tegan was there, wearing a pair of pink wellingtons and a spotted pink mac, with heavy gloves to protect her nails.

  They waited until the other boats had left the dock to make space for them, and then Gramps manoeuvred alongside it. Tegan was coaxing him off the boat with the promise of a cup of tea, and Ellie took his arm, leading him up to the clinic. He was obviously tired, and it seemed he wasn’t going to be allowed back out on the boats this afternoon.

  Dry land seemed a little strange now, and when Caro got back onto the boat, the movement of the deck seemed far more normal. Ellie was staying behind to supervise the care of the birds, and she stood on the beach, waving at the boat carrying Lucas away from her.

  ‘Goodbye, my lover...’ Her accent had taken on a broad Cornish twang. My lover was an endearment used for practically anyone, but it was clear that Ellie only had one lover and that it was Lucas.

  ‘Looking at them together now, it’s hard to believe that they spent six years apart,’ Drew reflected.

  Now they were happy, calling out for everyone to hear. And Drew said that people could never change.

  ‘They’ve changed...’ She ventured the hypothesis.

  He turned suddenly, raising one eyebrow. ‘Nah. Lucas and Ellie were always made for each other. Nothing ever changed, things are just back the way they were always meant to be.’

  Jake beckoned to him and Caro was left alone, staring out to sea. A movement over to their left caught her eye. Drew was talking to Jake, and Peter had his eyes on the waves in front of them, so no one else had noticed. Caro hurried to fetch the binoculars, training them as best she could on a moving target.

  A sick feeling rose in her stomach as the deck lurched unexpectedly beneath her feet. But she’d seen all she needed to see.

  ‘Drew! There’s some wreckage over there. And something’s moving.’

  Drew hurried across to her, taking the binoculars and training them on the horizon. He turned to Peter. ‘Dad, there’s something there. Maybe a small dolphin or a seal. The water’s clear around it, but it’s caught in some wreckage.’

  Peter nodded, swinging the helm, and they changed course. As they got closer, Caro could see that it was a dolphin, and that the sea around it contained a larger shape, which was circling the creature.

  ‘It’s a baby...and the mother’s there.’ Drew pulled the radio speaker from its clip, speaking into it, and Caro saw Lucas’s boat turn towards them.

  ‘What are we going to do? Can we get it on board?’

  Drew shook his head. ‘If the baby’s not badly injured, superficial cuts will heal in the sea. We don’t want to take the baby away from its mother if we can help it, not least because there’s the risk that the mother might attack us.’

  ‘But...dolphins are friendly, aren’t they?’

  ‘They’re wild animals. And her instinct is to protect her young.’ Drew’s face was set in concentration. ‘Are you up for coming in with us?’

  ‘Yes, of course.’ Drew wouldn’t have asked if they hadn’t needed her help.

  ‘Great.’ He nodded at Jake, who disappeared down the tiny hatch that led below deck. ‘You take the cabin; we’ll need our drysuits.’

  Jake reappeared, hauling the men’s diving bags with him. Peter helped her down the steps, and Caro found herself in a tiny cabin, two bunk beds on one side and a row of cupboards on the other. There was about two feet of clear space between the two and everything was rolling from side to side, the movement making Caro feel a little queasy again.

  At least there wasn’t far to fall. And she’d been given the luxury of a cabin to change in while Drew and Jake changed on deck.

  Caro took off her sweater and jeans, putting on the thick vests and leggings that went under the drysuit. Then she crawled into the bunk, unpacking her drysuit. She could just about manage to roll it down and get her feet into it...

  A tap sounded at the door. ‘Are you decent?’

  More or less. The sound of Drew’s voice made her feel virtually naked. And the thought of
him squeezing with her into this tiny space brought a hot flush to her cheeks. But she wasn’t used to this, and she was going to need some help.

  She leaned over, opening the cabin door. When Drew entered, the available space seemed to dwindle to nothing. He was wearing just a thermal singlet and thick sweatpants, and his shoulders looked very broad.

  ‘These things are a bit tricky until you get used to them.’ His voice sounded much the same as it did when he was talking to one of the dog owners at the clinic. Very professional.

  She could do this. Caro fixed her thoughts on the baby dolphin, which needed their help. Drew set about helping her to get her feet into the drysuit and pulling it up over her legs.

  ‘Okay, stand.’

  Standing involved allowing him to wrap his arms around her to lever her out of the bunk. They were squeezed face to face now and Caro focussed her eyes on his chest, wishing that she could manage to think about something other than the warmth of his skin.

  ‘Put your arms in.’ Some wriggling and tugging ensued, and then Drew pulled the headpiece over her head, leaning round to do up the zip that ran across the back of her shoulders.

  ‘Comfortable?’

  The drysuit was fine. She was about to explode...

  ‘Yes, I’m good. Thanks.’ She made the mistake of looking up at him. The quickly hidden mischief in his eyes told her that she wasn’t the only one who had been considering the possibilities of their being squished together in a restricted space.

  ‘My pleasure.’ He backed away, leaving her to take a shaky breath and follow him back up on deck.

  Jake was already in the water, along with Lucas and one of the men from his boat. Drew was stepping into his drysuit with the ease that years of practice afforded.

  ‘Here’s what we’ll do.’ Drew was using his listen carefully tone and Caro focussed her gaze on his face, trying not to think about the strong, capable hands that had eased her into her suit.

  ‘Jake, Lucas and Terry will be taking the mother and holding her in the water next to her baby, which should calm them both. It looks as if the baby’s tangled in some plastic mesh, and if you help me hold it, I should be able to cut it free. You must try to keep its blow hole above the surface or it’ll drown.’

  ‘I can do that.’

  He nodded, giving her a smile. Pride began to warm Caro’s heart. Drew was relying on her and she wouldn’t let him down.

  ‘There are a few spots of oil in the water around the wreckage. Try not to swallow any or get it on your skin. Wear your goggles, they’ll protect you.’ She felt Drew’s fingers curl around hers, and he gave her hand a squeeze. Then he was all business again, pulling the headpiece of his suit into place.

  Peter handed him a diving bag, while Caro pulled on her flippers. Their exchanged okay signal seemed to carry with it more warmth than just a normal safety procedure, and she eased herself into the water, swimming with Drew towards the wreckage.

  Lucas, Jake and Terry had managed to manoeuvre the mother dolphin alongside her baby, which was emitting high-pitched whistles, trying to get free from the plastic mesh in which it was caught and only getting more entangled. Treading water, Drew tried to soothe the frightened creature, and it reacted to his presence.

  When Caro wrapped her arms around the baby dolphin it was warm to the touch. She stroked its head and it seemed to calm a little. She glanced at Drew and he smiled.

  ‘That’s right. You’re doing fine.’

  The other three men were having a bit more trouble. The mother was large and strong, and they struggled to keep hold of her, but she was calmer now that she was with her baby. Drew was between the two of them, tending to the baby, but they could see and hear each other, and seemed to be communicating, making sharp trilling noises.

  Drew cut the mesh with a knife, looking carefully for any signs of injury as he went. The mother lashed her tail, bumping against his back a few times, but Jake and Lucas were holding her steady, keeping her quiet. Caro wondered if she knew that they were there to help.

  Everyone was cool and calm, watching the dolphins carefully while he worked. It took half an hour to cut the little dolphin free, and then Drew wiped the specks of oil from around its blow hole. Caro’s arms were aching and she was beginning to tire, but it only took one look at Drew to shore up her resolve.

  He signalled to her to get her attention. ‘Keep hold of the baby. I need to clear some of this wreckage away before we release them.’

  Caro held the little dolphin as tightly as she dared while Drew pushed the wreckage out from under it. Finally, Drew seemed satisfied that the dolphin was unhurt, and they could release it. He ducked under the baby, surfacing next to Caro and helping her to hold the small creature.

  ‘We’ll release them on my count...’ He looked around, receiving the okay signal from the others. ‘Three... Two... One.’

  Everyone let go. The baby shot forward, its wake pulling her forward in the water. As the mother followed, Caro felt a heavy blow on her chest that drove the air from her lungs and spun her backwards. Instinctively she closed her eyes and held her breath as she felt herself hit the water and her head went under.

  She was drifting. Dazed. Before she could wrap her head around what had happened, she felt someone next to her and when she opened her eyes, she saw that it was Drew. His arm snaked around her waist and then their heads broke the surface together.

  She heaved in a breath, choking and clinging to him. Okay. She was okay. Shakily she gave the sign, still gasping for air, and feeling her shoulder twinge as she raised her arm.

  There was no need to do anything more. Drew supported her back to the boat and together he and Jake boosted her up onto the deck.

  ‘I’m all right...’ Jake sat her down and took her goggles off. Then Drew elbowed him away. Apparently this was his job.

  He leaned her forward, making sure that she could breathe properly. ‘Did you swallow any water?’

  ‘No... I don’t think so.’

  ‘Okay. Where were you hit?’

  ‘On the side of my chest. My shoulder hurts a bit. What happened?’

  ‘The mother caught you with her tail as she swam away. She lifted you right out of the water.’

  ‘Uh...’ Caro put her hand to her shoulder, flexing it. It didn’t feel too bad... ‘Are they okay?’

  ‘Yeah, they’re fine.’ Jake had been watching the progress of the pair, and he indicated their curved wake. They seemed to be circling the boats, keeping their distance in case anyone decided to try to capture them again.

  ‘Good. That’s good.’

  Drew had stripped his drysuit down to his waist, and she felt the brush of his skin against her cheek as he reached around to undo the zip that ran across the back of her shoulders. Actually, she was feeling a little shaky. She could do with a hug right now, but she didn’t dare ask.

  Drew carefully eased the headpiece over her head, rolling the drysuit down. As he did so, Peter wrapped a blanket around her shoulders.

  ‘I’m okay.’

  ‘So you said. Take a deep breath for me.’ Drew’s voice was gentle, and she felt his fingers on her ribs, feeling for any injury. Her ribs felt fine. His hands...a lot better.

  She let him gently test her arms and shoulders, feeling warmth flow through her. It was probably about time she called a halt to this; she was enjoying it far too much.

  ‘Any headache or stiffness in your neck? Do you feel sick?’

  ‘I’ve no symptoms of a concussion. It’s just my shoulder, Drew. And I can move it okay, I think it’s just bruised.’

  He nodded, wrapping the blanket around her. His eyes were gentle but his mouth formed a tense line.

  ‘I’m so sorry, Caro...’ He turned to Peter. ‘Dad, we should go back.’

  ‘No! I don’t want to go back.’ Caro frowned at him. ‘And it’s not your fault
, she could have hit any one of us. I told you that I wanted to come and help.’

  ‘The lady has a point.’ Jake was leaning against the side of the helm, his arms folded. He held up his hand in a gesture of surrender when Drew turned and glared at him.

  Peter stepped in to settle the matter. ‘Let’s get you down into the cabin, Caro, and out of that suit. Drew, you can bring some hot chocolate. Jake, take the helm for me.’

  ‘Aye-aye, Cap’n.’ Jake grinned. Drew hesitated and then nodded, helping Caro to her feet and allowing his father to guide her down into the cabin.

  * * *

  Drew stripped off his drysuit, putting on jeans and deck shoes, and then grabbed the flask of hot chocolate. His father appeared from the cabin, bringing Caro’s dripping drysuit with him and signalling to him that he could go down to see her now.

  He should get a grip. Caro was all right, but she’d had a shock and she needed him to be calm. She was sitting on the bunk, the blanket wrapped around her shoulders and legs, a small puddle still on the floor where his father had helped her out of the drysuit.

  ‘I won’t fuss.’ He poured the hot chocolate and handed it to her.

  ‘That’s okay. You can fuss a bit.’ She gave him an intoxicating smile. ‘And I reckon you’ve still got your training wheels on.’

  As usual, she’d managed to divine exactly what he was thinking. Luna’s death and his own injuries had made him acutely aware of the senseless accidents that could happen and their consequences. He’d do anything...anything...to stop Caro from being hurt.

  ‘I guess I have. Thanks for putting up with me.’

  ‘No problem.’ She took a sip from her cup. ‘Take a look, will you?’

  She let the blanket fall from her shoulders, handing him the cup. Caro eased herself carefully out of her long-sleeved thermal top, and he saw she had a sleeveless vest on underneath. He was both grateful and disappointed that she’d taken Jake’s usual advice about layers of clothing, but on reflection he should probably go with grateful.