California Girl

"Are you sure?"

"Let me ask her when she gets home. I'm pretty sure it won't be a problem."

* * *

"So you can do it?" Emily asked Marnie, flipping a grilled cheese sandwich that they'd split for lunch

"Shouldn't be a problem. You said the 26^th, right?"

"That's right. Kelly's going to be out of town to do something for her husband so you'll be staying with Tasha that night."

Emily slid the sandwich onto a plate and cut it in halves, putting the plate between them on the kitchen table. Marnie got a paper napkin and put her half on it.

"I thought you told me that Kelly and Brian are at odds. Why should she go out of town for him?" Marnie took a healthy bite out of her sandwich, the melted cheese clinging to her lip. Emily reached across the table and used her finger to scoop up the errant cheese.

"They are. Brian gave Kelly something she wanted in the divorce."

"Ahh, that's makes much more sense now. I heard from Pinky that Kelly did something at the neighborhood mixer. What was it? She was sure apologetic about it."

"Let's just say that Kelly was drunk and did something she regrets."

"She certainly was drunk. And hanging all over Jimmy the bartender from what I could see."

Emily knew what Marnie was thinking. "She's not like that, you know."

"Like what?" Marnie asked, knowing full well what her comment implied.

"You know ... a loose woman. I've known her for over ten years. I'd give my right arm for her," Emily said, ready to defend her best friend.

"I know that you're close ..." Marnie started to say.

"More than you can imagine," Emily said, cutting in. "I'm not proud of this, but about five years ago Samuel stepped out on me with one of his interns. He swore it was a one time thing, but it busted me up pretty bad. I started drinking and feeling sorry for myself, and it was Kelly who played nursemaid to me to help me pull myself back together. I owe her everything."

"I feel that way about Fiona. She's my best mate. When my parents got killed in that collision, it was Fee who stayed by my side when the world was black. I can relate."

"Now Kelly's going through a rough patch, with Brian moving out and the divorce. She's not been acting herself lately."

"Pinky told me that she heard that Kelly and Jimmy went into the storeroom together."

Emily rolled her eyes. "I think Kelly was too drunk to know what she was doing."

"She may have been drunk, but when I saw her she certainly knew what she was doing. She tried to cut me down a peg or two in front of her husband." Marnie wanted to like Kelly, as she was Emily's best friend, but her obnoxious behavior at the party and the rumors about her and Jimmy didn't sit well with her, despite Kelly's apology.

Emily could see that Marnie was at a tipping point, and could easily write off Kelly as a potential friend. It would make for an uncomfortable year if the two of them were at odds.

"I know. That's why I'm asking you for a favor," Emily said. "I want you to get to know her better."

Marnie thought about the tall, muscular blonde, and the flushed feeling she had at Pinky's resurfaced. She wasn't one to hold a grudge, and far be it for her to judge others after her ill-fated affair with Lauren.

"OK, I'll do it."

"Good, it's settled. I'll let Kelly know."

* * *

That night Marnie laid in bed, staring at the ceiling, lost in her thoughts. She hadn't talked with or corresponded with Lauren since she left Ireland. They had decided to make a clean break, and had both respected that agreement. For the first time since she left Ireland, Marnie had strong sexual urges that caused her to kick off her covers and hike up her nightgown. She reached into her nightstand drawer and felt for her trusty vibrator, still packed in its carrying case from the trip over. She turned her television on to mask the buzzing sound as she switched it on. She ran the tip of the plastic phallus over her pussy lips, already slick with moisture.

"Ohhhh ..." she grunted, the burst of pleasure taking her by surprise.

For the first time, her fantasy wasn't about Lauren, but Kelly. Instead of the tall, slender Lauren, her thoughts now focused on Kelly's brassy blonde hair and tanned complexion, and she imagined her naked, offering her full, ripe breasts to be loved. The tip of the vibrator parted her pussy lips, finding a moist, wet channel that made it easy to slide all the way in. The slippery friction and vibration caused tingles of pleasures between her legs, reminding her of the pleasures of sex.

Her panting became more pronounced as she turned up the speed of the vibrator. She pictured Kelly's legs over her shoulders with her tongue lapping the nectar seeping from the blonde's puffy pussy lips. She pumped the vibrator in and out as she ascended to her release. She sensed she was almost there, and pulled out the vibrator and pressed it hard against her clit. The intensity of the sensations flooded her pussy with cum.

She pulled her pillow over her face and screamed into it. "Oh God ... shit ... fuck, fuck, fuck ...". The orgasms overlapped each other as she shouted into her pillow.

She was panting so hard she was afraid she was going to hyperventilate. She was trying to catch her breath when there was a soft knock on her door.

"You OK in there?" It was Samuel. He happened to be passing Marnie's door on the way to his bedroom when he heard commotion in her room.

Startled, Marnie sat up in bed and gathered the sheets to cover herself in case Samuel opened the door.

"Yes ... yes ... I'm fine ... sorry for the noise. I was just doing some stretching before I went to bed."

Samuel backed away from the door. He recognized the sounds of a woman cumming, and was sure that Marnie was masturbating. The only thing that Marnie was stretching, Samuel thought, was the walls of her pussy. He conjured up his recurring vision of Marnie naked, her curly red hair flying about and her breasts bouncing as she rode him cowgirl style. His penis stiffened and was tenting his pajama bottoms. He wandered into his bedroom with an obvious erection.

"What's going on?" Emily asked, putting down her romance novel. She'd been reading for a while and was horny. Samuel couldn't have come in at a better time.

"I think M ... M ... Marnie was using her v ... v ... vibrator. I heard buzzing and muffled screaming," Samuel replied as he got under the covers.

Emily slipped her hand inside Samuel's pajamas and started stroking his erection. She knew just the way he liked it, and scooped a dollop of precum from the head of his penis and used the natural lubrication to massage the underside of it with her thumb, from his balls to his glans. He groaned in appreciation.

"Come here." She grabbed Samuel's wrist and guided his hand to her wet cunt. "Mommy's got something for you."

* * *

Chapter Three

A Big Surprise

Marnie arrived bright and early at Kelly's house. It was already a balmy eighty degrees, and it wasn't yet nine a.m. The modern steel and glass structure, designed by Samuel Vandebroek, was so unlike the ancient fieldstone buildings common in Dalkey. She pressed the doorbell button next to the substantial sculptural metal gate protecting the glass entry door.

Kelly strolled up to the door and opened it. Her hair was pulled back into a short ponytail and she was wearing a sleeveless top, shorts and sandals. Her face brightened at seeing Marnie.

"So good of you to come," she said, welcoming her new friend into the house.

"Happy to do it." Marnie admired the modern furniture and the art adorning the white walls. "You have a lovely home."

"Thank you." She couldn't help noticing how fair Marnie looked, her pale complexion offset by her bright red hair. Even through she was wearing a simple t-shirt and cut-off shorts, she couldn't have looked more fetching in her eyes. "By the way, you look lovely this morning."

Marnie sensed that there was something more to her comment than a pleasantry. She filed it away for further thought. Did she detect interest?

Kelly was eager to leave on her two hour drive, so she launched into her briefing as they arrived in the kitchen.

"So this sheet has written down Tasha's doctor's number and of course you can call Emily if there are any problems. Em probably knows where everything is in this house."

Kelly pointed to the refrigerator. "There's plenty of soda and mineral water in the fridge. I've left fifty dollars on the counter for takeout for dinner. Tasha knows that places we order from. That should about do it. Tasha should be home in an hour from volleyball practice."

"No problem Miss," Marnie said reassuringly. "I've got two brothers that needed looking after. You know ... after the ..."

Kelly knew exactly what she was talking about. Emily had mentioned that Marnie's parents were killed in a car accident a few years back, and Marnie and her brothers had to take over operation of the family's pub.

"Oh yes ... I'm so sorry Marnie."

"Thank you Miss."

"Please ... please ... call me Kelly."

"I sure do miss my parents Kelly." Then her face perked up. "Don't worry about Tasha. She's in good hands. I'm going back to Emily's, but I'll return before Tasha comes home."

Kelly clasped her hand in thanks ... an innocent gesture that lasted longer than it should have.

The blonde broke the silence. "I wanted to thank you again."

"For what?"

"For your understanding about the other night. I was completely out of line."

Marnie shrugged her shoulders. "It's forgotten. Sometimes drinking brings out the worst in people."

"It does for me," Kelly confessed. "And you won't see me like that again. That's a promise."

"I appreciate that ... Kelly." Marnie felt a strong attraction but dismissed it. Kelly was clearly heterosexual and wouldn't have any interest in her.

"So Kelly ... can you show me again how to arm the alarm on the keypad?"

* * *

It was half past seven when Tasha came in through the kitchen door.

"Hello," she said tentatively, seeing a stranger sitting at the kitchen table. Marnie was reading another Spenser novel. She cursed Lauren for getting her hooked on them.

Marnie looked up, regarding a young woman with short dark hair. Her right nostril was pierced with a small silver ring. She was wearing faded jeans and a white tee shirt and had a black leather jacket slung over her shoulder.

"Hello," Marnie replied. Her brogue made her identity unmistakable.

"You're from Ireland."

"Is it that obvious?" Marnie asked rhetorically, laying her accent on thick.

Tasha laid her jacket across the back of a kitchen chair and started hunting through the refrigerator.

"Hungry?" Marnie asked.

"Starving."

"Instead of fast food, what about if I make something for you?"

"You?" she asked, casting doubt Marnie's culinary skills.

"I've worked in a pub since I was seven years old. Including working in the kitchen. I think I've learned a thing or two."

Tasha was impressed by her claim, but wanted to see the goods. She put down her backpack and sat at the kitchen table. "OK, let's see what you can do."

Marnie pulled open the refrigerator door. She started on the top shelf. Leftover spaghetti, half a can of black olives, milk that was about to expire, a couple containers of fruit yogurt. Not much there. The second shelf had a package of boneless, skinless chicken thighs and a pound of hamburger. The produce drawers had green onions, red peppers and garlic.

She rooted through the cupboards to find a rice cooker, brown rice, and an onion.

Tasha rested her head on her elbow, watching Marnie move quickly across the kitchen.

"I can see that you've done this before."

"Maybe a few times. I'm going to make an Asian stir fry."

That caught Tasha by surprise. She was thinking corned beef and cabbage.

Marnie could see the blank expression on Tasha's face.

"We eat Asian food in Ireland lass," Marnie said mockingly. She went back to marinating the chicken she just finished dicing. She would cook it last to allow the marinade to soak into the raw diced chicken. She stir fried the vegetables in minced garlic, and then the chicken, and mixed it together. The chime on the rice cooker went off announcing the rice was done. She had dinner on the table in twenty minutes.

Tasha moved her food bowl to the steaming dish of chicken stir fry. Marnie dropped a scoop of rice into it and then spooned the chicken over it. Tasha used her chopsticks expertly, shoveling the delicious mixture into her mouth.

"This is really good," said Tasha between bites.

"I'm glad you like it. So could I be a cook in the United States?" teased Marnie.

Tasha was impressed by the Irish redhead. She was fun to be with and pretty. She was also a damn good cook. She continued eating while Marnie talked about her brothers and her best friend Fiona and how much she missed them. Even though Marnie was seven years older, Tasha couldn't help thinking whether Marnie thought her to be attractive. Raging hormones of an eighteen year old, and one who had started experimenting with women as well as men.

"So tell me about your mum," Marnie asked.

Tasha thought for a moment, wanting to be politic with her answer. She knew that Marnie was staying with Emily. "She's ... uh ... wonderful."

Marnie's eyes narrowed. "I also learned in a pub to tell when someone wasn't telling me the truth. I think there's a 'but' there someplace."

Tasha smiled at Marnie's ability to look through her. "But she can be a bit overbearing. She's such a perfectionist. If I'm not perfect then I'm not trying hard enough."

"It's not bad to want the best for your daughter?" Marnie asked, remembering her own mother's push to get Marnie to pursue her doctorate.

"No ... no ... it's not that. There's no 'off' switch for my mother. I wish someday she'd be OK with me being lazy all day. She pointed at Marnie. "I'm eighteen. Don't you think my mother should be trusting me to be by myself for one night?"

Tasha had a point. Marnie did think it was a bit unusual. She was closing the bar when she was eighteen. "I get it," Marnie conceded, "but her heart's in the right place."

They talked more about Kelly, Kelly's relationship with Brian (terrible), how Tasha viewed Brian (asshole), and if she was seeing anyone (no).

Tasha scraped the bottom of her bowl to retrieve the last few scraps of the chicken stir fry. Marnie watched with pleasure as Tasha ate the last bits of the dish.

"Did Mom show you the house?"

Marnie realized she hadn't seen the house. She had spent pretty much the entire time in the kitchen. She shook her head.

Tasha pushed her seat back. "Let's go." She took Marnie's hand and pulled her off her seat.

* * *

"So here's Mom's room. And this little alcove over here is her study."

Marnie studied the spacious room. It had the look of a professional decorator, with a decidedly modern flair. She peeked over into the alcove, a space just large enough for an antique rolltop desk and a bookcase. Marnie sat in the padded swivel chair and turned until she was facing the bookcase. Tasha stood to the side and chuckled.

"I call it her 'Hall of Fame,'" Tasha said with a giggle as Marnie scanned the bookcase full of trophies and placques. "My mother was named to her high school's Hall of Fame because she held most of the swimming records when she graduated." She pointed to the row of trophies. "Her event was the butterfly." Tasha picked up a scrapbook and showed Marnie pictures of Kelly in action, her body rising out of the roiling water. Marnie noticed that Kelly's body was thinner in the waist when she was swimming competitively.

Marnie studied the team pictures. Kelly was always the tallest of the group, and her smile stood out. Even her tight fitting suit she couldn't hide her full rounded breasts.

"She's pretty," Marnie couldn't help observing.

Tasha picked up the picture and studied it. "She is. I can't believe it's my mother."

"So tell me the truth. Does she ever let her hair down?"

"She's funny sometimes, and even silly, but most of the time she's serious. I know she wants the best for me but her sense of discipline and competitiveness drives me crazy. I love her, but I think it's time for me to move out of the house. I'm pretty much decided I'm going to college, and not to stay at home."

"I can see that. She's been nice to me though. And if I hadn't met her I wouldn't have met you, right?"

Tasha blushed. She wasn't sure what Marnie thought of her. It was the first indication that she liked her. She couldn't believe it, but she was flustered.

* * *

Early the next morning Kelly's Subaru Outback wagon rolled into the garage. She opened the door to the house and noticed the kitchen light was on. Marnie peeked her head out of the pantry. She was holding raw potatoes in her hand.

"So how was it?" Kelly asked, stepping into the kitchen. She could smell that there was a full pot of coffee in the coffeemaker.

"Grand. You have a remarkable daughter. And welcome back." Marnie walked past her to the sink, using a brush to clean the potatoes. She couldn't help noticing the designer jacket and matching skirt Kelly was wearing. Her hair was up, clipped in the back, and she was fully made up. She looked fashionable, but also sexy.

Kelly went straight to the coffee, picking up a mug and filling it. "Thanks, and thanks for watching Tasha," she said before taking a sip of the hot coffee. Bending forward, her blouse shifted, exposing a significant amount of her cleavage.

Marnie noticed, then talked over the running water. "I wouldn't call it watching. I was just keeping her company. So how was your trip?"

"Successful. We got the piano loaded yesterday and I got it into his new house late last night." Kelly sounded relieved, which she was.

"That's good."

Kelly took a seat at the kitchen table and started drinking her coffee in earnest.

"Mind if I finish making breakfast?" Marnie asked. Before Kelly could answer, she added, "for two."

"No ... no ... of course not. I'd love to have breakfast with you." Kelly was starving. "How was Tasha?"

"She's a good egg."

"You liked her?"

"Of course. She's a great girl. I made her dinner and we had a good long talk."

"Made dinner, did you?"

"I gave Tasha the fifty you left for food. I told her I wouldn't tell you."

"That's fine ... as long as she's happy."

"I think she's not always happy."

"I know. You probably heard that Brian moved out of the house."

"I did."

"I think that was most of the problem. Hopefully with him gone, it's going to be a lot calmer here."

Kelly studied Marnie's face. "OK. What did she tell you about me?"

Marnie was boiling the diced potatoes. She chopped up slices of bacon into small strips.

"Nothing."

"Out with it."

"She thinks that sometimes you're a bit ... a bit ..."

"Overbearing? Is that the word you were searching for?"

"Uhh ... yes."

"I know I can be. There's too much competitive fire still burning." She pointed to her gut.

"Oh yes ... I got that ... Tasha took me to your bedroom."

"Oh ... what she calls the 'Hall of Fame'."

"Right ... it is impressive."

Kelly started to blush. "It's really not ..."

"Tasha's proud of you. She knows you always want to finish first. She just wants you to cut her some slack."

"Oh Marnie. You speak the truth."

"You look very pretty today."

Kelly suddenly felt hot.

"I'm not hitting on you Kelly ... I just thought you'd like to know."

Marnie took the boiled potatoes out and drained them, dousing them in an ice water bath. She sauteed the onions and bacon and then added the cooled potatoes.

"Looks yummy," said Kelly, her tummy growling.

Marnie used her spatula to put a healthy portion on Kelly's plate and then handed it to her.