Dolphin Tale Page #4

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Something's up with Winter.

See this bulge right here?

It's hard to see.

- What is it? Is it bad?

- These muscles are enlarged.

They're pulling on her vertebrae

and it's causing damage right here.

It's from swimming.

Yeah, a dolphin's tail

is meant to flex up and down.

It's not supposed to go side to side.

But that's the only way she can swim.

I know, but they're not designed

to move that way.

Well, what's the worst that can happen?

So she'll have a bulge. That's not so bad.

Yeah, but her spinal cord's

exactly like ours, right?

It's controlling everything. It's controlling

her breathing, her heartbeat, movement.

So if it gets damaged...

So you're saying swimming like that's

gonna kill her?

I mean, we can give her some exercises

to try to improve it, but...

Oh, hey, can we help you?

- Yeah, we're looking for Private Connellan.

- Kyle?

I think he's in the lab across the way.

Okay.

I'm always telling him it's not polite

to point with that thing.

Thanks, guys.

You're welcome.

Sawyer. Come on.

Oh, hey, does Kyle know you're coming?

They didn't machine the darn thing

the way I asked them to.

It's not like I'm trying to send a man

to the moon, for heaven's sake. Unh.

Well, come on in. Don't just stand there.

I'm Cameron McCarthy. And you are?

I'm Lorraine, Kyle's aunt.

Hi.

And this is Sawyer, his cousin.

Family. Very healing.

Or so I'm told.

Mine always makes me

wanna sharpen the cutlery.

God does quality work, doesn't he?

I'm not sure I can beat that. Hold on.

Let me see.

That's a left foot, a right foot and...

Oh, oh.

Here's the beauty.

- High five.

- Ha, ha.

- Ha-ha-ha.

- Please leave.

We just wanna make sure

you're okay, Kyle.

Well, I'm not, all right?

Shrink is down the hall.

I don't do heads, I do bodies.

So I'm gonna let you all do Jerry Springer

without me.

Kyle, we'll finish this up later on, okay?

Chili burger.

Best American invention since jazz.

Look...

...I didn't ask you to come see me.

Now you saw me, so just please leave.

Fine.

You know, whatever.

Did you ever think that this might be

hard for other people?

People besides you?

Did you?

What do you say we get an ice cream.

Sawyer.

I'll wait for you in the car.

Look, it's not you.

Okay?

I just need some time.

Yeah, Mom said that your back was hurt.

That you can't move your legs

or something?

Yeah, I mean, my left leg,

it's coming back.

But it's my right side

they're worried about.

Will you be able to walk again?

With a brace...

...maybe.

What about swimming?

Just tell my mom and dad

I'm doing okay.

Excuse me?

Hi.

Can I ask you a weird question?

All right, I'm looking and I'm listening.

I understand.

No promises.

Hey, Dr. Clay. This is Dr. McCarthy.

- Oh, hi, doctor.

- Hi.

What can I do for you?

Well, I was under the impression

I was here to do something for you.

I was afraid you'd say no.

All right. Let's see here.

Right.

Well, to begin with,

she's as smooth as wet silk.

But how would you keep the daggone thing

on her when there's nothing there?

There's nothing to attach anything to.

It's preposterous anyway,

trying to put a tail on a fish.

And nobody in his right mind

would even try.

Luckily...

...I'm not.

Not what?

In my right mind.

So, what does that mean?

You're gonna...? You're gonna try?

McCARTHY:

Well, ahem...

I've got some vacation time coming up.

But I'm not making any promises.

Dr. McCarthy.

That means she likes you.

Well, imagine my delight.

Not much different from us, really.

Same vertebral structure.

But their skin is hypersensitive. She might

not tolerate anything against it at all.

That's the first step then.

You're doing okay.

Nice and tight.

There's too much power

for what you're proposing to do.

No, there isn't.

We're not gonna be worried about that.

You were talking about the abrasion

part of it. Will you let me finish or what?

McCARTHY:

Good idea. Good idea.

McCARTHY:

Fine, I think, if this would stay up.

- Like this?

- Ha, ha.

McCARTHY:
So this is all gonna be moving

at the same time.

This part is making the tail

kind of go like that.

Exactly.

Please understand

that we're strapped for cash.

It's amazing.

Amazing. Thank you.

Thank you.

High five.

So, what do you need, Cam?

I want you to custom-make some parts

for me.

Not like anything we've done before.

It may not work...

...and I can't pay you.

Other than that, I should be excited, right?

Ha-ha-ha.

Who's the patient?

Bad news?

- Doesn't matter.

- Hmm.

How's the brace holding up?

It's fine.

- What am I supposed to do with that?

- Kick it.

Hard as you can.

Oh, don't worry about breaking

anything.

I own savings bonds.

Something breaks, the government just

buys more. I make money.

I don't think that's how

savings bonds work.

Probably not.

Kick it anyway.

I can't.

Hmm.

Tell me, what hurts more?

Your leg or your pride?

My whole life,

all I wanted to do was one thing.

Well, now you're just gonna have to

want to do something else.

Fortunately, there are about

a million things to choose from.

Look, Kyle, just because you're hurt

doesn't mean you're broken.

No, trust me, I'm broken.

No.

That's broken.

Go home, Kyle.

Go home to your family.

Now, this is the same stuff we use

for humans. It'll protect the skin.

You just slide it right over the stump and

we'll put the prosthetic right over that.

This is something I cooked up

from parts from an old Buick.

It's a little stiff, but it should work

until the real parts are made.

Okay, I got her.

- Let's try it.

- There you go.

All right, hang on, Winter.

As tight as you can get it.

No, no, it's okay.

- Shh, shh, shh.

- It's okay, Winter.

Pheebs, let's get these straps.

Is it tight enough?

It's on.

Okay.

- Back her up.

- Let's go.

Come on, fish.

Go ahead and give her some signals,

Pheebs.

It's okay, it's okay.

- It's okay.

- It's okay, Winter.

Tail up. Tail down.

You got this.

Tail up. Tail down.

Up and down.

No, Winter. Up and down.

No, Winter.

She doesn't like it.

- Winter. Winter.

- Get it off her.

I can't do anything.

Dad, you gotta make her stop.

- Winter, no. Stop.

- Dad, do something.

- Winter.

- Dad.

Thanks, Jerry. This just in:

Tropical Storm Leroy, now churning

across the Gulf of Mexico...

...with winds of up to 80 miles an hour...

- Phoebe.

... has just been upgraded

to a Category One hurricane.

Stay tuned, as we'll bring you

the very latest details as they come in.

- Phoebe, help me here, please.

- Okay.

- Okay, I got it.

- You got it?

Yeah, let's go.

Hey, guys,

I need all of this stuff downstairs.

Everything goes downstairs.

Sawyer.

Sawyer, your mom's here.

You gotta go home.

- What about the animals?

- Don't worry about them. Go home.

Kat, you go too. Go.

Come on, let's get in our spot.

Hi, Mom.

No, no, no, I got it, son.

Come on, Phoebe.

We gotta get inside.

Okay. Good girls.

Hazel.

Dad. Here I am.

Mom?

It's okay, honey.

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