Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 2

the door and called, "Cory, can you come help me unload the anesthesia machine, please."
    "Sure thing," Cory jogged toward him and followed him outside. When they got to the back of the truck, Cory looked up at him and smiled. TJ felt a zing travel through him. Again, he was remembering Cory smiling up at him in the bathroom. His nerves spiked and he pushed his glasses up. He simply had to remain serious and concentrate on his job today.
    Cory bumped him with a shoulder. "You know, you don't have to be all uptight. None of us will bite. Well, except maybe the lions."
    TJ chuckled. "I'm a little nervous, and keyed up, and trying to concentrate. I want to do my best for Bogo today. Plus, it's important that I show professionalism, okay?"
    Cory was staring at the portable anesthesia machine lying in the truck bed. TJ wasn't sure Cory had heard everything he just said, but Cory frowned and nodded, clenching both of his fists. He blinked his eyes rapidly and took a deep, shaky breath.
    TJ reached out a hand and ran it down Cory's back. "Hey." He waited until Cory was looking at him. He couldn't stop himself from brushing a stray hair off Cory's cheek. "I'm going to do my best for both of you, today. I promise."
    Cory nodded. He looked as if he wanted to speak but couldn't. TJ looked around. He pecked a quick kiss on Cory's cheek. "Let's go find out what's up with your cat."
    Cory squared his shoulders and took a deep breath. "Yes. Let's."
    The two of them worked together to lift the portable anesthesia machine that consisted of two tanks with a number of gauges and plastic tubes. Once they set it on the ground, it had wheels and a handle and easily rolled into the building. TJ pulled it carefully through the door and down the hall, just as Lora was parking her zoo truck in the lot.
    Once everyone was gathered inside, they talked through the procedure. TJ assigned each member of the team a specific task. He had thought these through carefully yesterday afternoon, but he reconsidered them now.
    "Cory, I'm going to want you to monitor Bogo's breathing, please," TJ said. He wanted Cory to have something to keep him completely focused and hopefully calmer. Perhaps, then, his worry wouldn't be quite so palpable. TJ was a firm believer in keeping the area of a medical procedure as free from negative energy as possible, though he never spoke of this to his colleagues.
    He turned to Susan and explained, "I may need an extra set of hands if we can remove the mass." TJ looked around at the entire team who were all watching him expectantly. He swallowed and resisted the urge to fish out another Tums. He nodded to Lora. "I think we're all as ready as we are going to be."
    As the senior keeper with the most experience darting lions, Lora would be the one to dart Bogo's hip with the initial anesthetic. They all stood together quietly at the far end of the hall out of Bogo's line of sight and watched as Lora carried the already loaded dart gun to the cage. Bogo immediately began to snarl and growl. From Lora's stance, it appeared he had stood and was pacing the cage, now. Lora stayed relaxed, concentrating, and when she was ready, she pulled the trigger. The gun made a popping sound. Bogo let out an angry snarl.
    "Contact," Lora called. "Left hip."
    TJ looked at his watch and said, "Initial contact 9:19 AM."
    Penny brought her clipboard up and wrote in the time. She would be the record keeper today.
    They continued to wait where they were. Lora would be their eyes and ears until Bogo was down. Cory had been adamant that they limit stress to the old lion as much as possible. He had insisted only one person be near the cage until absolutely necessary. TJ had readily agreed, impressed that Cory had thought of these details.
    "First signs," Lora called out a few minutes later. "Oh man, he's going down already." TJ rushed forward to see the huge lion struggling to keep his feet. Bogo's back end had already sunk to the floor. His breathing was a bit labored, now. His front legs trembled. Bogo gave one final groan and sank all the way to the floor. His head weaved around for a few moments more. TJ said nothing but motioned with his hand for the staff to bring the anesthesia machine down the hall. Cory rolled it forward as quietly as possible.
    When Bogo's head finally fell to the floor, Lora immediately retrieved her keys and unlocked the dual padlocks on the door to lion's cage. Everyone began filing into the cage to perform their various