Grace and Mrs. Miller

"So, there's a Whitsuntide charity fashion event in Uxbridge next Friday evening that I'm reporting on. I'd like you to accompany me, it'll be our first joint assignment and we'll work on the report together, but it'll be a gentle way of easing you into things. The models are amateur, mostly students and office girls, but they're all very attractive and the clothes are supplied by local shops and department stores, so the whole event has quite a sophisticated air. I think you'll really enjoy it, we'll need to be dressed very smartly ourselves of course."

"It sounds wonderful, I'd love to have worked in the fashion business, but I'm afraid that I don't have a designer's brain. How did you get into journalism? Does your husband mind you working full time?... Oh, I'm sorry, please ignore me, it was rude of me to pry."

"Not at all Grace, it's high time I told you the unvarnished truth about my marriage. We're married in name only, we sleep in separate beds, have done for the last ten years, and before that we were hardly what you would call 'intimate.' The deal is that I keep house and home together, and he finds 'satisfaction' elsewhere."

"My goodness!"

"To tell you the truth, I'm becoming tired of it all, I'm forty two and if I don't do something about it soon, I'll end up a bitter old lady full of regrets at the life I never had."

"But you're still young, you're lovely and very attractive, look at you, any man would find you desirable."

"That's kind of you to say so Grace, but that's rather the point, sometimes I do still feel like a girl of nineteen, I want happiness and fulfilment before it's too late, but I've come to realise that it won't be with a man."

Carol watched the expression on her friend's face as the implication of what she had just said dawned on her.

"I... I see, at least I think I do, I'm not sure."

"Don't worry Grace, it's up to me to sort out my life, and I don't want to burden you with my troubles, we're here to celebrate your birthday and your new job."

Having successfully moved the conversation away from the state of her marriage, and the hint that she might find fulfilment with a woman, Carol returned to the subject of Grace's role at the newspaper, and how it could develop if she showed everyone else the promise that was more than evident to her.

The long, pleasurable lunch eventually came to an end. They walked arm in arm along the High Street together, turning heads as they went. Carol kissed Grace's cheek and ear on the underground station platform, and briefly pressed her pelvis into her as they shared a lingering embrace, then she waved her friend off as the train moved away.

Grace tingled and trembled as she sat on the tube train savouring the memory of Carol's breasts and pelvis pressing against her on the platform. They had only embraced for five seconds, but it had been five seconds of sheer arousal, on top of a realisation that her new workmate might be looking for a relationship with a woman.

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

Grace's first week in her new job was spent mostly undertaking clerical and typing tasks in the back office, but she enjoyed it, there was a buzz about the place, especially when she entered the newsroom. In fact, she caused a stir amongst the male staff wherever she went. Whenever their paths crossed, Carol and Grace maintained a professional distance and she referred to Carol as Mrs Miller. There were one or two opportunities for brief familiarity when they were alone in the toilets or a corridor. On one occasion, they found themselves alone in the lift together and Grace slipped her hand inside Carol's without making eye contact.

It was while she was delivering mail to the newsroom on Friday morning, that Carol spoke to her about arrangements for the fashion show, "If you like, I'll meet you at Uxbridge Station this evening, then your mother might not worry about you being out alone."

"Oh, thanks for the offer Mrs Miller but I need to be able to look after myself."

"I understand, here's your ticket, I'll see you at the Town Rooms at seven thirty. Make sure you bring a notepad and pencil, I'd like you to get used to taking notes."

Carol wore her new grey sheath dress and red hat that she had worn for the wedding. Her red stilettos, handbag and black seamed stockings finished off her sophisticated look. Grace looked stylish and stunning in a navy-blue pencil coat dress, with white heels and accessories. They embraced warmly and kissed when they met, and Carol led her colleague inside to find their seats. The press were allocated seats in the second row, behind the organisers and civic dignitaries.

Carol spoke to Grace in a low whisper, "You look beautiful, you should be up on that catwalk tonight."

"You look very desirable yourself Mrs Miller, I don't believe you're forty two, I think you're teasing me."

As the show progressed and more and more clothes were displayed on the attractive models, Carol took hold of Grace's elbow then linked arms with her.

"It's as I suspected."

"What is?"

"I find myself sitting next to the most beautiful woman in the room."

Carol's right hand found Grace's left hand and they interwove their fingers for several seconds, before Carol placed her large handbag on her lap, and pulled Grace's hand underneath it, so that it rested with hers on her right thigh. Grace could feel the outline of one of Carol's suspender straps and clips, her arousal grew, she'd not been so intimate with another woman since she'd kissed her friend in the science lab storeroom at school. The same yearning sensation that had flooded her pussy on that occasion returned to leave a damp spot on her panties. Both women knew that they couldn't sit holding hands for long without being noticed, so their fingers reluctantly gave up their hold on each other and Carol busied herself taking notes.

When the event finished, and after worthy speeches and interviews with the organiser, Carol was keen to keep Grace in her company.

"Shall we go for a drink? There's a nice pub around the corner that's comfortable for the likes of us."

Grace looked a little alarmed.

"Women Grace, I meant women, what did you think I meant?"

"Oh nothing, it's alright, I'd love to go for a drink with you."

"Come along then, we'll get a couple in before last orders, I'll give you a lift home afterwards."

The pub was busy, it was packed with theatre goers from the theatre next door, and a good number of the fashion show audience. Carol eventually got served and took the wise precaution of ordering four gin and tonics so that she didn't need to go to the bar again. They managed to find a place to stand wedged between a coat stand and a the end of a bench seat. They placed their drinks on a ledge and stood as closely as they dare in a public place. They managed odd tentative touches and caresses of each other's arms and hands. Grace looked over the top of her glass as she took a sip; Carol could have kissed her inviting mouth on the spot.

"Did you enjoy the show?"

"Yes, it was wonderful, I took lots of notes."

"Good, we'll work on the article together on Monday, but we're off duty now so let's relax and get to know each other."

They laughed and chatted and told each other stories about their past but they were careful to avoid any difficult questions about where their friendship was heading. The second gin and tonic started to go to Grace's head, so Carol thought it wise to take her home. As they walked to where Carol's car was parked they encountered a group of four men who had clearly been drinking heavily.

"Hello, what have we got here then," said one of the men as he obstructed Grace's path, "I wouldn't mind taking you home with me darlin' whaddya say? Fancy a bit of hard cock do ya?"

His friends jeered their approval and Grace looked frightened, "I bet she'd give you a good time Arthur, proper little raver she looks."

"Get away from her you drunken oaf, if you go near her again I won't be responsible for my actions."

"Whoa, alright missus, do you want some too?" said the man called Arthur.

He made to grab Carol to pull her in for a clinch but as he did so, she unleashed a vicious knee into his testicles, he sank down onto the pavement whimpering with pain. His friends looked too shocked to speak.

"Pick your vile friend up and take him away."

Carol led Grace around the corner to the safety of her car. She unlocked the doors and breathed a sigh of relief as they got in.

"Are you alright darling? I hope that awful man didn't upset you too much."

"Oh Carol, you were magnificent!"

"Don't worry, I've been threatened by bigger bastards than him, let's get you home."

Grace was besotted by her friend now, and desperately wanted to be kissed by her. She wanted to put her hand on Carol's thigh, she wanted Carol to stop the car and put her hand between her legs. She knew now that she was strongly attracted to her, sexually attracted to her. Her pussy clenched and tingled with the desire for attention from the woman sitting next to her. She spoke none of this to Carol, she was afraid that she might make a fool of herself, that Carol may not reciprocate her feelings. Her mind was in a whirl as Carol dropped her off at home.

"Please don't come with me to the front door, I don't want my mother asking awkward questions and judging you. She's not pleased that I've chosen a career over marriage; she's beginning to blame you for it."

"Don't worry, I'll see you on Monday and we'll work on the article together."

Carol took Grace's left cheek tenderly in the palm of her right hand, and kissed her other cheek. They sat turned toward each other for what seemed like an age, it looked as though they might kiss each other's inviting lips, but Carol eventually reached across Grace and opened the passenger door for her. She watched her friend's hips sway along the gravel driveway, and out of sight toward to front door. It didn't take long for Carol to drive home, as she arrived at the empty house, she knew that her husband would be sleeping in his mistress' bed. She went straight upstairs, got into bed without removing her makeup, and treated herself to an almighty orgasm as she imagined kissing Grace with her hand up her dress.

Grace had already performed her very first act of masturbation and was starting her second. She had gone straight to bed to avoid her mother's disapproval. She got in between the sheets, naked, and ran her hands over her breasts. She squeezed and pinched her nipples until she felt very wet and aroused, then she reached down to touch herself with her right hand as her left hand continued to massage her breasts. She felt waves of arousal overwhelming her and wondered why she had previously been scared to touch herself so intimately. Without directly being told by anyone, she'd somehow felt that it was dirty and depraved. If it was, she decided, she wanted more of it.

As her fingers massaged her wet labia and clitoris, she replayed the moment that Carol had rescued her, and easily put a large drunken man on the floor with a well placed knee to the groin. She imagined Carol kissing and fondling her, massaging her breasts and playing with her pussy; she came quickly with her back arched, and her pelvis thrusting toward the ceiling.

After savouring the afterglow for several minutes, she realised that she wanted to do it again, but this time she covered her pussy with soft, slow caresses of her fingertips. In her dreamy state of arousal, she imagined Carol making love to her on a bed, their naked warm flesh pressed together as they kissed and fingered each other. Her second orgasm started to grow inside her as she pressed harder with her fingers. Her toes started to tingle, and waves of pleasure washed over her groin, she moved her fingers rapidly now, she could feel the intense sensation of an onrushing orgasm. She came with a long lingering climax that rose quickly and broke forth, then plateaued before intensifying again and exploding inside her, leaving her spent.

She'd loved the sensation of coming, it was a revelation, she hadn't been struck by a bolt of lightening, and she knew that she would do it again at the next opportunity. For now, she lay satiated, her hand still cupping her cunt. Mild orgasmic spasms and aftershocks teased her pussy as she realised that she loved another woman in every sense possible. There was no way she could have known it, but she had just come at the very same moment that Carol had fantasised about her as she panted and groaned under the spell of her own orgasm.

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

With some considerable effort, the two women kept up the appearance of a professional relationship at work. It wasn't easy, Grace was shadowing Carol more often now, and they found themselves in each other's company for longer periods. They were in love with each other but it was an unspoken love, both too afraid to risk speaking it out loud and having to deal with the implications of societal disapproval.

They showed their feelings with small gestures, a hand on a shoulder, a meaningful glance, a brief hug if they were alone in the toilets, holding hands covertly on a train on the way to an assignment. Three long weeks passed in this manner, and Carol was beginning to wonder if she would ever be brave enough to seduce her young friend, then an opportunity arrived. Reg asked her one day how Grace was getting on, and he encouraged Carol to make sure that she took her to the Home Counties Press and Journal Awards that were being held in Ealing this year. He thought it would be good for her to experience the event, and to rub shoulders with more people in the news media.

It was an opportunity for them both to wear long evening dresses and jewellery. Carol booked a taxi to take her to Grace's house so that they could travel together in their long evening gowns. Grace wore pale blue to match her eyes and fair hair, Carol chose green. Both gowns had full skirts and tight bodices with a v-shaped neckline. They looked very alluring with their hair up and their cleavage on display.

The male guests were like bees around a honey pot, but none could make any impression on the two attractive women no matter how hard they tried. Carol and Grace tried to avoid showing obvious desire for each other. Opportunities for intimacy were few and far between: Carol's arm around Grace's waist, appearing to be a platonic gesture to all but themselves, as she introduced her to other guests before the dinner and ceremonies began; furtive hand holding under the tablecloth; leaning into each other as they laughed too long and hard at some of the moderately amusing speeches; and, walking arm in arm as they made their way through the crowded room to the toilets.

They had been careful, but not quite careful enough. One male reporter from a rival newspaper had tried to pick Grace up earlier, but he had been rebuffed by Carol in particular. She knew him of old and didn't like his lecherous behaviour. He was half drunk, annoyed, and felt humiliated, and he'd been watching them closely all evening. Late on towards the end of the night, he followed Grace as she made her way to the cloakroom to retrieve her wrap. Carol had been with her but, she had been waylaid by an old acquaintance, she told Grace that she'd catch her up in a short while. As Grace waited for her friend in the large foyer, the male reporter approached her.

"I've been watching you two," he sneered, "you're a pair of dirty lezzies aren't you?"

"What? No."

"Yes you are, I've seen you sneaking glances and touching each other, I bet she can't wait to get her hands on you can she?" he said as he leaned in with his stinking tobacco breath.

"Please go away," Grace said with rising alarm in her voice.

"You dirty little lesbian whore..."

By now he was very close to Grace and she tried to push him away, but he had taken hold of her. At that moment, Carol came through into the foyer and saw her friend looking tearful and frightened, and being held by the man. Grace wrenched herself free and ran out into the street as fast as she could on her heels. Carol raced after her but she reached the pavement just in time to see a clearly upset Grace getting into a taxi.

Carol was worried about her friend, but she had an idea of what had just happened. She was outraged and she went back into the foyer to confront the male reporter, but there was no sign of him. Meanwhile, sobbing silently in the back of the taxi, a confused and upset Grace couldn't shake the thought that Carol might blame her somehow for what had happened.

The next day was Thursday, Grace's day off. Carol was worried about her but, she thought it best not to phone the house in case Grace's mother was in and Grace couldn't speak freely. But when Grace didn't turn up for work the next day, Carol became very concerned, so she bit the bullet and phoned the Lockwood house.

"Thank goodness you answered the phone, how are you, can you speak?"

"Not really."

"Okay, look I'm really worried about you, what happened the other night wasn't your fault, don't hide away from me Grace, we must meet and talk about it."

"I can't stay on the phone now, mother's coming in from the garden."

"Meet me at Lloyd's cafe at one o'clock, please, will you do that Grace?"

"Yes, I must go now."

With that, the line went dead. Carol's mind was in turmoil, what had she got an innocent young girl involved in? She'd heard the words "lesbian whore" and she felt angry that Grace had been subjected to the assault. She also felt responsible, she knew that she had deliberately been trying tried to seduce the young woman. What was she doing? She was half her age, it had to stop for Grace's benefit and her own. She resolved to tell Grace that their friendship had gone too far, and they risked the wrath of society if they took it any further. She would tell her that she took full responsibility and, as she was more experienced and mature, the onus was on her to make sure there was no more improper behaviour.

Grace replaced the receiver and looked at her mother.

"Well?"

"Well what mother?"

"Who was that on the telephone? What's going on, you've been moping around like a wet weekend for the last day and a half?"

"I'm going to meet Carol for lunch."

"Oh, I see, it's 'Carol' now is it? I wish you'd stay away from her, she's a bad influence on you."

"She's nothing of the sort, she's a good friend to me."

As Grace changed into a dress and heels and got ready to meet her friend, her resolve strengthened, she was determined to speak the truth, and no longer thought of running away from who she was and what she was. How could she ever have thought that Carol would have been angry with her when she found her in that appalling man's arms. She had been scared and confused, thinking that it might have looked like she was being embraced by him, and that she was leading him on. She felt ridiculous now and was determined to put things right with her friend.

The cafe was busy, but Carol managed to find a table where she thought that they would be able to talk privately. She had prepared herself for a tearful encounter, and wasn't really sure that it was the best place to meet for an emotional heart to heart. She had prepared what she wanted to say, and as she looked up from her cup of tea, she was surprised to see a radiant looking Grace approaching her.

"Hello Carol, I'm so glad you called me this morning, I feel such a fool."

"There's no need for you to feel foolish Grace, it all my fault, I shouldn't have let things go as far as they did. I'm the one that's been foolish and I must..."

"Carol, please, let me speak, I suspect you want to do what you think is the decent thing and let me down gently, but there's no need, really. I've thought of nothing else but our friendship since Wednesday night and it's time I confessed one or two things to you."