Blue Ice Landing

by K A Moll

  “I’m so sorry,” Coby offered as she brushed away Coy’s teardrop with her thumb. “You’re so smart,” she whispered into her hair. “If there was something you could do, I know you’d have thought of it.” She kissed her temple and drew her close. When Coy settled, she gently nudged her chin upward with her finger and finished what they’d started. The kiss was tender, yet deeply hungry. The perfect blend of lips, teeth, and tongue.

  Coy’s body flooded with warmth and she shivered with the need to be touched. She pressed into Coby, breasts to breasts, moaning.

  Coby pushed away, wide-eyed with droplets of sweat visible on her upper lip and forehead.

  “Are you okay?” Coy asked.

  Coby nodded, caught her breath, and leaned forward. “I’m sorry,” she responded.

  They sat quietly for several moments before Coy spoke. “I had the juiciest chicken breast with brown rice tonight,” she said with a smile. “And it was the oddest thing,” she continued with a lick of her lips. “Because there seemed to be only one serving available.” She smiled a knowing smile. “And that serving appeared just as I was prepared to order the salad bar for the umpteenth time.”

  The corners of Coby’s mouth took a turn upward, ever so slightly.

  “I thought maybe, working in the kitchen and all,” Coy went on, “you might know something about it.”

  “You never know,” Coby responded with a smile, “I just might.” Her eyes danced in their sparkle. “If I did happen to know something,” she added, “it might be important for you to give me some ideas about what you like.”

  “No, I don’t think so,” Coy responded with a slow wink. “Not when being surprised was so pleasurable.”

  Coby gulped in a breath. “If you’re okay,” she sputtered, “I think I’d better go.”

  “I’m as okay as I can be right now,” Coy responded with lingering eye contact. “Thanks for seeing to me tonight.”

  “I didn’t do anything special,” Coby responded.

  “Oh, but you did, Coby Lee,” Coy murmured. “You sang with me, you held me close, and you kissed me like I’ve never been kissed before.”

  Chapter Ten

  Coby darted under the basket for one last catch of the ball. “Good game, man,” she said. She dribbled high as they made their way toward the door.

  “Sí,” Diego responded, “it was.” He uncapped his bottle of water and took a long drink. “I need to go up and take a shower,” he added, “but after that, if you want to, we could grab a beer?”

  “You bet,” Coby said. Her positive response was the exact opposite of what she’d planned to do. She’d been drinking too much, more on the ice than she had in the past five years, and that, above all things, was the last thing that she needed to do. “Mind if we stop by the greenhouse first?” she asked. She hoped that the minor change in plans might alter the course of the evening.

  “To do a bit of harvesting?” he guessed.

  “Yeah,” Coby answered. “I think if we do it once together, I’ll know what to do.”

  “You have a recipe in mind?” Diego asked.

  Coby shook her head. “No, not yet,” she answered. She looked to him, and then away.

  Diego smiled thinly. “Bring the cookbook with you,” he said, “and we can look through it together.”

  ***

  “A snip of sweet basil,” Diego announced as he positioned a small pair of scissors. “Here, smell.” He held the green, mint-like sprig up to Coby’s nose. “It has a flavor like its aroma,” he added, “a sweet combination of floral anise and clove.”

  Coby inhaled deeply. “It’s nice,” she said. “What’s it used for?”

  Diego brought the culinary specimen up for a smell. “Mmm, almost everything,” he responded with a smile. “It pairs naturally with tomatoes, but can be used with almost all meats and seafood.”

  “So,” Coby surmised, “it’s kind of like an herb staple.”

  “Sí, amiga,” Diego said as he gently placed the first of the evening’s harvest into a small freezer bag. With that, he lowered down to select a second specimen. “And a bit of parsley,” he added. When Coby lifted her eyebrow, he commented. “Yet another of the versatile herbs that compliment a host of seasonings,” he said, “one with a light, peppery flavor.”

  “Ahhh,” Coby responded with a nod, “for the grilled artichoke recipe.”

  “Sí,” Diego said. “You’ll toss them in the parsley and garlic mixture before grilling. Then, you’ll drizzle on a bit of virgin olive oil for taste and presentation.”

  “Okay, but just a bit,” Coby said, “because she doesn’t like a lot of fat.”

  “I know” Diego responded, “but you shouldn’t try to eliminate it totally. Instead, you should seek out and use minimal amounts of the healthiest alternatives. And virgin olive oil, amiga, is the healthiest of all the fats on earth.”

  “That’s good,” Coby said, “it should be okay then.” She followed as Diego made his way to the corner.

  He nodded toward the tomatoes. “A couple of Romas and some Romaine lettuce,” he said, “and we’ll be done.”

  “Mind if we hang at the coffee house instead of the bar tonight?” Coby asked.

  “They serve booze too,” Diego answered.

  “I know,” Coby said, “but for some reason, I’m not as tempted to get drunk in a place that calls itself a coffee house.” She shook her head. “And whatever it takes to get back on the wagon, I’ve just gotta do,” she added.

  “I get that,” Diego said with a pat to her back. “I too fought the demon when I was young.”

  “No way,” Coby responded. “You have one and stop, night after night.” She shook her head. “I’ve never been able to do that.”

  “It wasn’t always that way, amiga,” Diego answered.

  “So, what changed?” Coby asked. “I mean what made it easier for you to do?”

  “My wife,” Diego said with a slight smile. “And later, our daughter,” he added. His gaze became unfocused, and he looked away. “After that, it wasn’t just about me anymore.”

  “Bet you’ll be glad to see her,” Coby said.

  “Sí,” Diego responded, “this is the first time that we’ve been apart for more than a night since I was in the Navy.” His chin lifted, and his eyes sparkled. “But I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  “I’ll bet that’s true,” Coby said with a return smile. She knew that his wife had stayed back to help their daughter after the birth of their first grandbaby.

  ***

  “What a great place,” Coby declared. The old officer’s club was rustic with tons of atmosphere. “The only thing I don’t like about it is having to freeze my ass off to get here.”

  “It’s a five-minute walk,” Diego reminded with a shake of his head.

  “I know,” Coby shot back, “I shivered every single minute of it.”

  Diego chuckled as he stood back to allow her to step in ahead of him.

  Coby selected a table near the dance floor, immediately flashing back to the night that she met Coy. Almost everything made her think of her. “We’ll have to come here on a Saturday night when they have music,” she suggested.

  “Sí,” Diego agreed, “maybe next week after Maria gets here.” He remained standing. “You want an espresso?” he asked.

  “You don’t have to keep buying me drinks,” Coby answered.

  “But I want to,” Diego said. “You can return the favor after you get paid.” He returned with two caramel macchiatos, espressos where the milk on top had the appearance of a stain. “Here you go,” he said.

  “Thanks,” Coby responded, as she took her first sip. “I need your opinion on something,” she added. The moment her words escaped, she wished desperately to reclaim them.

  “Okay,” Diego said with a cock of his head. He leaned back, resting his elbow on the arm of his chair. “Ask me anything.”

  Coby fell silent,
searching for words.

  “It’s okay, amiga,” Diego said kindly. “No need to be embarrassed, just ask me.”

  “I shouldn’t have said anything,” Coby responded as she rubbed the back of her neck. “Just forget I did, okay?”

  “If you say so,” Diego said, “but I think you might feel better if you asked me.”

  Coby swallowed hard and met his gaze. “It’s Coy,” she blurted out, “I don’t know what to do about her.”

  Diego’s eyes narrowed. “Do about her?” he clarified.

  “I kissed her,” Coby admitted almost inaudibly, “and ever since I can tell she’s ready to take us to the next level.”

  Diego raised an eyebrow. “And that’s a problem?”

  “It is if you can’t go there,” Coby responded.

  “Are you married or something?” he followed-up with a pinch of his brow.

  “No, of course not,” Coby answered. “You just have to trust me when I say I can’t go there.”

  Diego nodded, thoughtfully.

  Coby clenched her jaw as she struggled to maintain composure. “I just don’t know what to do,” she added. “I care about her and the last thing I want to do is hurt her, but...”

  “But for reasons you can’t talk about,” Diego finished, “you can’t be her lover.”

  “No,” Coby admitted, “I can’t.”

  “So you have to be honest with her then,” he went on, “and most likely let her go.”

  “Yeah,” Coby choked, “that’s what I thought too.” She took a breath and released it slowly. “I was just hoping against hope that you’d have a different take on the problem.”

  ***

  Coy slipped on her most comfortable pair of pajamas, relaxed and tailored, with a drawstring at the waist. She opened the book she’d been reading, read one paragraph, and then returned her Kindle to the end table. The fourth edition of OB/GYN Secrets would have to wait until she could concentrate. She opened the drawer of her nightstand, touched the Ecstasy 2020, and shut it again. She glanced at the clock—10pm—3am in Alabama. She once again opened the drawer, touched the Ecstasy 2020, and shut it again. “Coby Lee O’Brien,” she murmured. “What have you done to me?” With that, her thoughts drifted back to her marriage. For ten years, ten long years, she’d been caged and mistreated. How could she even consider another relationship? She lifted her feet onto the bed and turned off the light. With a sigh, she turned it back on and got back up again. She glanced at the clock—1am—6am in Alabama. She scooped her iPad off the nightstand, propped up in bed, and initiated FaceTime.

  “Hey, Mama,” Coy greeted.

  Marigold squinted as she checked the clock. “Hey there, honey,” she responded, “it’s the middle of the night where you are.”

  “Wow, that was quick,” Coy said. “It still takes me a couple of minutes to figure out what time it is in Alabama.”

  “Don’t be too impressed,” Marigold answered as a smile slithered across her face. She turned the camera of her device toward her nightstand.

  “Well, I’ll be darned,” Coy chuckled. “What a good idea, you set a second clock on Antarctica time.”

  “We could pick up another little clock for you if you want and drop it in the mail,” Marigold offered.

  “You don’t need to do that,” Coy responded. “I’m sure they’ll have one at the General Store.” She winked and smiled. “We’re not totally uncivilized here.”

  “Is something wrong?” Marigold asked. “You’re usually asleep by this time.”

  “Yes, and no,” Coy responded. “I’m just worried about daddy, mostly.” Her eyes teemed. “I’ll bet he didn’t call for an appointment.”

  “No,” Marigold said with a shake of her head, “not yet, honey.”

  Coy sucked in a breath and exhaled. “I’m not surprised,” she responded.

  “He’s in shaving,” Marigold said. “You want to talk to him?”

  “Let him finish,” Coy responded.

  After a moment or two, Marigold spoke. “You said ‘mostly,’ is there something else bothering you?”

  “Not bothering me, exactly,” Coy responded, “just something I’m thinking about.”

  “You want to talk about it?” Marigold asked.

  “No, not really,” Coy responded with pursed lips, “but I do have a question to pose.”

  “Ask away,” Marigold said.

  Coy looked away and then back, saying, “I’m not necessarily talking about me.”

  “Okay,” Marigold responded with a slight nod, “I won’t take it that you are.”

  “So...if someone fails miserably at something,” Coy began, “even if the failure wasn’t all their fault, do you think they should totally avoid the situation in the future?”

  “Not necessarily,” Marigold responded. “Results aren’t always the same the second time around.” Her eyes narrowed with a follow-up question. “Do they want to?”

  “I think they might,” Coy responded.

  ***

  Coy propped up in bed, squinting at the clock—6am. For an instant, she considered opening the curtains to catch the sunrise. But then she remembered, there was no sunrise. It was unsettling, living in a place where daylight and darkness alternated at intervals of six months. She dropped her legs over the side of the bed, yawning, forcing herself to stay upright. It’d been a very short night. She padded to the bathroom, locked the second door, and stepped into the shower. As she lathered, her thoughts returned to Coby. So much for her big idea that new surroundings and a good dose of crisp, cold air would solve her problems. She was lonely in Illinois, but at least she didn’t have the looming prospect of a relationship on the horizon. She couldn’t let that happen; she just couldn’t. How could she even be considering doing that to herself? She tugged on blue jeans and fingered through the sweaters in her drawer. In the holiday spirit, she chose the red one. The wind howled, nipping at her cheeks, as she trudged toward the office. She swapped ‘big red’ for her lab coat and picked up her stethoscope.

  “Good morning,” Kiley chirped.

  “Morning,” Coy responded. “What’s our schedule look like?”

  “Four health assessments, a couple re-checks, a prostate, a pelvic, and a nasty abscess,” Kiley answered with a smile.

  “I’m going back to bed,” Coy responded with a quiet chuckle.

  “Didn’t sleep well?” Kiley asked.

  “No, not well at all,” Coy answered honestly.

  “You’ll be fine once you get going,” Kiley bubbled.

  “I’m sure you’re right,” Coy responded as she reviewed her first chart. “We’ll need the portable ECG machine for this one,” she commented.

  “It’s already in exam room one,” Kiley responded with a proud smile.

  “Good girl,” Coy complemented.

  “You have time for dinner tonight?” Kiley asked hopefully.

  Coy paused before answering. Just thinking about supper with her nurse was exhausting, but she’d already turned her down twice. “Sure,” Coy responded, “but just a quick one because I have every intention of hitting the sack early tonight.”

  Chapter Eleven

  As Coy stepped to the front of the line, the dining assistant removed a single serving of three new items from the warmer. “What’ll you have tonight?” he asked with a broad smile.

  “Oh my,” Coy exclaimed, “don’t those look delightful.” When she looked over to catch Coby’s eye, they exchanged bright smiles.

  “You want all three?” the guy asked.

  “Yes, please,” Coy responded, “every last one of them—the salmon with snapped peas and yellow peppers, the long grained rice with what looks like parsley, and those beautifully grilled artichokes.”

  Kiley trailed in behind her. She’d stopped to chat with a woman that Coy didn’t know. “Sorry,” Kiley offered on her way through the door, “she really likes to talk.” She leaned in for a closer look at Coy
’s meal. “That looks good,” she commented with a glance to the dining assistant. “I’ll have what she’s having.”

  “Sorry,” the server responded, “but we’re all out.”

  Kiley curled her upper lip as she selected fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and corn. A person could have that meal every single night at the galley if they wanted. “Thanks,” she said in a less than enthusiastic tone. “I guess I’ll have to try to get here earlier next time.” She followed Coy over to her table near the window and sat down. “Mind if I have a taste of your artichokes?” she asked with a poised fork and a smile.

  “Sure, go ahead,” Coy responded. When she looked up, her stomach did a flip-flop. “Please excuse me,” she said, “I need to talk with someone.”

  “Can I help you?” the server asked.

  Coy tipped up to look over and around his shoulder. “I just saw Coby O’Brien back there,” she said, “but now I don’t. Could you let her know that I’d like to speak with her?”

  The server turned to yell. “Hey Coby, you back there?” he called out.

  A chorus of kitchen staff responded, “She just went out the back door.”

  Coy pressed her lips together with a frown. She said thank you, took a couple of steps toward her table, and then turned around. “I’m sorry to trouble you again,” she added, “but I’ll need a take-out container.”

  “Large or small,” the guy asked.

  “Large,” Coy responded, “enough for my entire meal.”

  “You got it,” he said as he opened the lower cabinet to produce one.

  Kiley looked up as Coy made her way back to the table.