It's been a while since I've published here. Kindness, please. This is a sweet heat story compared the level of previous works but yearning with need and with the undercurrent of more to come. Happy Valentine's day to you, whenever you read this. I would appreciate your contest vote and welcome your comments.
-- a woman who believes in artistry and sensuality.
Under a Winter Corona Sky
Clasping her arms around herself, Allie tilted her head up to the stars. The night wasn't that cold. She'd just needed to be held; something that evaded her most of the time since the "Shelter in Place" order came.
Who knew the colder months would close doors all over again?
Breathe. Just breathe.
The stars were thick with the hint of a cooling fall breeze flowing over the deck, immersing her in the scent of outdoors, mint, and herbs she'd planted in the boxes during the summer. Alone in her apartment, Allie had always been thankful that her deck overlooked the greenery of a town square. Every night when it wasn't raining or snowing, she would step onto the deck and turn to the stars.
Maybe it was something she learned from her mother. Maybe it was just filling her lungs with fresh air, after hearing yet another newscast painfully reminding her of covid-19 tragedies. Maybe it was something else. When she was little and her mother was alive, she would look up to the stars and whisper her wishes.
Allie gripped the deck rail and repeated the words, aloud. "Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might..."
Breathe, Allie.
"I wish I might have company tonight."
No one witnessed the tears that flowed.
*****
Way back at the beginning of the shutdown, which felt like a lifetime ago, Allie had been a lively supporter to friends, calling them and cheering them on. Shared moments over online videos bolstered each other. Summer brought more connections, time outside, visits and meetings with her friends; socially distant but so welcomed.
Then the cold breezes came. Winter meant their chats changed back to Zoom sessions and occasional Quarantini nights, laughing and drinking away their isolation. Allie researched dating during covid-19, sharing and discussing the possibilities with her girlfriends.
"Why don't you try it too, Allie?" Tyler asked. "You could Zoom instead of going out."
"Me? Naw. I'm just helping all of you." Allie shrugged and sipped her wine.
"C'mon. Let's all try and report back next week. Share the fails."
"Or better yet, successes," chimed in Liz. "Gawd, I would love to have hot conversation on the phone with some foreign-accented guy."
"I'll take any accent, including Jersey shore, if it meant I didn't need B.O.B.," added another friend.
"Wait. Who's Bob?" Allie asked.
"You know... Best Orgasm Buddy. Bob. Mine's blue and buzzes."
They burst into giggles. The conversation sank further into the depths, leaving all five girlfriends in fits of laughter. It also left Allie with just enough support for her to take matters into her own hands. She did so that night, her hands traveling where an imagined man's hands would. They stopped short though. She looked at her purple toy and tossed it aside. Not even her "BOB" would help. She needed something real.
"They're right." She yanked off the covers, and with only a nightie and slippers on, she stomped out onto her icy deck, and spoke to the stars. "Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, have you work your magic tonight. Bring me a man. No, make it a man to love. That's it--- someone to care for, who would love me in return." She stepped inside and turned back. "Thank you, stars. And no tricks please. A real man."
She crawled back into bed, sleeping more heavily than she had in days.
*****
The next day, Allie went against all dating and selfie advice. No Instagram filters. No head tilted upward with a slimming pose. No flawless make-up and perfect lighting. Fearlessly, she posted a less than flattering picture of herself on the dating app and left the message: "This is the real me in the morning. I'm looking for a real guy to talk with before I go crazy locked up in my apartment. We all work remotely now. Who says we can't talk and play, too?"
Replies came in. She expected a few lewd comments, but the level of replies was disheartening as a dozen dick pics pinged on her phone, some with comments. "Play with this." "Messy hair? I'll mess it really good for you when you go downtown on my..." The comments made her cringe.
With her finger ready to delete the app, one last message pic came in of a friendly faced man. His hair was dark, sticking out in random directions, and his chin covered with prickles from a few days without shaving. The best part, he was holding up an equally scruffy dog. The message? "Bed head competition is on over here. Who's the winner of cutest scruff?" He left a private text request on the app.
Allie took a chance and texted him, "Not sure. Maybe the dog?"
"No fair. Sebastian always looks like that. I put in two days effort in sweatpants and no shaving to get this look."
"Only two days?"
"Okay. Three, but I have to shave it off for a Zoom meeting at 2pm. Keeping the sweatpants on though."
Giggling, Allie typed in the text. "Too bad. I was hoping you'd take them off." The second she pressed send, her face flushed red.
What did I just type?!
The reply came back. "Grin. I think this play/talk thing sounds very interesting. How about a talk/date after work hours? Heading to a very cold shower now. Are you in?"
Allie's eyebrows shot up. "The shower?"
"The talk/date. But hey, the shower too."
"How about 7:00pm post shower?" She offered.
"You're on. I'll bring the towels."
