"Would you like a refill, Robin?"
Startled out of my reverie, I glanced up at the pretty barista. As was often the case, she was standing just a little too close with the coffee carafe; close enough that she might be flirting, but not so close that it was totally unwanted. I could almost feel the warmth of her body as she hovered over the back of my stool. I closed my laptop hurriedly.
"Thanks, Miriam, that would be lovely." I handed her my travel mug. She took my hand with it, lightly touching the fingertips and wrist before concentrating on pouring.
"You're always staring at the track team as they stretch on the library stairs. You like those college boys?"
I blushed. Was I being that transparent? "No," I stammered, looking back at her as she stared into my eyes. I looked away, down at my mug, still in both our hands.
"Oh? So maybe it's the girls?"
I glanced back at her, startled. She wore a faint, almost ironic smile. Had she known? How? I looked away, shook my head, "No, not the girls," I lied.
She took my cup in her other hand, not releasing my hand, smiling. "You sure?" She chuckled. "That tall one with the short blonde hair is really pretty." She hesitated, blushed. "And often you can see her nipples through her T. Even today, through the sweat shirts she wears in the winter. Not to mention how she looks in running shorts, with or without the tights."
I was now crimson and could feel my pulse in my ears. "She is kind of cute." I stared at the blonde a few seconds, then turned my attention to the short Asian woman stretching beside her. "Although the coach is more my style, and age too."
Miriam squeezed my hand, turned back to the coffee bar. "Don't worry, Robin. Your secret is safe with me."
I looked around. As usual in late afternoon, there was nobody there but me, writing stories. And Miriam. I considered if she ever noticed me staring at her. I had caught her looking at me sometimes.
"I'll be right back, Miriam. I just remembered I have to return my books to the library."
She grinned. "Trying for a close-up look?"
"Um. Maybe."
Another smile. "You should ask for 100% of what you want."
I glanced across the street, swallowed, looked back at her. "The hard part is knowing what I want"
Miriam nodded. "I know." She paused, watching my face. "That's my problem, too." A faint blush showed on her cheeks.
As I opened the door, she added, "See you soon."
Hurrying out of the coffee bar, I opened the back of my minivan and took out the basket of books. My daughters were voracious readers, and we brought home a couple of dozen books every other week. Of course, they were out of town with Jim this week, visiting grandma and grandpa, so I was responsible for returning their books. I carefully hoisted the basket as I stepped over the ice slick, careful not to let the coach see I was staring at her.
And suddenly I was falling. There was a second patch of ice I hadn't seen. Cursing my idiocy, I landed with a soft crunching feeling in my right ankle, the same ankle I managed to sprain at least once a year back in college.
"Mrs. Stein? Are you all right?" The coach was kneeling over me. Her sweet Asian face came into focus, her mischievous dark eyes now clouded with concern. I caught the faintest whiff of a familiar flower scent mixed in with fresh sweat.
I stared at her for a moment. "Mei Mei?" I could hardly believe it. With my nearsightedness, I hadn't recognized her at a distance. She had been our babysitter eight years ago when she was in college.
She smiled. "I'm just Mei now. Can you walk?" She picked up my basket, stretched out a hand to help me up.
"Yow! I can just barely put weight on it."
She looked over her shoulder and called. "Misty? Can you come help us?" The blonde woman looked up from her stretching, nodded soberly, and then walked over to us. Even in my pain I admired the grace of her movements, the high cheekbones, the air of confidence, the strong hand that took mine. Gently she insinuated herself under my left arm, while Mei took the right. Another runner grabbed the basket and the books. They hobbled me through the library entrance and seated me in the nearest chair. Misty opened Mei's backpack and found the chemical ice bag, popped it and laid it gently across my ankle. She shook out two Advils and handed them to me along with her water bottle.
Meanwhile Mei was grabbing another chair and lifting my ankle to her lap. She and I spent the next 30 seconds probing and wincing, respectively. "Well, I don't think anything is broken, but it's a pretty bad sprain. How are you getting home?"
"My car is across the street, by the coffee shop. But I'm not sure I can drive."
"Keys, please. Which one is it?"
"The red Odyssey."
She laughed. "The same Mom Car you used to drive me home in?"
"That's the one." I smiled ruefully and proffered the keys.
Misty came back with my basket, now empty of returned books. "Do you need me to find any books for you?" She had a 10,000 watt smile.
"No, thanks. My girls like to pick their own books. I can never predict what they want."
She lifted the ice bag, grimaced. "Your ankle is pretty swollen already."
I winced as she put it back down on the chair. Misty pulled up a third chair and sat beside my feet. "Do you need help with anything, Mrs. Stein? Picking up your kids? Making dinner?"
"Please, call me Robin." I tried to think. "My girls and husband are gone for the week. I'll probably just pop something in the microwave. Right now all I want is soup and a nap."
"I think Mei and I can help you with that. Do you live nearby?"
"Only about ten blocks. Mei knows the way. She used to be my girls' babysitter."
"I know," she said cryptically. "Mei has told me all about you."
"Oh?" I was startled, drawn into my fantasies. I forced myself to look at her face so she wouldn't see me looking at her body.
"She likes you a lot. And she adores your girls."
"Oh, they love her too. She still comes to visit them sometimes."
"I'd love to meet them too. They sound terrific. And Mei says you're pretty wonderful yourself." She gave me an enigmatic smile.
I blushed and looked away. Fortunately, just then Mei strode up. "I brought your car down to the loading zone, Mrs. Stein."
"Robin," Misty corrected her. I grinned at her despite the pain.
_o_
The next few hours passed in a blur. Mei and Misty had gotten me onto the couch, given me some pain tablets from my medicine cabinet, and I had drifted in and out of consciousness. I woke to a darkening room and an urgent need to pee.
I cautiously tested the ankle and decided I could walk unaided. I hobbled past the kitchen to the bathroom, managed to get my jeans off without falling, and was just finishing up when I heard some giggling from the guest room across the hall.
I carefully walked over and tapped gently on the door. "Just a minute," called Mei. I heard her getting up off the bed and she opened the door partway and peered around the edge. Blushing, she added, "Can I get you that soup now?" Over her shoulder, I saw Misty sitting up and straightening out her shirt.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." I started.
"Oh, it's all right, Mrs...., um, Robin. We were just ..."
"Chatting," Misty chimed in. Even in the gloom I could see the mischief in her eyes. And something else. Arousal?
Mei turned back to me and grinned. "Let's go down to the kitchen." Once again she draped my arm over her shoulders, leading me away from Misty and toward the kitchen. "What kind of soup?"
"Oh, surprise me." I winked at her. "You're good at surprises."
_o_
