“You never cease to amaze me with how smart you areDoctorB.” He shakes his head. “If it were a shark, don’t worry, I’d protect you.”
“My hero.”
We exchange twin grins.
Then, like somebody popping a cork of champagne off a bottle, we hear a sharp blast of air being released, followed by a few high-pitched clicks and squeaks as a pod of six dolphins pops their heads out of the water, joining in on our conversation.
“What do you think they’re talking about?” Fernando asks.
“I’m not fluent in dolphin, but if I had to guess, I’d say they’re wondering why these weird sea creatures have legs instead of tails.”
They come within a few feet of us but maintain their distance. Sticking our heads underwater, we watch the pod work together to hunt a school of silver fish. They’re wicked fast and able to change direction at a moment’s notice, just like how I imagine Fernando is on the ice.
Eventually, I start to get tired. Back on shore, we sit on the sand and continue watching the pod for a little while longer from a pair of beach chairs.
“They’re putting on a show for us,” he says.
“Yeah, they are.” I set my arms behind me and lean back, sighing in contentment. “Seeing animals out in the wild doing what they’re supposed to be doing makes me so happy.”
“That’s how I feel when I’m out on the ice,” he says in a low tone.
A comfortable silence envelops us for a minute.
“If you had to pick your favorite animal, Ava, what would it be?” Fernando asks eventually.
“My favorite? That’s a hard question. I have a lot.” I giggle.
“Like?”
“If it’s a domestic animal, I prefer dogs and cats. For small mammals, I’d say otters and red pandas. If we’re talking large mammals, my list would have to include elephants, lions, and tigers. Reptiles and amphibians are tricky.”
“I love how your brain works. I should’ve known you’d group all your favorite animals into categories.” He laughs. “What if I challenged you to pick just one?”
“Only one?”
“Yup. Only one.”
I sit up and bring my knees to my chest. “Um. .. I guess it’s red pandas. I love their little faces.”
He scratches his chin. “I’ve never seen a red panda. You’ll have to show me a picture when we get back inside.”
“I will. Your mind will be overloaded with cuteness. What about you? What’s your favorite animal?”
“Would it surprise you if I said koala bears?”
“Yes.” I pictured him as more of a wolf or lion kind of guy.
“When I was touring Australia, I was lucky enough to get up close and personal with a couple koalas for some of our media spots. They were so docile. It didn’t take much for them to win me over.”
“Are you aware they average twenty hours of sleep a day?” I snigger.
His eyes widen. “They do?”
“Uh-huh.”
He snorts. “It figures I’d pick an animal that enjoys naps just as much as me.”
I laugh.
