Secrets Left Neglected

Chapter 22

Nick

"Coda!" I yell at him. "Coda!"

Coda is the best therapy dog on the planet. When he runs back to me to return the Frisbee I bend down and ruffle his fur. We're over at Kroger's Park chilling out for a little while. Coda loves a good game of catch.

"Good boy, Coda," I encourage him. "Good job!" I repeat, taking the Frisbee out of his mouth. Wiping the slobber onto my jeans, I stand up and re-throw the Frisbee across the field. Coda's off in a dash, tongue hanging out of his mouth as he races to catch the little blue disc.

"Wow," I hear her say. "He caught that in mid-air, no problem."

I turn to find Caoilainn standing behind me.

"Hey," I say, surprised to see her there. "What're you doing here?"

"Bring it back, Coda," I turn and yell to him. He's at my feet in an instant. He drops the disc at my feet and surprises me by running over to greet Caoilainn. She laughs and bends over, kissing him on the snout, to which he gladly responds with some sloppy licking of his own.

I shake my head and smile. What I wouldn't give to lick----STOP.

Right now, Nick. Just stop.

"Sorry," I tell her. "He loves women, especially pretty ones."

Caoilainn laughs nervously and I realize what I just said. After I mentally slap myself, I remove my foot from my mouth and try to dig myself out of the hole I just dug.

"I mean-shit," I sigh. "Sorry, but it's true."

"It's ok, Nick," she forgives, leaning forward to hug Coda. "He's pretty handsome himself," she says to me, and then to Coda in a goofball dogee-ease voice, "aren't you boy?"

Then Caoilainn leans forward to grab Coda's Frisbee and I can see right down her shirt. Turning away so she doesn't notice the swear words running through my head (thank goodness she can't read my mind) I count to ten and try to relax. I feel like a schoolboy trying to calm his hormones.

"Get your head together, Nick," I tell myself.

"So, anyway, what did you say you were doing here?" I ask her.

While Coda runs back and forth between us, Caoilainn starts to tell me about a problem she's been having with one of her dance students. The little girl's name is Rian and she's six. The girl's a natural, but has some anxiety issues that are preventing her from performing in front of others.

"I just wish there was something I could do to put her at ease, you know? Something that I could do before class begins that would help her relax," Caoilainn sighs, bringing me back to the conversation at hand. It's then I realize that maybe I can help.

"Hey, Caoilainn," I say to her. "Why don't I bring Coda around to see Rian? You think that might help? He'd help her feel less anxious before her class. It might give her the boost she needs to get started. What do you think?"

I watch her eyes light up at the idea. "Nick, that's a great idea! Do you think you and Coda could stop by on Thursday night around six?" She asks me excitedly.

Of course I'll be there. Regardless of whether or not I have a shot with Caoilainn, I have a soft spot for kids. And I know Coda can help Rian.

"Yeah," I reply. "I'd be happy to. I'll just drop by on my way back from the hospital that night. Will that work?"

"That'll be awesome," Coailainn responds, hugging me gratefully.

Ah, shit.

Back up, Nick.

Back up. Back up. Back up.

Caoilainn lets go and tells me, "When you get to the I-S, just follow the music. You should be able to hear us from the pub area."

Coda returns with his Frisbee and plops down on the grass in front of us, smiling and panting at Caoilainn with his tongue hanging out.

Yeah. Tell me about it, Coda.

Dog's as smart as any human, I swear.

I take a step back and scratch my head. "Alright, so I'll see you then, Caoilainn. Right now, I gotta get Coda to the vet. He has a follow up visit; got into a thing with a raccoon and well, anyway, I'll talk to you later."

I turn to click Coda's leash onto his collar and we leave the park, as Caoilainn watches us go.

If she only knew.