Page 12 of The Cocky for Cody
“I was getting close to nature. Isn’t that what you said to do? Are you sure there’s no shark?”
“Brooks, there’s no shark. And I didn’t mean for you to getthatclose to nature!”
“What are you talking about? It was just a cute old turtle.”
“Yeah, a cute old turtle who was about to snap your hand off. Jesus, their beaks are as sharp as razors. You do realize that to a turtle, your fingers look like big fat juicy worms, don’t you?”
Suddenly we both heard a familiar screech.
We turned to see Kevin perched on the stern of our anchored boat a few feet away. “Squark! Did someone say big fat juicy worms? I’m hungry!” He turned to the key in the ignition of the outboard, with its bright yellow wooden float attached, and with an evil glint in his eye he said, “I guess this’ll just have to do.”
Grabbing the key in his claws, Kevin yanked it out of the motor.
“Kevin! No!” Cody shouted urgently.
Kevin cackled. “Too late. So long suckers. Enjoy your swim.”
With a flap of his wings, the cocky from hell took off into the sky heading back to shore.
“No, no, no,no!” Cody seemed to plead with the sky, not even looking at Kevin now as he sailed toward dry land.
“Is this bad?” I asked, the magic making way for the menacing music fromJawsonce more. I was sure it was going to start playing at any moment now. “Should we be getting back in the boat?”
Cody nodded defeatedly. “Yep. It’s time to start rowing.”
“Rowing?”
“You do know how to row, don’t you?”
Not surprisingly, I didnotknow how to row.
Cody thought we’d get to shore quicker if he took one oar and I took the other and we rowed together. But after splashing and lurching and going around in a circle for several minutes, Cody took the oar off me and did the job himself.
He had by that stage unzipped his wetsuit and was undressed to the waist.
Streams of sweat trickled down his broad tanned back, while his muscles flexed, shining in the sun.
Before long, we slid onto shore, the hull of the boat gliding up onto the sand with one final powerful stroke from my boyfriend.
I was impressed.
Cody was not, given the scowl on his face as he jumped out of the boat and stormed up the beach toward the shack.
I raced as fast as I could through the sand as it sank beneath my feet, catching up with him just as he pushed open the door.
There was no sign of Kevin, but there on the kitchen table was the key to the outboard motor.
And somewhere in the sky, high over the island, I could have sworn I heard a cockatoo screeching with laughter.
Cody moved the kitchen table out onto the porch, lit some candles, and barbecued a fish on his barbie. As twilight splashed the sky with streaks of pink and orange, we ate, listening to the waves and watching the stars appear.
I could see he was trying to shake off his anger at Kevin.
He was trying to create an atmosphere where we could both relax and cook a meal that we could both enjoy.
But the tension crackled off him as night set in.
“Don’t be mad,” I said. “We made it home alive.”
