by L L Shelton
“You see it?” Carly asked.
“Yes, there’s a fishing line wrapped around its back legs. There isn’t a lot of blood. What do I do?”
“You need to get the wire off. Approach it from behind, so it can’t bite you, but be careful of the claws.” Carly leaned back on a rock. She pulled her grandfather’s knife from its sheath and held it out to Avery. “You can do this. I’ll guide you.”
Avery noticed her hand was shaking when she reached for the knife. Placing it between her teeth, she rolled her sleeves up. After she found a hair tie in her pocket, she pulled her hair into a bun.
“What are you doing?” Carly asked.
“I am putting my hair in a bun,” Avery called out.
“I bet that’s sexy.” Carly grinned.
Avery laughed. “Back to the sea turtle. What do I do?”
Carly took off her jacket and held it out in Avery’s direction. “Use my jacket. Put it around your arm. Get behind the turtle. See if you can find an end to the wire.”
Avery poked around the sand beneath the turtle’s feet. When the turtle squirmed, Avery let out a scream. Standing up straight, she took a moment to grab a few deep breaths. “We need to name her. It will make me feel better.”
Carly laughed. “Then give her a name.”
“Lola. I will call her Lola,” Avery said. Breaths came uneven as she felt around the enormous creature. “I’m touching the fishing line.”
“Good. Use the knife to cut it away.”
“Oh my god. I got it loose. Go, Lola! Go back to the sea.” Avery waved her hands, but the turtle held her ground. “She isn’t moving. What do I do?”
“Give her a second.” Avery leaned on the rock, and Carly wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “You did well.”
After about five minutes, Lola moved. “She moved!” Avery screamed out. “She’s going back into the water.”
Carly smiled. “Fantastic.”
Avery slipped between Carly’s leg and wrapped both arms around her neck. “We did a great job.”
Carly took in a breath. There was that word again. She used it twice tonight. Does she believe there is a ‘we’? This is our first date. How can anyone know? She doesn’t know how much it takes to date a person like me. Avery leaned in closer, and Carly could feel her breath on her neck. The faint smell of her perfume that had worn lingered in the air. “Avery?”
“Yes?” Avery breathed the word.
“I want to kiss you,” Carly whispered back.
“Yes.” This time, the word sent an invitation.
Lips so soft, a surge ricocheted through Carly’s body. She caught the entire moan that escaped Avery’s mouth with her own. The kiss deepened like the tide. The smallest parting of lips and tongues danced in a frenzy as Carly ran her hands up her back and groaned when Avery wrapped her fingers in her blonde hair. The need for air was the only reason the two broke free. Carly ran her lips over Avery’s neck, nibbling softly.
“I’m wet,” Avery whispered amongst hitched breaths.
“Me too,” whispered Carly.
Avery placed distance between them. “No, I mean my shoes are wet.”
Carly listened for a moment at the way the water hit the rocks. “Shit! The tide’s coming in. You need to get us out of here.”
Avery paid the Uber driver once they’d gotten back and shut the door behind them. They stood at the plank that took them to Carly’s boat. Climbing back over the rocks was exhausting, but the adrenaline from saving Lola coursed through their veins.
“Want to come in?” Carly asked.
“I can’t,” responded Avery.
“Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to imply.”
Avery placed a single finger up to Carly’s lip. “I want to, but if I do, we will end up having sex, and I don’t have sex on the first date. Let me leave you with this.” Avery pressed her lips hard into Carly, capturing her breath. When she pulled away, it was Avery’s legs that wobbled. Damn! This woman can kiss. “Night. Thank you for the most amazing first date.” Avery’s words faded as she walked away.
Carly screamed out, “Hey, do you have sex on the second date?”
Avery yelled back, “I guess you will find out on our second date, Ms. Carly Hutch.”
11
Sully flapped his wings after catching a fish that Carly tossed his way. “No more, buddy. I have to get ready for Lily Ann to arrive.” Carly stood and made her way to the bedroom, and Sully squawked as he followed, landing on the dresser. “Don’t give me that attitude. Lily Ann will be fine. I will not let her get hurt while walking around blindfolded.” Sully picked up her comb and nudged her hand with it. “Oh, my hair is a mess?” Sully answered her with another nudge to raise the comb. Carly smiled as she ran the comb through her hair. She loved Sully, always there for her after Brittney. He even accepted Cheddar into their little circle. He would never admit it, but she knew he loved that little mouse. Sully made a funny noise with his throat. “Someone’s here?” Carly asked.
“Carly!” the voice screamed out.
“Down the hallway. The door on the left,” Carly screamed back. She lowered her voice. “You behave yourself, Sully.”
“Hey.” Lily Ann froze in the doorway. “Um, Carly, that’s one big bird.”
“This is Sully. He’s my friend. Sully, this is Lily Ann.” Carly held her hand out, and Sully ran his beak under her fingers. “Come say hello. He won’t hurt you.”
Lily Ann ambled toward the white bird. She froze for a second when he turned his head and flapped his wings. “Hi, Sully,” Lily Ann muttered as she held her hand out. Sully took two hops and turned toward her. Lily Ann flinched at the sudden movement. Carly must have sensed it because she took a step closer to her. At least if her hand got severed, Lily Ann had someone to call the ambulance. She reached out, and as he did with Carly, he nudged her fingers with his beak. A nervous giggled sounded out.
“Beautiful, isn’t he?” Carly said.
“He is. I’ve never been this close to a pelican. Does he live on the boat?”
“No, he comes and goes,” Carly answered. “Sully.” Sully turned his head when he heard his name. Lily Ann stood in awe. “Get going. Lily Ann and I need some alone time.” Sully flapped his wings, gave out a cry, and took off down the hallway. “He can be a showoff. Let’s head to the kitchen.”
As they entered the kitchen, Carly leaned against the sink. “Ready to get started?” she asked.
“I’m excited,” Lily Ann answered.
“Take a moment and study the room. I will make us some tea. Then we will blindfold you for the rest of the visit. Also, make sure you look in the bathroom. It’s two doors down on the right.”
Lily Ann took her time to study the two rooms. She memorized the layout of the kitchen — the sink with the coffee pot to the right, fridge sat in the corner against the far wall, four chairs and a table sat in the center of the room. The bathroom was easy to remember. She counted the steps to the toilet then back. After about ten minutes, Lily Ann joined Carly at the kitchen table. A block of cheese sat on a cutting board with two cups beside it. A pitcher of tea rested on the other side of the board.
“Are you ready?” Carly asked.
“Let’s do this.”
Carly pulled a sleeping mask and a bandana out of her pocket. “Place the mask on then the bandana over it. That should remove any sight. At any time you don’t feel comfortable, please stop our session.”
Lily Ann almost laughed. Usually, those were the directions she gave to her clients. Being on the receiving end felt different. “Okay.” Lily Ann placed the sleeping mask on and tied the bandana behind her head. Darkness absorbed her, and her world went black. She lost her bearings in the kitchen; all the studying was to no avail. Her hands reached out to steady herself.
“You good?” Carly asked.
“Just a little disoriented. Didn’t do any good to study the room,” Lily Ann mentioned.
Carly found the blind-folded woman’s hand and
laid hers on top. “We are staying in this room; I won’t let anything bad happen. A brief talk between us, we can enjoy some cheese and tea. Do you trust me?”
“I do,” Lily Ann replied.
It relieved Carly to hear her response. To anyone else, a hired escort that was deliberately blindfolded so they could talk to one another would sound like Carly was one step from the looney house. Hell, she wasn’t sure what to expect. Maybe she was crazy and grasping at the straws of normalcy. “Good. Let’s start with you cutting us some cheese. I will open the crackers.”
“Did you say to cut the cheese? I can’t see the food or the knife. How am I suppose to do that?” Lily Ann’s fingers crawled over the table until she touched the edge of the cutting board. The wood scraped across the table as she pulled it closer.
A hand touched hers. “Let me show you. Are you left or right-handed?”
“Right,” Lily Ann answered.
Carly took hold of Lily Ann’s right hand and guided her fingers to the knife stuck in the cheese. Lily Ann listened to the instructions as Carly maneuvered her hands as if conducting an orchestra. “The knife has a guard to protect you from the blade. After finding the end of the cheese, you move your finger to the size of your cut. You bump the guard of the knife up to the tip of your index finger. Curl the other fingers.” Carly pushed down on Lily Ann’s hand that wrapped around the handle. “Then, you slice.” The knife split the cheese into the perfect piece. “Pull your finger back for the next cut. Find your spot, then slice. See, easy peasy.”
“Can I ask you something?” Lily Ann asked as she continued to repeat the cuts.
“Sure,” Carly’s voice sounded from across the room.
Lily Ann turned her head in the voice’s direction. “How long did it take you to feel comfortable being on your own?”
“Who says I am? I’m still scared of each sunrise and sunset. Each day brings fresh challenges, new hopes, and old defeats.” Carly sat back down at the table.
“I finished it. I cut the cheese.” Both ladies laughed out loud. “That didn’t sound that great,” Lily Ann announced.
Carly’s giggles faded. “It sounded perfect. So, now pour the tea. Find the plastic cups and place an index finger inside of the cup. Connect the pitcher to the rim and pour until you feel the liquid reach your finger.” Lily Ann followed the instructions word by word. She realized how important it was that items remained in certain spots. She gave an inner sigh at the sadness, knowing Carly would remain blind long after she gained her sight back.
Carly popped the cracker in her mouth and chewed down on it. “My turn,” she said between bites. “Why are you so uptight? I have felt the tension in your wrist both visits.” Carly heard Lily Ann’s inhale. “I take it that inhale means I am correct.”
“How did you . . . ?” Lily Ann’s words faded off.
“After being blind for a while, other senses heighten. For example, I can tell the muscles are tense in your wrist and forearms. You ball your hands up. The deep inhale came after my statement, but you never released an exhale. You’re holding it in. You also sat back in the chair in defeat. I heard the chair creak when you leaned back. Quid pro quo.”
“I have custody of my siblings after our parents died. My sister is acting funny. She’s seventeen with a lot of pressure between the house and school. Graduating soon and about to go to college is adding to the stress. But something is off, but I don’t know what, and she won’t talk.” Talking to Carly relieved a little of the weight off her shoulders. “Okay, I finished pouring the tea.”
“Place your cup in a place where you will remember, and when you reach for it, come down on the top, not the side. You may turn it over if you reach for it from the side. Let me show you.” Carly took her hand and lifted it before bringing it down. After three tries, Lily Ann found the cup. “How is your sister acting?” Carly asked.
“She’s moody, short-tempered, closed off, not eating. Those are just a few. It all developed within weeks. She broke up with a boy, but she says that’s not bothering her. Now, she turns off her phone at night and sits alone reading cooking books.”
“It sounds like she’s getting bullied,” Carly said. The room got quiet. “You still with me?”
“Just thinking,” Lily Ann answered. “You may be right. Okay, quid pro quo.” She took a deep breath. “How did you lose your sight?”
“A disease. Fluid built up quickly on my brain, causing the loss of sight. It was fast. A stent may have helped, but I ignored symptoms that I was having. It happened almost four years ago.”
Lily Ann reached out to touch Carly’s shoulder with her hand, searching aimlessly. She found it and squeezed it. Lily Ann yanked her hand back. “Sorry, I was trying to touch your shoulder.” A blush spread over her cheeks.
Carly laughed. “Been a while since I had a boob grab.”
“This is hard,” Lily Ann admitted.
“I have had years of practice. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
“Carly, I have to use the bathroom.”
“Remember where it is?” Carly asked.
“I don’t know.”
“Come on.” Carly stood up while guiding Lily Ann with her. “I promised nothing would happen to you.”
12
David bent over the air hockey table, staring down Bobby at the other end. The disk floated back and forth on a bed of air. “Ready, squirt? Last point.” David watched as Bobby pursed his lips and squinted his eyes in determination. He hit the puck softer than usual, giving the youthful version of himself a chance to return the serve.
“Hi, David.” The adolescent girl’s voice rang out in the middle of the arcade.
His eyes found Carmen standing next to him. “Hi,” he said as the sound of the puck hit his goal. A bell sounded, claiming Bobby the winner. His little brother raised his arms in a victory celebration, only to receive a twisted smile from David. “I just lost to my little brother.” He pointed to the dancing figure at the other end of the table.
Carmen turned to see Bobby’s elbows in and behind wiggling. She laughed. “I see. Have you been at the mall for long?”
David stepped around the hockey table closer to her. He shoved both hands into his front pockets to hide the sudden nervousness. He had asked her to eat lunch with him after his sister’s words of encouragement. The teenagers sat in the school cafeteria eating with few words between them. “No. My sister dropped us off to get haircuts. She’s picking us up at two.”
“Your haircut looks nice,” She said, hinting a shy smile.
“Would you like to go get a shake? Shakey’s in the food court has 101 different flavors.” The quiver in his voice caused the words to vibrate and his voice to crack an octave higher.
Bobby jumped between the two with both feet landing solid. “I want a shake.” He twisted to face Carmen. “Hi, I’m Bobby.”
“Hi, Bobby. Nice to meet you. My name’s Carmen.”
“You like David,” Bobby blurted out. David palmed his face and pushed him behind his back.
“Sorry, he can be a twerp.” David squinted his eyes at his little brother in warning. Turning his attention back to the girl, he asked, “How about that shake?”
“I’d love to get a shake.” Carmen smiled before turning to head out of the arcade toward the food court. David hit Bobby on the back of the head, mouthing twerp.
Lily Ann received a text from David asking her to please come and get Bobby in the food court. When she rounded the corner, the reason was apparent. Carmen was sitting at the table, sipping on a green shake, while Bobby was wiggling back and forth in the chair like ants filled his pants. Scooting up behind the littlest brother, she placed both hands on his shoulders, and he calmed to a still. Lily Ann looked down as he craned his head back, finding her with his blue eyes. She brought her eyes to Carmen. “Hello again, Carmen.” She looked over at David. “I’m taking Bobby to look for a pair of shoes.” She took a quick look at her watch. “I’ll be back in forty-five minutes.
Then we have to go. I have to get ready for work.”
David nodded and gave her the thank you look. He watched them walk away and turned his attention back to Carmen. Leaning over, he sipped on his peanut butter shake. Finally, finding the nerve, he spoke, “I have a boxing match coming up. Would you like to come to watch it?”
“Like a genuine boxing match?” Carmen asked.
“Yes. A real one. I’ve been training to be a boxer,” His eyes never reached hers.
“Will you get hurt?”
“I don’t think so. It’s safe. We wear headgear. It would be cool if you came, but I understand if you can’t.”
“I’ll come. Can I ask you a question?” Carmen flipped her hair to the side and twisted it a rope.
“Sure,” David answered.
“The Sadie Hawkin’s dance is coming up. Would you like to go as my date?” Carmen’s question came out as a whisper.
“Um. . . I . . .” David’s words stuttered out. The courage he gained when she agreed to watch him fight failed him. That flutter arrived back in his stomach with a vengeance. The silence between them lingered. It took a quick gulp of air before he spat his answer out. “Okay.”
They smiled at each other while taking draws from their shakes.
Lily Ann drove the three of them back to the house after gathering everyone up at the mall. David was extra quiet with a smile on his face, while Bobby raved about his new sneakers that displayed his favorite animal, a dinosaur. He kept slamming his foot on the floorboard to have the eyes light up. It took about five stomps before Lily Ann told him to knock it off. Pulling into the driveway, she noticed Suzy sat alone on the swing. Her head laid back, eyes closed, with the swing pushed back and forth with one foot, and the other one curled up under her. Lily Ann ushered the boys inside, then found her way over to sit beside her. With no words between the two sisters, they rocked softly. Lily Ann pulled her into a gentle hug, with Suzy’s head finding her shoulder. Silence spoke of unsaid emotions.