Penelope And The Woman Of Her Dream

"Certainly looks like it," her friend Eileen Cosgrove mused with the other three ladies nodding.

"So what do we do Martha?" Eileen asked ", they're not breaking any laws."

"Any of man's laws Eileen; any of Man's laws," Martha replied emphatically her voice low as she built to her climax ", but they are breaking God's law. They stand condemned."

"Not by me," the speaker was an elderly gentleman accompanied by his wife.

Mildred had warned him not to let things get to him but this was intolerable. He had kept his tone calm but inside his pocket his hand shook.

Eileen heard the voice and turned to see who had spoken, she knew immediately that this gentleman was a man of quality and old money; he was way above her station and though she knew she had overstepped the mark the spirit of the self righteous carried her on.

"Oh sir and you approve of them do you?"

"I neither approve nor disapprove young lady, I also do not seek to deny them the pursuit of happiness a fundamental right guaranteed by the United States Constitution and one for which many brave Americans lost their lives . Nor, I would suggest, should any of you. "

The delivery was mild but the force was electrifying and the shattered group dispersed in silence.

Mildred held Geoffrey's hand.

"One of these days you silly old goat," she thought squeezing it ", one of these days..."

She couldn't be angry with him; he'd always been her hero and never more than right then.

Oblivious to all this Penny ( she was now officially Penny because that is what Wilma wanted to call her) and Wilma ( who was still Wilma because Willy had some unfortunate connotations.) had moved apart a little still clinging to the belief no one had worked out how close they were. They had covered a good hundredth of what they wanted to say by the time the driver whistled for them to get on the bus and back to their seats.

It felt like home for Penny (she had decided she much preferred 'Penny') who scooted across to her side and waited impatiently for Wilma to sit back down and put that rug over their laps. She did and in an instant Penny's head was resting on her shoulder. Penny felt her tense and rubbed her arm.

'They know," she said softly.

She looked up to see an anxious look on Wilma's face.

"Look where that old lady was. She's gone. And didn't you see all the smiles? They know."

Wilma looked across to where the elderly gentleman sat at the window with .his wife in the aisle seat. She looked up from her knitting, winked and went back to her stitches.

It was Penny's first kiss from a girl and she had to admit she rather liked it. She was also required to say in detail what it was exactly about the kiss that made it so hot and unforgettable. Then the older lady hugging her mentioning, quite casually, that she would really quite like to know, if it wasn't too much trouble, what made her in particular such a wonderful woman to be with and how much she would enjoy the next kiss from this fabulous beautiful woman.

Wilma had never been so happy- ever. She didn't give Penny a chance to finish being far too impatient for the next kiss; which was every bit as good as the first one. After it they sat with Penny against the window turned in so Wilma could sit , hip to hip with her, her legs over Penny's and her arms round her neck. For the next hour or so they alternated between whispering sweet nothings and kissing.

It was perfection, Wilma decided. The role of the guiding hand, the wise older woman, had ended with the stubborn wrapper, for which she was so grateful. She wanted to be in love with a woman not mother a girl and Penny was showing strengths and courage she had had no idea she possessed. After all, Wilma reflected, impressing herself with the impartiality of her memories, who was it who had her head up seeing things while she herself had had hers down wanting to get back on the bus and back to their little haven all the while hoping no one had noticed?

Yes, it was perfection. There was no doubt about that. No doubt at all. It was just neat holding hands; it was just neat kissing too; now that was fun. It was, it was, it was, quarter past four. Fuck!

The bus would get there in twenty five minutes. Then what? Penny had some boarding house to go and stay in. They wouldn't want her to see anyone and she would get involved with her job and go out with the girls there. She might even meet someone. So what would that mean for her? Would she be another memory?

"I'll always remember, um, Wilma..." Penny would say in later years then give a hilarious depiction of their bus ride to the beautiful young woman hanging on her every word and watching her anxiously; desperate to know Penny no longer had the slightest interest in this strange sounding older woman.

It was time to straighten up. She moved back to her own seat leaving Penny's jaw on her chest.

"We'll be there soon so I thought it might be an idea to get things away so we're not rushing at the last minute," the tone was brisk and utterly devoid of affection.

She worked efficiently folding the rug and putting it in its carry bag. The remains of the marshmallows followed with the book last.

There hadn't been a lot really.

"Finished?" Penny demanded not trying to hide the annoyance in her tone.

"Yes, yes I think so, other than just straightening my clothes and I would imagine my hair is a mess. I'll need to get something for my dinner tonight but that needn't concern you of course besides they provide meals at that Boarding House, don't they? They usually do and probably good food most likely. And who knows? You might meet someone more your own age too. Someone to be friends with and go out with, maybe meet some hot guy... there's so much going on for a girl your age Penelope."

"Wilma!"

"Yes?"

"Wilma!"

"Yes?"

"Wilma! Don't you fucking dare!"

"You might like to keep your voice down Penelope, people might stare."

"I will talk as loud as I want. We are not getting off this bus and going our own fucking way."

She shouted the words at the top of her lungs and in the silence everyone strained to hear Wilma's reply.

In a tiny voice she managed

"We're not?"

"No! My God! I love you, you, you hopeless creature you! How could I leave someone so ill equipped for life on her own as you?"

"Haven't you worked it out honey?" the voice came from Mildred who had come over to perch on the arm rest and now had her arm round Wilma as Geoffrey looked on in awe from his seat across the way.

'That's my girl," he thought proudly doing a high five in his mind for her.

"She loves you. Now Wilma, where are you going when we reach the city?"

"My apartment- I guess."

"You sound so keen," a back rub then ", and Penny, where to for you?"

"Where ever Wilma is," Penny replied the voice precise and the tone firm.

"Don't you want to go to your apartment Wilma," Mildred asked softly, a plan in mind.

"Not really, I broke up with someone and the memories..."

"Well why don't you young love birds come and stay-"

"With me," the voice from the front of the bus was emphatic.

It was Martha and she moved with surprising speed down the aisle to where they sat.

"Look, I was hard on you girls before, way too hard and this gentleman here showed me how wrong I was. I've been thinking things over ever since and well I have a room for you. It's a lovely big room that we had for our mother and she hated it because she knew she was being put there to die and she didn't want to give up, do you see? Do you? Because we didn't, we thought she was just being ungrateful for all we were doing for her and she should just eek out her last precious days in her nice bed with the view of the garden I spent months working on for her and...look it's a lovely room, with it's own ensuite and there's heaps of room to store stuff and I'd love to have you guys come and stay with me... just till you're ready to find a place if you like or longer maybe?"

Penny decided yes and Wilma agreed. She was getting used to just agreeing with Penny and also getting used to trusting Penny's judgment which she had to admit was better than her own.

There was a group hug once they had disembarked with curious onlookers watching an elderly couple hugging this group of motherly women and a young girl with what looked like maybe an aunt. It was all a bit confusing really but the onlookers weren't really interested and the scene passed from their minds.

It stayed in Wilma's mind and helped balance out the devastation she had suffered from her parents. Previously she hadn't realized how badly she had been hurt and the moment she had decided she was going to lose Penny had brought it all back to her. The time when Penny had pointed out that they had been accepted sent a wave of relief right through her but the way Penny had declared herself and the offers from Mildred and Geoff followed by the one that had everyone in tears, including the driver, from Martha had seen Wilma get all her confidence back. She had way more confidence now as what she had had before was untested hope. This was real; it felt much better.

She thought of clouds and sliver linings on the cab ride to Martha's place but not for long. Martha had put Penny in the middle, Wilma had got in and made sure her hip was against Penny's with Martha getting in on the other side to flank Penny. It was Penny's turn now as a whole day of drama's caught up with her. She had thought she was fine without realizing that she was living on her nerves.

There's always a trigger and for Penny, of all things, it was the sound and feel of Martha closing her door after her mother hen performance of checking everything was just right before they headed off.

Poor old Martha was prepared for absolutely everything- except that. Still she did her best as Penny snuggled into Wilma and shook with the force of her sobs. It was only fifteen minutes and they were there- to the cabbie's profound relief. By that stage she had calmed down but was still on edge. They got her inside and curled up on the sofa then went back and brought in the rest of the luggage.

"I'll run a bath," Martha told them and presently they heard the sound of the taps running. While Wilma cuddled Penny Martha humped the suitcases down to the bedroom and put them at the foot of the bed for the girls to open. She popped into the bathroom and checked on the bath. The water was just right. She assumed they would get in together and was allowing for the displacement of two bodies.

Two naked bodies.

"Stop it Martha," she told herself but it was, sadly, a lost cause.

Heart rending altruism wasn't the only reason she had wanted to get them home; Martha had had a moment of insight on the bus and it had to do with her true sexuality. She saw that she wasn't in contempt of the girls because they were lesbian lovers at all. No, she was jealous of them because they were lesbian lovers. Penny's emphatic announcement followed by Mildred trying to offer an alternative had worked unexpectedly but perfectly with what Martha truly wanted although when she spoke she had denied the feelings she was having focusing on more wholesome and meritorious things rather than deliberately concealing them. The result, as you will already have deduced, was the same.

She turned the taps off, put a foot mat on the bathroom floor, then went and got two cotton robes for the girls to put on after their bath.

"The bath is ready but Penny sweetheart you need to ring the boarding house. They're expecting you and they'll be worried. They know you were coming as a single girl and all the world watches over single girls hon. OK? "

She had caught the despondent look on Penny's face.

"Well I can ring them if you like but just be here with me in case they want to talk with you. You're going to have to surrender the money you? Your mom? Your mom paid."

Another forlorn look as Penny thought how hard her mom had worked and saved to put that money apart from the weekly budget.

"Honey your mom wanted to get you here and have somewhere to stay. Well you are here and you have somewhere much nicer than a boarding house and safer."

Penny now looked puzzled.

"Yes safer. Where do you thing criminals out of jail with no where to go are put? Or recovering drug addicts?" she was going to go on to sex offenders next but Penny was now quite white and she had achieved her aim.

"Mom never knew that," the tears had started.

"No, well they don't let on; do they?"

A shrug followed by a shake of the head and Penny staring at her to see if she had given the right answer.

"Not everyone is as honest as we are Penny. Oh God come here."

She parked beside her and let Penny collapse in her arms as Wilma looked on. She knew Martha had fed her darling a load of tripe but she wanted Penny to stay with her at Martha's place. Without being able to put her finger on it she had really good feelings about Martha and her house.

Meantime Penny was leaning on Martha. She had had to be so strong for Wilma and it had drained her but Martha didn't need anything from her not that she wouldn't have comforted Wilma a hundred times over of course but it was nice to have someone she could lean on too.

Martha rang the boarding house first. Yes they were concerned but all was well now it appeared. No, there wouldn't be a refund there were strict rules around that as had been explained to Mrs. Josephson.

Martha and Penny shared a high five then Martha rang Penny's mom Carol. She told her they had met on the bus and that when Penny had told her about the Boarding house her blood had run cold.

"Why?" Carol had asked horrified.

Martha told her. This time she was more kindly towards the criminals and drug users generously adding that the experts have decided they should be ready to rejoin society.

She let her voice trail off and listened. Carol was panting. Finally she heard a deep breath.

"Where is she now? Oh this is just a disaster. She didn't want to go, you know? I insisted, oh my poor baby."

"Carol," Martha's voice was calm.

"Yes Martha," she didn't want to upset the lovely woman- this Saint.

"Penny, sorry we call her that now, is just fine. Look what I was going to say is that she is here with me and another lady Wilma and she will be staying here. Now do you have a pen? Good I'll give you the numbers and my email and do you have Skype? That's a shame. Well Penny will be sending money home soon and maybe we could buy the camera and get you all sorted. She's here do you want a word?"

Martha and Wilma discreetly left the room as Penny spoke with her Rock.

Martha showed her round the place with their room last.

It was perfect. A large rectangle of a room at the head end of which was a king size bed, beautifully made up while along the side walls stood two chests of drawers and a vanity, all in walnut. French doors opened onto a low brick patio from which one stepped down on to a small area of lawn fringed by the garden.

Wilma opened the doors and went out onto the patio then across the lawn to touch the plants in the garden.

"It is so beautiful Martha; you really are a God send."

"Oh, I'm not perfect Wilma. I wish I was."

"We know you're a lesbian Martha. Is that what you mean?" she was teasing and the smile on her face left no possible confusion of what Wilma thought about that.

"I'm a bloody con artist you mean."

"Well that too."

They hugged.

"I feel like I'm home."

"You are. Now let's get that girl of yours and you in that bath."

They went back up to the lounge where Penny was still talking.

"Hang on mom Wilma's here. Wilma I've told mom I am in love with you and we are going to be living together here in one of Martha's bedrooms and it is not temporary. OK?"

"Um, hi Mrs. Josephson it's Wilma here." Wilma said nervously.

"Oh Hi Wilma," she heard back and she liked her.

"Mrs. Josephson look it just happened. There's so much I can say but I'm in love with Penny. I have never met anyone like her and I know she loves me. I hope you don't mind Mrs. Josephson-"

"Carol. My name is Carol. I don't mind one bit Wilma. Why should I? She's found someone, she's got somewhere to stay that sounds just wonderful and she can start her new life. That was what I wanted only this is better than what I could organize. Give my love to Penny and I'll let you go, I hear there's a big deep bath waiting for you girls."

She nearly added 'to share' but thought that was being a bit cheeky. So her Penelope was a lesbian? Her mother would hate that.

"My granddaughter the lesbian." She would make the pronouncement and follow it with a lecture on Carol's parenting skills.

Carol went to her other daughter's room and sat with her on the bed.

"Penny is a lesbian," she announced.

"I know," Jessie told her with that 'where have you been' look girls seem obliged to give their mothers in these matters.

'You never said?" It was statement delivered as a question.

"I think I am too mom. Not with her or anything but well there is a girl at school and..."

"That's fine love, I hope it all pans out the way you want and I'll be here to listen when you want to talk about it or, anything?'

"Ha ha. You're the bomb mom. At least I won't get pregnant."

Carol laughed.

"Well yes there is that. Anyway Penny sends her love to you and I'll leave you to it. Whatever 'it' might be."

Her daughter, very unexpectedly, hugged her tight and kissed her- on the cheek.

As she closed the door and walked back down the hall Carol found herself wishing that the kiss had been on her lips.

Back in the lounge she poured herself a sherry and put her feet up on the couch. Goodness, everywhere she looked there were lesbians- all of them happy from the sound of things. Her hand slipped under the elastic waist band of her track pants then under her cotton panties. She closed her eyes and let her mind drift faraway as her fingers slipped in further.

Wilma and Penny were in the bath which was very deep due to Martha insisting on topping it up with hot. Martha was in the bathroom as well so she was in there and as a matter of fact she wasn't wearing any clothes either.

There was a story behind that. Penny had stripped off in the lounge then had stood with fists on hips looking pointedly at Wilma who, as always, had given in to her Penny and stripped off too.

They were stunning- in Martha's humble opinion. Wilma was statuesque while Penny was tall and willowy. Their clothes lying strewn over the floor looked as erotic as anything Martha had seen and the sight of the bottoms swaying as they walked casually across the lounge was burnt into her memory instantly. However, quite the trooper, she recovered and had been in the bathroom to get the water just so and when it was had gone out because she didn't want to push her luck.

"Martha!" Penny had shouted from the bath tub and Martha had gone back in nobly trying not to peek.

"Oh Martha could you please check in here to see there aren't any sex offenders and recovering alcoholics in the bath with us?" Penny had asked sweetly then given her a dead pan look.

Oh.

"Ok. You got me copper."

"Well come on," Penny insisted as the other two grinned ", you might want to get those clothes off I would imagine. It's quite wet in here."

Which is how Martha came to be naked and how, when Penny decided she had had enough Martha got to be in the bath with Wilma.

Getting to strip off with these two watching had Mavis's hands trembling with the excitement. She could feel her nipples; they were so hard and her pussy was open- she knew it. And they had been watching all the time; Wilma encouraging but Penny was like a kid unwrapping Christmas presents. It was pretty amazing to have a girl her age excited about her body Martha had thought to say nothing of being instructed to do a twirl- twice.