Jurassic Baby

13

Maria came and left and I returned to work, and Owen advised me to spend some quality time with the raptors before I left for a few months. I had decided to finish 3 weeks before my due date, be off for five months and then come back part time for two months, and then gradually come back to full time if I wanted to.

"Listen, um, I'm not going to be at work today, I've got admin to do in the main building, but I'll see you tonight, yeah?" he sounded distant and I found myself a little taken aback at his bluntness.

"Erm, sure, yeah." I replied, mixing my granola and yogurt. He placed a small kiss on top of my head and then left without another word.

I called Claire whilst I ate on the front deck.

"Should I be worried?" I asked, my mouth full.

"Well good morning to you too!" she teased, "what's up?"

"Owen has been really... I don't know... Weird, this morning." she inhaled sharply on the end of the line and I furrowed my brows in confusion.

"What do you know that I don't?" I asked.

"Nothing! Nothing, honestly! Maybe he's just tired or he's busy?" she said quickly.

"Well he did say he had admin stuff to do today, so he wouldn't be at the paddock." I sighed.

"Oh god yeah, he's been letting it back up for months and I told him he had to do it today." Claire agreed strongly with my statement and I was put a little at ease but still had a niggle of doubt in my mind.

"So, how's my un-biological niece doing?" Claire changed the subject.

"Kicking like something else." I groaned.

"It'll all be worth it. How are your feet?" Claire asked me.

"They're a lot better since I got those tablets." my feet had been quite badly swollen but I had been prescribed some medication to reduce it.

"Good. Listen, I've got to go, but I'll catch you later, alright?" Claire said swiftly.

"Okay, byeee!" I said and hung up. I still wasn't completely certain with the Owen situation, but I guess I had nothing left to do than go to work and wait till he came home.

"Rosie!" Barry greeted me warmly when I arrived at the paddock. He held his hand out to me to help me get up the last couple of stairs. My belly was growing larger by the day it seemed and the heat made it almost impossible to get up the stairs. Thank goodness I was soon going to be finishing.

"Thanks." I breathed, straightening my back once I was at the top. I peered down into the paddock and my heart always leaped once I saw the raptors. They reminded me why I came to Isla Nublar in the first place, to work with creatures that roamed the earth millions of years ago.

"Hey!" Barry called to them and they looked at us in admiration and respect. But we definitely had had to earn it.

"I'm going to miss them." I admitted to him. Barry had sent them away to do what they wanted, and we were just standing and watching them.

"Well you need to bring the baby here all the time, okay?" he told me with a grin.

"Definitely. It's going to be crazy bringing her up surrounded by real life dinosaurs."

"She's going to have a childhood like no other." he said.

"She really is." I agreed, looking into the distance and smiling fondly.

Owen appeared in the afternoon looking flustered. I was observing the raptors undergoing a particularly tricky practise and making notes when he appeared. I smiled when I saw him looking in a rush and confused and went to go over to him. When I got there he was speaking to Barry in a rushed and hushed tone.