Catherine's Letters (4 page)

She went to her bedroom and pulled out what she called her “sloppy sweater”. Baggy, long, and red, with blue and white stripes across the middle, she normally just wore it around the flat. It would be perfect for tonight when all she wanted was a quiet drink. It hid her figure completely, coming below her bottom and almost big enough to fit double her bust size inside. Slipping it on, she looked at herself in the mirror, decided against even the slightest trace of make-up. She gathered a pair of ankle boots, her three-quarter length leather jacket, and her bag, and she was off.

Ten minutes later, she walked into the pub. It was quiet for a Saturday night, even in a backstreet boozer like this. Most of the customers seemed to be couples, and that suited Adrienne just fine. She went to the bar and ordered a glass of white wine. She thought about getting a pint too, to make it look as if she was waiting for a man, but dismissed the idea when she saw how unlikely it was she would get any unwelcome chat-ups.

She took her drink and chose a seat in an alcove, the darkest and most remote part of the bar she could find unoccupied. For half an hour she sipped self-consciously, thinking she should have brought a book or a newspaper, before realising just how sad that would have made her look. When she could no longer eke out her wine she went to the bar for a refill. She had barely sat down again when she felt the light in front of her being blocked.

‘Hello. Do you mind if I join you?’ Adrienne was startled to hear a female voice coming out with the line. She looked up to see a pretty brunette. She had wavy brown hair tied in pigtails, and one of those faces that reminds you of a mischievous cat. Her minimal make-up, T-shirt, trainers, baggy combat trousers, and black bomber jacket seemed to reflect Adrienne’s own dress-down mood this evening. Adrienne had been startled by the stranger’s approach, but soon recovered her wits.

‘No, no, of course not. Please sit down.’ She could think of no reason to send the girl away. And besides, she looked harmless enough. The brunette took the vacant seat on the opposite side of the small table and placed her drink, some lemonade and spirit combination, down in front of her.

‘Sorry to butt in like this,’ the girl said. ‘You’re not waiting for someone are you?’

‘No, not at all,’ replied Adrienne, trying not to sound too pathetic.

‘I’m on my own too. My name’s Maria.’

‘Do you live round here?’

‘Not far. A short bus ride. I was at a loose end so I thought I’d play a little game I’ve come up with. I get on a bus near my flat and get off at the first pub I see that seems OK and where I haven’t been before. I wound up here tonight.’

‘Sounds risky,’ said Adrienne.

‘I usually do it with a couple of friends, other girls mainly. Tonight’s the first time I’ve tried it alone and I think I see what you mean. There’s a guy round the other side of the bar – no, don’t look, he’ll come over – who’s got interested in me, and he’s a little too persistent for comfort. I told him I was waiting for a friend who really wanted a heart-to-heart about something important. Then I saw you. Thanks for bailing me out – I don’t think he believed me.’

‘Don’t mention it.’ Adrienne genuinely sympathised, knowing how the word “no” did not seem to exist in the male vocabulary.

They continued chatting. Adrienne discovered her new friend was 22, a receptionist for a big PR firm, liked pop and jazz, and was a big believer in female empowerment. Maria showed as much interest in her background, asking the kind of intelligent questions men never seemed to think of when they were getting to know her.

Adrienne swigged back the last of her wine between sentences. ‘Oh please, let me get you another one. It’s the least I can do,’ said Maria.

‘No, there’s really no need,’ Adrienne told her. ‘I was only going to have a couple, then go home.’

‘Oh, OK. I may as well hit the road myself. I can’t hang around here alone with Lover Boy on the prowl.’

The women put on their jackets and walked out of the pub. As they reached the door, Adrienne found Maria’s arm slipping through hers. ‘For effect,’ the little brunette whispered in her ear. She was surprised but did not resist. Instead she wondered at the subtle aroma of the other girl’s perfume.

Adrienne shivered as they hit the chilly night air. They had taken a few steps and Maria had begun to relax her grip when the door opened and closed behind them. Maria looked over her shoulder and drew in a sharp breath. Suddenly, Adrienne found herself being tightly clasped, Maria’s lips locked onto hers.

‘Hmmm,’ Adrienne moaned. The very last thing she expected from another girl, especially one she had only just met, was a passionate kiss. But she was too stunned to fight and Maria was holding her too tight for her to escape. She heard heavy male steps passing, slowing a little, then speeding up and heading into the distance. Only then did Maria release her.

‘Sorry,’ she whispered. ‘He came out of the pub. I think he followed us. I thought he’d piss off if he saw we weren’t just friends.’

‘You mean you want him to think we’re lesbians?’ Adrienne was beginning to get concerned about the company she’d found herself in.

‘Hopefully.’ Maria’s arms were still around her, even though her grip was beginning to relax. ‘Look, I don’t feel right with him hanging around. Can I come back to your place for a bit, maybe ring for a taxi?’ The girl looked pleadingly into Adrienne’s eyes.

It would not have been right to turn her down. ‘OK,’ she said, ‘come with me.’

They walked the short distance to the flat, Maria keeping her arm looped through Adrienne’s. Only once they were inside did Maria release her and head for the lounge. ‘The phone’s in there,’ Adrienne called from the hall. ‘Would you like a drink while you’re waiting?’

‘Love one. Anything you’ve got going.’

Adrienne went to the kitchen and slipped her boots off, then reached into the fridge for the half-bottle of white wine left over from dinner. As she poured two glasses she heard Maria talking to a taxi firm. Talking quite loudly, it seemed, as though it was for her benefit.

She brought the glasses in just as Maria was setting the handset down. ‘About half an hour,’ she said. ‘South of the river, and all that. You’re stuck with me for a while.’

‘Not to worry,’ said Adrienne brightly, handing Maria a glass and sitting next to her on the sofa. ‘We can chat some more.’

The conversation picked up where it had stopped in the pub, with the pretty but tomboyish brunette making the odd compliment about Adrienne’s decorating and how big the flat was compared to hers. Then she threw a curveball.

‘How am I as a kisser?’

Blushing, Adrienne stammered the first response that came into her head. ‘Oh, er, you were fine, just fine.’ Then she found herself adding, ‘You’re certainly the best woman I’ve ever kissed.’ Even as she said it she imagined the look of horror that would surely appear on Maria’s face.

But it did not. Instead, there was a broad smile. ‘Wow! You’ve kissed other girls before?’

‘No! No, I was… That is, it was a joke,’ said Adrienne quickly, her embarrassment pounding through her veins and charging to her face.

‘Oh right,’ said Maria, sounding almost disappointed. ‘So haven’t you ever wondered what it would be like – with another woman?’

Adrienne gaped at her. Exactly what was this girl suggesting? The answer came straight away.

‘Look, I have a confession to make,’ Maria began. ‘That bloke I said was hassling me in the pub? He never existed. It was a lame excuse to chat you up.’

‘So who followed us when we left?’ Adrienne’s head was spinning.

‘I’ve no idea. He just happened to leave at the same time and I grabbed the chance to give you a quick snog. When you’re a girl who likes girls you have to take your opportunities when they come,’ she added with a giggle.

‘And now you – want to go to bed with me?’ Adrienne asked slowly.

‘Yes, please. But –’ Maria adopted a very serious tone ‘– only if you’re really curious and think you’ll enjoy it. Look,’ she said, seeing the shock on Adrienne’s face, ‘I can’t pretend lesbianism isn’t a big thing, especially if you’ve never tried it. And there’s not much I can say to sell you the idea, but it’s nothing like being with a man. For a start, I’m not just worried about getting my own end away. I can guarantee you’ll come. And,’ she added with some feeling, ‘you know I’m not lying when I say I’m not married, and I’ll still be here when you wake up.’

Adrienne looked deep into the soft, brown eyes which smiled up at her. She thought about how upset she had been at James’s deception. She remembered what she’d read in Charlotte’s letter, about sharing a bed with her cousin Connie. All of a sudden, the idea did not seem so bizarre. Maybe it was meant to happen, a way for her to get closer to the woman in the letters. ‘What about your taxi?’ she whispered.

‘Another confession.’ Maria smiled. ‘I never ordered it. I had my finger on the hook all the time, banking on you not throwing me out when I made my move. Look,’ she said, getting to her feet and picking up her glass, ‘you need time to think. Where’s the bedroom? Across the hall? I’ll go in there and wait. If you don’t want to sleep with me, call that taxi and I’ll wait for it outside. Take your time.’ Maria left the room, shutting the lounge door behind her.

Five minutes later, Adrienne walked into the bedroom, her palms sticky, her heart pounding, and her stomach turning delicious somersaults. The room was dark, with only the dim bedside light switched on. She did not see the pile of clothes on the floor until she trod on them. She looked down, wondering why she did not remember leaving them there, then realised she had not. The T-shirt, combat trousers, sports socks, and pale blue panties were not hers. Just in front of her on a chair was Maria’s bomber jacket. Her trainers were parked underneath.

‘I didn’t hear you phone for a taxi.’ Maria’s voice came from the bed. Adrienne looked down at her. She lay on top of the duvet, face down and naked. Her chin was on her left fist, her elbow on the bed. Her shoulders swept down into the elegant curve of her back, before rising as the twin mounds of a pert, absolutely symmetrical bottom. Her legs were short but in perfect proportion to her body. Her right hand still held the glass and she drained the last of her wine. She held up the empty glass and Adrienne reached out to take it from her. Her hand shook as she grasped the stem and set it on the bedside table, before turning back to Maria.

The naked girl pulled her knees forward and pushed herself up with her hands. She knelt before Adrienne, who looked self-consciously at the full-frontal display. Maria’s figure was trim, with a slender neck, breasts that were no more than tiny little buds, and a tapering waistline which led down to smooth, slim thighs. At their apex, where there should have been pubic hair, was bare skin and lips that were already slightly puffy and open.

Maria followed Adrienne’s stare. ‘Do you like it?’ she asked. ‘Smooth runway.’

‘Did you – do it yourself?’ Adrienne felt ridiculous even asking the question, but she had to say something. Maria, though, seemed to find her naivety endearing.

‘This time, but it’s much more fun with a friend to help. You can take it in turns to hold the mirror. Now, let’s have a look at you.’ She walked across the bed on her knees as Adrienne stumbled toward its edge. When they faced one another, Maria took the hem of Adrienne’s baggy jumper with both hands. Adrienne instinctively raised her arms. As Maria lifted the shapeless woollen garment, Adrienne bent her knees so it could be slipped over her head. She straightened as it disappeared and was thrown onto the pile of clothes already on the floor.

‘Wow!’ whispered Maria as she saw the shape of Adrienne’s figure for the first time. The sweater had been hiding a pink scoop-necked T-shirt, one which flattered her generous curves. ‘You have beautiful tits.’

‘Thank you.’ Adrienne felt herself blush yet again. ‘Men seem to like them. It seems sleeping with you isn’t going to be all that different.’

‘Oh, it will be,’ Maria reassured her. ‘A bloke would only want to get you into bed because you’ve got big boobs. For me, they’re a bonus – I want to get you, Adrienne, the woman, the person, into bed.’

‘So what are you waiting for? It seems to me I’ve still got too many clothes on.’ Adrienne surprised herself, but at the same time could feel herself growing bolder with every minute. She was here with Maria, she was enjoying the attention, so what the hell?

She pulled the T-shirt over her head. As she did so she felt Maria’s fingers busy themselves with her belt buckle, then the button and zip of her jeans. She threw the shirt onto the growing pile and reached behind her for the clip of her bra. Maria had opened her jeans and now had her hands inside the back of them, inching them down over her buttocks. She trembled as the air wafted over her thighs, then over her knees, and finally her calves. Her bra clip clicked and its restraining tightness was gone. She pulled it forward, feeling her breasts swing free into the warm air of the bedroom. At the same time she stepped out of her jeans, kicking them back and throwing the bra over her shoulders.

Now nearly as naked as Maria, she felt more relaxed and allowed the other girl to lead her. Maria took her hand and pulled her gently onto the bed, sweeping back the duvet and laying her down on the clean sheets Adrienne had put on that morning, in a bid to purge the presence of James. She slipped an arm around Adrienne’s shoulder and behind her neck. Her other hand rested lightly on her belly before tracing a path up to her left breast. As Maria’s fingers closed around its fatness, squeezing the generous flesh, Adrienne felt the nipple stiffen, almost as if it were about to burst. Maria leant forward and kissed her. This time it was returned, the two women opening their mouths and allowing their tongues to meet. Adrienne revelled in the difference from a passionate male kiss, the softness of Maria’s lips and her smooth tongue mingling with the sweet and very feminine perfume of her breath.

Far too soon, Maria broke off the embrace. Adrienne sighed and clasped the back of her new lover’s head. She felt Maria begin to move down her body, her lips sliding across her throat, then her chest. Adrienne was fascinated as Maria squeezed her breast, forcing the swollen nipple into even greater prominence. She shuddered with anticipation as Maria’s mouth opened and her tongue appeared. A second later and she gasped as it flicked her nipple, sending a shock through her whole body. Maria licked again and again, then took all of it between her lips and sucked greedily.