10. Go With the Flow
Go With the Flow
Cerise
Ishuffled on tired feet to our specimen tent. It had been two days since my encounter with the drenstiria spider and I’d spent most of my time sleeping. The recovery was painful, my muscles often locking, along with a full day of fever and chills.
But other than slight exhaustion, I felt better today.
Liam had stayed back while I recovered, seeming to want to give me space, but when he thought I wasn’t looking he watched me closely with something like guilt on his face.
I groaned as I stepped onto the raised platform.
Liam raised his head from where he stood over a table covered in field guides, sketches and specimen jars, adjusting his glasses. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” I said, stretching my arms overhead. “Just a bit sore from all the trembling.”
His face fell. “Cerise, I’m truly very sorry.”
I stopped at the table beside him, adjusting the sleeve of my periwinkle button-up. “For?”
“It’s my fault you were bitten. If you hadn’t tried to get it off of me, it never would have happened.”
“But then you could have been bitten.” I waved a hand. “You have nothing to be sorry for. I chose to take that risk when I removed the spider from your shoulder.”
He studied me closely. “The students were very worried. Especially, Aaric. He looks up to you.”
I smiled. “He’s a sweet young man. And very smart. We’re lucky to have him on this team.” I flipped a page in one of the open field guides. “Now, what are you working on?”
“While you were resting I decided to develop a lesson for our students.”
My brows rose in shock. “You’re taking the initiative to teach? Look at you, actually working.”
His eyes twinkled. “I work plenty, sunshine. I just like to have fun while I do it.”
“What’s the lesson? How can I help?”
“It’s already finished. You can help by standing here and watching the chaos ensue.” Liam picked up two folded pieces of parchment and held them up.
“Chaos?”
“You’ll see,” he replied. “Are you two ready?” Liam called across camp. Sylvie and Aaric rose from where they were reading in the hammocks nearby and made their way over, stopping before Liam.
He handed them each a piece of paper. “Don’t open it until I say.
” He pulled a pocket watch from his trousers and checked the time.
“When I tell you to begin, you may open your paper. You will have one hour to identify each item on the list, collect it, and bring it here to the research tent. Whoever collects the most items and identifies them correctly, wins.”
“What if we both collect them all?” Aaric asked.
“Then whoever does it the quickest is the winner.”
I crossed my arms. Of course, Liam would make teaching into a game.
“What’s the prize?” Sylvie asked, bouncing on her toes.
Liam gave me a mischievous grin, then turned his attention to Sylvie and Aaric. “The winner gets to sit with Doctor Thornheart and pick her brain about any academic topic they want to.”
“Really? Even research projects you haven’t published yet?” Aaric’s eyes lit up as he looked at me.
I straightened, forcing a smile. “Of course.”
Liam stared at his watch, lifting a hand and raising three fingers. “Three…two…one…begin.”
Sylvie and Aaric frantically opened their lists, excitement written in their expressions. They both snatched several specimen jars and darted toward the trees in different directions.
Once they were out of earshot, I wheeled on Liam. “How dare you offer that without asking me first?”
“You could have said no.”
“Not in front of our students. Not when I saw how excited they were by your offer.”
“You don’t want to disappoint them? So you really do care about your students…”
I placed my hands on my hips, staring him down. “Of course I do. I can’t believe you would question that.”
“You’re right. I apologize. Well, why are you so upset then?”
“I’m not upset—”
“You’re upset.”
“Don’t interrupt me. I’m not upset. I’m frustrated because you gave me no time to prepare.”
“Prepare? The prize is they get to pick your brain. How do you even prepare for that?” he asked, bewildered.
I shifted on my feet. “I…well…I could have a lesson written up, or my answers ready to go…or something. This”—I waved a hand—“prize…it’s quite open-ended.”
“That’s the entire point, sunshine.”
“Why didn’t you offer yourself for an interrogation?”
He laughed. “It’s not an interrogation. And I didn’t offer myself because you know much more than I do. Besides, this is all part of my plan to help you find your fun. You need to relax and go with the flow.”
I didn’t think I'd ever ‘gone with the flow’ in my entire life. But I knew it was pointless to argue with Liam.
“Well then,” I started, but a sudden wave of dizziness overcame me and I swayed.
Liam lurched forward, catching my arm. “Sit down,” he urged, guiding me to the bench. He retrieved a canteen and held it out. “Drink.”
I took a sip and Liam sat next to me. I let out a breath. “Thank you.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yes. I think I’m still struggling with some mild effects from the spider venom.”
“What can I do to help?” His face was concerned, his green eyes intense behind those wire frames.
“Actually…I brought along some ollefrass tea. Research has shown it helps with recovery from envenomation. Would you get it for me? It’s in my bag, in my tent.”
“If it helps with that, why wouldn’t Ivan have some on hand already?”
“It’s not widely known. The studies are still ongoing, but the early results are promising.”
“See? I was correct. You do know more than I.” Liam stood. “Stay right here. I’ll be back and will make you some tea.”
He gently squeezed my shoulder as he walked away.
It was refreshing seeing the softer side of Liam. The way he vigilantly watched me, as if prepared I would fall or pass out again. How he didn’t hesitate to retrieve what I needed. The genuine worry on his face as I recovered. Beneath the gregarious, disorderly professor, was a kind and gentle man.
I found it intriguing.
We’d been in the jungle for an hour, hiking through thick brush. Bright yellow bell-shaped flowers hung above us, neon green bees darting in between each bloom. I made sure to watch my every step, my fear of venomous creatures even more heightened than before.
It had been two days since the scavenger hunt. Sylvie won, just barely, and I had felt so badly about Aaric missing out, I ended up spending the rest of the evening sitting with both of them, answering their questions and explaining various research projects I had been a part of.
The entire time Liam handed me water, made me tea, and ensured I was eating. It was incredibly sweet, but I knew the guilt of my spider bite had likely driven him to it.
I pulled a handkerchief from my pocket and dabbed the sweat from my brow, my lightweight shirt doing little to keep me cool in the oppressive heat and humidity.
“We’re approaching the cave,” Ivan called from the front of the party. “We should be there in a few minutes.”
“This is so exciting, isn’t it?” Aaric said as he pushed through the group and joined Dr. Rosenshield at the front of the party.
I glanced at Emberly, who was smiling. “He’s a nice young man. How long has he been working in your lab?”
“Just a couple of months. He’s very dedicated. Promising.”
Emberly pushed a long black curl behind her shoulder. “And Sylvie’s interesting.”
“She’s passionate. But easily distracted and never knows when to stop talking.”
Emberly looked over her shoulder at Sylvie and Liam behind us. “She follows Pendragon around like a lost puppy, doesn’t she?”
I gave a small laugh. “Indeed.”
“Oh, to be young and crushing on a handsome professor,” Emberly said with a sigh. “Who was your crush?”
“What?”
“Oh, come on. We all had one. Mine was Doctor Vera Clearwater. She was stunning, intelligent…and much too old for me.”
“I never had a crush on a professor.”
“Don’t lie to me. Who was it?”
“I don’t think I want to tell you…”
Emberly grabbed my hand, batting her eyelashes. “Oh come on, CeCe. Tell me. I must know.”
“Fine.” I winced, stepping over a patch of mud. “Do you remember Doctor Stonewell?”
Emberly’s jaw dropped. “He’s old enough to be our father!”
“Shhhh. I know. There was just something about him when I was younger.”
“But he was so boring. He would drone on and on about the life cycle of plants with the most monotone voice. How in the world could you find that attractive?”
“I don’t know. I—”
“What are you ladies talking about?” Liam came up from behind us and draped his arms around our shoulders.
“We were just talking about which professors we had crushes on when we were younger. You know, inspired by Sylvie’s little crush on you,” Emberly answered.
Liam rolled his eyes. “She’s honestly driving me crazy,” he whispered. “So who was your crush, Cerise? No, wait. Let me guess.”
I stayed quiet, ignoring the warmth of Liam’s hand on my shoulder and the sudden pounding of my heart. He’d let go of Emberly, but hadn’t removed himself from me and I couldn’t decide if it irritated me or if I liked it.
“It was probably someone…boring,” he said with amusement.
“How presumptuous of you—”
“Someone who was just as obsessed with work as you are…” he continued.
“Did you ever know Doctor Stonewell?” Emberly asked, interrupting Liam.
Liam gasped. “Oh, please tell me that’s not true.” He studied me and I stayed silent. “Really, sunshine? I mean, I expected you’d crush on someone like Ambrose Yearwood, but Stonewell?”
I froze at the mention of my ex, my stomach doing a flip. Did he know I had actually been in a relationship with Ambrose? A year long one?
“Excuse me?” I asked, glancing at Liam as we continued our trek.
Emberly gave me a searching look and joined the front of the party, giving us space.
Liam studied me. “Yes?”
“Ambrose Yearwood? Of all people…I can’t believe—” I shook my head, unsure what to say. “Why would you think I would crush on him?”
Liam adjusted his glasses. “He just seems like the type you’d like. All work and no play. Never smiles…uptight…”
“Is that what you really think of me?” I couldn’t help myself. “That I’m so boring, I would choose to be with someone even more tedious than you believe me to be?”
Liam’s smile faded. “Cerise. If I offended you, I sincerely apologize. That’s not what I—I don’t think—”
“Enough. We’re here. It’s time to get to work.”
The party stopped before the entrance to a small cave carved into the side of a tall hill. Soft mosses grew atop fallen logs and large rocks, the opening framed by deep purple vines.
“All right, team,” said Rosenshield. “We are here to observe the species that reside within this cave. We will also bring a few specimens back to camp with us. Collecting the specimens will be Aaric and Sylvie’s job, supervised by one of us.
Doctor Lovelace, please ensure you draw each and every plant or animal species we encounter. ”
I listened to Dr. Rosenshield’s instructions, Liam standing beside me. Though he remained quiet, he kept glancing at me with concern, and what seemed to be a hint of regret.