Her nostrils were flaring as she took in the scents around us.
“How does Fuzzy feel about the ducks?”
Hailey pushed her sunglasses up onto her head in an attempt
to tame her hair that was being whipped around. “She’s good
about leaving them alone now, but when she was a puppy, it was
a nightmare. I had to take her to a professional trainer to teach
her to stand down. She’d get so focused on catching one that she
wouldn’t listen to me at all.”
“Do the ducks eat out of your hand?”
Hailey looked at me with a grin. “You’ve never fed ducks?”
I shook my head. “My mom couldn’t swim, she was terrified
of the water, so we never went anywhere near the park lakes as
kids.”
“You’re in for a treat then,” Hailey said with a satisfied
smile.
We picked a nice sunny spot near the lake to spread our
blanket. Fuzzy got reacquainted with the Frisbee, and we ran
her until she sprawled out in the grass and gnawed a hole in it. I
impressed Hailey with lunch, which consisted of chicken salad
sandwiches, fruit, and a nice bottle of red wine despite the meal.
“Couldn’t have asked for a nicer day, could we?” Hailey
leaned back and basked in the sun. “Perfect day, perfect company,
everything is just perfect.”
“I’m glad you’re happy with it.” I stretched out on the blanket
and rested on my elbows.
Hailey looked over at me, and her expression grew serious.
“This past week…it’s really been special.” She turned suddenly
when a rejuvenated Fuzzy nudged her arm with a ball. I heard
something to my right and looked over to find a lone duck quickly
making its way toward us. I grabbed the bread and tore off a
piece, and the duck gained speed.
“Talk about the ugly duckling.” I held out the bread.
1
Robin Alexander
“Oh, Shannon.” Something in Hailey’s tone made me turn
and look at her. “That’s a goose, and they’re kinda mean. Throw
the bread away from us.”
I pulled my arm back to make the toss, but as I turned, the
goose was standing next to me. Apparently, the withdrawal pissed
it off. I was too stunned to move when it lowered its head and
started hissing. That moment of hesitation cost me. The goose bit
me on the leg. “Ow, shit.” It came at me again, and when I put my
hand out to block it, it bit my hand.
When Kalen and I were kids, my mother was the all-star
quarterback of house slippers. Kalen mouthed off once about
having to take a bath, and Mom hit her from across the den. That
was the closest thing to spankings we ever got.
I suppose all those years of watching mom wield a slipper
made an impression. Before I knew what I was doing, I had
pulled off my flip-flop and bitch-slapped the goose. I learned at
that moment that I’d made a declaration of war. That winged devil
leapt on me like a cat. I was swinging, the goose was hissing, and
wine and fruit went everywhere. If it hadn’t been for Fuzzy, I was
fairly certain I would’ve died right there.
Fuzzy jumped into the melee and chased the goose back
to the water. I sat stunned and whelped. “What the hell just
happened?”
Hailey’s face was blood red. “Are you okay?” Her voice was
barely above a whisper. “I wish I could’ve gotten that on film.”
She laughed for about a half hour.
“Come on, Shannon, they’re sweet. Look at their little bills.
They’re rounded, no pecking.” Hailey stood at the water’s edge
that teemed with ducks. Some took the bread right out of her
hand, others gobbled up whatever hit the water.
“I don’t think so.” Fuzzy and I stood back at a safe distance
watching for geese.
“Baby, look.” Hailey pointed to a mother duck warily
approaching with a string of ducklings trailing behind. Her face
colored as she looked back at me. “I mean, don’t be a baby, come
here.”
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Pitifully Ugly
Her slip got to me, and I moved alongside her. She stuck a
piece of bread in my hand and instructed me to tear it apart. The
mother duck was keeping her babies at a distance but looking
hopeful, so I tossed a few pieces her way. Hailey wasn’t pleased
with my long-distance feeding style and insisted that I hand off a
smidgeon or two.
“They are gentle, aren’t they?” I said as one snapped a piece
from my fingers.
Hailey nodded and smiled. “Excitable, but sweet. They’re
nothing like a goose.”
And totally disloyal. The minute the bread was gone, so were
the ducks. Hailey looped her arm around mine as we walked back
to the blanket. “I’m so proud of you. I think you’re ready to go to
the Global Wildlife Center next. I’ve been reading about it, and
it’s not far from here. Maybe we’ll have another nice weekend
soon and can check it out.”
I’d seen the commercials. They stuff you in a wagon and drag
you through a field of wild animals that know you have feed for
them. I couldn’t think of anything more horrifying, especially
after my encounter with the goose. “Sure, sweetie, that sounds
like fun.”
Hailey seemed surprised by the term of endearment, but she
didn’t release my arm. A shy smile crept across her face. I was
tempted to press my luck with her and ask if she’d changed her
mind about being just friends when my cell phone rang. No one
but Kalen and Marvin called me, so I pulled it out of my pocket
and answered without looking at the ID.
“Marci, hi, how are you?” I blurted out, surprised to hear her
voice. I closed my eyes when Hailey’s arm slipped from mine.
“I just wanted to call and see how you were doing and to let
you know we’re having a pet adoption day. I was thinking you
might be interested in having a pet. I can give you the address to
the clinic if you think you’ll come.”
“Umm, actually, I’m sharing a dog with my neighbor right
now.” Hailey moved away, but I knew she could probably hear
what I was saying. “I don’t think I’m ready for that kind of
commitment.”
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Robin Alexander
“Well, if you change your mind, it’s next Saturday from eleven
to four.” Marci was talking really fast like she was nervous, and
that made me nervous because I didn’t know if the pet adoption
was the only reason for the call. “So how are things working out
for you?”
“Fine. I just got over a nasty case of strep, but otherwise,
everything is good. And you?”
“Oh, I’m good. Been working a lot.” There was an awkward
pause. “If you find that you’re interested in going out again, give
me a call.”
“Okay, I will. It was nice hearing from you.” I felt bad as we
ended the call. I was fairly certain that Marci knew I wasn’t going
to call, and Hailey had walked away, putting distance between us
in more ways than one.
“Are you and Marci seeing each other again?” Hailey asked
lightly. She didn’t turn my way as she threw the ball for Fuzzy.
“No, she called to tell me about a pet adoption day at her
clinic. I guess she figured since I didn’t have a pet that I might