Nobody Knows Your Secret

66

The red-tailed hawk sat majestically on its perch in a large flight pen. Hadley walked by and admired the striking regal air of the raptor.

"Chester has been exercising you," Ruth said. "And you have been doing well, old girl."

The staff had been monitoring the progress of the bird, making sure she was able to maneuver and fly well. She had passed her pre-release examination of her feet and feathers. Blood had been taken, and all her labs came back within normal limits. Chester had put her through tests of endurance, perching, and live prey-to-prey testing for two successive nights. Ruth told Hadley that if the bird passed tonight's test, she would be released the next day.

Hadley found Ruth in the back room taking inventory of the drug supplies.

"Ruth, would it be okay with you if I asked Skip to come to the hawk release tomorrow? Maury has been worried about him because he spends so much time alone on that land his grandfather left him. I think it would do him some good to be around people for a change, if you don't mind."

"You know," Ruth said, "I think that would be a fine idea. If Skip hadn't rescued the hawk that day, she would never have been able to fly and survive on her own. I think Skip should be the one to release her back into the wild. He's a great young man. I see him sometimes at Pixies, but he always seems so busy, I hardly get to say anything more than 'hello' to him at the store."

"Thanks," Hadley said. "I'll call him and let him know if she passes her last test tonight that he can have the honors of releasing her back into the wild. I think he would like that because I know how much he loves the woods himself."

"Since he found her near his land, maybe he would give us permission to release her there," Ruth said.

"That's a splendid idea," Hadley said. "I'll ask him tonight and let you know."

***

The day passed uneventfully. Chester put the hawk to the test of catching her own dinner and once again, she passed with flying colors. Ruth called Hadley and told her that the hawk was scheduled to be released the next day.

Hadley called Skip.

"Hey, Skippy," Hadley said. "It's your favorite aunt."

"You always say that, Auntie H.," Skip said. "But, I gotta admit. It's true. What's up?"

"They're releasing your hawk tomorrow. We think that since you found her and brought her to the center, you should be the one who releases her back into her natural habitat."

"That sounds great!"

"She was injured near your place, Skip. What do you think about setting free on your land?"

"I love the idea."

Hadley made plans to meet him at the rescue center in the morning.

Everything was set for the release. Now, it was time to feed Onus and herself. Hadley stood in her garage opening some cans for her dinner. She didn't want to send Onus into his can opener frenzy. Juggling the cans, she opened her kitchen door.

Onus looked up at Hadley with his 'wanna fight' look.

"Are you mad at me?" Hadley asked.

She set the cans down on the counter and moved toward the cat. He blinked and took off into a back room of the house.

"Why am I talking to a cat?" she muttered.

After cleaning up the dishes, she decided to practice on her guitar. Sitting on the hearth of her fireplace, she tried to pick out the notes of the song Hobie had played. She thought of Ruth and wondered if her friend was going to be okay after discovering Declan's secret.

Onus ambled into the room. Hadley strummed a few chords. She began to sing.

My ghost walks now among the trees

With the whispering winds and the gentle breeze.

You speak of times. Such pure delight.

Of sunny days and endless nights.

"REOOOWWW!"

"Okay, Onus," Hadley said. "I get it. I can't believe you adhere to that old superstition that ghosts enjoy hearing people sing and will come to listen. They like good singers, Onus. Not folks who butcher a tune with their voices, like me."

Onus looked up at her, half-closing his eyelids.

"Okay! Okay!" Hadley said, "I told you I get it. Just play. Don't sing. I'm glad you're not a pig. They say pigs can see ghosts. If there is a ghost outside my window listening in, I'd prefer not to know it, thank you very much. Besides, I've got my star quilt on the bed. That should be protection enough against any ghost. Not that I believe in them, you understand, but I think Beanie's rubbing off on me. Better safe than sorry, huh, old bird."

Hadley quietly strummed thinking about the mysterious doctor who had swooped into Ruth's life and just as quickly had flown back out on his plane.

"Sometimes I just don't understand men, Onus. I'm glad you came to me already neutered."