to my love

part one

“My Love! Where have you gone off to?” Ammonodia shouted out to her beloved husband Agaonite. Agaonite was what made her feel the most at home when he draped himself around her. Many would say the pair was inseparable or had a connection like no other. “Swimming of course!” Agaonite responded as he pushed himself over with a very powerful whip of his tentacles that pushed a rush of water in the opposite direction to reach where Ammonodia was floating.“I asked you where you went, not what you were doing. Sometimes I forget your charm in being a complete twit.” Ammonodia stated whipping one of her tentacles to emphasize that last part.“I honestly was wondering when that perfect bride act was going to drop. For a second I did not recognize you with your dramatic ‘my love’ and ‘gone off to’.” Agaonite explained. Ammonodia simply rolled her galaxy eyes, that is how Agaonite would have described them.

“Well whatever, I was honestly m o r e worried because of what I heard from my one friend, Dave, you know the fella that can swim and walk on land types. AND what he said was that some of the land folk have been taking notice of this new large bright light in the sky. Anyways from what I gathered some land folk have been complaining about it. Calling it a disturbance to the balance of the day and the night sky-.” “Honey, what more did your friend, Dave, say about it? Is it dangerous? Please get to the point.” Agaonite interrupted. “There you go again.” Ammonodia exclaimed as she crossed her tentacles. “Oh Anomalocaris, not this again.” Agaonite sighed. “You know how I feel when you interrupt that’s all.” Ammonodia explained as she has explained for the millionth time. “Are you for real right now?” Agaonite asked in a tone that said, ‘no please continue your long-winded explanations of our possible impending doom of a bright light that we can not even see from down here’.“Well, anyways the land folk are theorizing that it's the end of the world. But like what do they know they can’t even swim, except Dave. What a guy, he really can do both! Some people just really win all the fish in the world…” Ammonodia stopped mid monologue seeing how rigid Agaonite became after mentioning the possibility of doomsday. “Okay, I’m done. Sorry love. Hey, it will be fine. We have each other and you know what I think we should do. Go for a trip. To those places, we always talked about going to. What do you think? Ammonodia asked.“I- I- I think that is a great idea dear. We- we can go off the coast of that land mass we heard about that has all those smaller ammonites. Heard they eat plankton. Silly right?” That is all Agaonite could say at that moment.

The shock of mass extinction for a whole period of species is not something that many can process or even understand. Ammonodia and Agaonite were just ordinary ammonites, I mean they were no tiny plankton-eating ammonites, but what could the pair do other than continue living until they can’t? So they shined their shells and they stretched their tentacles for their long journey. In the end, as the large meteor was making its way to destroying life as it was known, Ammonodia and Agaonite could not stop laughing at how silly the small ammonites looked.

“Oh, honey this has really been the best time.” Agaonite laughed. “It really has been and I hope in the next life we will spend it together just like this again.” Ammonodia stated as she wrapped her tentacles around Agaonite. “I really do too dear because floating here with you wrapped around me like this will always feel warm.” Agaonite replied. “Even at my mother’s house, 'cause you know it's damn cold. Keep telling her she gotta move to the tropics like we did, but she won’t listen to me. Something about ‘you know how your father feels about change’.” “Yes love, even at your mother’s home.” Agaonite replied as he has replied for the millionth time.

Right in that moment the impact of the meteoroid in an instant sent a high-speed wave across the Earth’s ocean. The impact killing Ammonodia and Agaonite together sending them together to float back down to the sediment.

part two

“FUCK!” Esteban exclaimed. He woke up that morning not expecting to step on the new rock pick he gifted his husband, Tom, left on the ground from the other night. “Why the hell did he leave this out on the ground??” Esteban mumbled to himself.

Esteban and Tom have been married for a little over two years now, but recently they have not been seeing much of each other since Tom’s new paleontologic project based in a site out in Mexico. What really has Esteban worried is that Tom is staying with his mother and just only hopes his mom is not saying anything embarrassing or inappropriate to Tom. No, she probably already has. Something like, ‘Mi hijo siempre habla de ti y que tan enamorado de ti eta. Lo que no entiendo, es porque todavía no tienen hijos?’ or ‘¿Y donde están mis nietos ? Na mas te veo que sales y regrecas mugroso porque juegas en la tierra como niño. ¿ No eres hombre?’.

Esteban’s mother has always been critical of his career in being a paleontologist. She supports him of course, but that does not mean she won’t hold back some jabs about wanting grandkids and his dirty pants. When she first heard about his boyfriend she was just shocked he managed to find a man just like him, with dirty shoes and pants. Esteban and Tom met on a job site some years back and since then took on projects together, traveling the world site to site. Marriage had been great for the two; it was only when they fought a week before Tom left for Mexico to take on a project by himself. Esteban in the meanwhile was back at home dealing with writer's block so bad that he has been pushing back deadlines for months. This was a paper he has been working on for a few years now. It was the stress that made Esteban lash out; he knew it and Tom knew it too, but their communication since their fight has been reduced to just a few words. The only time he hears from him is during his nightly calls with his mother (He needs to keep tabs. Can’t let things get more out of hand than they already are). That and of course the most recent visit from Tom for Tom’s birthday. The vibes were fine, but he missed him so much, but was still sour about how they left it last time and felt Tom did not try to reach out for him as much as he did for him. So Tom visited and he left, left his damn rock pick on the floor.

…

“Hola mamá.” Esteban said to his mom over facetime. “No me digas hola mamá, yo quiero saber que hiciste a mi nuero Tom-atillo.” Esteban’s mother pressed. “¿Mamá me puedes pasar a Tom?” Esteban asked. “Si.” She simply said. As she was passing the phone to Tom in the background Esteban could hear her say “Ten Tom-atillo te quiere hablar mi hijo grosero.”“gracias señora.” Tom responded. He then was face to face with his husband who did not even hold him for a second even after a month of not seeing each other or even for his birthday. It was silent for a bit. They both just kind of stared at each other. The tension was awkward, awkward enough for the narrator to get uncomfortable.

“So…you're just going to stare at me?” Tom was the first to break the silence (thank Anomalocaris).“AH, Tom, I-I am sorry. You know and I know when I lashed out all those mean things I said about you and your ammonites drag ideas, I-I didn’t mean it. Like when I said ‘what the hell is drag about ammonites they are not even women?’ or ‘ how would you even coordinate heels to tentacles?’. I am sorry Tom” Esteban attempted to apologize.“Umph, you are so fucking stupid Esteban. I forgive you but what I was more upset about was that after us taking a month-long to think and forgive I come back to visit you for MY birthday and you don’t even give me a hug. But to get this clear heels and tentacles would pair beautifully. Plus I have been working on a wig to match” Tom responded."Aye Tom, I missed you.” Esteban sighed in relief.“I missed you too obviously. And it has been weird working on a site without you. There is no one I can joke or laugh with about what the fossil could be.” Tom sighed in sadness.“Like the time I suggested the fossil was just the lazy field technician’s rotisserie chicken they ate for lunch and then tried to hide it.” Esteban giggled.“Oh do not remind me of that field technician, they were gross! Who eats a whole rotisserie chicken by themselves??” Tom asked. “Ummm, well since you've been gone I may or may not have been eating Costco rotisserie chickens alone.” Esteban said ducking in shame to his husband’s bafflement. “WHO ARE YOU? My husband would never.” Tom spoke in horror."I know it is shameful but the Costco makes them so damn well.” Esteban said in shame.“Yes, I guess they do make it tempting.” Tom said in a way so his husband did not feel so bad.

“Well, I actually had a surprise to run by you.” Esteban said changing the topic. "Esteban honey it is not a surprise if you run it by me.” Tom stated giving him a side-eye glance. “Yes I know, but I just want to tell you because it is kind of hard to hide it from you when it takes a 9-hour plane ride to England.” Esteban explained. “Oh God, please don’t tell me you want us to visit my family. The last time we did it was a disaster.” Tom complained.“No, you are right, that was a disaster. Not everyone can be as accepting as my mother.” Esteban stated. “A saint really.” Tom added. “I would not go that far, but sure. No, the surprise is I wanted to take you to the Jurassic Coast.” Esteban revealed. “Work. Really? That's nice of you I guess when would we go?” Tom asked in a sarcastic tone. “Jaja, yes I guess it would be like work, but what you can find on the coast is more special. We can find you a little ammonite. An inspiration for your drag!” Esteban explained and when he did Tom's eyes lit up with understanding. “Haha oh, that is the dumbest surprise I have ever heard of. Let's do it!” Tom exclaimed in excitement. The excitement that he and Esteban properly made up and were now going to see each other for a fun trip.

…

“It's bloody fucking wet out here.” Tom complained. It was a wet and cold January winter on the Jurassic Coast. The perfect time Eteban tried explaining because of how few people were there and the rain uncovered new specimens. Tom thought to himself there was a rainy fucking reason for how few people there were. BUT he loves Esteban and Esteban planned this trip because he loves Tom. “Yes, my love it is now keep searching I want to find you a big ammonite none of these silly small ones.” Esteban answered back.

“Esteban I have only found these damn little ammonites and our time with the low tide is almost up. Can we please just try tomorrow?” Tom pleaded. But his puppy eyes which would normally work did not. This is probably because his glasses and Estaban’s glasses were drenched in water. Well, no wonder we can not find shit Tom thought to himself. Eventually, the men had to leave due to the tide. But Esteban was insistent that he felt the ammonite of their dreams was out there. So Tom agreed, but with one condition that they stay in this night to watch a movie all nice and warm and spend tomorrow looking for the big one.

The next morning the lads do head out. And were hit with almost immediate wind and rain. Just as quickly they also came across this large rock in the shape of a heart.

“I don’t think this massive lot was here yesterday.” Tom stated staring questionably at the very conveniently shaped rock. “No you are right, maybe the rain and tide from last night uncovered it. Do you have your tool?” Esteban asked. “Oh do not try to romance me right now.” Tom said, giving a sarcastically flirty glance to Esteban. “You know what I meant and you are lucky I can not see you.” Esteban retorted. Tom then handed him his rock pick and they had at it.

What they found was more than Esteban had expected and way more than Tom was picturing. To be very honest Tom was at this point just humoring his husband. But there it was two of the biggest ammonites they have seen during this entire excursion. In the sediment, they were there lying together.

“How is it possible this type of ammonite is here? They are clearly far different from the surrounding ones??” Esteban asked out loud. “They are something special. To be here far off from where they would normally be found. Lying in the heart-shaped sediment.” Tom concluded.

Together Tom and Esteban took hours on the beach to uncover the couple from their rocky love to find them stable and intact together.