Bella wasn’t the one who had been trampled, yet she kept reliving the moment. She’d made a decision: she would never insist on studying elephants up close again. It had almost cost her husband’s life. By some miracle, the young elephant didn't cause Nathan any major internal injuries. His organs were intact. Only his bones and his pride were hurt. Every day, Bella watched him struggle over the easiest of tasks. He could barely hold the girls, and much less administer vaccinations to the animals at Ithemba.
His patience was running thin, and the more he insisted on doing tasks, the slower his bones would heal. She’d tried to give him a lecture about slowing down, but instead he turned the whole thing around and told her that maybe it was time that she furthered her education. Maybe it was time for her to study to be a fully-licensed veterinarian. She was only a veterinary technician, meaning that by law she couldn’t really treat animals without being in the presence of a real vet. Until now, she’d been satisfied with that certification, but it took a moment like this to wake her up and show her that she needed to step up her game. It had been her dream to one day work with elephants, but dreams always changed. Maybe instead of working with elephants, she could go back to school. Then again, there weren’t any ‘schools’ near Ithemba. She would either have to return to New York schools or go into the city of South Africa. Either way, it needed a brand new conversation with Nathan, and lots and lots of thinking and consideration. Bella’s mind had been on this for weeks before she finally decided to address it. Nathan was in the nursery, looking at the girls while they slept in their cribs when Bella entered. “Hey,” she whispered. She smiled at their beautiful girls. Maybe it was time they got toddler beds; they were growing so quickly. “I was thinking,” she said quietly to Nathan. “Maybe we should talk about me going back to school after all…”
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Isabella Kaylee DwyerWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
December 2017
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