The Beat Pt. 06

She then asked hesitantly, "What's the matter Sal, is everything all right?"

"Yes, everything is good mum, honestly. Well, it wasn't a boy I was on a date with but another woman," She left it all hanging there over the dinner table. Her sister standing next to her, a hand on her shoulder and they both looking at their mother, waiting for a response.

Mary sat there and took a deep breath. She took her time and was privately relieved that was all Sally spoke about. Maybe she didn't know that her mum knew where she had been on their date. She smiled, picked up her knife and fork and continued to eat. Mary Houghton was a little surprised but not, knowing what she already knew.

The two girls looked at her and Sally asked, "Aren't you going to say something?"

"Sally, you are 18, not quite an adult despite what the law says, if I am getting this right, you are telling me you have a girlfriend. That boys don't feature in your future, at this time? I take it that this isn't just a passing phase and it isn't just a platonic relationship. I mean you, you know, kind of are in a physical relationship as well?"

"MUM," said Angie, "Sally's in love, what does it matter to who, I am thrilled my big sister is gay, oh wow, I am so happy for her, after hiding all this time, oh wow. I am just so happy for her?"

Mary looked at her youngest daughter and with a smile told her straight out. "I am extremely happy for her too, you have no idea how this makes me feel. Your big sister has a girlfriend, it is no big deal, 'Love is Love',"

Angie stood there knowing how she felt, something she thought would send her parents into a frenzy of dismay, but her mum is pretty well nonchalant about her eldest daughter telling her she is gay.

"WOW, mum, you are fantastic. I kind of guessed you would be ok with it, dad will be too, he still thinks the sun shines out of her backside," she hugged her big sister and then went and hugged her mum.

"Angie, where do you get such ideas, your dad loves you all equally. And watch your mouth too young lady,"

"Yeah but narh, we all know who his favourite is, even Charlie boy takes a back seat when Sally is around,"

"You say the silliest of things Ange, you really do," her mum told her. Sally just sat there watching the banter and taking it all in, wondering if she should go further. Then decided her next step should be talked about when she is alone with her mum.

Mary looked at Sally and guessed there was more she wanted to say but she thought, 'in her own time'. "When do we get to meet her, what's her name by the way?" she asked while finishing her meal.

"Her name is Jennifer Watkins, we met at Uni and she is an accountant for KPMG,"

Her mum stopped and did some simple arithmetic, "oh so she is a little bit older than you?"

"Yes a little bit, but we get on so well," Sally answered cautiously.

Angie had sat down and reached across the table to hold onto Sally's hand. Their mum saw it and said nothing but it made her so proud of her youngest daughter. Such an empathetic soul.

"How long have you been together?" she asked her.

"A couple of years, kind of," Sally told her, then regretted it instantly.

If her mum was concerned, she hid it well. "How long have you felt this way, Sal?"

"I've known for a long while, I mean a long long while," She stated.

Mary had a sad look on her face, "You could have come and talked to your dad and me you know, we do understand about these things,"

Angie squeezed her big sister's hand by way of alerting her that she was about to say something outrageous.

Angie looked at her mum, "So is it OK if I had a girlfriend too and we can do sleepovers?" She said with a smile on her face.

Her mum gave her a look that all mothers have when one of their children is pushing their luck. She then told her. "Angelica, cut it out, this is an adult discussion,"

Sally raised her eyebrows, "ANGELICA, oh wow you are close to the line little sister,"

Angie smiled at both her mum and her big sis. Then told them, "I love you guys,"

The girls cleared the table and did the washing and drying, the old fashion way. It was Angie's turn to dry as Sally washed everything, carefully.

"You're my hero Sal," She told her big sister.

"What, just because I found the courage to tell mum I actually have a girlfriend? She took it well I thought," Sally said, knowing the reason why.

Angie told her that it took her 3 years almost to find that courage. Sally turned to her little sister and after making certain their mum wasn't within hearing distance asked in a hushed voice, "Are you and Ryan doing it?"

"NO, I'm a good girl," She replied to her sister.

"Yeah, right, so it's only head jobs and hand jobs so far?"

"Sally, I kissed him once, that's all,"

Sally was smiling at her and reminded her of that one kiss. "You were laying on your bed, your T-shirt was up around your neck and so was your bra plus your jeans were almost off altogether, that was one hell of a kiss Ange,"

Angie blushed, "You are making it sound ten times worse than it was. Nothing happened,"

"From the looks on both your faces it wasn't much further before it would have been a home run if you ask me. You do know that we horny teenagers give off certain scents that linger when we are turned on and I can tell an aroused woman when they are close by and girl you were very close to being humped,"

She blushed again "Ssssshhhhuuusssss,"

They were seated on the sofa looking for a movie that none of them could agree on. Finally, Mary made the decision and sat between the two bickering girls.

"Carol, it will be," She told them, which brought a smile to Sally's face.

"Just because you are a raving lezo doesn't mean we have to watch lezo movies from now on, does it?" Angie asked trying to talk around her mum aiming the question at her sister.

"Honestly I don't know where you pick up such language," She told her.

The two girls spoke together and said in perfect harmony, "Charlie,"

"That's right blame your brother when he isn't here to protect himself," The two girls were nodding furiously.

Before the movie was half over Angie had fallen asleep while Sally hugged her mother's arm, feeling a closeness she hadn't felt in many years. During the closing credits Mary half woke young Angie and got her to go off to bed. Sally made her mum a nice cup of orange tea, she told her mum that it would help her sleep.

Once it was made, they sat at the table in the kitchen and started to talk. Each slowly sipping on their tea.

"This Jennifer girl, how old is she?" Her mother asked her, "And how old were you when you, you know, got together for the first time,"

"Mum, do you want to know everything, or can I have some of my privacy back, honestly," Sally told her.

"Sal I am only wanting to help; how do you know that she isn't pressuring you into something you aren't truly ready for?"

"Mum just stop, please. Jenny isn't that type of person. She genuinely cares for me, honestly,"

Mary held up her hands and apologised, then asked. "Do you want me to explain it to your dad or do you want to do it?"

"I'll do it and before you ask, Charlie knows too, I think," she told her mum. "There is something else we need to talk about, something that happened today," She said.

Mary froze. Thinking about what had happened to her that day. She squirmed on her chair and closed her legs together.

"Mum, I was at the OWLS Club in Port Adelaide today and saw you there!"

Mary's cheeks turned to scarlet, a real mess.

"What, where were you?" She asked. Hoping to hear her daughter say the dining room.

"In the grotto, I was girl number 4,"