Joyce, Simon and Mackenzie Ch. 02

It was lovely to see Hannah was already seated outside on the restaurant's patio when Joyce arrived.

Hannah stood and Joyce moved around to sit 90 degrees to her, and they kissed each other's cheeks in greeting. In comparison to Joyce's knee length skirt, blouse and jacket, Hannah was dressed much more comfortably, wearing what seemed to be a very graphic bodysuit with ruffles under a similarly graphic maxi dress. Unsurprisingly, they both wore similar espadrilles, as that style of shoe had featured in one of their more recent conversations.

"Oh my god, it's so good to have you back"

"Have me back? You are the one who has been gone on a months-long tour of talks, signings, and conferences Ms Successful Published Mystery Author and Television Writer"

After a long, and thoroughly delightful embrace, they sat for lunch and contemplated the menus before them.

"Have you been waiting for long babe?" Joyce asked, indicating the menu.

"No, no. I only got here a few minutes ahead of you. But I already know what I'm going to have." Hannah grinned. She'd been messaging Joyce for weeks about the specials menu, asking for frequent updates.

"The sausage roll and fries?" Joyce grinned back.

"What can I say? I love pork, pastry and fruit. And salty fries and Hotel food is so entirely lame, especially when you're being rushed from city to city. And then doing even more things from your hotel room or whatever business suite they have"

The slightly younger woman looked tired, and Joyce sympathised.

While their several joint tenures on academic committees the past few years had not resulted in any joint academic publications (given that they were in very different fields and with different academic interests) their extracurricular writing interests overlapped much more entirely. They had together written a series of erotic stories which had made their way into a number of edited collections. And which were apparently well received. Hannah had also, somehow, also found time to write a mystery novel, published online as well. It had not only been picked up by a publisher, it had been featured on a celebrity's book club, and things had exploded from there. Joyce figured that somehow it made up for Hannah's decision to leave academia. She seemed happy, if exhausted.

However, that didn't last long as soon their conversation turned to their favourite topics: sex, and everything sex-adjacent. Joyce loved these conversations. Sometimes, with the application of wine, they ended with something approaching making out. A shame that this public forum and time of day would preclude the wine.

The wonders of the internet and chat programs meant the conversations hadn't needed to entirely stop while Hannah had been away, but they had certainly shifted as she had become more and more frustrated, and Joyce had been increasingly busy since Simon had moved in at the beginning of the summer.

Joyce still held Hannah's hand gently on her knee, and was leaning comfortably on her palm, elbow on the table with the occasional gesture to emphasise her points.

"You know, prior to the summer, I think- I spent a lot of time thinking about my ex husband"

"Oh?" Hannah seemed surprised. "But it's been a while, yes?"

"Oh, decades now. Not mourning, really just, thinking about missed possibilities?'

"Ah, that. I'm.. familiar with that, in my own way" Hannah grimaced, considering her own relatively recently ended marriage, although in completely different circumstances.

Joyce moved swiftly on, not wanting to loiter on that sore spot.

"It's your fault, I guess, I wouldn't be thinking about it without that porn subscription you pointed me towards."

Ah, there was a grin again, and Joyce relaxed. She hoped the slight rise in anxiety hadn't been too evident in her grip.

"Oh? Have you been a bad girl, and watched a lot of porn?"

"I don't know how you define a lot, but, I've been conducting a systematic review of the possibilities."

Joyce's eyes glinted, naughtily but also with appreciation. "Several repeated tests, for a lot of it."

"And?" Hannah interrupted, not to spur Joyce to the point but a good sign of her own enthusiasm.

"I think" Joyce released Hannah's hand, but left it on her thigh. Hannah did not pull back, but leaned in closer.

"I think, before, you know, it was never an issue of quantity of sex drive. I've definitely never had a problem there." Joyce paused, trying to figure out how to put what she was thinking into words. Hannah's fingers lightly stroked Joyce's leg through her skirt from thigh to knee.

"I think, it's the way that I've been able to systematically, categorise things and go through the possibilities, and eliminating things that I've realised I'm not actually interested in.. and how that's allowed my fantasies and interests to gallop ahead and expand in the areas that really do turn me on. It's been head-spinning." Joyce took a sip of her water. "It's been really head-spinning, especially since Simon moved in."

At last Joyce locked in on Hannah's eye, "it's just been such a change, amongst changes and different opportunities that I couldn't have predicted. I'm glad you're home now though. It's much easier to talk you in person than it is over the phone"

The two women smiled at each other as the waiter approached with their selections.

The conversation turned to Hannah's experiences with publishing while they were eating.

"Oh, it's been a couple of different things," Hannah gestured with her fork, annoyed, stabbing the fries still on her plate.

"Oh God" Joyce stopped with a forkful of salad halfway to her mouth. "So what happened this time?" The forkful continued its voyage. After all, it was a very good salad.

"Well, now that my first book is done they're pressuring me to really work on the second and third one. One of the editors suggested I should use AI to sort out most of the text of the next few novels, so I could dedicate my time to writing around the edges so they sound like my voice,"

Hannah's voice was flat, and quite angry.

"So, did you get him fired?" Joyce asked after a few seconds?

Hannah's smile returned, flinty. "No, but I insisted he never speak to me or contact me again. Now can we please talk about something more fun?"

Joyce nodded, carefully. "Of course. What would you like to talk about?"

Hannah didn't answer for a moment, as a couple of wait staff emerged to take their plates away and bring dessert.

She continued once they had a bit of space again, and Joyce took a sip of water. "So tell me about what's going on at home? You've danced around saying anything for months, and it's really quite frustrating. Details, please?"

Joyce hesitated for a second, and then told Hannah about the lingerie shipment from the night before, and the conversation with Simon and Mackenzie, and then the second conversation with Simon. Hannah listened intently, leaning in and placing her fingers lightly back on Joyce's knee. She didn't react other than with her eyes widening slightly at times, until the end.

After Joyce finished, Hannah sat back and ran her fingers through her bob, showing off her very short hair on the sides of her head. "That, that is quite the story." She blew out her cheeks, and then breathed out. "And not what I expected. Did he say anything to you this morning?"

Joyce shook her head. "No, I had to get up this morning early for some meetings, and didn't get a chance to talk to him. Things seemed at an okay spot, all things considered, so I didn't want to give in to my social anxiety and try to over-talk and over-think it with him" She took a sip of water. "I hoped that I'd be able to talk with you instead. So thank you for indulging me."

"Indulging you? Thank you for trusting me enough to talk about it. And please, anytime you want to talk about it, call me, message me, whatever. I'm all ears for this, or anything else." Hannah beamed, then her look turned to horror as her phone started beeping. "Dammit, I have to be at the lawyer's in 30 minutes." She opened her wallet, but Joyce waved her away.

"No, honey, I'll take care of it. We'll settle up later I'm sure. We always do. Finalising the divorce?" Joyce scratched her eyebrow, a bit embarrassed that they had largely neglected talking about Hannah.

The other woman waved a hand in dismissal "I wish it were finalising, but he's dragging his feet with everything. It's really frustrating. I'll tell you about it tonight, or later, I promise." She swept past Joyce with a kiss on her cheek and then said "At least you'll be able to go nude at home now, I know you've missed that." Having had the last word, she exited the patio and headed down the street towards their usual parking.

*****

"Hi, Mrs D"

Joyce looked up from her purse, and smiled genuinely at Mackenzie, who she found leaning a bit hesitantly against the patio's rail.

"Hi Mackenzie! Lovely to see you. And I told you, I'd love it if you called me Joyce."

Mackenzie nodded shyly, then gestured with her thumb over her shoulder.

"I didn't know you were friends with Professor Hemstridge?"

Joyce nodded, and turned in her chair, then leaned sideways against the back.

"Yes, we were on the Faculty guild negotiating team together during the last round of faculty cuts to fund whatever that legacy building they're still arguing about" Joyce rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically.

"In the end, we were both offered early retirement packages, and we both decided to accept." Joyce's eyes glinted with a bit of naughtiness "we have a few interests in common so it didn't take very long for us to become friends," Joyce ran her fingers of her right hand through her shortish hair, softly touching the pads to the side of her head "I tend to make friendships pretty quickly... which I gather is something you and I have in common, too. From what Simon says" the glint her eyes became less naughty, and curious.

Mackenzie nodded, the look in her eyes matching Joyce's. "It's true. Didn't take very long for Simon and I to blow right past friendship into something else" her eyes widened, a little bit surprised by her admission.

Joyce relaxed a bit. It seemed the easy way that Mackenzie let things slip last night wasn't just a one-time thing. Perhaps another thing they had in common.

Joyce gestured across to the other that Heather had just vacated "do you want to sit down and have a cup of coffee?"

Mackenzie smiled, seemingly grateful, which Joyce wasn't sure she quite understood.

"I would love to but I have to get to the University for a class and.." Mackenzie looked over at the bus stop, and then back in resignation as a bus closed its doors "and that was my bus" She pulled out her phone, and Joyce could see she was checking the time table.

"Would you like a lift to the University?" Joyce asked, "I'm going to do some shopping at Stone Road Mall, before I go home."

Mackenzie stood up, surprised. "Sure, Mrs. D, I'd love that."

Joyce grinned as she stood up and gathered her things. "I told you, call me Joyce"

The conversation became general for a time as they made their way to the car. Joyce couldn't help but think how pleasant Mackenzie was, as the younger woman talked about the courses she was taking, and how relieved she was that the longstanding agreement to do a joint theatre production with a nearby Christian university had not been renewed.

Shortly after they got into the car and pulled out into traffic, the general conversation ended. Joyce felt some relief, both at being able to give up small talk and that Mackeznie seemed content to once again lead the conversation.

The younger woman twisted around in the car seat to look directly at Joyce, who was perforce watching the road.

"So I'm not sure exactly what you said to Simon last night, but it's really had an effect on him this morning."

"Oh?" Joyce was a little surprised "he didn't say anything to me over breakfast before he headed out this morning"

The light turned red, and Joyce turned to look at Mackenzie as she brought the car to a stop. "So, uh.." She trailed off, invitingly

Clearly, Mackenzie was even less hesitant than she had been the night before as she answered

"Oh, there's just been suggestive text after suggestive text all morning." The younger woman stuck a finger into the collar of her shirt, and pulled it away while fanning herself with the other hand. "It's been really quite distracting. In a good way. I've had to cum twice this morning."

Joyce was thankful that she could take a breath before the light turned green and she brought the car back into motion. Her mind raced, and she found herself unable to frame any questions or responses other than encouraging noises. Or what she hoped came across as encouraging rather than tamping down the spikes of other emotions that she was feeling.

"So what has Simon told you about our conversation last night"

Ah, a double victory. Joyce was relieved to be able to contribute to the conversation and steer things away from asking Mackenzie more about her masturbation sessions, though her masturbation session the previous day came back to mind. Had she been on her knees and face down when thinking about Mackenzie cumming? She tried to clear her mind of that tantalising thought and focus instead on the answer to her question.

"He told me that you know about him borrowing your heels, and panties." Mackenzie looked a bit embarrassed "I don't think he outed me, but he didn't borrow them alone. All three of us are apparently around the same size feet, which Simon says presents a lot of possibilities. I've certainly learned that I enjoy seeing him in your heels, and in his heels." She turned to look out the window, and so missed Joyce's shocked reaction, which she quickly schooled back to hopefully not-too-eager interest.

"No" Joyce supplied, into the pause "he didn't tell me that.. Though the same offer applies to you, for borrowing my heels and panties, and things." Another red light "I'd love to see how you look in my naughty things, or nude or whatever" That last, under her breath.

Oh shit. That hadn't meant to come out. Breathe.

The light turned green,and Joyce smoothly accelerated then made a left turn. Mackenzie turned back to face her, not seeming to think of anything of the admission.

"Well, maybe you'd like to know that I'm wearing one of your thongs now, with one of the bras we received yesterday. Simon asked for that specifically. He's been very... direct with requests the past week or so." She looked away again, "it's good fun. I'm so glad he's able to be himself, living with you. And that he came here so we could meet, too" Mackenzie's smile as she turned back was bright indeed, and Joyce couldn't help but respond similarly.

"We don't wear your heels out of the house though, Simon's very careful about them" Joyce was confused for a second, but was able to follow the younger woman's train of thought as Mackenzie began to look ahead. "You could let me out here, I'll get a coffee and cross the road" she said, starting to unbuckle as Joyce stopped behind a few cars at yet another red light.

"Will I see you tonight, dear?" Joyce asked as Mackenzie hopped out, and the other woman leaned back in, one hand on the door and another on the frame "No, Mrs - uh - Joyce. I've technical rehearsal tonight. But I'll be staying over tomorrow night, if that's okay." She closed the car door, waved, and headed into the Second Cup, chatting with another young woman also heading in.

Traffic started up again, and Joyce's mind was racing as she made her way past the university itself, and then made a right onto the road to the mall.

She did not think that Mackenzie had intended to out Simon, and she had guessed the bit about him wearing her heels. But new information, especially this new information was delightful.

With a grin, Joyce decided to make this shopping trip a bit more fun than she had planned. Good thing she had one of her toys in her purse.

***

The sun was still catching the light and the flowers as Joyce arrived home from her shopping. She decided to leave the more bulky items in the car. After her wrestling with them before, Simon could help carry them in.

The way that the door moved as Joyce leaned against it to get her keys out told her that the door was open. Switching her bags around, she freed her right hand, and opened the door.

"Hi Grandma" Simon looked up, smiling but also a little, something else? He couldn't have been startled as he would have heard the car, though 'caught' was probably closer to it.

Or, Joyce considered, dealing with the complex emotions of following through on a decision he had made.

Simon was kneeling in front of the cupboard, and around him were several pairs of shoes. Those on his left, between them were six of her pairs, most of which had been in the cupboard, but also one pair of knee-high boots that had been in her room and the white stiletto slingbacks which she had noticed were missing. On his other side were more pairs of heels that she didn't recognize. He was, surprisingly, mostly nude, only wearing lacy panties, Joyce could see from her angle that it was a thong. Not one of hers, she noticed, but Joyce rather liked the look of the waistline, so she'd have to ask Simon where he got it.

"Ah, Simon. I'm so pleased." Joyce gestured with her free hand, putting her bags of groceries down.

Simon nodded "I'm so pleased you're pleased"

"Keep on going kiddo, just let me put these in the kitchen." Joyce picked up the bags again, taking them through and placing them on the counter, except for the ice cream which she put directly into the freezer.

As she came back through the hallway to the front of the house, Joyce could see that Simon was sorting through the shoe racks, trying to fit more things in "I think we have too many pairs of heels to all fit in the shoe racks, dear" Joyce casually mentioned as she sat down on the bench behind Simon, casually enjoying seeing him like that inside the house. Despite them sharing the hot tub several times a week since he had moved in, there was something about this situation that felt very different than all of those previous opportunities to see him topless.

Simon sighed. "I know.. I was just.. I know. I just wanted to bring down some of my heels so I could have them by the front door, just like yours."

Joyce just let the admission that the others were his heels, rather than Mackenzie's just go past. "Oh? I wondered if they were yours, or Mackenzie's. I've never seen her wear heels here, so I wondered if she kept some pairs in your bedroom for fun activities"

An admission for an admission, some might consider that a fair trade.

Simon gave up trying to fit all the shoes into the cupboard, and turned to face Joyce, legs out before him, hands clasped just below his knees.

Joyce smiled and came down off to sit in front of him, pulling her up her skirt slightly to make it easier to cross her legs. Simon, seeing her smile, mirrored her movement, moving closer to her. Joyce couldn't help but notice how it changed the positioning of his cock within his panties, but she distressingly found herself more distracted by being relieved she had mopped the front hallway only a couple of days ago.

"I was hoping that you might actually take me up on my offer" Joyce said, gesturing to his panties. "Last night you seemed unconvinced."

Simon shook his head though he didn't meet Joyce's eyes. Rather, he seemed to be looking down. At her waist? Mirroring where she had looked? Or further down. Joyce set that aside as Simon answered.

"Not completely unconvinced, just trying to be cool. And I wanted to talk to Mackenzie about it before I really said anything."

"Oh? That's good of you" Joyce entirely approved of his concern for his partner.