Losing Inhibitions Pt. 02

This is set in the UK in the 1970s, so attitudes are very different. There is no social media, mobile phones, or internet. It was also easier in many ways to disappear and leave your past behind. It is a different POV but overlaps the second chapter of Grampa's Last Hurrah, which is in Mature.

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Juliette set out for lunch on Tuesday with her sister-in-law, Daphne. Her sister-in-law was nearly fifty, although Juliette was not entirely sure. Something Bernard had said suggested that they had only been born two years apart, making her at least fifty and, more likely, fifty-one. Perhaps she had decided to stop counting at forty-nine. Indeed, she did not look fifty in the way her aunt did with her thick black coat, warm hats, and greying hair.

On the way there, Daphne confirmed that Arnold (or Grampa, as Daphne and her family called him) had handed her the pictures from last night's photo shoot, and they would look at them over lunch. She complimented Juliette on how well she was getting on with the twins. That cheered Juliette. She liked the thirteen-year-old girls and had played table tennis with them and their brother James this morning. They had decided that she was part of the family and made her feel welcome. They hugged her when they said goodnight, and she liked the warmth.

To her huge relief, it did not appear that James had spotted her yesterday in the cinema when she watched him canoodling the waitress. She did not believe that, if he had recognised her, he could have been as nonchalant about things as he had been. He had told his sisters about the film, and they had volunteered Juliette to take them to see it. They had only just come home from boarding school, so they would not have had the chance to see it before.

She was unsure what to expect from Daphne and how honest she wanted to be with her. There were some things which were personal to her that she could not imagine talking about to anyone. At the same time, she knew that if she was to make a success of her marriage, she needed to deal with whatever held back her husband from being able to do what was necessary for them to have children.

When they got to the Club, they were shown to Arnold's favourite table, and to her horror, the waitress was Samantha. The girl had winked at her and given her a thumbs-up sign yesterday when she spotted Juliette watching her pleasuring James. At the very least, she would not dare wear the white linen suit again this summer in front of James or when going to the Club. Today, she was in the polka-dot summer dress.

The waitress, however, showed no signs of recognising her from the cinema, although she did recognise her from the two previous visits. Daphne ordered them two G&Ts and opened the envelope with the photographs from last night.

Daphne quickly skimmed through them and then picked out four of the headshots. Two of each of them. They were in black and white. Initially, Juliette was disappointed they weren't in colour, but the more she looked at them, she realised they were more effective this way. They heightened the contrast, and she realised that Daphne had meant it when she said that Juliette had a distinctive face. Her eyes were emphasised, and she was shocked at how strong she seemed. Looking at Daphne's photographs was also illuminating. In one shot, she appeared demure, and in another, there was a sense of mischief which made her look like she was nearer thirty.

She hardly noticed that Samantha had arrived with their drinks. This was, in part, because the photographs had caught Samantha's attention. She was taking the opportunity to look at them but finally coughed and said, "Your drinks." She paused and said, "I'm sorry if I do not know my place, but those photographs are amazing."

Daphne looked at her, "We'll take that as a compliment, young lady."

Samantha looked embarrassed, but Daphne tried to put her at ease. "We were thinking the same ourselves. It's good when the photographer can flatter you but makes you feel the picture reflects an inner truth."

When Samantha had taken their order, Daphne leant over to Juliette. "Is that the woman who flirted with Grampa and James? The same one who annoyed Bernard?"

"Yes."

"I'll keep an eye on her. I thought I recognised the skirt. Grampa will appreciate it tonight."

"Sorry?"

"Do I really need to explain?" Daphne looked amused.

Juliette blushed, of course, it would allow Grampa's hand to go further. "Why do women let men like Grampa touch them like that?"

"In Grampa's case, the tipping helps. He also tends to get to know them first and gradually sees how far they will go before saying no further. Some don't know how to say no. Don't think that will be a problem for that young lady. Occasionally, they are open for hire or at least gifts and treat the caresses as advertising. In other cases, the interest is good for their morale. When I was her age, I never minded being flirted with, provided that I felt that I was in control. It also depends on the establishment and the locale. In Southpool, it is accepted that with so many holidaymakers, a little bit of fondling comes with the job, but that there are limits."

Juliette nodded and hoped that Daphne would let it go at that. Instead, the older woman looked thoughtful and got out another set of photographs, which showed both of them looking over their shoulders. Juliette had done about ten of these, but the old man had chosen two. In the first, she looked demure and almost awkward and in the last one, she was shocked to see what she supposed was a "come hither" look.

Daphne laughed, "I knew I would be a good influence on you. I hope that, eventually, even Bernard will recognise that you have the same needs as him."

The equivalents for Daphne showed a friendly demeanour, and the second showed a wicked-looking grin as her hands were on her hips and her mouth was open. Just then, the waitress arrived with the starter.

Daphne said, "What do you think of these, Samantha? My father, Juliette's father-in-law, took them last night."

"Arnold? Sorry, Mr Cockburn." She pronounced it the way Arnold preferred.

"Yes."

Daphne turned to Juliette, "A lot of young ladies posed for my father in his time."

Samantha said, "I'm not surprised. He is excellent."

"He has a studio in the basement of the house."

Juliette was puzzled at why Daphne was volunteering the information, especially in the light of the fact that James was seeing the waitress.

By the time her starter had been eaten, Juliette was feeling slightly lightheaded. She wasn't used to drinking at lunchtime. She was nervous about the likely turn the conversation would take and had gulped her G&T down. Daphne also kept topping up her glass with white wine.

Daphne had now chosen three more photographs for them to look at. One was of Daphne lying on the chaise-longue in lingerie, and two other had Juliette leaning over in her new skirt and blouse. To her shock, her cleavage was showing in one and in the other, with her hands on her hips and her head to one side, Juliette looked almost wanton.

Again, Daphne had timed it so that the waitress was taking the plates away as the photos were on the table. Her eyes widened, and she looked like she wanted to say something but thought better of it.

Daphne giggled as the girl retreated. "She thinks we both look hot but didn't dare say so in case we took umbrage."

Her sister-in-law then softened her voice. "I hope you now know that you are an attractive woman. Now, we just have to make certain that Bernard learns that it is no sin for a man to lust after his wife, especially when the aim is having babies."

"I suppose not."

"Do you know much about Cora, Bernard's first wife?"

"He doesn't mention her. My aunt warned me not to bring her up and that he was distraught when the relationship failed."

Daphne nodded. "I thought that would be the case. They married early in the war, just before he went to France. They were very much in love, and he was unusually innocent. She was very naive, a lot more so than me and my friends." Juliette was not sure what Daphne meant by that distinction but just listened for the time being.

Daphne continued, "It didn't help that Cora was frightened of sex before she married. One so-called friend had described it in a manner which she found frightening, while my mother was not an ideal mother-in-law. No one was good enough for Bernard in her eyes."

"How well did you know her?"

"Not very, until I had Mark. I stayed home for a few months then and got to know her. It was obvious she wanted children desperately and even volunteered to help with Mark's nappies." The woman looked amused at the memory. "I could hardly face that myself and he was meant to be my little bundle of joy."

"That sounds good of her."

"It was. I hadn't really seen them since the wedding, and I'd assumed that they had a normal married life. I knew Bernard was a little inhibited but supposed that he'd got over it. Anyway, when I started telling her what my husband and I got up to in bed, she sat there open-mouthed. What shocked her was that married people did these things with each other."

"Did what?"

"Nothing that I thought racy, but using her hands and breasts to excite my husband was something she hadn't even thought of doing. Nor had Bernard asked her to."

"Did you teach her?"

"I tried to. The trouble is that she didn't prepare Bernard for it, and he reacted badly to it. Understandably, Cora didn't feel like telling him that she was getting lessons from his little sister. Also, Cora had only listened to my description and hadn't asked me for the details or practised."

One memory seemed to strike Daphne as particularly amusing, and she giggled. "One of my descriptions of what...... some of my friends did to their husbands with their mouth was especially misleading."

Juliette said, "Can you tell me?"

"She thought that she was supposed to blow rather than suck and lick."

Until yesterday, this would have meant nothing to Juliette. After having watched Samantha with James, she now could envisage what this involved. She still wasn't entirely comfortable talking about this with her sister-in-law, who was more than thirty years older than her.

"Ohhh." She felt herself blushing.

"Are there any friends your age you could talk to?"

"Not really."

"I'm prepared to talk to you if you feel up to it. There may also be a book or two, which Grampa has under lock and key, which will be of assistance. I'm certain that he would lend them if you asked."

"Could you ask for me?"

"I could. I think it might come better from you. It will help him believe that you and Bernard are trying. One of the things which could keep him going longer is the thought of more grandchildren, especially a boy carrying his surname."

When they finished the main course, Daphne got out what she called the autograph shots--head and upper body, but with room to autograph the picture without writing over the face. Half were in black and white and the rest in colour. Daphne demonstrated how she would sign the photographs if she were an artiste. Again, Juliette could see the waitress eyeing the prints with interest.

They ordered some coffee, and Daphne insisted on them having a Malibu and pineapple juice each.

Her sister-in-law nudged her and said, "You could learn from Samantha how to move your body to turn Bernard on."

"What?"

"See how she moves her hips as she walks."

There was a pause as they watched the girl walking. Juliette could see what Daphne meant.

Daphne continued, "Have you worked out when Bernard is most enthusiastic in bed yet?"

"Sorry?"

"One thing which worked for some of my married friends was spotting what made their husbands more demonstrative. Some found stockings helped, others taking them to films where the actresses walked around in their underwear. Others were turned on by seeing ladies of negotiable affection or bad girls around -- at least three friends found that turning the lights out and persuading their husbands to pretend that they were bad girls loosened the inhibitions."

Juliette panicked as she thought about last Thursday when Bernard had used her like a dog and had managed to come inside her for the first time in a month. "Does that work for everyone?"

"Nothing works for everyone. It helps men who can't let themselves go with their wives eventually come to terms with the fact that lust and love can come together. That good and loyal wives also enjoy sex and a little bit of "let's pretend". After all, it can help wives as well to imagine that their husband looks like Paul Newman or the same virile young man as they first married."

Juliette nodded. She could see that. It's just that she couldn't see how to broach the subject with Bernard. Somehow, asking him to pretend she was the waitress when they tried for children would be wrong.

Daphne looked around and, having decided that no one was listening, whispered conspiratorially. "You could do worse than going to the Palais and watching the courting couples. Be discreet, though. James was rather taken aback when he took Samantha to the pictures yesterday afternoon, and she first allowed him to play with her breasts during the trailers and then used her hand and mouth during the film. Strictly, it wasn't that which surprised him, but the fact that she had spotted someone was watching them in the row in front and still carried on."

Juliette did her best to retain her cool. "Did they recognise who it was?"

"No. They didn't see the face and the person scarpered as soon as the film ended. I found it amusing that she was relaxed enough to let it happen. Anyway, I am encouraging Grampa to allow her to ask him to do a photoshoot for him. It'll give him another interest in life."

She winked at Juliette. "That's part of the reason I brought the photographs with us this lunchtime. I'm baiting the hook for him."

Juliette laughed nervously. She doubted that Bernard would approve of Arnold spending more time with the waitress.

Daphne said thoughtfully, "Do you play tennis?"

"I used to at school. I know that there is a tennis court in the garden."

"Would you like to play again? The twins play at school. James used to be pretty good."

"I'd like to start again."

"Great. I have an idea."

Bernard called that night and asked how things were going. She told him about the shopping expedition and that she was getting new clothes.

On Wednesday, Daphne took Juliette shopping again and persuaded her that she needed black underwear, stockings, and a negligee. In addition, she was talked into the purchase of four satin blouses, three new skirts, a new tennis dress and an outfit consisting of a purple wrap blouse and trousers. Daphne said she'd liked the look of a similar outfit Honor Blackman had worn in Goldfinger. She'd finished with two bathing costumes, one of which she said she would keep hidden for now.

When they had arrived back, the twins had rushed over to her and demanded to see what they had bought this time. Daphne had laughingly persuaded them to wait until dinner and the beach tomorrow. The twins had accepted it, but she had been pleased when Daphne had told her, "You've made a hit with them. They look on you as a big sister."

Daphne had accompanied her to a second photo shoot with Grampa Arnold that evening while James took the twins to a variety performance on the pier. This time, Daphne had taken a bottle of champagne down to the cellar with them to loosen her inhibitions. "My dear, you just need to stop being so self-conscious about yourself and your height. After all, you are only an inch taller than Ingrid Bergman, and you can't deny she was glamorous. Diana Rigg is over 5 foot 8 as well."

Grampa said, "How about the leather catsuit for her, Daphne?"

"I don't think Bernard will approve, would he, Juliette?"

"No." It comforted her that Daphne was bearing in mind what Bernard would like in choosing her outfits.

"Pity."

Again, Daphne helped her by being around and helping her change, as well as doing all the poses first. She also adjusted the dresses and blouses, persuading Juliette to undo a button or more so than she would usually have thought appropriate.

Juliette was also surprised when both Daphne and Arnold pointed out to her that the tennis dress was more revealing than her other outfits. Daphne had coughed when Arnold had asked her to bend down as though she was waiting to return serve. "Grampa, take two pictures with the Polaroid first."

Her father-in-law had done so. He then showed them to the two of them. She realised that, in the first photo, she had done the same thing as Samantha had done to Bernard. Her cleavage was clearly on view, but she had not registered it. The one from behind had her legs parted, and the top of her thighs could be seen. The dress was long enough that her knickers could not be seen.

Daphne had looked at her and Arnold and said, "One of my old friends has a son about James's age with a wife in the early twenties. Let's invite them over for tennis this Saturday afternoon."

Arnold laughed and said, "Good idea."

Juliette was puzzled, and it showed.

Daphne explained. "It's like bathing costumes, only more so. Bernard will be excited to see you playing tennis in that costume but won't feel so uncomfortable about it as if you were wearing a mini skirt. You and James can play mixed doubles against the guests, and perhaps we can mix things up a bit. Gertrude and Naomi can also play a set or two. Perhaps you and Bernard can play against me and one of the twins."

Daphne then winked and said, "I play in shorts nowadays. Seriously, though, although the photograph looks a little risqué, when you are playing, it won't seem that way."

Juliette saw what Daphne was getting at. Looking at the photograph, Juliette was appropriately dressed for tennis but looked what some might call sexy. Considering that as far as he liked any members of his family, Bernard cared for Daphne and thought James was pleasant enough, the suggestions she made seemed sensible.

Arnold laughed and said, "Go on. Just let me know which day you are hijacking so I can plan the catering with Mavis."

"I'll go for Saturday if I can."

"Fine by me."

She did a couple of shots in the bathing suit, including one which Arnold and Daphne called the Betty Grable pose, where she looked over her shoulder at the camera with her hands on her hips.

She couldn't quite get herself to ask for the book from Arnold while Daphne was there. The photo shoot finished at nine, and she then called Bernard. He sounded tired and told her he would be out with clients tomorrow but would see her on Friday evening. She told him that she had been shopping with his sister and was getting on well with the family. He sounded pleased, which was reassuring.

On Thursday morning, Daphne took the twins, her, and James to the beach again. It was a hot day, and Daphne encouraged her to try on the new swimming costume she had posed in yesterday. It was a one-piece, but a lot of her back was open to the sun. There was a halter top which went behind her neck and another strap across her back. Both could be adjusted and, therefore, also undone.

She got out some suntan lotion and then called James over. "Time for you to be useful. Could you rub in the suntan lotion for me on my back and legs?" James raised an eyebrow but obeyed his mother's request while she and the twins swam about in the ocean.

After a quarter of an hour, James came to the edge of the sea and asked if they wanted some ice cream. The twins both wanted 99s with raspberry sauce as well as the flake. Juliette declined the offer but came out with the girls when the ice creams arrived. Daphne also had a 99, while James had decided he didn't want one.