it out yet again. Whatever.
“ So, I cleverly deduce that
between your ex-girlfriend being female, and the ‘wrong tree’
comment, that you might be a lesbian.”
“ Hah… yeah, I might. Damn,
that would explain a lot, really.”
“ Cool. I am too, actually.”
Jim said.
“ Yeah yeah, all guys are
lesbians trapped in a man’s body.” Cassidy had heard that joke more
than a few times. Usually from idiots who thought they could score,
or slightly less idiotic guys who thought they were just
witty.
“ Ack, no no, I mean I’m
gay.”
“ So, you’re not a lesbian
trapped in a man’s body! Well look at the two of us, if we aren’t
just the rainbow patrol here!”
“ Yeah, what are the odds
that we..” Jim’s voice seemed to wander into thought.
“ Jim. Jimmy. Don’t go
getting ideas. I’m no expert, but a gay man and a gay woman
doesn’t-“
“ Oh, shut it. I mean.. well,
Cipriana makes the schedules up, right?”
“ Yeah, and…?”
“ I wonder if she paired us
for a reason.”
“ Why, cuz we’re both gay?
She doesn’t know I am, I tried to tell her, and she stopped
me.”
“ Well duh, she doesn’t need
to be told.”
“ What? Why? Is it somehow in
my record? It isn’t supposed to be… I just wanted to be out in the
open, have my cards on the table and such.”
“ Yeah yeah, I get ya. But no
one told you about Cipriana’s gaydar?”
“ Cipriana’s gay too?”
Certainly a few images rushed through Cassidy’s head that she’d
previously ignored. She was good at ignoring beauty, in this case
because of rank and the odds that Cipriana was straight. It was a
short lived little fantasy however.
“ No no no. She’s straight,
but she has amazing gaydar. 20/20, instant, infallible
gaydar.
“ What the hell was in those
cookies, Jimbo?”
“ I’m serious! She doesn’t
talk about it, cuz well.. you’ve met her.” Jim was right, it wasn’t
the kind of thing she’d bring up in casual conversation. “But it’s
totally accurate. She probably had you pegged before you stepped
off the chopper. Do me a favour though. If you plan to call her on
it, let me come watch. Seeing Cipriana squirm is a rare
sight.”
“ You’re actually serious,
aren’t you?”
“ Yes. I told
you.”
“ Oooooookie
then.”
“ Now then.. we have to
figure out why she paired us….”
~~~
In the evening when Cassidy got off
shift, she headed straight for Cipriana, who was in her usual
off-time position, sitting on her bed and nestled deep in some
thick book.
Cassidy’s stride was quick and rigid,
and she was heard coming all the way from the front door. She came
to attention at the foot of Cipriana’s bed, and saluted.
“Sir.”
Cipriana looked up, eyebrows raised.
“Yes? Why the formality?”
“ Sir, I need to discuss
something with you, and I really think this is more of an official
sort of thing. Could we go talk somewhere private?” Cassidy spoke
in urgent but hushed tones, and wrung her hands with
stress.
Cipriana placed a book mark, put the
book aside, and stood. “Alright, Leftenent, let’s go for a
walk.”
A few moments later, they were walking
outside, the darkness of the evening compounding the silence.
Cassidy walked with continual tension while Cipriana walked with
her typical glide. “Well? What has you so upset?”
Cassidy waited until they got a few
more metres, eyes darting around. She stopped, and turned to
Cipriana. “Sir. It’s Jim. I mean- Leftenent ... whatever. I can’t
work with him. I’m sorry, I can’t. You have to reassign me. Sir.
Please. I know I should be more open minded, but I’m sorry. If I
don’t have a choice, I’ll put up with it, but I think it would be
better for all involved if I were re-assigned.”
Cipriana’s eyes were wide, and it took
her a moment to respond- partly because Cassidy’s wave of rambling
took a bit to digest. “Cassidy! What…. What happened?”
Cassidy clenched her jaw as she spoke,
almost in a hiss.
“ So, I cleverly deduce that
between your ex-girlfriend being female, and the ‘wrong tree’
comment, that you might be a lesbian.”
“ Hah… yeah, I might. Damn,
that would explain a lot, really.”
“ Cool. I am too, actually.”
Jim said.
“ Yeah yeah, all guys are
lesbians trapped in a man’s body.” Cassidy had heard that joke more
than a few times. Usually from idiots who thought they could score,
or slightly less idiotic guys who thought they were just
witty.
“ Ack, no no, I mean I’m
gay.”
“ So, you’re not a lesbian
trapped in a man’s body! Well look at the two of us, if we aren’t
just the rainbow patrol here!”
“ Yeah, what are the odds
that we..” Jim’s voice seemed to wander into thought.
“ Jim. Jimmy. Don’t go
getting ideas. I’m no expert, but a gay man and a gay woman
doesn’t-“
“ Oh, shut it. I mean.. well,
Cipriana makes the schedules up, right?”
“ Yeah, and…?”
“ I wonder if she paired us
for a reason.”
“ Why, cuz we’re both gay?
She doesn’t know I am, I tried to tell her, and she stopped
me.”
“ Well duh, she doesn’t need
to be told.”
“ What? Why? Is it somehow in
my record? It isn’t supposed to be… I just wanted to be out in the
open, have my cards on the table and such.”
“ Yeah yeah, I get ya. But no
one told you about Cipriana’s gaydar?”
“ Cipriana’s gay too?”
Certainly a few images rushed through Cassidy’s head that she’d
previously ignored. She was good at ignoring beauty, in this case
because of rank and the odds that Cipriana was straight. It was a
short lived little fantasy however.
“ No no no. She’s straight,
but she has amazing gaydar. 20/20, instant, infallible
gaydar.
“ What the hell was in those
cookies, Jimbo?”
“ I’m serious! She doesn’t
talk about it, cuz well.. you’ve met her.” Jim was right, it wasn’t
the kind of thing she’d bring up in casual conversation. “But it’s
totally accurate. She probably had you pegged before you stepped
off the chopper. Do me a favour though. If you plan to call her on
it, let me come watch. Seeing Cipriana squirm is a rare
sight.”
“ You’re actually serious,
aren’t you?”
“ Yes. I told
you.”
“ Oooooookie
then.”
“ Now then.. we have to
figure out why she paired us….”
~~~
In the evening when Cassidy got off
shift, she headed straight for Cipriana, who was in her usual
off-time position, sitting on her bed and nestled deep in some
thick book.
Cassidy’s stride was quick and rigid,
and she was heard coming all the way from the front door. She came
to attention at the foot of Cipriana’s bed, and saluted.
“Sir.”
Cipriana looked up, eyebrows raised.
“Yes? Why the formality?”
“ Sir, I need to discuss
something with you, and I really think this is more of an official
sort of thing. Could we go talk somewhere private?” Cassidy spoke
in urgent but hushed tones, and wrung her hands with
stress.
Cipriana placed a book mark, put the
book aside, and stood. “Alright, Leftenent, let’s go for a
walk.”
A few moments later, they were walking
outside, the darkness of the evening compounding the silence.
Cassidy walked with continual tension while Cipriana walked with
her typical glide. “Well? What has you so upset?”
Cassidy waited until they got a few
more metres, eyes darting around. She stopped, and turned to
Cipriana. “Sir. It’s Jim. I mean- Leftenent ... whatever. I can’t
work with him. I’m sorry, I can’t. You have to reassign me. Sir.
Please. I know I should be more open minded, but I’m sorry. If I
don’t have a choice, I’ll put up with it, but I think it would be
better for all involved if I were re-assigned.”
Cipriana’s eyes were wide, and it took
her a moment to respond- partly because Cassidy’s wave of rambling
took a bit to digest. “Cassidy! What…. What happened?”
Cassidy clenched her jaw as she spoke,
almost in a hiss.
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