issue106skylightgirl

                                                       ZYGOTE IN MY COFFEE.COM

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SKYLIGHT GIRL

by Glenn Gray

           "I've seen her naked six times."
            Tyler lit a cigarette, back to the ledge. "We've been staring at a black skylight for an hour."
            "Hang in there."
            Tyler blew some smoke. "Sure."
            "You'll thank me when you see her." Jack peeked onto the roof of the neighboring brownstone below. "One time, she sat there on her couch, trimmed herself using a mirror and tiny gold scissors."
            Tyler laughed.
            "A real babe."
            "You never had problems with babes."
            "Those days are over."
            "The heck would you do if she nailed you anyway?"
            "Tell her I'm sick of just looking."
            "What would Sharon say?"
            "Don't think she'd give a shit."
            There was the far off wail of an ambulance, a car alarm.
            "Feel like I'm in a fishbowl." Tyler tilted his head, spun as he gazed at the towering buildings. "You think people can tell what we're doing?"
            "New York City," Jack said. "We're allowed to hang on the roof."
            "Guess so." Tyler glanced at his watch. "Speaking of wives, can't wait. Got a dinner date."
            "Thought she'd be home. I'm hangin a while before Sharon gets home."
            "You're a bad boy Jacko." Tyler climbed over the ledge, onto the ladder. "See you at the office."
            Jack turned and waited.
                                                        ***
            After a half hour Jack was ready to give up. As he turned to leave, the light flicked on.
            It became evident that it was worth the wait. The skylight girl had a guest.
            The man sat on the couch first. The skylight girl appeared with two wine glasses.
            They sipped their drinks.
            The man lay back and the skylight girl cuddled. Several minutes passed.
            Jack mumbled, "Come on."
            Then it started.
            She slid her hand under his T shirt, raked it down his chest. Her hand came to rest over the top of his jeans.
            Jack leaned to get a better view.
            Skylight girl flicked the button. His jeans sprung open. Her hand ran over the undulating denim. She tugged the zipper, slid her fingertips under the elastic band.
            Jack's head buzzed, oblivious on the tar-carpeted roof.
            "Jack?"
             Jack spun, saw his wife's head bobbing above the ladder.
            "Hi honey."
            "What're you doing?"
            "Nothing," Jack said. "Don't come up. I'll come down."
            "It's Okay," Sharon said. "I need some air."
            Before Jack could say more, she was standing there, the white of her nursing uniform glaring like a light. She walked along the roof. "What a day."
            "Yeah?" Jack hugged her, turning away from the skylight.
            "Busy." She spun around to the ledge, shook out her hair, inhaled.
            She looked down. "What's this?"
            "What?"
            "Who lives there?"
            Jack looked down, saw an empty couch. He laughed. "How'm I supposed to know?"
            She shrugged.
            "Crazy they have a skylight like that," Jack said.
            "Can see the entire living room," Sharon said. "Would creep me out."
            "Me too," Jack said. "Let's go."

     They went downstairs and Jack made wild love to his wife, all the while flashes of the skylight girl dancing in his brain.
                                                                      ***
            The next Saturday, Sharon had to work. She asked Jack to pick up some items at the store. Jack walked out of the six story brownstone with trash, unlocked the fenced in area that held the garbage cans.
            The skylight girl walked out of the building next door.
            Jack froze, thinking she would recognize him. Then he remembered she wouldn't know him from a hole in the wall.
            She stepped to the sidewalk, spun her head, long red hair flowing out. She caught Jack's eye, held his gaze a moment. Jack smiled. She turned and sauntered off.
            Jack scurried up the street after locking the fence. When he reached the corner she was gone. He went into the supermarket.
            Jack grabbed a quart of milk, headed toward vegetables.
            As he turned the corner he saw her.
            He approached and as he came near she looked up. Jack said, "Hello."
            She smiled but he continued to walk.
            Jack stopped and exhaled.
            He turned and strutted back to vegetables. She was gone.
            After a minute, he spotted her on line.
            He slid up behind her.
            "Hi."
            "Hello." The checkout boy rang up her items; diet soda, orange juice, yogurt, some fruits and vegetables, mineral oil, tampons.
            "Think you're my neighbor."
            "Oh?"
            "Saw you earlier."
            She lifted her eyes as if in deep thought. "You were the guy rummaging through the garbage."
            "That was my garbage."
            "I see." She handed the boy money. "Haven't seen you before."
            "Just moved uptown."
            "Welcome." The boy counted change, tore the receipt, handed them to the skylight girl.
            "Can I help you carry this stuff?"
            She hesitated, placed the change in a small waist belt. "I think I can manage."
            "No really." Jack said. "Looks heavy."
            She smiled. "Nah."
            "I'm going that way anyway."
            Jack grabbed the heavier bag, leaving his milk on the counter, ushered the skylight girl through the sliding doors.
            "What's your name?" They crossed Lexington.
            "Kerri. You?"
            "Jack."
            "Work around here?"
            "Lawyer."
            "Interesting."
            "Why do you say that?"
            "Could've used you a while back," she said. "Messy divorce."
            "Couldn't have helped anyway. I do patent law."
            "Oh well."
            "Yeah. Oh well."
            Jack grinned.
            "I'll help you up," Jack said in front of the building. "I know it's tough lugging stuff up five flights."
            Kerri look surprised. "What makes you think I live on the fifth floor?"
            "Ah, I don't. I mean I thought I heard you say you lived on the top floor."
            She tilted her head. "Well you happen to be right."
            "See?"
            Kerri shrugged. "Guess a little help would be okay."
                                              ***
            Kerri stabbed the door with her key. "Thanks for your muscles." She stepped inside.
            "No problem." Jack stood at the threshold. "You have a nice place."
            "Thanks."
            "Can I come in?"
            She hesitated. "I just met you."
            "Just to chat."
            "Chat?"
            "Yeah."
            "You married?"
            "No," Jack said, then more quietly, "Well...yeah."
            Kerri leaned in, stopped an inch from his nose. She whispered, "Good," and stepped inside, tugging Jack's collar.
                                            ***
            "You're so hot." Jack kissed Kerri's neck.
             He had Kerri pinned up against the kitchen wall, grocery bags on the counter.
            "You are," Kerri said. "I don't usually do this."
            "Me neither." He kissed her bare shoulder, nibbled his way down her arm.
            Jack finessed the tank top off her shoulders. She slid out her arms, lifted them overhead. He continued pulling, got the shirt off. Jack lowered his head to her bare chest.
            Kerri ripped off Jack's shirt, popping the top button, worked his belt.
            Kerri tugged Jack's shoulders, raising his head. Kerri descended slowly, back sliding down the wall, staring into Jack's eyes.
            Jack propped his hands against the wall. Kerri wiggled the slacks over his hips, pulling, until they cascaded to the floor.
            Kerri stood. "Come here." She led Jack to the living room. As Kerri walked past the kitchen, she reached into a grocery bag and pulled out the mineral oil. She led him to the plush couch. "Sit."
            He reclined, rested his head against the cushion.
            Kerri wriggled out of her shorts, knelt down.
            Jack looked up at the skylight and smiled.
            And that's when he saw Sharon.

May 2008

106