Page 23 of A Furry Thing Called Love (Friends of Gaynor Beach Animal Rescue #7)
Jordan
“Did you know that king penguins are the second largest penguin species, and have been recorded as able to dive up to three hundred meters while foraging? They’re also one of the least endangered species there is, with increasing numbers compared to their counterparts,” Callum imparts as we walk to the Bird’s World exhibit, where there are different habitats for various species of birds.
“They don’t even have penguins here,” Luka reminds the teen gently.
“Yet,” Callum shoots back. “They’re expected to come in the spring, and I am so excited!”
“Are you going to do something with animals in the future?” Arlo asks.
Callum shrugs. “I’m not sure. I have an aunt who’s a vet. I don’t see her often, but I’ve been to her clinic before. It’s interesting, but I don’t know if my heart could handle having to take care of the really sick ones, ya know?”
“That makes sense. I don’t think I could do it, either.”
“How’d you know you wanted to be a dog trainer?” he asks me as he holds the door open for Arlo, so he can push himself through into the exhibit building.
I shrug. “I had a few dogs growing up, and I was the only one really interested in them. I fed them, cared for them, and trained them. It was a lot of fun, and I realized I got along with dogs far more than I did with people. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m not a complete introvert like Luka, but sometimes, animals are easier. ”
“I’m not that bad,” my cousin protests.
“Only because Den and Da won’t let you be,” Cal says with a wide grin.
“I should leave you here,” Luka tells him. “You’ll fit right in with your precious gorillas.”
“That’s not a threat.”
It really isn’t. We spent the last half hour at the gorillas, because Callum was so fascinated by them. He would randomly spout off facts he knew, between long periods of silence as he watched the primates move around their enclosure.
“What do you do, Arlo?” Cal asks, getting back on topic.
“I’m a web developer and designer. I discovered I enjoyed it in high school, so my twin and I majored in web development in college.
I like it, especially the job I have now, because I can do it remotely, so if it’s not a good day for me, I can still get things done when I feel like it.
And then when I simply just can’t do anything that day, they understand and don’t give me grief for it. ”
“It helps that your brother-in-law is the boss,” I tease.
Arlo laughs. “True. Sunny and I got jobs at different companies, and well, she discovered she liked doing more admin things, and then ended up falling in love with her boss. When she switched departments, so there was less of a conflict of interest, they needed a new developer, so they hired me.”
“That’s cool you have a twin. I wish I was a twin.” Callum sighs.
Luka and Valery both roll their eyes. “You enjoy being an only child,” Luka reminds him.
“Yeah, but it’s different with a twin! Right?”
Arlo chuckles. “A little, yeah. She’s eleven minutes older than I am, and never lets me forget it, so in that sense, it’s the same. But she’s my best friend, and I probably wouldn’t be here without her. We fight like night and day, because we’re still siblings, and very different from one another.”
“Hmmm.” Cal seems to think it over. “I’ll stick to my ‘I am the only child because I like being spoiled’ thing.”
Arlo laughs. “Good choice.”
Exiting the bird exhibit, Callum spins on his heels and starts walking backwards, heedless of the other people around.
“Did you know the emu grows to about six feet tall? It’s the largest bird native to Australia, and can run up to thirty miles per hour—it can also change direction while moving at top speed.
“The males are the ones who sit on the nests, and a female can lay between eleven and twenty eggs every two to three days. After laying, the female might even go find a new male to sucker into hatching her children for her.”
Luka sighs. “Watch where you’re going,” he says as Cal trips and almost hits a family with small children.
“Sorry!” he exclaims, his cheeks turning pink.
“I guess this means we’re visiting the emus next?” Valery asks.
“I was hoping.” Cal smiles. “What’s your favorite animal, Arlo?”
“Honestly? Dogs. I had one growing up, and it was love at first sight. Sunny isn’t a big animal person, so he was all mine, and we did everything together.”
“Do you think you could?—”
“No,” Luka interrupts. “Whatever you’re thinking, the answer is no.”
“Oh, come on!” the teen whines. “Don’t you want to be the cool stepdad?”
Luka pretends to think about it before shaking his head. “I would like to keep sleeping with your dad, so no.”
Callum makes a face, even as the rest of us laugh.
When we stop in front of the emu habitat, Callum forgets all about whatever mischief he was thinking up, as he becomes infatuated with the giant birds.
“Doggie!” some small child calls out, rushing up to Eli.
“Yes, he’s a doggie,” Arlo says patiently. “But you can’t pet him, okay?”
The child, who has to be five or six at the most, blinks at Arlo before reaching a hand out.
Deftly, Arlo changes Eli’s lead from one hand to the other and clicks his tongue, getting Eli to stand. The kid backs up a few paces, but still manages to get a few pets in as Eli changes sides.
I step up to bracket Eli, in the hopes it prevents the kid from trying again.
“Why can’t I pet it?” the child asks.
“Because he has an important job to do,” Arlo explains patiently. “So he’s not allowed to be petted right now, okay?”
The kid’s grown-up finally comes over. “Is there a problem here?” she asks.
“No problem.” Arlo smiles up at the woman. “I was just explaining that my service animal is working, and so no pets or other distractions are allowed.”
The woman huffs and rolls her eyes. “Oh, so you’re one of those.”
Arlo’s smile dims a little and I tense. “What do you mean?” he asks politely.
She waves her hand. “You know, willingly bringing your pet where there’s children, and then getting upset when they want to pet it.”
“As I’ve explained,” Arlo says carefully, “Eli is a fully trained service animal. He’s working right now, and for his safety, and my own, I need to ask that he not be petted, or interacted with, except by me.”
“I don’t see the harm in letting a child pet a damn dog, but you people are all the same, thinking you’re better than the rest of us.
” Before Arlo can say anything in return, or I can, she continues.
“I don’t have time for this argument.” The woman huffs, snatches her child by the hand, and hurries off.
“Wow,” Luka says, moving closer to us. “Does that happen often?”
Arlo shrugs. “I wouldn’t say often, but enough that I have a handful of responses ready to go if someone decides to push the issue.”
“What a rude bitch,” Val grouses. “You have more patience than I do with someone like that.”
“It wouldn’t make a difference to get angry or upset with those types of people. They want you to react negatively, so they can point fingers and make you the problem. Anyway, let’s not let her ruin the rest of our day.”
“We could feed her to the kangaroos?” Callum offers. “Those things are mean.”
Arlo laughs. “I like that plan. Tell me about the kangaroos?”
Cal lights up, and the two of them head over to the next habitat, Callum chatting away, happy to have someone’s undivided attention.
Valery loops their arm through mine as we follow along. “He’s perfect for you,” they say.
“We’re just friends.” Though my words sound weak, even to my own ears.
“Have to agree with Val,” Luka tells me.
I sigh and shake my head, ignoring them both, even as I’m rendered breathless by the sight of Arlo grinning at an animated Cal. My chest warms and I can’t keep the smile off my face.
I never had any doubts that Arlo would fit in with my friends and family, but this right here, seeing how accepted he is…it means more than words will ever say.