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The fluttery heart he’d become so accustomed to in her presence twisted with a blast of chilly anxious-ness. He wasn’t sure what would happen tonight, but there was one thing he knew for certain. He’d finally gotten a glimpse of forever. And even though he wasn’t sure it would last, what a sight it had been to behold.
Chapter Twenty
At the exact time writtenon the detailed schedule, Molly stepped into the cabin of the turtle ambo. “As a girl who loves a good schedule, Mateo’s ability to keep us on his exact timeline is impressive,” she said to Claire, who climbed in behind her.
“Right?” Claire pulled the doors closed and took a seat on the built-in bench next to Molly. “I think he’s trying hard to prove to Grant that he has nothing to worry about.”
“Is that why you came home from your honeymoon early?”
“Yes and no. Grant’s leaving so soon was a factor. But I also decided I didn’t want to miss Hope’s release. I’m going to miss this turtle.”
“Me too.” Molly stared at the covered crate on the floor in front of them. “I knew today would be emotional, but I wasn’t expecting to be sad.”
Claire nodded. “It’s bittersweet, for sure. Even though they come to us with the sole goal of sending them home, it’s impossible to not get attached.”
“Oh good, I was starting to think I did it wrong.”
“Not at all. I tend to think if you’re sad to see them go, you did your job right.”
“At least she has a tracker on her so we can keep up with her.” Molly pulled out her phone to make sure she already had the site plugged in.
“Agreed. And between the location of her rescue and the time of year, there’s a strong chance she nests around here. I wouldn’t be surprised if she headed back this direction at some point.” Claire leaned closer to the crate. “Not that we want to see you again, little missy. Stay away from those hazards.”
“I second that.”
Claire shifted her focus to the clipboard in her lap. “Once we arrive, I’ll hop out and start the go/no-go procedures.”
“It sounds so official.”
Claire held up her two-way radio. “I have a clipboard and a walkie. It must be official.”
“Well, you go be official, and I’ll hold down my post here—hanging out in the air-conditioned ambo with Hope and fighting off any obsessed fans who try to come hang out with us.”
“You laugh, but at big send-offs like this, there is always at least one person who tries to slip in to snag a selfie with the turtle.”
“Don’t worry, Hope. I’ve been practicing my ninja skills.” Molly did a fancy punching sequence to demonstrate.
Claire laughed. “We clearly assigned the right person to this job.”
The turtle ambo slowed to a stop, and the back doors opened to reveal Mateo. There was a small crowd behind him, craning to get a look at Hope. Behind that was a scene that was nothing short of a celebration. From Molly’s limited vantage point, she was able to make out brightly colored banners and the large screen with a digital clock counting down until the release. Music blared from speakers she couldn’t see, and the mood of the crowd was electric.
“Right on time,” Mateo said, still as serious and stony-faced as when he’d left the facility.
“Everything’s all good here,” Claire said, hopping out of the truck. “Let’s get started.” She held her radio up to her mouth and started talking.
Mateo drew in a breath. “You two sit tight, and we’ll be back. T-minus twenty-nine minutes and counting.”
Before she could respond, he closed the doors, and the sounds of the activity outside faded into a muffled murmur.
Molly sat perfectly still in the silence for a moment, straining to hear what was going on outside. There were no windows back here, no way for her to see the party that was in full swing all around her. It was a weird feeling, but she could see how this quiet, closed-in space would be less stressful for the turtle who had no idea what was going on. Being cocooned in their own little space was oddly peaceful.
This was also the first chance she’d had to slow down since she’d shown up to the facility this morning. From the moment she’d stepped into the gift shop until she’d been loaded into the turtle ambo, time had seemed to move at warp speed. To be honest, it felt like time had been moving in warp speed ever since she’d pulled into Emerald Cove. It was nice to have a moment to sit down and take it all in.
Molly leaned over and pulled back the cover to peer down at Hope, sitting snugly in her transport crate. “It seems somewhat poetic that it started with just the two of us, and it’s ending with just the two of us.”
The loggerhead blinked, which Molly took as her way of agreeing.
“I guess this is goodbye, then.” She pushed herself off the bench and sat cross-legged on the floor next to the crate. She knew touching the turtle excessively this close to returning her to the wild was discouraged. Wild turtles shouldn’t be sensitized to humans. They were meant to be free and alone, exploring the depths of the ocean. Molly probably shouldn’t even be talking to her at this point, but this turtle had been a major factor in her healing process. Somewhere on her own road to recovery, Hope had been the one to help Molly recover.
