This story is fiction and so are the characters in it.
Please send any comments to me at another_face101@hotmail.com I need to know if people are reading this. Enjoy ?
Second Time Around
CHAPTER 7 A Thorn In My Mind
It was midnight by the time I got home. We had had a few problems at work so a few of us stayed behind to sort them out. I had been up since 3am that morning and was exhausted. I opened the front door and tip toed into the kitchen, accidentally kicking a chair, which made a loud screech. I dumped my bag on the table and headed for the shower.
The water was hot and soothing to my tied muscles, and after washing myself I spent a few moments enjoying it. I turned off the taps and stepped out to be greeted by the cold air. I quickly dried myself off, returned my damp towel to its rack and quickly walked into the bedroom. I grabbed a t-shirt off the chair in the dark and slipped quietly into bed, next to Danny's sleeping form.
Morning came too quickly and before I new it my eyes opened to a sun lit room. I shut them tightly, trying to ignore it. I was still tired. The bed underneath me moved slightly and I felt a warm hand run up my leg.
"I could get used to this" Danny kissed the top of my thigh "Waking up with a sexy," she kissed me again "half naked" and again "woman, next to me in my bed"
I grunted and reached for the sheet that was around my ankles. Danny's lips found my neck and her hand started to make it's way under my t-shirt. It was too early for this.
I pulled her up on top of me and shut my eyes.
"Aren't I squashing you?"
"No, but stop wiggling. I'm trying to sleep"
Danny giggled. "It's time to get up"
"No it's not"
"Yes it is, baby" she purred.
She kissed my neck again very lightly. Her hand was gently squeezing my thigh
"What are you doing?"
"Waking you up" She ran a finger over my t-shirt covered nipple.
"It won't work" I mumbled.
"Sure it will" she kissed me again and I could feel the huge grin on her lips.
Two hours later I was up and eating toast. Danny was at the kitchen bench making coffee and humming a tune that I didn't recognize. I took a bite of my toast and put my head back down on the table as I chewed. I was awake, but my body was still tired. My plan to go back to seep hadn't worked - though I'm not complaining. What we did instead was just as good - hehe, who am I kidding - it was better. After that we had taken a shower together, which we hadn't done before.
I was on my mid year holidays. I had a month off from uni in between semesters and was working two jobs. Danny was at the hospital during the day so to fill in the time I got another job. It was at the local Blockbuster video store. I worked there on weekdays from 8:30 - 4pm and then waitressed at the Italian restaurant from 5pm - roughly 11pm (or to closing on Fridays) Thursday and Friday nights. I enjoy working - if you can call it that. It's not very busy during the day at the store so I can just watch movies on the screens they have, which are mounted on the ceiling.
Danny placed a mug of coffee in front of me.
"Sit up while you're eating or you'll choke" She giggled and took a seat opposite me "I sounded like my mother then"
I sat up and finished my mouthful. "Thanks for the coffee"
"That's alright" She took a sip of hers "Sorry I woke you up before. I probably should of let you sleep some more"
"That's ok. It was ten anyway"
Danny had her elbows on the table and was holding her coffee in front of her face. Her eyes peered over the top of the mug.
"I was going to let you sleep, but.I was a little" she paused. Her eyes looked down into her coffee. She was thinking.
"Horny?"
Danny's eyes shot back up at me and I could see the edge of a smile from behind the mug "For lack of a better word, yes"
My foot found hers under the table and I rubbed her leg. "I'm not complaining"
The phone rang and I left my seat to answer it.
"Hello?" I was in a relatively good mood I just noticed, due to the tone of my voice.
"Ashley?"
"Mom?" I saw Danny's head turn out of the corner of my eye.
"Yes, dear. How are you?"
I was speechless "I'm good" I paused "You?"
"Yes, we're all well here"
"Well, that's good to hear" I wondered why she was calling.
"How's Liz?"
"Oh, yeah, she's well. Though she's not living here anymore. She moved in with Steve almost two months ago" I started to pace up and down the kitchen.
"Really. Well, her and Steve have been going out for awhile, haven't they?"
"Yeah"
"Are you by yourself then?"
"No"
"So you have a new flat mate then?"
"Yeah, sort of" Meaning that I was living with someone and was also sleeping with her.
"Have you forgotten how to use proper sentences?"
I didn't answer. I took a long sip of coffee and rested the phone on my shoulder, away from my ear.
"Well, I don't want to waste time, Ashley. I called because it's your fathers 50th birthday this week and we're having a party at the house next Saturday. We thought it would be a good idea if you came"
I thought for a moment "Can I bring someone?"
"Well I don't see why not. Can I ask who?"
Hmm. What do I say? Friend or lover? I walked into the bedroom and shut the door. "My partner, Danielle"
There was silence on the other end of the phone "Clearly I can see that you haven't changed"
"Jesus! My sexuality is not something that you can just change, mother," I may of said that a bit loud.
"Oh, so dating Matthew was just for fun? That wasn't a change wasn't it?"
"You don't understand"
"Don't understand what, Ashley? That you go out with Matthew and then tell me you're a lesbian? All I" She paused "all we, wanted was a normal child-"
"And then you got me. I am so sorry" I could feel my anger rising. I kicked the bed and winced at the unexpected pain.
Once again there was silence. I took a few deep breaths and tried to calm myself.
"I know that you don't approve of this, but really, mom, I don't need your approval. If you want me to be at Dad's party, I'll go. But I want you to be nice to Danielle, ok?"
"Of course. You make me out to be a monster"
"I mean it. If you're rude or anything, I'll leave. You don't need to bring your hate for me out on her"
"Ashley! I don't hate you"
"Of course you don't, mom"
"Well, I'll see you 7:30 next Saturday?"
"Yeah"
"Good-bye Ashley"
"Bye"
I stood still for a moment taking more deep breaths. I tried to calm down.
A few moments later I went back out to the kitchen and hung the phone up. Danny was still sitting at the table. I grabbed my coffee and drunk the rest of it in one mouthful. I rinsed my mug and placed it upside down next to the sink to dry. I stared out the window for a few seconds, trying to fight off the anger that had risen due to my mom's call. I don't even know why I said I would go. I'd get there and spend the whole time wishing I was somewhere else. We would be lucky if we all didn't end up in a big fight during the party.
I returned to my seat opposite Danny at the kitchen table. I looked down at the remaining bit of my toast and then got up and chucked it in the bin. I was no longer hungry.
"I'm sorry" I scratched my head and did my best to smile "What where we talking about?" I leant against the bench.
Danny straightened herself up in her seat "Do you want to talk about it?"
I had been looking at the floor. I raised my eyes to her face. I hadn't seen that look before - she looked concerned. I shook my head "It's nothing. My mom has invited us to my dad's 50th" I kicked a little bit of something that was on the floor "It's next Saturday night. Do you want to come? I understand if you don't want to. I already said I would go, don't know why"
"Sure I'll go" Danny smiled at me. That smile made me feel so much better.
I took Danny's mug off of her and washed it. She came up behind me while I was putting it aside to dry and placed her hands on my shoulders.
"Your parents don't like that fact that you're a lesbian?" She started to massage my tense shoulders "You were kind of loud on the phone"
My body moved forward slightly every time her fingers pressed into my shoulders.
"Yeah. It just wasn't what they wanted" I paused and straightened my neck as her fingers started work on it. "They had a daughter who was supposed to date men, eventually get married to one and have children," I thought for a moment. Danny's thumbs made their way down the sides of my spine "I went out with Matthew for nearly 4 years. I guess they got used to having him around. I guess they thought that we'd get married some day. And then I tell them I like women" I shook my head and walked into the living room. Danny followed me. "You know, I convinced myself that I was attracted to him. And when he asked me out I said yes. I guess I figured that if I wasn't attracted to him then, that I would be if I were given time. I never thought I was gay - it didn't even cross my mind. Because that's how things are supposed to be, right? I was suppose to be sexually attracted to men and I spent all this time convincing myself I was"
I started to straighten some books on the coffee table. Danny had taken a seat.
"The first year of our relationship was ok. We did a lot of cool things together and it was fun. I never really enjoyed sex - actual I hated it - I just thought I was weird or something. I always felt uncomfortable when he touched me, and I must admit, I only slept with him half the time to please him" I went into the kitchen and grabbed a cloth. I started to dust the shelf. "Then I got busy 'cos it was my final year of school so we didn't see that much of each other. Then he went away for three months" I ran the cloth across a shelf "What am I talking about?" I looked at Danny.
She smiled "You're telling me about when you realized you were gay and about your parents"
"Oh" I picked up an object and dusted it "anyway, I was out some where one day and this chick walks past me. I can't remember now, I think she was wearing a short skirt or something, I don't know, and I turned around to get another look at her. Then I realized what I was doing" I scratched my nose "and I wondered why I did it. It was only then that I started to think about women and realized that they turned me on" I smiled to myself. "It took me so long to except it though. I'm not sure what I was scared of" I ran the cloth over the top of the TV "I don't know why I'm telling you this, I must be boring you"
"No you're not. It's good that you're telling me these things. We're in a relationship. I'm suppose to know these things about you"
I was standing in front of her. I was hopeless at telling people about my self. And I was nervous.
"My parents always had high expectations for me and I don't think I ever fulfilled them. My dad always put so much pressure on me. I struggled through school, but still managed to get a decent mark in my final exams. Then I took a year off, which I can tell you, he wasn't happy about. I just had to. I couldn't cope with uni, with all the pressure from my dad and with everything that was going on with Mathew" I looked down at the floor and Danny put her hand on my clenched fist "It just wasn't a good time for me"
Memories from that time started to flood my mind like a dam had just been broken. I had tried so hard to push them out, which was my way of coping - to just forget.
Mark was the only one I had told this too, and even then I had left some things out.
"It does help to talk about these things" Danny had managed to squeeze her thumb into my fist, which made me relax it.
I thought, for what seemed like hours.
"I just wasn't very happy. I started to drink a lot and, ah.I.I wasn't my biggest fan" I tried to back away from the couch but Danny wouldn't let me go "Mark found me one night at this old boat shed we always used to hang out at" Danny continued to rub the back of my hand "he ran me to the hospital .it was only around the corner. Well, that's what he said happened. I had overdosed on something.can't remember what I had taken. I had my stomach pumped.and I think they had to resuscitate me. If Mark hadn't turned up when he did.I wouldn't be here now"
I stood still and remained quiet. I waited for Danny to say something. But she didn't. Instead she stood and took me in her arms. I felt a tear run down my face and I quickly whipped it away. She held me tightly and put her lips to my ear.
"I love you" She whispered.
I had a lump in my throat and was lost for words. I swallowed and spoke the only words I could think of.
"I love you too" And I really did - that, I was sure of.
"Promise me," Danny brushed some hair out of my face and held my head between her hands "that if you ever feel like that again you will come and talk to me about it, ok?"
I nodded "I promise"
Back then the only person who I could talk to was Mark. My parents didn't want to know about my problems because they were too busy working and Matthew had told me to grow up when I had tried to tell him how my parents made me feel and how controlling he had been.
But now things were different. I was in the arms of a person who cared about me and who was willing to listen to my problems. That person just happened to be a woman and quite frankly, no man could ever make me as happy as she had. She didn't tell me what to do or when to do it. She made me feel wanted and she respected me for who I was. I made a mental note to thank Mark for introducing us (he had always told me he'd find someone for me) I was in love. I was in love, with a woman. Society could shove its norms right up its ass. I wonder what my parents would say to that?
Later that day we drove to the river and then spent an hour and a half walking along it, hand in hand. On the way home we had stopped off and grabbed a video to watch that night. Once we got home I got as a drink and headed to the couch where Danny was sitting. I placed the drinks on the coffee table.
"You ever been with a man? I don't think I've asked you before"
Danny shook her head "Only women"
"How many? You don't have to answer if you don't want" I joined her on the couch and rested my head in her lap.
"Four. Well, five including you" I rested my head on her lap "Is that alright?"
I rolled onto my back so I was looking up at her "Yeah. I don't care who you've been with, as long as you don't sleep with anyone else while we're going out" I smiled as she ran her finger over my bottom lip.
"I wouldn't do that to you. I've been cheated on before and it's not nice"
"I wouldn't do that too you either" I giggled as Danny's hand brushed over a ticklish spot on my stomach "I only have eyes for you" Danny's head came a little closer to mine.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah"
Danny bent down further and gave me a sideways kiss. I giggled during it as her hand found my weak spot again. I squirmed from side to side and eventually ended up on the floor.
I looked up from the floor and put my hands behind my head "Thanks"
Danny blinked "For pushing you onto the floor?"
"No" I scrunched my nose up at the face she was pulling at me "For cheering me up" I rested my foot on the couch "And for listening to me ramble on about stuff earlier today"
"Well" Danny slid off the couch and joined me on the floor, propping her head up with her hand "I don't like to see you upset" she pushed some hair behind my ear "And I like to listen to your stuff" we both smiled at each other "And anyway, if you're going to go into a cleaning frenzy when you do, you can do it when ever you want"
Danny kissed me again, and again, and again and again.
************************************ Please send any comments to: another_face101@hotmail.com Thank you! Next chapter should be posted in the next week or two.