“You’re fine. No one’s going to let you drink any alcohol, Jill.”
“Thank God.” She really did appreciate knowing she had people looking out for her. “Did you work with penguins on Zoey At the Zoo?” Jill asked.
“No. That was one thing we didn’t have,” Naomi said.
“That’s fine. If you can just come out and spend some time in the enclosure with them so they get used to you, then we can—”
“Oh, not me,” Naomi broke in, holding her hand up. “I’m sorry. That’s not what I meant. I was talking about Donovan.”
Jill was surprised. “Donovan said he wanted to work with the penguins?”
“Not in so many words. But…I’m sure he does. They’re animals, after all. I can’t imagine that he would say no.”
She had a point. “I can’t believe I could be working with Donovan Foster,” Jill said, shaking her head. “No offense,” she said quickly. “Zoey At the Zoo was a much bigger show than his, but his was more my speed.”
“No offense taken. I’ve seen every episode of his show,” Naomi said. She held her hand up again. “But do not confirm that for him.”
“So is this plan about the penguins a way for you to get him to stick around a little longer without confirming for him that you want him to?”
Naomi waved that away. “Donovan Foster is not what I’m looking for.”
“Uh huh.”
“But,” Naomi said, giving Jill an I’m-done-with-that-subject look. “I think he’s looking for something. Something that’s more…meaningful. Something with more purpose. He and Griffin have a complicated relationship and they’re starting to get closer. And Donovan’s moved around so much, that he’s never really put down roots. I just…” She shrugged. “I don’t know what he wants for sure, but if it’s roots and relationships, then Autre is a pretty amazing place to be. I think maybe giving it a little more time wouldn’t hurt him.”
That was for sure. Roots and relationships were unavoidable here, it seemed.
“Do you think Donovan would play Mine’s Bigger Than Yours with me?” Jill asked.
Naomi actually gave a soft snort. “I’m sure of it.”
Jill laughed. “I mean regarding things we’ve screwed up with animals we’ve taken care of.”
Naomi nodded. “Yeah. That too.”
Jill smiled as they turned and headed back for Ellie’s.
Strangely, she was actually looking forward to comparing things she’d screwed up with someone else.
“Those two penguins are never going to have chicks, Jill. You have to accept it.”
Jill looked at Donovan. “You’re right. I can’t believe I didn’t see it before.”
It had been a week since Naomi had convinced Jill to ask Donovan to help out with the penguins.
As if by magic, the day after Donovan stopped by the enclosure and spent time with the birds, one pair of penguins had actually built a nest. Jill had cried real tears of joy.
Five days later, they’d realized the penguins that were taking turns sitting on the eggs in the nest were both females. The eggs were infertile and weren’t going to hatch.
Donovan turned to face her, leaning against the rocks. “Yep. We have lesbian penguins.”
Yep.
Which didn’t bother her. Except that it was going to make it very difficult to have babies.
Jill looked at the two penguins who were standing next to the pond, tapping each other’s beaks affectionately.
Same sex couples were actually common among penguins and she wasn’t sure why that hadn’t occurred to her before as one of the reasons for a lack of baby penguins.
“So, we need to figure something out here,” she told Donovan. “Those two ladies pairing up means that two of our males are left without options.”
“You need to get more penguins,” Fiona said from beside Donovan.
She was in town checking on the camels, donkeys, and horses she’d brought last week. Because of her connections in the world with people who cared for exotic animals, Jill had asked if she’d stop over at the penguin enclosure. Asking for help and input was already getting easier.
It hadn’t yielded any results yet. But the asking was easier.
Yes, more penguins was an option.
“Or we send the males to another program where they have more females.” Jill glanced at her eight. She didn’t want to do that, but it was hardly fair to keep them here if there was only one interested adult female for three males. Penguins mated for life. Once Greta chose a mate, the other two would be out of luck.
“Come on. At least think about adding more penguins,” Donovan urged. “Penguins live in much bigger groups than this in the wild. Maybe they just don’t have enough friends. Besides, you have four more penguin names to use.”
She looked at him quickly. “You know what their names are from?”
“Come on. Of course I’ve read Mr. Popper’s Penguins.”
Jill grinned. She really liked Donovan Foster.
“You know, the small group could be a part of their general depression and why the straight pair hasn’t mated yet,” Fiona said. “He’s right that having a larger rookery could make a difference.”
“Naomi thinks they might be depressed too,” Jill mused, watching the two juvenile penguins dive into the pond. They wouldn’t be mature enough to mate for another year.
“Does she?” Donovan straightened slightly. “What else did Naomi say?”
That she’d been a world-famous actress at one time. But Jill didn’t know who knew that secret and she wasn’t about to betray her new friend’s confidence. “That my stress might be rubbing off on the penguins and that I need a friend to help me brainstorm and to complain to when things don’t go well,” she said honestly.
He grinned. “Well, you’ve got one and a half.”
“Am I the half?” Fiona asked.
“Yep.”
“Because I’m short?”
“Because you’re not here all the time,” Donovan said, looping an arm around her shoulder.
Fiona only came up to his chest.
“And because you’re short,” he added.
She stuck her tongue out at him, but said, “I’ll admit, if these birds need some positivity and enthusiasm, he’s the guy.”
That was for sure. If anyone could be the balance to Jill’s anxiety, it would be Donovan.
“I think having you spend more time with them would be great, if you’re willing. And I’m up for any ideas you have.”
“You mean besides getting more penguins or shipping the two males off to someone else?”
“Both of those things are on the table,” she admitted. “I have to at least consider sending those two somewhere they’ll be better off.”
“Fine. But could we start with two more females first? Just two more. That’s not a huge commitment but we could see if we can make things better before we give up.”
“How about we get the one straight pair we have to have some chicks?” Jill said. “Let’s do that and then talk about what’s next.”