Page 14 of In the Middle of No(ah)where (Rockport Ridge #2)
Marcus
"W e've got a full house out there," I tell Barrett as I barge into his office unannounced. It's not my fault he decided to have an open-door policy.
"That doesn't surprise me," he says, handing me the iPad he was just scrolling through. On the screen, The Times in London has reported on our little zoo and mentioned Kavi. "Holy hell. Is this for real?"
He nods. "Seems so."
I perch on the side of his desk while scrolling down and skimming the article.
"That's pretty cool." I hand the tablet back and stand.
Barrett stands and places his hand on my shoulder. "Are you ready to meet our calf?"
Our smiles are huge when we cautiously step out into the habitat so as not to spook Kavi.
The atmosphere is electrifying. Stepping in front of Kavi so she can see us and not get startled, she lets out a long snort-honking sound that elephants make to communicate with one another and wraps her trunk around Barrett's torso as if giving him a hug.
The crowd is 'oohing' and 'ahhing,' although they can only see Kavi's head, as we have blocked the rest of her from the public's view.
I feel a pang of jealousy because I take care of her more than he does, but for some reason, they have a tight bond.
Behind the wall, only a few key personnel, including Barrett and me, remain in the habitat. The other three Asian Elephants remain as well since elephants are pack animals, and we try to keep the environment as natural as possible.
Kavi lets out a series of sounds, and the elephants gather around her.
We both notice her sack has started to drop.
"Here we go," Barrett whispers. And right on cue, within a few more minutes, the calf falls to the ground, followed by a bunch of afterbirth splattering around Kavi's hind legs.
The herd of elephants circles the baby, using their feet and trunks to throw dirt on the little one.
It looks harsh as if they might hurt the newborn, but it's natural for them—again, another reason for the privacy fence.
Once the delivery is successful, Barrett and I take another walk around the habitat to ensure there aren't any dangers that could be inflicted on the new baby girl.
We leave so the large animal vet and her team can assess the mamma and her baby.
It's hard to pull away from them. Seeing the love and bond already forming makes the longing I have for a boy of my own even that much stronger.
While walking closer to the crowd, my eyes scan the younger guys standing near the fence, and my heart skips.
It's Noah.
What are the odds? I've been searching for him everywhere, and here he is.
"Oh, he's precious," the whisper barely leaves my lips. I don't even realize I said it out loud until Barrett responds.
"You mean she ."
"Nope. Not talking about the elephant." My gaze locked on Noah with a slight pull on the corner of my lips. The crowd is growing with the news announcement that today is the day of Kavi's birth. Everyone wants to get a glimpse of Lali.
My heart rate picks up. I finally found him . But when he puts his arm around the boy's shoulder next to him, my heart sinks. Does he have a boyfriend? It's been almost two years; of course, he wouldn't be out there looking for me.
The other boy is cute, too. A lot shorter than Noah. With his Dumbo backpack on and the way he bounces in excitement, he seems much younger too.
I glance over to share my excitement with Barrett but then realize I've never mentioned Noah before. Barrett is also staring at the two boys.
"That's Caleb," Barrett says when I clear my throat to gain his attention, "from Steamed."
"Now I understand why you were so late yesterday and came in with that stupid smile on your face." I tease, nudging his shoulder. I've been friends with Barrett for a few years and have never seen him so smitten with anyone.
"I'm not ashamed to admit he put me in a good mood yesterday." He pushes my shoulder back, and I stumble before righting myself with a laugh. I know he's been stressed lately with all the hype surrounding the elephants, so it's good to see him acting a bit more jovial.
How do I tell him I know Caleb's friend, Noah?
"Who's the friend? He's freakin' adorable, too." I could pretend I didn't know him. Since it's been so long, I would need to get reacquainted with him.
The more I stare, the more Caleb gives off little vibes, and maybe that's how they know each other. Perhaps they met at one of the meetups. Caleb looks defeated at something Noah says, and my heart breaks for him.
"I'm not sure, but be my wingman and let's find out.
" Barrett heads over to the edge of the crowd, where Kaitlyn is selling stuffed elephants.
She waves at us before coming over. I get caught up in a conversation with a few kids who ask some questions about the elephants.
When I turn back around, Barrett is holding two stuffed elephants.
"What do you think you're doing?" I ask in a no-nonsense tone.
"Flirting." He deadpans before saying goodbye to Kaitlyn and handing over one of the elephants to me.
When Barrett walks toward the boys with purpose, I'm on his heels, talking under my breath. "I hope you know what you're doing. Did you just steal these stuffed animals, and am I an accomplice? Please don't make me look like a total jackass."
Barrett looks over his shoulder and just grins. The ass.
"What's the baby's name?" A female voice yells from the crowd.
"Is it a boy or a girl?" A man's voice joins her.
Barrett excels at commanding the audience and effectively answers the barrage of questions from the guests.
As he talks, his hand absentmindedly strokes the stuffed elephant in his hand.
"Once the calf has been examined and cleared of any health issues, we will make the formal announcement," he tells them.
"When will that be?" We both turn to the sound of a small voice. Caleb is standing next to the fence, fidgeting. Noah isn't fairing much better. It's a long process, and who knows how long they've already been here.
"It won't be much longer," Barrett says, offering Caleb a small smile. Turning to the rest of the crowd, he thanks them for coming out before stepping closer to the fence.
"Are you getting impatient?" Barrett asks, but my eyes are glued to Noah. He is offering me a shy smile with widened eyes.
"This one is probably the most impatient when–" Noah cuts off when Caleb gives him a death look. It's far from intimidating and only makes Noah giggle. Caleb looks embarrassed with his pinked cheeks. I want to grab Noah and run away. Ask him where he's been and what he's been up to.
"It's okay. I'd be impatient, too, if I were on that side of the fence. It's a long process, but you won't have to wait much longer, Caleb."Barrett reassures.
Caleb meets Barrett's eyes. "You remembered my name?"
"He hasn't stopped talking about you since yesterday," I laugh. Knowing it will make Barrett uncomfortable, as it puts him on the spot.
The blush returns on Caleb's cheeks. He is really precious, and I can see why Barrett likes him.
He ticks all the boxes for him. "We need to get back, but I saw you standing over here with your friend and wanted to say hello and give you this.
" Barrett hands the stuffed elephant to Caleb, and his mouth drops.
"Y-you g-got this for me?" When his eyes glass over, it's clear he wants to cry. There is a moment of awkward silence, but they need to work out their own shit.
Finally, I break the silence.
"And this one's for you. Barrett said we can't give Caleb one and not his friend ." I hold out the one for Noah. When he reaches for it, our hands brush, and that small contact sends an electrical current through my body that I haven't felt since the night at the aquarium years ago.
Noah takes the elephant and hugs it to his chest, just as Caleb is clutching his."That was very generous of you. Thank you so much." He, too, is blushing. But I don't think it's because of the elephant.
Keeping up with the charade, I hold my hand out. "I'm Marcus, by the way." My voice is low and melodic. I see a slight quiver in his body at the tone of my voice.
Noah's brows knit, and I'm sure he can't figure out why I'm introducing myself.
Then his facial expression softens as if he understands that Barrett and Caleb don't know that we know each other.
Or how we know each other. "Hi," he says softly.
"I'm Noah. I work with Caleb at the coffee shop, and he's my best friend.
"His words are simple but carry the weight of unspoken emotions.
Barrett's radio goes off, interrupting the moment to notify us that we're needed back to the enclosed area.
"We need to go. If you guys can stick around for a while, we'll give you both a private viewing and tour of the habitat at five o'clock if you want." Barrett tells the boys as he walks backward.
Caleb looks up at Noah with pleading eyes and nods.
"Looks like we'll be sticking around," Noah responds to Barrett, but his eyes haven't left mine.
I check my watch, and it's only noon. Five more hours until I can spend some time with Noah. It's been two years. I can last five more hours. Especially since seeing him again has made my heart the lightest it's been in a long time.