The Brass Statuettes Ch. 11

"She's a bean-sprouts kind of person," Gloria thought, "quite unused to the more sophisticated ladies that will be here. It probably explains why she's devoted herself to teaching little children. I'll give her some help getting her feet on the ground with this crowd."

Two of the workers from the caterers distracted her and she moved aside to make room for them as they carried a long table into the pool area.

"She's cute as a button, though. When things settle down I'll have to find a young man for her that will bring her out of her shell."

Gloria was satisfied that the caterers knew what they were doing. She lost herself for a few moments looking out over the gardens. José was not in sight, but she noticed how perfectly he'd prepared the grounds for anyone who wished to see them. No doubt more than a few of the secretaries would want to take a tour. She was startled when someone tapped her on the shoulder.

It was Maddy. "I didn't mean to startle you. I set the artwork and photos over there," she said, pointing to a corner of the veranda that seemed out of the way. There were easels in the pile, too.

"Oh, how long have you been here?" Gloria asked.

"Long enough to unload those things from my car. I didn't want to bother you while you were looking at the gardens. I can see why you love them so."

Maddy was dressed in her usual rustic style—the ankle length canvas skirt with the peasant-style flowered blouse and sandals. She wore no makeup but her face was beaming with a broad smile that gave color to her cheeks. She had loosed the bun on her ashen-colored hair and it highlighted her shoulders as it draped on them. She was quite petite—perhaps five-two. Gloria noticed that she wasn't wearing a bra, which was a minor faux pas. It was a party for women and soon there would be more bare breast on display than the wobbly suggestion under Maddy's top. The nipples just barely pressed against the cotton fabric. Gloria wondered just how they would rank when she had them on display in her bathing suit.

Gloria pointed to Maddy's materials. "I was just trying to figure out the best place for them."

"What about right where they are now?" Maddy suggested, except a little farther out toward the sunlight. They'll be close at hand, but not in the way. I'll set them up after the caterers are finished getting ready."

Gloria nodded. "Such a smart young girl!" She was more convinced that all she needed was a knowledgeable young man to bring her to life in the fullest sense. She made a note to herself to see to that later.

"You have some time while you're waiting," Gloria said. "Why don't you change into your suit?"

"I'm not much for bathing suits," she answered. "I brought some shorts and a tee shirt that I use when I go swimming. I think I'll wait and put them on later."

Gloria was temporarily taken aback. "Everyone else will be wearing their suits," she explained. "I have mine on under these clothes," she said, pulling her blouse aside to prove it. "Why don't you change now? There may not be time later. You can use the mini-gym." Gloria pointed to the door of her sanctum and Maddy shrugged and picked up a tote bag from her pile of things and made her way to where Gloria had directed her.

As Maddy disappeared behind the mini-gym door Gloria began thinking about her new project. "A nice young man; experienced but not too much so; slightly older than she—he would need to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight. It wouldn't have to be anything permanent—just intimate enough to bed her for a few months and teach her the ways of the world." That would complete that part of Maddy that Gloria judged was still missing and would allow her into full membership in the fold.

As Gloria was just settling deep into her pondering she saw Trudy walking toward her from the veranda.

"Hi! I came early—thought you could use a hand getting things set up."

"Trudy—how thoughtful," Gloria called to her as she approached. "No need to trouble yourself, really. The caterers have it well in hand."

"Juana showed me where to change into my suit," Trudy answered back, seeming to ignore Gloria's reply. Trudy was wearing what might have passed for a bikini. At least the suit was in two pieces, but not very revealing. Over that she wore a light cover-up made of cotton seersucker that she left unbuttoned. Of course, the suit was in her favorite royal blue color.

At first, Gloria was uninterested in Trudy's swimwear. She had no reason to covet the tall woman's clumsy figure. She took a second glance, though, because men seemed to like Trudy and there must be something there that attracted them. It was so hard to rate Trudy's figure against hers. Gloria's form was classic; an hourglass sculpted under Raul's tutelage, topped by award winning breasts. Trudy was lean, it was true. Gloria searched through the open panels of her cover-up for stretch marks—since she had two babies. To her dismay, she found none.

Gloria re-judged Trudy's figure to have a gazelle-like quality, and that was good for her. She need not worry, for Trudy was modestly endowed, so Gloria would never need fear being matched in that department. Brenda's ranking was probably safe, too. Darlene and Ashley weren't so secure, Gloria deduced, so they'd better take note. She'd instruct them in a private moment. Gloria wondered to herself why Trudy didn't flaunt her figure more often.

At that moment Maddy emerged from the mini-gym. Gloria gasped and then let the breath out slowly, as if she could take back the expression. "Oh Maddy, dear," she said as she recovered. "You remember Trudy from the school the other day."

"How can I forget?" Maddy replied and extended her hand to Trudy. As her two guests embraced, Gloria looked more closely at Maddy's legs, now bare under cutoff shorts. They were unshaven. A coating of fuzz covered them from knee to ankle. Gloria also noticed that she was still braless under the tee-shirt she'd changed into. She started thinking that her new project would prove more complicated than she first thought.

"Thank goodness she has light-colored hair. Maybe only a few will notice." She wondered if Maddy had some Mexican ancestry because many of those women didn't shave their legs. She'd find out later. For the moment, she hoped that Maddy hadn't heard her gasp, or, at least, understand why she had.

There was no time for figuring that out because the guests seemed to arrive all at once. The secretaries were mostly middle-aged women, who wore modest suits. They were excited to be invited to the mansion and immediately dove into the luxurious food and drink. They knew why they had been invited—their bosses had given the word. It didn't matter very much. The setting was right and they were in a party mood.

Brenda, Ashley and Darlene arrived, too. Their bikinis were noticeably much less modest. Gloria shook her head. The immaturity of her co-hosts was showing. She knew that they chose their bathing suits as a way to show up the older women. It was a stupid maneuver, but Gloria admitted to herself that she would have done the same in her younger days. "It's my fault. I should have told them ahead of time." Gloria smiled at herself. The new Gloria was kind and forgiving.

"Someone's missing," Gloria pointed out. "Who could it be?"

"Jeannette," answered Doris, who was Alvin's secretary. "Frank kept her later than the rest of us. They were finishing something up."

"You better set Frank straight when you see him," Gloria joked to Trudy. Trudy just laughed.

"If it takes that long for Frank to finish up, he must be pretty good," Ashley blurted out. Darlene and Brenda giggled at the joke.

Trudy shot an angry glance Ashley's way, but then looked away. For a moment the guests were silent. Trudy found one of the student's self-portraits that she liked. "Look! How cute," she exclaimed and pointed at the picture on the easel. The crowd heaved a sigh of relief and went back to chattering away.

Gloria had a drink in her hand. In fact, everyone did and for most it was their second round. The trio of co-hosts sunned themselves at poolside in chaises sipping on margaritas. The secretaries mostly congregated around the school exhibit, asking Maddy questions. Trudy stayed with them and Gloria stood on the fringe listening to what they were saying.

The afternoon wore on and another round of margaritas wore on the women. The sun was low in the sky in late summer, but it was warm enough and the alcohol provided a special glow.

"Jeannette's here!" one of the secretaries yelled out.

"Hello, everyone," Jeannette said in her low voice. "Sorry I'm late. I changed in the house." She walked across the veranda in her bathing suit, carrying her cover-up, and made her way to the pool. "The water looks wonderful."

She walked slowly. At poolside Brenda, Ashley and Darlene ceased tittering among themselves and watched her approach. Except for Trudy, Jeannette was the tallest woman at the party, and lithe to a fault. She wore a simple white bikini, with no shoulder straps, that cast narrow, bright bands of fabric across her smooth, café skin. If she ever had an ounce of cellulite or telltale pound or two, it was long-gone. Her breasts were round and rightly sized for her frame. They held up the bikini top without effort.

The muscles of her legs flexed, just slightly, as she walked. It was like watching a cat walking; the slow gait conserving energy while anyone who saw her move knew that she could spring in an instant. The trio in the chaises smoothed their hands over their own legs in subconscious rechecking.

Jeannette was neither ginning broadly nor frowning. Her face bore a serene expression. Jeannette slipped off her sandals, stretched her leg out to its fullest and dipped her foot into the water. She leisurely moved it back and forth a few times, and then turned and smiled pleasantly at the three, who had been watching her from behind their sunglasses.

"Mmmm; just right," she commented to them. She set her cover-up on a chair, climbed down the ladder and slowly entered the water and then pushed off the side of the pool. She glided unhurried to the far end and then turned and returned to her original place.

"I haven't seen Jeannette in a long time. I'll go over and say hello," Trudy said and made her way to the pool. As Trudy was walking through the pool gate Jeannette was climbing out of the water by the chrome ladder. Trudy extended her hand. "Jeannette, it's so nice..."

"I can see why Frank keeps Jeannette around," Ashley interrupted.

Trudy's smile disappeared and she stood facing Ashley with her hands on her hips. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well you know," Ashley answered, not trying to hide her smirk.

"I don't think I do," Trudy replied and clenched her teeth. "Why don't you explain it to me?" Ashley said nothing and Trudy didn't move. "I want an answer!" she demanded.

"It's okay, Trudy," Jeannette soothed in a low voice. She touched Trudy's arm at the elbow as a signal to come away. Trudy didn't move.

"I want an answer!" Trudy repeated.

"Well... if it isn't obvious," Ashley giggled, "Jeannette is a version of you, only better. It looks like Frank likes his women tall and lean."

"Ah'll say!" Darlene agreed. She and Ashley looked at each other grinning. Next to them Brenda rolled her eyes and then buried her face in her hands.

"I won't stand for that," Trudy spat back. "Take it back."

"It's okay, Trudy," Jeannette repeated to Trudy, still standing alongside her. "Let's go down to the veranda."

"It's not okay!" Trudy insisted. "Take it back, Ashley—and apologize to Jeannette."

"I won't," Ashley replied, not bothering to get up from her chaise. "Why should I apologize to..." She stopped herself and gave the two tall women a disgusted look.

Gloria hurried to the pool when she heard the disturbance. "Trudy, I'm sure whatever Ashley said was all in fun. Let's forget it."

"I want her to apologize," Trudy muttered.

Gloria glanced at Ashley who had remained seated and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I doubt if Ashley has said anything serious enough to have to apologize," Gloria said.

"Yes, she has," Trudy insisted in an angry voice.

"Trudy, really..." Gloria said in a frustrated tone.

"If that's the way it is, then I'm leaving," Trudy told her. She turned abruptly and headed for the house without saying a word.

"I think I better go, too," Jeannette said, and followed Trudy to the house.

Gloria stood speechless by the pool. Ashley began laughing. "What's the big deal?" she asked to her two companions. "Touchy-touchy," she said as she laughed and shook her head. Brenda and Darlene had stopped laughing, looked at their silent mentor.

Gloria said nothing. All pleasantness departed her face. She poured herself a drink and walked quickly inside the house.

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

After the scene at the pool, the party lost its ambience and the secretaries soon left. They would have thanked Gloria, but she wasn't to be found. Ashley and Darlene left right after the secretaries. Maddy stayed behind to take down the school exhibits and Brenda stayed, too. The caterers began working to pack their equipment.

"Leave that behind," Brenda instructed them, referring to the punchbowl full of margaritas. She poured herself a big one and resumed her place by the pool, out of the way of the workers. She was pretty sure Gloria would come out to the pool when she was sure everyone had left. Soon, Maddy was done packing up and joined Brenda with a drink of her own in the chaise next to her where Ashley had been sitting.

True to form, Gloria appeared at the door leading from the house to the veranda when the coast was clear. Brenda saw her look out toward the pool and then fill a glass and walk slowly toward them.

"You're the only ones left?" Gloria said it like a question, but knew the answer already.

"It was a nice party, for a while," Brenda answered.

"I knew Trudy would be trouble sooner or later," Gloria sighed. "You tried to warn me; I didn't listen." There were tears welling in Gloria's eyes. "I don't know what Ashley could have possibly said that would have set her off."

"It was an innuendo about Jeannette and Frank," Brenda said.

"That's all?" Gloria asked in disbelief. "It's probably true, anyway."

"Trudy looks at things differently than we do."

"No one walks out on me and gets away with it," Gloria declared. "I'll get even, I swear it. She ruined this party—and our chances at getting the secretaries to work for us."

"I don't know how you're going to get even. I doubt you'll see much of Trudy very soon," Brenda cautioned.

"I'll find a way," Gloria vowed. "No one walks out on me, my parties or my Foundation."

"I don't think it's worth worrying about," Maddy offered, but Gloria ignored her.

"I've already got an idea that will more than get even," Gloria went on, but Brenda thought she was talking more to herself than to her and Maddy.

"Maybe you will," Brenda conceded, "but nothing will happen today. Let's have a swim while we have some daylight left. We could use some cooling off."

"And some sobering up," Maddy added.

Gloria gulped down her drink and stepped to the pool. She sat on the side and slid into the water. She started to paddle away. Maddy jumped in behind her. Brenda was right after them. They swam to the far end of the pool and then swam back and rested in the deep end under the diving board. Gloria hung onto the side of the pool, catching her breath.

"Ah, that was refreshing. Good idea, Bren." Gloria looked happier and refreshed.

Maddy swam up beside Gloria. She wasn't out of breath, but she remained at the side of the pool.

"You know," Gloria said to Maddy, "Maybe Brenda and I could find a few young men for you to date. Would you like that?"

"I'm not interested in having sex with men anymore," Maddy answered. With surprising boldness she thrust a hand under the water and clutched Gloria's sex. She threw the other hand around Gloria's shoulder and pulled the older woman to her. After she inserted her tongue deep inside Gloria's mouth she began to kiss her.

Brenda looked on as Gloria's eyes opened wide in a startled expression. Her body looked rigid and stiff. As Maddy's foray became more insistent Gloria closed her eyes and relaxed. She let out a soft murmur of delight from deep in her throat.

"I already spoke to Maddy," Brenda explained as the kiss finally ended. "I thought we could relax you." Maddy raised her tee shirt to bare her breasts and placed Gloria's hand on one of them. She began kissing her again. "We better go in the mini-gym before someone sees us," Brenda warned.

The three of them climbed out of the pool. Once in the gym they dried themselves off. Brenda and Maddy began stripping Gloria.

"Just relax," Maddy whispered. "This is a special treat just for you." They pulled the stubborn fabric of the suit from Gloria's shoulders and then down her body. Gloria's eyes were closed all the time and she didn't speak. Once she was nude, the pleasurers kissed and squeezed her breasts and then her center. Gloria moaned at each sensual assault.

"Let's get her over to the sofa," Brenda said to Maddy. "It's a fold-out." She threw the cushions off and pulled out the folding bed.

Gloria settled down on her back. Her eyes were still closed; her breathing was rapid. Maddy and Brenda pulled off their own suits.

"Eat me!" Maddy commanded. She climbed onto the bed and straddled Gloria's face, looking out toward her feet. "We'll sixty-nine." She bent low and hugged Gloria's thighs and dipped her tongue into her cleft. "That's real good, Gloria," Maddy assured her as she pressed down. Gloria tilted up her hips to give Maddy better access

As Brenda watched them she dipped a finger inside herself. Gloria bucked like a wild animal under Maddy's practiced body. Brenda heard the muffled scream as Gloria's orgasm struck her. The younger woman straightened up, remaining atop Gloria's face. She was raising and lowering herself; the pleasure etched a surreal expression on her face.

"Hold up a minute while I put this on her," Brenda ordered. She had a waist harness onto which a long phallic-shaped dildo was fastened. She slid it over Gloria's knees. "Raise up Gloria, so I can get this around your waist," Brenda yelled loud enough for Gloria to hear as she lay under Maddy. Gloria bent her knees and planted her feet flat on the mattress and pushed up. Brenda slid the belt into place and fastened it. She poured a glob of lube onto her hand and coated the dildo. "I'll be right with you," she assured them.

She climbed onto the mattress and hovered over the erect tool, which pointed straight up from Gloria's center. She balanced herself with one hand and opened her lips with the other. She made a final calculation and sank directly down, implanting the silicone phallus all the way inside herself.

"Ahhh," she let out a moan of delight. Brenda had waited a long time to get out Gloria's harness. She could already feel the tension building. It wouldn't do to climax right away. She fought it off. A look into Maddy's face told her that she was eager to resume.

Maddy reached out and grasped Brenda's breasts. She let her fingertips examine the nipples. "Nice," she sighed. Brenda reached out to Maddy and did the same and the two leaned forward and kissed.

The silicone object pressed her from inside out. Brenda rose up and then relaxed back down on it with her hands still clutching Maddy's breasts. Maddy nodded, and the next time Brenda rose up Maddy rose with her and they descended in unison. They found a working rhythm, never relinquishing their hold on the other.

"Let's try to come together," Maddy gasped as they drew close to the horizon.

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