Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

"Day," Natalie responded.

There was a moment of silence as Jen tried to understand the response.

"What do you mean day? Surely it is night where you are?"

"Well, that's why I'm calling, Jen. Can you guess where I am?"

There was another pause whilst Jen considered how to respond.

"I thought you were in Aus--"

"--tralia," butted in Natalie. "I was, up until the day before yesterday and now... well... what if I told you I'm closer than you think?"

"What! Where! Why!"

From the sharp single word responses, it wasn't sure whether these were questions or accusations. Jen's heart was pounding fast as she thought through what she was hearing.

"You heard. I'm back in the country, and the first person I wanted to tell was you. I know it's been a long time, but it's so good to be back."

"But... why? I thought you were settled down under."

"I was... yes, that's it... I was. At first it seemed so right, so what I had to do, so what was expected of me. Now... well, now I have the chance again to do what I want, not what is expected of me. So, I came back, and now I need to find some work. Look, if you're happy Jen, I'd love to catch up and I can tell you everything. Are you close by?"

"Where are you staying, Natalie? I'd love to catch up."

"In the capital. Renting an apartment for now, close to the airport. Nothing much, but it'll get me by until I find some work. I'll text you the address."

"Wait... no... I have another idea. Come stay at my place, Natalie. You can use it as a base whilst you get yourself on your feet."

"But... Jen... it's a fantastic offer, but really I'm not looking for charity. I just thought it would be good to--"

"Natalie! I insist. It's nothing to do with charity. I have the space and I'd love the company... your company. Grab a train. It's about an hour south of the capital. I'll meet you at the station, and then you can tell me all about it... in person, with a bottle of fizz by the pool... prosecco if I remember rightly."

"Pool?"

"Yep, got my own little bit of paradise down here, and I'd love to share it. Nearly forgot... how much stuff have you got?"

"Couple of suitcases for now. Will ship the rest over when I'm settled. I can get a train... no problems... but are your sure, Jen. I really don't want to impose on you."

"Never been surer. Shall we say the weekend? Does that give you enough time to cancel your apartment? I'm sure you'll love it down here, and I've got so much to tell you. You can stay as long as it takes."

"Sure, Jen. Thank you, Jen. God... I've missed you, Jen."

"Missed you too, Natalie," came Jen's reply as she said goodbye.

'More than you can imagine,' Jen added, her words whispered and only audible to herself.

Jen grabbed her stuff and headed off inside. Changed out of the wet clothes, she sat herself down at her computer. Jen glanced up at the words on the wall and smiled. Suddenly she was full of inspiration. Jen knew that today would be a most productive day for writing.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Saturday seemed to arrive in no time at all. That's what they say, time flies when you're having fun. In this case it was more a case of time running out when you have so much to do. Jen had vacuumed, polished, changed the bedding in the spare room, vacuumed again, gone shopping, vacuumed once more... the list was endless, and all in the hope of making things perfect for Natalie's stay.

The house had four bedrooms--yes, it was way too big for Jen on her own--one of which had been converted to a study, so making room for Natalie wasn't a problem. It was just a question of whether to give her the smaller room with the sea view, or the larger room looking inland. Jen couldn't make her mind up, so had prepared both, just in case.

The railway station was a twenty-minute drive away, in the nearest large town, but still Jen set off around an hour before Natalie's train was due to arrive. She was so excited about seeing her bestie again, that she just couldn't sit still and wait at home. What if there was a jam? What if there was nowhere to park? What if...? It wasn't exactly a bustling city, yet still Jen was worried that anything which could go wrong, would go wrong.

There was no traffic, and the car park at the station was half empty, so Jen ended up with a long wait. She sat down on the most uncomfortable metal bench, watching trains come and go. Finally, Natalie's train pulled in and Jen stood up in anticipation of her friend's arrival. Jen could barely contain herself, nervous excitement taking over as she watched doors open and passengers disembark.

There was no sign though of Natalie. Had she changed her mind? Had Natalie decided to stay in the capital and just not let Jen know? Surely not. Natalie would have said something, wouldn't she? Jen's excitement was soon replaced by disappointment as she started to consider the only possibility. She'd been stood up at a railway station, with not even an excuse provided.

Jen watched as the last passenger, a hunky young man struggling with a couple of large cases, got off from the far end of the train. 'Well, that was that' she told herself, resigned to a lonely drive back. Jen was about to leave when she noticed the man turn back towards the carriage door. For some reason, he climbed back onto the train. Maybe he had more luggage, but he really didn't look like the travelling kind.

Jen's heart missed a beat as she watched. It wasn't the young man who clambered back off the train, it was a young woman... a petite young woman, a confident young woman, a bubby young woman, a beautiful young woman. Yes, the hair colour had changed a little, blonder than Jen had remembered, but it had to be, didn't it?

"Natalie?" Jen called out, walking down the platform.

The smile on the young woman's face said it all. It was Natalie. Jen's walk quickened as she hurried towards her bestie, Natalie going as quick as she could in the other direction whilst dragging along the two misbehaving cases. It had been seven whole years since they had last seen each other, at least in person.

Jen's heart was racing, such was her excitement. Would it still be the same as back in those university days? Would Natalie have changed in all these years? Would they still want the same things? Would she get to ask... Jen tried to push it to the back of her mind, but already she was thinking about that question, the one she never asked before.

Natalie was no different. The moment she had booked her flight ticket, she had dreamed of rekindling their friendship, of testing the water once more, of hopefully picking up where they had left off. When Jen offered her the chance to stay at her place by the coast, it was like a dream come true. She knew better though than to push. Jen was the serious one, and she would decide in her own time whether she wanted the same or not. Until then, Natalie would enjoy the company.

Oh, how she hoped Jen hadn't changed since those university days. Natalie couldn't take her eyes off the woman walking towards her. Jen looked older, but that wasn't a surprise after seven years, and dressed in a way which was suggestive of the success she knew Jen had received from her writing, but, for sure, it was Jen.

Natalie didn't let on, but the book had made it to Oz, and she had read every page, several times. If truth be known it was the book, or the way she had read between the lines, which had brought her back. Natalie had her own question to ask. She needed to know whether the book was about her, and whether Jen meant what she had written. They had come at it from different directions, but effectively the two young women both needed to know the answer to the same question. It was just that neither wanted to come out and ask it.

As they got closer, Natalie released her grip on the cases, leaving them standing on the platform. As if in slow motion, their walk became a jog and they fell into each other's open arms. They hugged on the platform, before Natalie went up on tiptoes and placed a gentle kiss on Jen's cheek.

"Jen?" Natalie whispered. "Is it really you, Jen?"

"Well, I hope so... or do you go round hugging any old stranger? And do I really look that different?" came the reply.

"No... no... I didn't mean it like that. I'm just so happy... happy to see you again. Thank you, Jen. Thank you for--"

"I told you, Natalie," Jen interrupted, "no need for thank you's. I wouldn't have it any other way. I've missed you too, Natalie. It's been a long time."

"Seven years," Natalie added.

"Yes... and are you planning on making it eight or should we get going. It'll take half an hour or so to get to mine. Now, let me have one, and you take the other."

Half an hour later, the two women were lugging the two cases out of the car and into the house.

"Wow, Jen. Is this your place?" Natalie asked, the question rhetorical as it obviously was, given that Jen had parked outside and just unlocked the door.

"Do you like it?"

"Like it? It's fantastic. Was it from your book?"

"Well... I guess it helped. I bought the place before the book came out. It was in a bit of a mess, so I got it cheap. I guess the book... well, that just made it quicker to complete."

"No wonder... it's a great book. I always knew you'd be successful, Jen."

"You've read it?" Jen replied, blushing slightly at the thought that her best friend had read what were nothing more than her own personal dreams, under the pretext of a bit of fiction.

"Loved it... especially that bit when--"

"Later, Natalie. You can tell me about the book later. First, let's get these cases upstairs and you can get settled in. We'll have plenty of time to catch up."

It was a struggle to get the two large suitcases up the staircase, such was the weight of each one. Jen wondered to herself, if this was just to get Natalie going, how much stuff was to follow. It really wasn't an issue though, as the house was more than big enough for the two of them.

"Come on, Natalie," came Jen's excited voice. "You get to choose which room you want."

Jen was all for showing Natalie around, but Natalie was too excited to wait. She opened the first door and peered inside.

"Nope," came Jen's response. "That's my study."

"Is this where you wrote it?" Natalie asked. "Is this where you wrote Always?" As she glanced around the room, Natalie noticed the sign on the wall. Her heart jumped as she read the words, the same words which appeared on the first page of the book. Whether or not they had been, she so hoped that the Natalie they were dedicated to, was her.

"Try the next one," Jen responded, avoiding once more getting into a conversation about her book. She never thought when she had written it, that Natalie would end up reading the story. Natalie had said she had loved it, but what if she was only being polite.

The question was avoided, as Natalie did move on to the next room. It was the larger of the two guest bedrooms, a generous double room with its own en suite.

"Nice," came Natalie's response, before she headed off towards the next door.

"Main bathroom," Jen called out, but to no avail.

Natalie had already opened the door and was peering inside. Her reaction to the bathroom was surprisingly more enthusiastic than the bedroom.

"Jen!" Natalie called out. "That shower... it's... it's... well, you could get both of us in there and more. I've always wanted one like that... they can be so much more fun than a little bath."

Jen had already moved on and was holding the next door open. "This one's a bit smaller, but it's got a great view."

"Is that the sea?" Natalie asked as she glanced out through the window.

"Sure is. It's about a fifteen-minute walk away. What do you think to the room, though? Do you want this one?"

"Where's yours?" Natalie asked.

"Next door," Jen replied, expecting her friend to then make her choice of room.

Natalie didn't. Instead, she headed straight for the last door on the landing, opened it and walked right inside, with Jen following on behind. It was the largest of all the bedrooms, so spacious that the king size bed seemed to take up no space at all.

"I love it, Jen. This one will do nicely," Natalie responded, an excited spring in her step as she leaped backwards onto the bed. Natalie simply lay there with arms outstretched, as if imitating a snow-angel atop the duvet. "So big, so comfortable. I'll have this one."

"But, Natalie," Jen responded. "This is my room."

Jen's response was dismissive but, in her heart, she wanted something else. All Jen could think about was jumping on top of Natalie, both women together again, just like all those years ago. This was still the same impetuous young woman she remembered, and already Jen's heart was racing at the thought of getting it on again. But, what if... what if... over and over she asked herself the same... what if Natalie didn't want it.

"Oh, spoilsport," Natalie finally responded. "Are you sure I can't have this one? The bed's big enough for... wait... is that a..."

Natalie's attention had switched to a patio window, and the balcony outside. She jumped up off the bed, ran over, and opened the patio door.

"It is. It's a balcony... and... oh, Jen, you weren't joking. You do have a pool."

"And whilst you're here, what's mine is yours," Jen replied.

"Everything?" Natalie asked, a cheeky smile on her face. "Oh, and I'll have the room next door if I really can't have this one. Watching the sun come up over the sea will be wonderful."

"You'll be lucky," Jen chipped in. "This ain't oz you know. You may see the sun set, but you aren't going to see it rise from that direction."

"Always the smart one, aren't you?" Natalie responded, teasing her new landlady. "Smart, successful, and--"

"--and going to leave you to it," Jen interrupted, once again avoiding any difficult conversations.

As she headed out, Jen was cursing herself. She had the perfect chance in the bedroom to confront her young friend, to ask the question which had been nagging at the back of her mind for so long. She could have jumped right in, joining Natalie on the bed, and seeing just where it took them. Instead, though, she avoided confrontation, or more so avoided disappointment. Already Jen wondered, would she ever pluck up the courage to ask?

"Get yourself unpacked. I'll be out by the pool. Come and join me when you're ready. I'll grab a bit of lunch for the two of us," Jen almost barked out the half orders from the top of the stairs.

An hour later, both women were out on the patio, enjoying the afternoon sun. Jen had knocked up a feta salad, which had quickly been demolished. She'd stayed away from the prosecco, as fizz and sun didn't really mix so well. It would keep. Instead, the two women were sipping away at a non-alcoholic jug of mint julep, as they caught up on all those missing years.

Just like the prosecco, Jen had decided to leave her question to another day too. No need to rush. It had been seven years, so what were a few more days. Imagine the surprise when Natalie came out with a question of her own.

"There's something I need to ask, Jen," Natalie started.

Jen almost spilled her drink with the directness of her friend. Once more it was so Natalie, impulsive and straight to the point. Jen prepared herself. She knew the answer already. She'd known it for most of the seven long years. She'd even written a book about it. Yet now she was about to be asked the very question, and Jen wasn't quite sure how she was going to reply.

"I need to know..." Natalie continued.

"Yes?" Jen responded, half questioning and half answering.

"Well... do you mind... mind if I take my costume off? I so don't do tan lines."

It was a question, not the one Jen expected, and not the one she wanted to be answering, but nonetheless the answer was a simple one. She had seen Natalie nude once before and knew her young friend wasn't shy when it came to showing herself off. Why would she be when she had a body like Natalie did? As if to confirm her response, Jen glanced around the garden. She already knew they were sitting in isolated privacy--there was only the one house overlooking Jen's and she knew that Bev and Dave weren't the nosy type--yet still she needed to confirm it for herself.

"Errm... well... I guess so," Jen responded, trying her best not to sound too enthusiastic at the thought of seeing Natalie naked again. She'd never forgotten the first time.

Still lying on her lounger, Natalie nonchalantly lifted her ass and slid down her bikini bottoms, pulling them as far down her legs as she could. She sat up, and finished off the job, slipping the bottoms over her feet and dropping them on the floor. The top quickly followed suit, Natalie reaching back behind her shoulders and unhitching the clasp. In a matter of seconds, and with no hesitation, Natalie was sitting there naked. She dropped the back down on her lounger, then lay down on her front.

"Be a darling and rub some cream in for me, will you?" Natalie asked. "I don't want to get burnt."

Jen had been all eyes, watching her would-be lover strip off in front of her. Being asked to rub sun cream into Natalie's soft skin was an offer she couldn't refuse. Jen pulled herself up, grabbed the bottle of sun cream, then perched herself on the side of Natalie's chair. The only question was where to start.

"All over?" Jen asked.

"Just where my costume was," came the answer.

So that was easy then. Jen started at the shoulders, slathering her friend with a generous amount of cream before rubbing it in.

"Mmmm, that's nice," Natalie called out. "I could get used to this."

Jen moved down to Natalie's ass. She could feel her pulse racing as she laid her hands on the firm cheeks and massaged sun-cream into every inch of exposed flesh. As she did, Natalie opened her legs slightly giving Jen the merest glimpse of her bare sex. Was it intentional, or just an accident? Either way, Jen couldn't help herself but look. Memories of that evening all those years ago came flooding back.

"There, all done," Jen responded.

"Think you missed a bit," came an immediate reply, Natalie rolling over and giving a little shimmy as if to say what about these. Natalie smiled up at Jen, as she watched her friend staring back at her breasts.

"Don't you think you should do your own front?" Jen asked.

"I could," came a reply, "but then it wouldn't be half as much fun, would it? It was fun last time. Didn't you have fun too, Jen?"

Jen hesitated. What should she do? What should she say? Is that all it was to Natalie, a bit of fun, and drunken fun at that? Jen's heart was racing. She had no choice but to ask the question. She needed to know and needed to know now. Jen squeezed some cream over Natalie's large breasts and started to rub it in, keeping her hands as soft and sensual as she could across the young woman's mounds.

"Mmmm," Natalie called out, as she felt Jen's fingers rub across her rapidly hardening nipples.

"Is that what it was, Natalie? Just, a bit of fun? Just like this?"

Jen was about to repeat the same across Natalie's shaven mound when she heard the telephone ringing inside the house.

"Sorry, fun will have to wait," Jen said, getting up and heading inside. She didn't know what to feel. Over the years, Jen had longed for this moment, for the two of them to be together again, to pick up from where they had left off. Now though... was that all it was? Was it just a bit of fun for her would be lover?

Standing there in just her two-piece swimsuit, Jen answered the phone. It was Bev, reminding her of the barbeque. Jen was so engrossed in conversation that she never heard the soft footsteps approaching from behind. She jumped as she felt Natalie wrap her arms around her from behind.