Page 20

Chapter Twenty

JACK

M ilo slept the rest of the afternoon. His rash was significantly reduced by the antihistamine, but he still wasn’t up to helping with the late afternoon chores of logging specimens, collecting wood for the fire and getting dinner ready. Pam hadn’t left her cot all day, and I was sure she was planning to leave in the morning. After the call from the station, it seemed she might get her wish. We might all get off the “island” early. A week ago, that prospect would have been welcomed, but I’d been enjoying the outing. It had been a long time since I got my hands dirty in nature. The sterile lab just didn’t give you the same sense of satisfaction as working in the field. And as much as I hated to admit it, working alongside Professor Lovely wasn’t nearly as irritating as I expected. We’d found a sort of neutral zone where we could easily tolerate and, I daresay, enjoy each other’s company. That was, as long as I didn’t open a new chasm by saying something overly sarcastic and if she avoided always jumping into defense mode. I had no idea how any of these goodwill feelings would translate or hold up once we returned to the confines of the science building, but out in nature, things felt congenial.

Ian, Evan and Robyn, and even Norman—Ava’s team—had such good luck finding specimens that they talked animatedly to each other as they worked on classification.

I cut up one of the guavas and sat on the log near the unlit firepit. Ava walked out with a cup of water. She sat down next to me. It was strange. Not long ago, we couldn’t even sit in the same lunchroom, but here she was, sitting next to me, looking beautiful and smelling incredibly good considering our crude shower system of rain from a cistern.

“I see my first aid held.” I handed her a piece of guava.

“I’ve been keeping my hand pretty still so far. My students are having so much fun with the samples they collected I decided not to intervene. Don’t want to be a mother hen watching that her chicks are doing everything correctly.”

“Did you ever think you’d get to that age—the age where you’d be the embarassing adult? I found out that ugly truth at Holly’s seventh birthday party. I took her and a few friends to the fair, and they wanted nothing to do with me. They walked way ahead of me, like teens embarrassed to be seen with their father. And I thought I was tossing out some of my better jokes, too. Of course, when it came time to ride the roller coaster, then I was the spot-on favorite for seatmate.”

“Sounds like you’re a really involved dad. Good for you. I would have liked to hang out with my dad more, but he just didn’t know how to handle us girls. Not that we were hard to handle.”

I gave her a side-eyed glance.

“All right, given the right scenario, we could be a handful. That was mostly because we were close in age, and the hormone surges sort of came in unison. My grandmother, Nonna, had no problem keeping us in check. She could be loving one minute and stern the next. It was a terrific combination.”

“Well done, Nonna,” I said. “That is not an easy balance to achieve. Now that I only see Holly every other week, I feel like discipline would take up our time, and I just want that time to be good and quality and leave her with nice memories. Gwen complains that I let her get away with too much, but I’m not going to change that.”

“It must be so hard to have to divide up time like that.” Ava put her hand out for another piece of guava. I couldn’t help but watch with great interest as she pushed the piece between her pink lips.

It took me a second to think about what she said. “Definitely not ideal but then neither is trying to live with a spouse you don’t get along with.” I took a deep breath. “New subject. One that usually excites me, but not out here in the land of beans and dried food. What should I make for dinner? I assume I’ll be in charge because your little fledglings are busy learning and researching and doing what we came out here to do, while mine are flaked out in their cots. Although I don’t blame Milo for resting. The rash has improved greatly.”

“Yes, I checked on him. Thank goodness it wasn’t worse. I can help. I’ll pull on one of the latex gloves we’ve been using for making slides. I guess no word yet from Harold.”

“Not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.” I looked over at her. “What is your sixth sense telling you?”

There was a moment of defense in her posture.

“I’m serious. After your story about your sisters, I’m far less skeptical.”

Her brow lifted cutely. “That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement, but I’ll take it, and at the moment—I’ve got nothing. It could go either way.”

I chuckled. “Even I could have told you that and I’ve barely got control of the five senses. What do you say? Should we plate up some delicious, rehydrated chicken and rice? Guava for dessert?”

Ava’s green eyes glittered at the word dessert. “Hmm, a fudge brownie or chocolate pie sounds way better. Any chance you know how to make dessert with powdered eggs, dried food and guava, but have it taste like a fudge brownie?”

“Yep, just need to grab my Harry Potter wand from my backpack. I’ll get dinner going. Your little pack of budding mushroom experts are going to be hungry soon.”

“Be right there.” She got up. “Just need to grab a glove.” Ava stepped over the log and caught the top edge with her foot. She pitched forward into my arms. I found myself in no hurry to release her.

She stared up at me. “Not sure I can stand any more humiliation today.” She didn’t hop out of my grasp right away. She finally stepped back. “Maybe I’ll just supervise. I’m not sure the stars are lined up for me today.”

“No? Well, let’s hope those stars start to behave soon; then maybe the storm will fly right past us.”

Ava walked next to me. “You like this, don’t you?” she asked with smirky grin. “Mr. Stomp My Feet and Complain Loudly is enjoying himself.”

“Only because I’ve gotten to see Professor Lovely humiliate herself, and since you are usually so darn pulled together and sure of yourself, it’s a nice boost for my own ego.”

Ava laughed. “I’m not sure a boost was needed, but so glad I could help.”