by Melissa Good
Damn. Dar settled into an easy rhythm, feeling a springiness in her step she hadn't had for a while. This feels great. She wasn't sure if it was just the recent changes in her life, or the renewed interest she'd found in her sessions with Ken, but it was almost like she'd shed a few years lately.
Six circuits and she didn't even feel it, which caused a pleased grin to crease her face, and she continued on for several more rounds, only stopping when the sun was brightly warming the air and a healthy layer of sweat covered her skin.
She stopped on the seawall, and gazed out over the Atlantic, the morning light melding the gray waves into a ripple of greens and blues as the northwest wind blew against her back, drying the sweat and cooling her skin. With a satisfied sigh, she sat down, drumming her heels against the concrete, and feeling the erratic spray of the waves as they struck against the wall. The soft hiss of tires behind her made her turn, and she smiled as Carlos tooled up in the Beach Club's cart and hopped out. "Morning." She greeted the server.
"Good morning, Ms. Roberts… haven't seen you out here too regularly lately." He smiled pleasantly. "Would you like your regular?"
Dar considered. "Yeah.. " She paused. "And a glass of orange juice, if you don't mind." A wry grin shaped her lips.
"Valencia or Navel?" Carlos asked, without missing a beat.
"Valencia, please… with pulp if you have it." Dar replied, finding herself developing a liking for the stuff under Kerry's not very subtle prodding. She'd also managed to nudge Dar into trying some healthier snacks, and she'd found herself actually liking the dried fruits and nuts a lot more than she'd expected. Apples seemed to be making an appearance around the condo as well. "And I'll probably be bringing four or five people down for breakfast in about an hour or so."
"Very good." Carlos resumed his cart, and released the brake. "Be right back."
Dar returned her eyes to the horizon and leaned back, extending her legs out and tensing her thigh muscles as she yawned, then turning her head as she heard footsteps approaching. "Hey.. morning Jack."
The pilot jogged up and joined her on the seawall, dressed in a pair of dark blue sweatpants and a tank top with Navy on it in bold gold letters. "And a good morning to you, too." He rubbed his hand over his crewcut and looked out over the sea. "I gave Cappuccino a little kibble.. I will warn you that morning is puppy play time."
Dar grinned. "Thanks… I was going to check in on her when I got back.. didn't figure I'd be out here this long." She looked over as Carlos returned, bearing her orange juice and café, along with a thermos and a basket, which he set down. "I brought a cup for the gentleman." The server explained courteously. "And a basket of our fresh pastries, which just came out."
Dar chuckled. "Thanks, on both counts." She signed the tab and watched him leave, then investigated the basket. "Here… try one of these.. they're good."
Jack did so, biting into the honey and nut covered pastry. "Mm… that is good." He chewed, then poured himself a cup of coffee. "It's nice out here."
The dark haired woman nodded. "I had a little trouble adjusting to it." She admitted. "I was so used to the Spartan life… you know what my place in the grove looked like" She gave Jack a wry grin. One chair, one table, and futon to sleep on. The ultimate in no fuss householding.
"Oh yeah.. " Jack laughed. "This sure is different.. frankly, I had a tough time picturing you living out here."
A shrug. "It was hard, at first.. but I've gotten used to it." Dar replied. "Now I think I've developed a distinct addiction to the soft, easy life." She informed him, with a touch of regret. "And this place has it's advantages… privacy, safety.. a nice jogging path… you know."
"That's for sure." He bit into another pastry, as she sucked on her orange juice, chewing the pulp thoughtfully. "If I'm not being a butt in, you seem like your pretty happy, Dar.. a lot more than you have been in a while."
The pale blue eyes gazed out at the water for a long moment, then turned to look at him. "That's a pretty accurate statement." She allowed, slowly.
"Kerry's a real sweetheart." Jack continued. "How's she doing, after all that stuff?"
Dar exhaled, and let her hands rest on her knees. "It's tough." She admitted. "But she's dealing with it…I was glad her brother and sister came down, because I think she was feeling not seeing her family for the holidays a lot."
"Mmm." Jack acknowledged. "That is tough."
"Yeah." Dar stated, quietly, glancing down. "So, what's up with you?" She politely changed the subject. "You said you wanted some advice?"
Jack remained quiet for a moment, drawing a knee up and wrapping his arms around it. "Robbie… his hitch is up after this tour." The pilot paused. "He's decided to get out… his uncle's a project manager at Grumman, and he's been offered a job there."
Dar just listened.
"He's gotten them to give me an offer too.. he wants me to get out, and… " Jack hesitated. "He wants me to move out there with him."
The dark haired woman considered the issue. "I thought you were career Navy."
He looked down at his hands. "I thought I was too… you know I love the service, Dar… goofy as it is, I love the regimentation, the camaraderie…I love walking out to the hanger and seeing my plane waiting… I even love the scary parts, the night landings, and the flights into fire… "
"But?"
"But." Jack sighed. "No matter how good a pilot I am, no matter how good a soldier I am… no matter how many ribbons I wear, or how gilded my wings are… if I tell them how I feel about Robbie, I'll be thrown out like yesterday's garbage." He regarded the horizon. "They're forcing me to choose."
Dar took a sip of her coffee. "You don't have to tell them." She offered quietly. "A lot of people don't."
He nodded slowly. "I know… but Tony wants to leave, and I… "
"Jack.. this.. is going to sound damn cold of me." Dar inhaled quietly. "But you have to look inside your own heart, and decide what's best for you, not what's best for him." She thought a minute. "He's a RIO… is he going into research and development?"
Jack nodded.
"And your offer.. the same?"
Another nod.
"Would you be happy doing that?" The executive asked softly.
Jack gazed at his knees. "I'm a pilot." It was a quiet, sad admission. "I could do R and D, but… " He looked up into Dar's eyes. "I'd be giving up something I really love." A pause. "What would you do, Dar? Would you give up your job for Kerry? Go off and do something else.. something that you really didn't care about.. if she asked you to?"
Dar thought about that for a while, watching a gull dip and swoop towards the waves, searching for a meal. Finally, she exhaled and turned her head towards him. "Yes." She replied, briefly. "But.. Jack, she's the first person that I've been involved with that I can say that about… usually, my answer would have been no." She cleared her throat. "I would think it really depends on whether you love Tony with that kind of intensity.. enough to give up something you really put your heart into." She gazed at him. "Do you?"
Jack's turn to gaze off into the distance for a protracted period, as Dar sipped her coffee, and munched on a warm pecan roll. At last the blond head dropped. "No." He admitted heavily. "I like him, we have fun together, he's my best friend.. but…no."
Dar put an arm around his muscular shoulders. "You asked for advice… for what it's worth, I think you should stay where you are, until you meet someone you love more than flying."
He looked curiously relieved. "How will I know?"
Dar smiled quietly. "You'll know." She gave him a rueful look. "Believe me, you'll know." She sat there for a moment, then she glanced up at the sky. "Everyone should be up by now… let's go get em and go down for some breakfast." She got to her feet, and offered him a hand up, which he took.
"Sounds good." He dusted his sweatpants off, and put his hands on his hips, studying her. "Can I make a non PC, totally sexist, very chauvinistic statement?"
Dar's brows knit. "Sure.. I'm
not your petty officer."
"For someone who lives in all this soft luxury, you sure look hot." Jack shook his head and clucked his tongue. "Damn, Dar… where do you find the time to stay so damn buff?"
Startled, she glanced down at herself, then blinked. "Um… just a habit, I guess.." She answered. "Hard to break.. you know how it is." She motioned him to start walking.
***********************************************************
The quiet afternoon sunlight drifted gently into the apartment, as quiet finally decended. Dar hitched one leg over the arm of the chair she was sprawled on, and leaned back as Kerry walked in, carrying their new puppy. "Everyone's safely headed home… finally." She remarked, as the blond woman perched on the chair arm, letting Cappucino chew on her fingers.
"Finally." Kerry agreed. "I thought I'd never get my brother to shut up… did you have to come sauntering in this morning practially in your underwear?"
Dar gave her a look. "It's not underwear.. it's what I run in." She objected. "This is Miami, remember? Running in a sweatsuit is an invitation to heatstroke." She let her head rest against the back of the chair. "Damn… I have sixteen pages of email I have to go through before tomorrow morning."
"Don't remind me." Kerry sighed. "I have a position status report on two different accounts due tomorrow at the 9am staff meeting, and I haven't even started it yet." She cuddled the puppy closer to her. "Guess we'd better get started….we have a ton of leftovers for dinner, unless that really bugs you."
"Nah.. that's fine." Dar lifted a hand and stroked the backs of her knuckles against Kerry's bare thigh. The blond woman was wearing a pair of cutoff denim shorts and a tshirt, and Dar could smell the remnants of sun tan lotion clinging to her skin. "I really don’t feel like looking at that goddamned mail." She finally admitted.
"Mm.. well, I don't feel like doing those reports, so I guess we're even. " Kerry told her. "We could be like everyone else, and do our work when we're actually supposed to be working." She reasoned. "As a matter of fact, I can't believe we haven't had a major problem this weekend…that's a first."
"Shhh… " Dar implored her. "Please.. I don't feel like having to scream at people tonight." She tickled the sleepy puppy. "Hey, there girl." A smile crossed her . "She's really a cutie, huh?"
"Yeah… " Kerry smiled. "She was fiercely defending the kitchen from the broom earlier." She chuckled. "Tell you what… let's play with her for a little while, then eat dinner, then maybe we'll be in the mood for work."
"Okay." Dar agreed quickly, moving over. "Here.. squish in here." She removed a cushion from the chair, and tugged Kerry down, grinning when the blond woman ended up half in the seat, and half sprawled over Dar, and the puppy tumbled into her lap. Cappuccino shook her had, her tiny ears flapping and yawned, showing a u shaped, very pink tongue. She climbed up Dar's chest, and put her paws on the dark haired woman's shoulders, chewing on her chin enthusiastically.
"Here… " Kerry offered her a sock, which she mouthed, tugging it and making tiny puppy growls. "That's it… good girl… we'll train you to bring mommy Dar's socks to her in the morning."
Mommy Dar? It was an absurdity jolt to the brain. "Uh… that will probably train her to pull them OFF, Kerry." Dar objected.
"Well, that's okay too." The blond woman grinned at her, then giggled as Cappuccino industriously transferred her teeth to Dar's shirt, tugging open a button. "Hey… that's my girl!!!" She kissed the puppy on the head. "Welcome to the family, honey."
The family. Dar settled back, and curled one arm around Kerry, and the other around Cappuccino. Her family. She liked that thought. She watched Kerry play with the puppy's paws, exposing the tiny webbed feet.
To hell with her email. "Hey… let's take her for a ride around the island." She suggested. "We could introduce her to everyone.. hmm?"
Kerry dismissed her reports without regret. "Okay… I'd like that.. and we could use a thing or two from the market." She decided. "If I can drag you in there."
"Absolutely. " Dar answered complacently. "Let 's go."
Kerry eyed her. "You don't mind going to the market?" She inquired, mildly surprised, knowing Dar's dislike for grocery shopping.
A grin. "It's right next door to the ice cream parlor." Dar stood up, unthinkingly carrying Kerry with her, and set her on her feet, as she headed for the door.
Kerry blinked at her departing back then she tucked the puppy under her arm, and followed her out into the golden sunset, reflecting that of all the presents she could have received, surely this was the best one possible.
*****************************************************************
Okay, this is really the end… for now.
Ringing in the Year.
By Melissa Good
The office was very quiet, as a late afternoon sun filtered inside, dusting the maroon carpet with soft, golden motes. It was empty, as though waiting for something to happen, the PC on the desk showing slowly pacing panthers, and a small tank on the wooden surface holding two Siamese fighting fish circling each other.
The door slammed open, breaking the silence, and a tall, dark haired woman strode in, carrying a stack of printouts which she tossed on the desk, circling it and claiming the chair with an air of impatient disgust. "Stupid pieces of half assed useless…"
It had been a tough day. Two meetings, and the last one had been mostly her yelling, at a table full of glum looking department heads who were weeks behind in closing their budgets.
"Excuse me, Dar?" A polite, Hispanic voice interrupted her dark muttering.
Dar Roberts lifted pale blue eyes to the door and slumped into her chair. "Sorry… what is it?" She propped her head up on one fist and sighed. It was late, and she was tired, and admittedly cranky.
Maria gave her an understanding smile. "Kerrisita left a message for you.. she said she was leaving, and was going to how you say.. the Bayside.. and the shopping."
Rats. Dar rubbed her eyes and nodded. "Yeah.. I was supposed to… ah, I mean I got stuck in that meeting longer than I thought." She stared at the stack of reports. "Listen.. why don't you get out of here? " The day before New Years Eve.. nothing was going to get done anyway, she reasoned.
"You too, should go home, Dar." Maria chided her. "Is late… so many people are gone."
Dar sighed, and leaned back in her chair. She had a stack of things left undone in her inbox, and a half dozen matters still up in the air. But Maria was right.. getting things done when the rest of the world was on vacation sucked. "Yeah.. I.." A pressure around her wrist made her look down. "Oh.. that's what I was supposed to do… damn it.. I have to get this fixed." She stood up. "All right.. that's it.. I'm out of here. This stuff can wait until next year." She flipped off her pc and stood, grabbing her car keys and thumping the stack of reports into her inbox.
They walked out together, and Dar got in her car with a strange feeling of freedom. An afternoon free was a rare occurrence for her, and she stretched as she settled into the leather seat, adjusting the rearview mirror before starting the Lexus, and puling out of the parking lot.
Well, she considered, as she caught the entrance ramp to the interstate. "At least no one'll be Christmas shopping." She turned on the CD Player, and let the cool tones of an Enya CD calm her as she navigated the traffic.
***************************************************************
"God.. did you see that sale?" Colleen tugged Kerry's sleeve, as they wandered through Bayside. "Cept what would I do with men's Speedos?"
Kerry grinned, stretching her arms out in the sun and exhaling. "What a weird week…I'm glad we've got the long weekend off now."
"Hmm…. " Colleen studied her friend. "You staying out at the Island for the weekend? Like I have to ask?"
Kerry looked down at the ground, then visibly inhaled. "Yeah.. I… " She turned and looked at Colleen. "I was hoping you'd help me move some of my stuff."
The redhead gazed at her. "Oh.. wow." Glancing around, she steered K
erry to a table at the small café they'd just been passing. "Here.. siddown.. "
They looked at each other. "So.. you're doing it, then." Colleen murmured. "I thought you were going to see how it worked out."
The blond woman toyed with the table tent. "I did.. I mean…" She glanced up the perky waitress who approached. "Lemonade, please."
"Same." Colleen added, absently, shooing the woman off. "Kerry.. "
"I know.. I .. know." Kerry rested her arms on the table, and turned her head, gazing out over Biscayne Bay. "I said I wanted time.. I said I didn't want to rush into anything… "