sitting up awkwardly. Ivy hoped her face wasn't as flushed as it felt, but she knew she couldn't hide her grin. “I wasn't expecting… I mean, it's great to see you again. How are you settling in?”
Orrin James flashed Ivy a wide smile. “Grand altogether. The usual mix-ups with database access of course, but the lads are onto it.”
He gestured to the grass.
“Mind if I join you?”
“Of course not,” smiled Ivy. “We were just getting a bit of fresh air,” she nodded toward Kyah, who was now sitting a few feet away. The bonobo’s nimble fingers were twirling as she dug for ants in a small mound at the tree base. Her brow was furrowed in concentration.
Orrin's dark hair caught the sunlight as he lowered himself onto the grass. Black framed reading glasses complimented his strong jaw line and flecked brown eyes. He looked over curiously at Kyah, occupied with the stick.
“I’ll admit I wasn't expecting you to be in such unique company.”
“This is Kyah,” Ivy laughed. “She lives over in the Biology Research Lab with Liam, I think you met him at the faculty mixer the other night – tall guy, crazy mop hair… a few too many beers…” she added, resolving his faltering memory.
“Oh, right yeah I remember, nice guy.” Orrin glanced sideways at her curiously. “Actually I think I've seen him down at the union baths.”
“Baths?”
“Swimming pool,” Orrin corrected himself. “Sorry, sometimes I forget to use your Aussie lingo.”
Ivy chuckled. “You’re doing pretty well from what I can tell. Most of the faculty seemed smitten with you.”
“Bollocks,” Orrin laughed, shaking his head. “And besides, I’m not really interested in most of the faculty.” His eyes shone with confidence and good humour that seemed effortless.
Against her better judgement, Ivy had let Jayne practically drag her to the last two interfaculty social events. Her blonde assistant had argued relentlessly, ‘You're meant to be showing me the ropes here, woman! Seriously Ivy, if we focus a bit more effort on raising the profile of the Arch department, we could actually raise more grant funding. Did you know they're thinking of funnelling some of our funding into Sociology…?’
‘No way!’
Although Ivy thought the sly grin on Jayne's face was a little suspect at the time, she couldn't argue with her logic. So Ivy spent the fortnightly events forcing herself to mingle amidst the canapés whilst feigning disinterest in gossip about a particular new member of staff that was now watching Kyah intently across the grass.
Appointed a month ago, Orrin at only 27, had become the youngest of the lecturing staff at Melbourne University and was fast gaining popularity with the students for his infectious enthusiasm to ‘think outside the quasar’. He was Irish, clearly, but when and why he’d moved to Australia seemed generally unknown. Not that Ivy had asked around. Much. More curious though, Ivy had decided, was the spark he'd ignited under the staff of the Physics department. The younger staff members and research students seemed to orbit him like electrons, impressed by his growing renown in scientific circles. Orrin encouraged their potential to step beyond current scientific theory. The older staff members, skirted the edges of the fray, disgruntled and eyeing him with distrust.
Now, Orrin nodded towards Kyah, his hand shading his eyes from the sinking sun. “Is she the only chimp here?” he asked. “I mean, are there others in the lab? Are they part of some sort of biological research?”
Ivy frowned. Please, not another one.
When she didn't speak, Orrin continued, “It's just that I've been looking to extend my own research parameters…”
Ivy felt her chest flutter with disappointment. She cut him off, her voice uncharacteristically harsh as she sat forward. “Firstly, Kyah’s a bonobo, not a chimp. More importantly – she’s retired, they all are. She's already had a lifetime of invasive tests
Orrin James flashed Ivy a wide smile. “Grand altogether. The usual mix-ups with database access of course, but the lads are onto it.”
He gestured to the grass.
“Mind if I join you?”
“Of course not,” smiled Ivy. “We were just getting a bit of fresh air,” she nodded toward Kyah, who was now sitting a few feet away. The bonobo’s nimble fingers were twirling as she dug for ants in a small mound at the tree base. Her brow was furrowed in concentration.
Orrin's dark hair caught the sunlight as he lowered himself onto the grass. Black framed reading glasses complimented his strong jaw line and flecked brown eyes. He looked over curiously at Kyah, occupied with the stick.
“I’ll admit I wasn't expecting you to be in such unique company.”
“This is Kyah,” Ivy laughed. “She lives over in the Biology Research Lab with Liam, I think you met him at the faculty mixer the other night – tall guy, crazy mop hair… a few too many beers…” she added, resolving his faltering memory.
“Oh, right yeah I remember, nice guy.” Orrin glanced sideways at her curiously. “Actually I think I've seen him down at the union baths.”
“Baths?”
“Swimming pool,” Orrin corrected himself. “Sorry, sometimes I forget to use your Aussie lingo.”
Ivy chuckled. “You’re doing pretty well from what I can tell. Most of the faculty seemed smitten with you.”
“Bollocks,” Orrin laughed, shaking his head. “And besides, I’m not really interested in most of the faculty.” His eyes shone with confidence and good humour that seemed effortless.
Against her better judgement, Ivy had let Jayne practically drag her to the last two interfaculty social events. Her blonde assistant had argued relentlessly, ‘You're meant to be showing me the ropes here, woman! Seriously Ivy, if we focus a bit more effort on raising the profile of the Arch department, we could actually raise more grant funding. Did you know they're thinking of funnelling some of our funding into Sociology…?’
‘No way!’
Although Ivy thought the sly grin on Jayne's face was a little suspect at the time, she couldn't argue with her logic. So Ivy spent the fortnightly events forcing herself to mingle amidst the canapés whilst feigning disinterest in gossip about a particular new member of staff that was now watching Kyah intently across the grass.
Appointed a month ago, Orrin at only 27, had become the youngest of the lecturing staff at Melbourne University and was fast gaining popularity with the students for his infectious enthusiasm to ‘think outside the quasar’. He was Irish, clearly, but when and why he’d moved to Australia seemed generally unknown. Not that Ivy had asked around. Much. More curious though, Ivy had decided, was the spark he'd ignited under the staff of the Physics department. The younger staff members and research students seemed to orbit him like electrons, impressed by his growing renown in scientific circles. Orrin encouraged their potential to step beyond current scientific theory. The older staff members, skirted the edges of the fray, disgruntled and eyeing him with distrust.
Now, Orrin nodded towards Kyah, his hand shading his eyes from the sinking sun. “Is she the only chimp here?” he asked. “I mean, are there others in the lab? Are they part of some sort of biological research?”
Ivy frowned. Please, not another one.
When she didn't speak, Orrin continued, “It's just that I've been looking to extend my own research parameters…”
Ivy felt her chest flutter with disappointment. She cut him off, her voice uncharacteristically harsh as she sat forward. “Firstly, Kyah’s a bonobo, not a chimp. More importantly – she’s retired, they all are. She's already had a lifetime of invasive tests
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