Swimming Lessons (8 page)

T
he following day, the Aquarium received a third sick turtle. The loggerhead was brought in by Department of Natural Resources from Kiawah Island. The local news stations were on hand and did a brief report on the rescue of the juvenile loggerhead from beyond the breakers. Toy laughed when she saw the clip because the men standing on the shore didn’t want to get their feet wet. It took two slender women from DNR, DuBose and Charlotte, to wade out into the surf and pull the turtle in. This turtle had three glaring slashes across the shell from a boat propeller. Toy called this third patient turtle Kiawah.

Three days later, a fourth turtle was found by three young men who were out fishing for the day. They’d discovered a turtle trapped by the lines of a crab pot in Hamlin Creek. Being good ol’ boys, they couldn’t just leave him there. Every time the turtle brought his head up for breath, the rope tightened. They couldn’t get the turtle unattached so they cut the crab pot loose and brought the pot and turtle both to the marina themselves. Their biggest worry was that they’d get arrested for stealing a crab trap.

Toy hurried to the marina and met the heroes at the
dock. It was one of the saddest cases Toy had ever come upon. The rope from the crab pot had nearly cut clear through the flipper. Given the barnacle load and the emaciation, she guessed the poor turtle had to have been tangled up for several weeks. Toy called this turtle Hamlin.

Bringing two new turtles into the Aquarium caused a flurry of impromptu decisions. They couldn’t put even one more turtle on Ethan’s already crowded floor.

“It’s just like in the bible,” Favel had said as they measured the space for possibilities. “There’s no room for them in the Inn.”

“Well then, we’ve got to find a stable,” Ethan had replied.

The stable turned out to be the cavernous basement of the Aquarium. It was being used for storage. Ethan and his dive team chipped in to move gear out and clean a corner of the area for the small tanks that Jason scrounged up for the initial fresh water baths. It was a temporary solution at best. By the end of the first week, with two tanks upstairs and two downstairs, Toy was exhausted at running up and down all day. Her supplies were tapped, as was her food budget. She didn’t know how she was going to make it through another week.

Her prayers were answered by the kindness of strangers.

In the days following the television report, the Aquarium received an avalanche of donations from local people who had seen the program and wanted to help the poor sick turtles. Most of the checks and cash were in small denominations, tens and twenties, and each one was welcomed. There was the occasional $100 check and one for $500 from a Good Samaritan that sent the whole staff cheering. School children took up collec
tions that totaled a couple hundred dollars. Other children wrote heartfelt letters and donated their allowances and emptied their piggy banks. Toy could hardly believe that strangers would care so much to send in their money to help, especially the children. Their generosity and care brought tears to her eyes.

Jason wrote a letter to the editor of the newspaper to officially express the Aquarium’s thanks to the good people of Charleston for their help and support. Sure enough, that letter brought another flurry of donations.

Seemingly overnight, Toy found her small rehabilitation effort was the center of attention at the Aquarium. But she knew she really was in the limelight when the Aquarium’s President called her up to his office for an impromptu meeting. It was the first time she’d been invited to a powwow in Kevin’s office and her stomach fluttered as she brushed her hair in the bathroom and changed into a fresh T-shirt.

On the top floor, the administrative offices were sleek and polished. Toy stepped inside the president’s corner office and was drawn to the huge plate glass windows that provided a spectacular view of the Charleston Harbor. Jason and Ethan had joined them, and across the room, Kate and Kim from the Development office were seated, dressed in dark power suits.

“Come in,” Kevin said warmly, rising to a stand and waving her in. He was young, brilliant and in full possession of the gentlemanly manners that were appreciated in the South.

Ethan also rose to offer Toy his chair then crossed his arms and leaned against the wall behind her. Everyone was in an upbeat mood, buoyed by the public’s support for the sea turtles.

“I’ve got some great news,” Kevin said, opening the discussion. “The Board met and it looks like we now can consider building an official sea turtle hospital at the Aquarium. Kim, can you give us a brief report on the available resources for the hospital?”

After Kim’s report they began to discuss how to handle any more turtles that were likely to be brought in.

“The first thing we need is more tanks,” Toy said. “Ethan’s been great to let us put Big Girl in his large holding tank. That freed up room for Cherry Point. We had to put the two new turtles in the basement. If and when we get another turtle in, I honestly don’t know where we’ll put it.”

Jason leaned forward. “I’ve been thinking about this. The basement of the Aquarium is untapped for utilized space. With some redistribution and moving things around, we could actually build a credible turtle hospital down there. There’s plenty of room.”

“How many turtles do you realistically expect?” Kevin asked.

Jason looked to Toy.

She was silent a moment, working it out. “It’s hard to predict,” she replied. “The sea turtles are nesting like clockwork now. We’ve already had eight nests on Isle of Palms and of course at places like Botany Bay there are lots more. The girls are out there. A lot depends on people spotting the sick turtles or bringing in those hit by boats. Naturally, we hope to find them before they end up dead on the beaches.”

“Strandings are up,” Jason reported. “And we’re getting increased reports of Debilitated Turtle Syndrome. We don’t really understand what the root cause of the illness is. The turtles are getting sick out there and the
floaters are getting more common. It’s timely for us to anticipate and gear up.”

“The turtle hospital at Topsail Beach takes in around a dozen turtles each season,” Ethan said. “I think we should aim for that number.”

“Twelve?” Toy stared back with disbelief. “I can’t find a tank for even one more turtle, much less that number.” She puffed out her cheeks. She was barely managing both the gallery and sick sea turtles she had.

“I’m not complaining, but at the present I’m running between the third floor and my gallery on the first floor. Now adding the basement to that, I’ll be going upstairs and down all day! My volunteers are borrowed from other departments, and our current examining table is a piece of plywood on a cardboard box.” She paused then looking directly at Kevin said, “Frankly, sir, I don’t know what I’ll do if I run out of duct tape. We simply aren’t ready for that number yet.”

“What would it take to get ready?” Kevin asked.

Jason leaned back in his chair and clasped his hands across his flat belly. His eyes danced with possibilities. “If we could use the basement space, we’d need at least six to eight tanks with separate filtration systems, the additional husbandry supplies, a waterproof scale and a proper examining table.” He winked at Toy.

“Dream on,” Kate chided, shaking her dark hair. “Money is still very tight. We can’t fund a whole hospital.”

“Hey, you asked!” Then Jason shrugged. “But with the help of a few new volunteers, borrowed tanks, donated equipment and duct tape, we could make do.”

“We have to try,” Ethan said. “Those turtles are going to come in and we have to be prepared.”

“Preparation is one of the things we wanted to discuss today.” Kevin turned to Kate.

“Right,” she said with alacrity. “I’ve found out about a grant you can apply for.” She began pulling out papers from a manila folder and passing them to each of the group. “It’s potentially a great deal of money and would get this hospital off the ground. I’m excited about it because I think there is a very good chance of your getting it.” She paused as she handed the packet to Toy. “The only problem is you’d have to write it fast.”

Toy’s hand stopped midair as she looked at Kate with alarm. “Me? But I’ve never written a grant before.”

“I have,” Ethan said. “Plenty of them. I could help Toy. And we’ll get it done on time.”

Toy turned to look at Ethan, surprised by his kindness. She offered a small, crooked smile of gratitude.

“Great. I’ll put my stamp on it as well.” Kate handed the papers over to Toy. “It’s up to you two now.”

“I think that gives us a working plan,” Kevin said, summing up the meeting. “Jason, you’re going to beg, borrow and steal tanks and supplies and set up a makeshift turtle hospital in the basement. Kim, you’re to go to Shirley and line up volunteers for the hospital. Kate, you’re going to pursue additional funding. Ethan, you’re going to work with Toy to get the grant written.”

He turned to Toy. “Toy, the hospital is your baby. Good luck.”

The third floor deck overlooking the harbor was where the Aquarium staff could sit and chat, eat lunch, or take a break and just gaze out and watch the parade of pleasure boats, cruise liners and container ships cruise in and out of the harbor.

Toy often came out here to eat lunch and just think. After the meeting she came here feeling as though she needed to hold on to the railing to keep herself steady. Huge cumulus clouds were rolling in along the horizon. The wind gusted, flipping the ends of her blonde hair. She reached up to gather the wild strands in her hands.

“Mind if I join you?”

She startled and turned to see Ethan standing at the door.

“No,” she replied, smoothing her hair. “I’d appreciate the company.”

He closed the door and made his way toward her, his face expressionless.

“Want to sit down?”

“Okay.”

They sat together on the wood bench, she clutching her knees, he stretching his long legs out before them. He pried open a bag of chips and silently offered her some. She took one. For a while they simply sat shoulder to shoulder staring out and munching chips watching ships pass through the harbor.

“We are actually putting together a
real
turtle hospital,” she said, amazed.

“Feeling a little overwhelmed?”

“Yes,” she admitted. “Happy, thrilled, excited…but overwhelmed, too. Did you hear what Kevin said in there? The turtle hospital is my baby. Did he mean the whole hospital is in my care? As in, it’s
my
project?”

“You’re the head honcho, the big boss. Aka, the one who gets the blame if something goes wrong.”

“Oh, Lord.” She lowered her head to her palms, feeling sick. When she raised her head again, she took great gulps of fresh air. “I used to have this nightmare.
In it I’d find out that I had this major exam to take, only I’m in a panic because I didn’t study for it.”

“I know that dream.”

“That’s how I feel now. When Kevin told me it was my baby, I was honored by his trust, but it really hit home. The responsibility of those turtles is mine.” She shook her head. “What about my fish gallery? I still have to take care of that, too. Ethan, I need some help! I don’t know, maybe I’m not up to the task.”

“He wouldn’t have offered it to you if he didn’t believe you were. And for what it’s worth, I believe you are. And so does Jason.”

She turned her head to look at him, half expecting to see teasing again in his eyes. She saw instead conviction shining in the dark brown and it took her breath away.

“I’ll be there every step of the way,” he told her. “And you know Jason will be hovering, and so will Dr. Tom. Everyone will weigh in. We’re a team.”

“A team, huh?” She helped herself to another chip. After a heavy sigh, she tossed the chip into her mouth. “Okay, then.”

“Listen, about that grant.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for you to get roped into that, too.”

“You forget I volunteered.”

“I know and thanks. Really. But I know you never figured one sick turtle would blossom into a whole hospital.”

“That’s true, but I’m not surprised, either. The need is there. But about that grant…”

“You’re backing out?”

“Toy, let me finish.”

“Sorry. Go ahead.”

“We’re both too busy here during the day to write a grant. I hate to say it, but we’ll have to find time to get together after work. I figure we’ll have to get together most every night for the next few weeks if we’re going to make the deadline.”

She released a ragged sigh. “Ethan, I simply can’t take any more time away from my daughter. I see her little enough as it is. That’s where I draw the line.”

He scratched his neck in thought. “How about if I drive over to your place? That way you won’t have to leave her while we work.”

“You’d do that? Every night?”

“It’s no big deal.”

She turned to look at him, weighing her decision. At times his intensity and focus could be intimidating. At other times, like now, his whole demeanor softened and his sincerity pulsed in his dark, intelligent eyes. Ethan was not the kind of man to make such an offer without due consideration. It was, she had to agree, the best possible solution.

“I suppose it would work,” she agreed with reluctance. “I could cook dinner for you.”

“Don’t go to any extra trouble. I’ll just grab carryout.”

“It’s no trouble, at least if you don’t mind my cooking. I make a mean macaroni and cheese.”

He grimaced. “I’ll stick with carryout.”

She bumped his shoulder in a companionable manner. “Hey, I can meet the challenge. A little shrimp, some grits…. Really, come for dinner. I have to cook anyway and it’s the least I can do if you have to hightail it all the way out to the island every evening.”

“Tell me again which island you live on?”

“Isle of Palms.”

“Oh, right. In that beach house. Nice place to live.”

“I love it. And you?”

“John’s Island. Where else?”

She chuckled, thinking of the pull of his large family. “I don’t believe you. I believe that you live right smack here at the Aquarium. You’ve got a bunk stashed in a closet somewhere, a change of clothes in one of the cubicles, and you shower and shave in the bathrooms. I figure that’s the only way you can get as much done in a day as you do.”