Delicate Touches Pt. 05

"Is there something else?"

"Um, I was thinking maybe we could go out for a drink sometime after work."

"Oh," she blinked through her glasses, "sure, why not?" Mei Lin moved further into the toilet, "but right now I have something to do, catch you later," she took two steps forward and let the door swing shut.

She felt the butterflies rising in her stomach as she headed for a cubicle. What is wrong with me? I get asked out twice, first Stevie and now Richard. She shut the door and locked it as she recalled the conversation she'd had with Stella on the way to work. I should just say yes to both, she looked at her phone as it beeped. It was a picture message from Stevie showing her outside a house in the beachside town of Torquay, she was sitting on the front step with a Labrador pup in her arms, the accompanying message said: Meet Denis, isn't she cute?

Mei Lin: She sure is, her owner is cute too.

The reply came back seconds later, an animated Cocker Spaniel lying on the ground laughing hysterically.

She stared at her phone. All she had to do was say yes to a date and not let anything get in the way. Was it really that hard to stick to a social engagement? She still didn't have an answer when she returned to her desk but Stella did look pleased as she replied to a text from Evie.

"That went well," she looked up, "thanks to your timely intervention."

"Huh?"

"Linda," she sent the text.

"I was considering another woman for the other room but because she's an old girlfriend I wasn't quite on the same page. I'd already spoken to Evie about it and she was fine but it didn't sit well with me, but I was almost there until I spoke to Linda. She might be a better fit, she's older than me, and she's offered me more rent money if I let her use part of my home office."

"Cool, I could use some more advice."

"How's that?" Stella raised an eyebrow.

"She's, um, I'll tell you outside."

"Let's do it then," Stella rose, "walk and talk."

Walk and talk was one of Stella's favourite sayings and as they walked to a nearby café, Evie told her about Richard's invitation. Stella seemed almost amused by that one but didn't try to belittle it or him. She did agree with Mei Lin's advice to herself that she should just arrange a date and then stick to it.

"At the end of the day we all want to believe we're important to someone and if you keep letting other things get in the way of a date then the other person might not think you're interested. For all you know, Stevie is thinking the same thing. She's been through a breakup so she's still raw, you're inexperienced and still finding your feet but one of you needs to step up and do something. It's not going to happen all by itself."

"You're right, again," Mei Lin remarked as they neared a café.

"Come on, enough talk about sex, let's eat I'm starving."

Mei Lin was hungry too and it was not just for food.

I need to know more.

***

Linda's car was parked out the front of the house when Stella and Mei Lin came home that night and Stella greeted her with a smile as Linda stepped over to the driver's side window. She was looking relaxed and almost playful as she dug her hands into the pockets of a long cardigan.

"Hey there," Stella smiled, "I gotta duck out for five minutes, do you mind if I leave you in the company of my erstwhile assistant? She'll show you around and we'll talk when I get back."

"Sure, no worries, hiya, Mei Lin."

"I'll give you the guided tour," Mei Lin replied.

"Just don't show her the dungeon," Stella smiled.

"Damn, and I was so looking forward to seeing it," Linda stepped back.

Mei Lin led her inside and showed her around the house. Linda couldn't get over how big and roomy it was and the kitchen was to die for she remarked. The office was smallish but she didn't really need a big desk.

"Just enough to put a laptop, what's the wi-fi like?"

"It's better than my parents place, she's got Netflix and Prime as well. We pay a bit extra because she had to take out a family plan."

"Whose room is that?"

"Nicki's room," she tapped on the door and was rewarded with a mumble.

"Hiya," she opened the door, "just showing Linda around, she's thinking of moving in."

"Hiya Nicki," Linda waved.

Nicki's eyes adjusted to the light. She'd been napping until Mei Lin came home and for a few moments she was mesmerised by Mei Lin in her grey suit and that red tie.

"I didn't know you were working today?" Mei Lin gestured at Nicki.

"I had a call from the boss when I was on a break after a class," she fiddled with her black tie, "he wanted me to come in for a couple of hours because Victoria had some doctors appointment, lucky for me I wore this today and I always have a spare tie."

"Where do you work?" Linda asked.

"A café in the city," she let the tie go, "where's Stella?" Nicki changed the subject as Mei Lin pulled her cuff back to look at her watch.

"Gone to get something, she'll be back in five minutes. Oh, did Mia or Stevie text you?"

"Stevie did," she propped on her elbows, "apparently Mia has to ask me something but she didn't tell me anything more than that."

"Yeah me too," she took a step back as she heard the rumble of a V8, "she's home now."

Stella entered a few minutes later carrying a bottle in a brown paper bag. She grinned at Linda and put the bottle on a kitchen bench.

"Don't worry, it's not for me," she nodded at Mei Lin, "this is from work after your sterling effort today," she pushed it towards her and took out a small gift-wrapped box.

"And this is from me, I saw it in the shop the other day and luckily it was still there."

Mei Lin looked inside the bag at the bottle of champagne.

"Um, I thought."

"There's that word again," she undid her top button and loosened her tie, "new rule change, if Linda decides to move in. You can have booze in the house as long as you keep it in your room and not the fridge. I don't want to open the fucking fridge on a bad day and be staring at a bottle of wine or half a dozen tinnies."

"Deal, even though I don't really drink," she unwrapped the box, it was a large brooch with pewter flowers around a red crystal, "oh my God, Stella?"

"It didn't cost that much, I promise. I got it out of the op shop but it's a small thank you for saving my arse out there this morning. They've been singing your praises at work all day, the wine cost more than the brooch I can assure you," she eased off the stool.

"And on that note," she glanced at Linda, "shall we talk business or is it a straight up no?"

"We'll talk," Linda squeezed Mei Lin's shoulders, "congratulations on whatever you did."

"She faced down a professional armed robber in the holding cell and convinced him to change his not guilty plea to guilty," Stella broke in.

Mei Lin was about to answer when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," Mei Lin moved away from the bench, "and thank you."

"You're welcome."

Stevie took a step back when Mei Lin opened the door and Mei Lin smiled as she took in Stevie's outfit. She was wearing a cream blouse with a Mandarin collar under a black waistcoat, the trousers were also black but the beret was pale blue.

"Love the outfit," Mei Lin's smile widened.

Stevie's eyes shifted to Mia for a moment and then back to Mei Lin.

"I've seen that tie before somewhere," she smiled nervously.

"Ha ha," Mei Lin looked past her, "where's the pup?"

"She's in the van," Stevie replied, "we discovered she pisses when she's excited."

"Oh, okay," Mei Lin nudged her glasses, "but you can put her in the backyard if you want."

"We won't be that long but thanks," she stepped forward and Mei Lin took a step back.

"You're here to see Nicki," she looked at Mia.

"Yeah, is she home?"

"She's in bed, I'll go get her," Mei Lin tugged at her tie as she led them through to the kitchen.

Stevie felt the butterflies rising in startled flight as she followed Mei Lin. The tickets in her pocket felt like they were burning a hole again. Mei Lin directed them to the bar stools and headed down the passageway to Nicki's room.

***

Mei Lin's eyes softened as Nicki stroked her face. The shoot had been a successful one and yet tonight it had felt somewhat odd. Mei Lin was not her usual self, fidgeting when she thought Nicki wasn't looking. Whenever Nicki made a wardrobe adjustment she kept her eyes locked onto her hands as if Nicki was about to make some inappropriate move.

Nicki stroked her other cheek, testing herself against the odds. For weeks now the sexual tension between them had been building and Mei Lin's oddness tonight had alerted her to the growing attraction they felt for each other.

Mei Lin's eyes widened as Nicki grabbed the tie and pulled on it, drawing them closer together she stroked her face with soft fingertips that set her pulse racing. She looked down for a moment at Nicki's breasts and then back up again as Nicki pulled her tie from side to side to expose her top button. Nicki released the tie and slipping her fingers behind the collar, pulled outwards, one hand slid down her cheek and ended up behind her collar. She drew it around to the front and stared into her eyes. Mei Lin's eyes widened as she grabbed Nicki's wrists. Nicki stopped as she tried to read her body language. Was she telling her to stop? The answer came a split second later when Mei Lin slid her hands down Nicki's wrists and then up her front. Nicki undid the top button a few moments later and Mei Lin exhaled slowly as she drew her hands up Nicki's front.

"Nicki."

"Nicki," Mei Lin opened the door wider.

Nicki blinked and swallowed as she stared at her friend. She was fiddling with the tie as she stepped into the room and the idle fantasy Nicki had been playing with seconds before was suddenly right in front of her.

"Mia's here, she's in the kitchen or do you have you want me to send her here?" Mei Lin's eyes moved over Nicki's prone form, she was still wearing her work uniform.

"I'll come through," she sat up and put her feet on the floor.

Mei Lin took a step forward as Stella and Linda came past. Stella peeked in and waved at Nicki as they passed.

"Have you met Nicki yet?"

"Yeah, we just met, hello again."

Nicki rose and followed Mei Lin through to the kitchen and then came to a halt as she stared at the two women on the other side of the breakfast bar. Stevie was familiar to her from the gigs she'd attended over the last year and a half but Mia had always been kind of distant. In between sessions she was usually with her boyfriend, Eric but now she was sitting in full view. She was wearing a pale cream blouse buttoned to just above her cleavage and when she rose to greet Nicki, she noticed the tight white jeans and black trainers and her height. Prior to today, she'd thought Mia's height had more to do with the boots she wore on stage but in flat shoes she still had a good seven inches on Nicki at least.

"Hey, how are you," she smiled at her, "we didn't wake you I hope?"

"Um, no, I was just lying down," Nicki pushed a lock of hair over her ear, "I've been at uni for part of the day and I had to work in the arvo, I'm still in work clothes now."

"I know all about uni," Mia's smile deepened to reveal dimples, "I'm doing my postgrad at Monash uni and I have to work as well as front a band, is there somewhere we can talk?"

"Um, yeah, here I guess," Nicki replied, "do you want a coffee?"

"Okay, thanks," Mia nodded at Stevie, "I'll leave you with Mei Lin."

Mei Lin stepped around the bar and nodded at the door.

"We can talk in the living room."

However when they got to the living room Stella and Linda were sitting there and Mei Lin stopped and glanced at Stevie.

"Or maybe not, it looks like the bedroom for us," she smiled at Stella who returned the smile and turned back to Linda.

Stevie fell into step beside her as they made their way to Mei Lin's bedroom and when they got there, Mei Lin closed the door behind them and walking to the wardrobe, slid the jacket over her shoulders. Stevie looked away a moment later but not before Mei Lin had noticed her attention, she opened the wardrobe door, temporarily hiding her reflection as she took the hanger down and hung the jacket on it. When she turned around again Stevie was still sitting on the edge of the bed looking as if she was about to bolt.

Mei Lin frowned as she loosened her tie and undid the top button. Their eyes met briefly as Mei Lin walked to the bed and sat down with her back to the bedhead.

"Relax," Mei Lin loosened the knot a little more, "I don't bite."

Stevie slid back further onto the bed and leaned on her palms. Mei Lin removed a cuff link and put it on the bedside table while Stevie looked at the pictures of Mei Lin hanging on the wall, they were obviously taken by Nicki. Mei Lin put the second cuff link on the bedside table as Stevie glanced at her again.

"Nice pictures, did Nicki take them?"

"Yeah, she's got a discount at some photography place in Brunswick, they do a lot of work for students so she says."

"They're nice," Stevie focused on an A4 picture that showed Mei Lin standing in the doorway with her hands above her head. She was wearing nothing but an oversized white blouse and Mei Lin followed her line of sight and smiled as she folded her cuff back.

"It's Nicki's way of helping to build my self confidence," she folded the other cuff back, "she thinks if I'm surrounded by pictures of me at my best then I'm off to a running start."

Stevie nodded and looked at their reflections in the mirror.

"So," Mei Lin started undoing her tie, "what's on your mind?"

Stevie smoothed out the bedspread as Mei Lin kept undoing the tie.

"I have these two tickets, they were given to Donna and I when we were still together but now that we've broken up they're still sitting there. I was meaning to give them to one of the girls in the band but they've all got things on this Sunday," she glanced at Mei Lin momentarily as the tie came loose and the ends dangled over her breasts.

"Tickets for what?" Mei Lin undid a second button and stroked her throat.

"A balloon ride over the Yarra Valley, there's a chicken and champagne brunch afterwards. It was part of the reason we broke up," she paused, "she didn't agree with a chicken and champagne brunch because she's a vegan and I said," she stopped as Mei Lin broke in.

"Yes."

Stevie blinked.

"Yes?"

"Yes, I'd love to come on a balloon ride and have a chicken and champagne brunch."

"I know it's short notice and I should have offered weeks ago but," she stopped as Mei Lin broke in again.

"It's cool, totally cool. It's not that short, I have a day to get ready," she dropped her hand to her lap and studied her.

"So, this was why you and Donna broke up?"

"It was the straw that broke the camel's back," Stevie sighed, "we'd been fighting for weeks about stupid shit, she was vegan and I was cool with that but then she tried to turn her dog vegan and when I told her he was actually a carnivore she took it personally."

"If you don't mind me saying, you're probably better off without her," Mei Lin replied, "I'm not a vegan at all, food is just food. It goes in one end and hopefully something comes out the other end and if not you need to see a doctor."

Stevie let out a chuckle as she fell backwards onto the bed and looked at her.

"I like that, I might copy it one day."

"Feel free," Mei Lin grinned.

"God, I was so fucking nervous about this. You wouldn't believe it, I can get up on stage and play guitar and sing, but asking you out on a date was like I don't know, I had a really great speech rehearsed as well."

"Save it," Mei Lin grinned, "I was on eggshells too, I've been wanting to go on a date but I felt like I just couldn't come out and take the initiative. I'm just not that experienced," she blushed and touched her hair.

"That's cool," Stevie replied, "we've all been there before and we've been trying to set up a date but we kept cancelling."

"I know," Mei Lin leaned forward to unzip her boot, "I was just talking to Stella about it this very morning," she dropped the boot on the floor and went to unzip the other boot.

"You were?"

"Yeah," she unzipped the boot, "look, I don't know if I'm gay, bisexual, straight or just curious but a date is a date and I need to move forward. We'll go on a date and enjoy ourselves, okay?" Mei Lin dropped the boot.

"Deal," Stevie replied, "God, my mouth is still dry. I haven't felt this way in years and I've dated a few women but for some reason this time is different. I haven't been single that long either, about the same length of time as Mia."

"Mia's single?"

"Yeah," their eyes met, "she broke up with Eric about the same time. That's why she's talking to Nicki out there. Eric was our unofficial security. All the pubs have their own bouncers but Eric used to circulate in the crowd and just make it known that he was part of the crew. He's a big guy so just his size meant people behaved themselves."

Mei Lin opened her mouth to answer but shut it when Stella knocked at the door.

"Can I come in?"

"Come in," Mei Lin called out.

Stella opened the door and peeked in. Her eyes shifted as she took in the two of them.

"Not disturbing anything am I?"

"No, not at all,"Mei Lin nudged her glasses.

Stella opened the door wider, "I just thought I'd let you know, Linda is moving in but she wants to ask you a favour. I have to head out, I'll be home Sunday night so have a safe flight and enjoy yourselves," she nodded at Stevie.

"Thanks," Mei Lin replied, "and thanks for the gift."

"My pleasure," Stella's eyes narrowed as she took a step back, "oh and remember the new rule, if you have drink here, make sure it's not in a place where I can find it easily."

"You mean I have to hide my drink?" Mei Lin smiled crookedly, "isn't that one of the danger signs?"

"Probably but I'll overlook it for now," and with that she was gone, leaving Stevie and Mei Lin on the bed.

"What's so funny?" Stevie raised an eyebrow.

"It was just what she said about not disturbing us, I never thought she'd say that to me. Nicki maybe but not me."

Stevie said nothing for a few moments as she stared at the ceiling.

"So, you haven't had anyone in here?"

"Not in the bed," Mei Lin fiddled with her collar and when Stevie looked at her she felt the colour in her cheeks, "and not in any other bed too."

"Have you ever been with anyone?"

Mei Lin felt the butterflies in her stomach rising in startled flight.

"No," it came out in a half whisper, "never."

"Huh," Stevie exhaled, "I kind of suspected but I wasn't sure if it was just because you weren't into women or if it was something else."

"I do like women but I'm skirting around the edges not sure if I should or not," Mei Lin swallowed and looked at their reflections in the mirror, "there was a girl I kissed years ago but it was just a kiss and then mum stepped in and her parents did the same."

"At school?"

Mei Lin nodded and looked at the door.

"I'm sorry," Stevie raised herself up and propped on her elbows, "but I'm glad you told me, we all have secrets we hide from the outside world. I have mine and Mia has hers, we put on a façade on stage because it gets the crowds in but off stage we're different. I'm the shy one as you worked out already."

"And Mia?"

"Mia is the fluid one," she looked down at herself, "the straight persona started as a joke when she was in between boyfriends but as soon as she came out as a straight woman fronting a lesbian rock band the crowds swelled. Everyone wanted to catch her eye even when she got with Eric but when she's off stage Mia is fluid. She just hasn't flowed that way yet," she eyed her warily.

"That's a band secret by the way, nobody else knows about it."