Audra looks at me in horror. "What if there was a fire?"
"Oh, I wake up whenever I get too warm."
She bursts into laughter as we continue walking toward a clearing where I know the warblers hang out.
As soon as we arrive, Audra snaps into focus mode. She takes her shoulder bag from me, sets out her recording equipment, then scans the tree line, aiming one microphone carefully toward a cluster of birds and the other at the forest in general.
Then she turns back to whisper, "Directional mics. They won't catch other birds or wind, to some extent."
"Got it," I whisper back. "How can I help?"
She shrugs. "Just chill with me for a while?"
I nod, then open the bag I packed earlier. I toss a picnic blanket down beside the equipment so we can sit. "Thank you,” she whispers. “Good idea."
I flash her a wink. "Let's see if this was, too."
I spread out a cheap tablecloth about thirty feet away from the equipment. Luckily, Tidy’s Department Store had one with a pink and orange floral print.
"Apparently these colors attract birds," I whisper. "And this definitely will." I scatter a handful of birdseed over it.
I return to the blanket, sitting shoulder to shoulder with Audra. She looks up at me with wide eyes. "It never even crossed my mind to bring the birds closer."
I shrug, nudging her. "That's why you need a mountain man. We're resourceful as heck.”
She leans forward to reposition one mic so it points directly at the birdseed, then sits back. Although we keep fairly still as the birds begin to gather on the tablecloth, I feel Audra shift slightly toward me. First her hip. Then her leg. Then her left armlands half on her thigh, half on mine. I lean back slightly on my right arm, positioning it behind her back. Every small movement brings us closer.
I feel her twitch in delight as a blue-winged warbler lands in front of us, then begins snacking. “Is he for real?” she whispers.
“They’re fairly common around here. That one is extra bright, though.”
We watch transfixed as the little guy hops around, eating the seed. The brilliant bright blue of his wings is amplified by his sunshine-y yellow head and body. I notice that this one also has an odd white triangle on his shoulder. It almost looks like military insignia.
Audra leans against me and whispers, “He looks like a cartoon character.”
“Maybe he is.” My hand settles in the center of her back, circling gently. “Maybe we’re living inside an animation. Or maybe this is a shared dream. No way to tell, really.”
She laughs almost silently, burying her head in my shoulder. So far, I like every single thing about Audra. This brand-new pull in the center of my chest is more desperate and vicious than I would have expected. Like I need her. Like she's the thing I've been missing all this time.
I'm just glad that there’s a project I can help her with. I've always felt better when I have a purpose.
It doesn't take long for the news to spread about the all you can eat buffet in the meadow. Half an hour later, Audra has managed to record clear bird calls from at least a dozen distinct species.
"I think I've got plenty of clips." Audra jumps to her feet and packs up her things.
I shake out the picnic blanket, then do the same for the tablecloth. The rest of the birdseed lands on the grass, andthe birds find it and start chowing down again after grumbling briefly about being interrupted.
"Any other sounds you need for your project?" I ask.
Audra stares off into the trees, thinking. "I don't think so. I have rain…and wind…and waves from a couple of different lakes and the ocean." She looks up at me, eyes gleaming. "Unless you happen to know of the perfect babbling brook. Rivers don't make the right noise, unless there are rocks and things for them to dance over?—"
"Follow me." I hoist our bags and return to the trail, Audra hurrying to walk beside me.
"What do you mean? Is there a river nearby?"
I want to tell this beautiful girl that anything she needs, I will find for her. "Let’s see."
Several minutes later, she squeals with delight. “I can hear it! That's exactly the kind of sound I need. You’re amazing."
