As Sam walked through the park, he saw a turtle on its back, its little legs squirming helplessly in the air.
“How’d you do that?” Sam asked the struggling turtle as he knelt down to it. The area under the turtle’s shell featured the indent of a weird, eight-pointed star. Based on what he had learned the year before in fifth grade biology, Sam knew this part of the shell was called the plastron and did not usually have a star shape carved in it.
“Did someone knock you over?” Sam picked up the turtle and turned it over. Mud covered the turtle and nestled deep in the spiral scratches all over its shell. The top of the shell was flat and had a star like the one on turtle’s belly, with eight points. Using his shirt, Sam scrubbed the turtle clean and put him down a few steps off the trail.
The turtle looked up at him. Sam thought it was smiling as it scampered away into the woods. Its brown shell stood out in the green summer leaves as it shuffled farther from the path into the mud and underbrush of the woods.
“Find something? Who are you talking to?” Sam’s mom called over to him. She put her hand over her eyes to shield them from the late sun casting orange light through the trees. The other hand was wrapped into her boyfriend, Greg’s arm. Sam glanced at her, saw the entwined hands and looked back for the turtle.
“A turtle,” Sam said.
“Oh, neat! Does he have a name?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” Sam replied, wiping the mud from his shirt. It added a fresh streak to an already-impressive collection of mud stains. Sam’s mom sighed.
“Don’t get worked up,” Greg whispered into her ear. She was about to say something about staying clean. “Boys get dirty.” He smiled and laughed. She nodded her head and laughed too.
Sam heard them laughing and looked back. He saw Greg’s arm around his mom and turned back toward the turtle quickly. She was happy, and that made him happy, but Greg wasn’t Dad. Two years ago, Dad and Mom had walked in the woods on this same path, arms around each other and laughing.
“I’m going to name him Shelly,” Sam said as he shifted to watch Shelly walk away. The star made it easy to tell Shelly from other turtles.
“That’s a nice name,” his mom called after him.
“Good turtle name,” Greg said. He came over to Sam and knelt beside him. They both watched the turtle crawl through the trees and eventually vanish. Greg didn’t mind the dirt and mud, which surprised Sam. Greg always dressed so nicely. Sam was a jeans and t-shirt kid, but Greg always wore a suit and tie. Even on weekends.
One time, Sam asked Greg if he was really a spy or something. Greg didn’t laugh at the question and quietly asked, Who told you? Sam got really quiet and worried that he figured Greg out, but Greg laughed and said he liked how it felt to dress nicely. Sam could appreciate that. He didn’t understand it, but he could understand why someone would like to look nice. You didn’t go fishing in a suit and tie. You didn’t go hiking in a suit and tie. But, apparently, Greg did.
“Turtles are cool,” Greg said. “That one’s just a little guy. Probably could fit in your pocket.”
“Yeah, I guess,” Sam said as he walked away. His mind returned to his mom and Greg laughing, their arms around each other. He didn’t want to talk about turtles with Greg. Dad was more of a turtle guy. Greg was more of a computer guy. More into monitors and mice than trees and turtles.
Greg stepped back to Sam’s mom. She frowned, but Greg buried his disappointment in a smile. “It’s going to take time.” Greg rubbed her shoulder. “We need to give him space, Carole.” Greg kissed her cheek.
Sam shivered. He didn’t want his mom to be called Carole.
“Come on, I’ll walk you all home,” Greg said as he wrapped his fingers into Sam’s mom’s hand. They walked away, and Sam followed behind them. He looked back for the turtle, but Shelly was gone.
“You boys want another Star Wars marathon tonight?” Sam’s mom asked. Sam sighed, remembering the marathon last week, and the week before. Mom loved Star Wars, Sam got it, but that didn’t mean he should have to sit through a bazillion hours of movies and shows with her every week.
“Another night?” Greg read Sam’s slumped shoulders and gave Sam’s mom a wink.
Greg and Sam’s mom debated which movie was the best as they kept walking. Sam knew his mom’s answer but wasn’t sure about Greg’s. Mom was all about Empire Strikes Back. Greg probably liked Star Trek, with all the computer stuff.
Sam’s thoughts drifted away from Star Wars and back to the turtle. He stared a moment longer into the woods and saw a hint of sunlight hit something on the forest ground. It glowed brightly in the sunlight and seemed to swirl. The glint of light had streaks of blue coming off it like an eight-sided star. Sam looked harder. A cloud moved in over the sun, blanketing the woods in darkness. The glow was gone.
