Women Who Talk Pt. 05

In this part we pick up where Part 4 finished with Robyn waking up on Helen's bed and continues on for the next few days as Robyn flirts with Alana, which drives Helen to ever more desperate measures as she tries to draw her in. To further complicate matters for Robyn she is still fixated on Penny.

Author's note: A bingle is a car accident, 'I had a bingle.'

Helen McInnes stared at the younger woman sitting on the bed with her back to the bedhead. Robyn had apparently been dressed for church that morning in a cream silk, double-breasted blouse and a colourful skirt with a flower pattern. The black cardigan she wore had been Helen's an hour or so ago, now it and several other cardigans belonged to Robyn. This act of generosity was just the next step of a campaign to seduce the twenty-year-old virgin who'd come into her workplace to post up an advertisement for a Christian coffee shop. For the last couple of weeks though she had been just out of reach and last night Helen had observed her going into the Swagman with her boss, Penny. She'd followed the pair home discreetly that night and was relieved to see that Penny just dropped her off and went home alone.

That meant the chase was still on although Helen had privately admitted that even if Penny beat her to the punch she might still try and fuck Robyn's housemate. She'd turned up a couple of hours ago to look at the cardigans Helen was going to donate to a charity shop and after trying one on, agreed to take the lot and see if she could hand some on to her girlfriends or housemates.

She'd then crashed out on her bed only to be awakened by a call from her boyfriend, Jeff. She was planning on meeting her boyfriend to discuss the relationship but that discussion had instead taken place over the phone. The results were pleasing from Helen's point of view, it was over and she could tell that Robyn had mixed feelings about it despite stating that she felt like a fraud now that she'd 'come out.'

However now that Robyn was no longer going to meet up with Jeff, she'd taken matters into her own hands and when Robyn asked for some water Helen brought two cans of Southern Comfort and Coke along with the glass of water. She sensed with the wisdom of her years that all it would take was a bit of social lubrication over the next couple of hours and she'd have her flat on her back with her legs spread wide. Robyn had just taken the can of Southern and Coke but then her phone beeped and she dropped the can into her lap and thumbed a button to read the text message.

Alana: I'm going to have to cancel our lunch date tomorrow, so I can't bring the Harry Potter book in until Wednesday.

Robyn frowned as she looked up at Helen and then a moment later tapped out a reply.

Robyn: What about coming around tonight? I could make some dinner.

Alana: Okay, but don't worry about dinner. I'd have to get back to feed Mac anyway.

Robyn: So bring Mac with you. Scamp would love a playmate for a few hours.

Alana: As long as Josie doesn't mind.

Robyn: I'm sure she won't mind. When will you get there?

Alana: Forty five minutes?

Robyn: No worries, I'll be there. At a friend's house right now.

"What's up?" Helen asked as Robyn tapped her keyboard a couple of times.

"Huh?" Robyn glanced at her, "making a phone call," she looked back down and kept tapping and then she put the phone to her ear and reached out for the glass of water.

However the phone went through to the answering machine and she waited until it finished before she spoke.

"Josie? Erin? Scamp? Anyone? Is there anybody out there? Hello? Okay, it's me, I'm having Alana over for dinner tonight just in case someone decides to cook for all of us. See you soon," she hung up and put the phone down.

"You're going to home," Helen stated the obvious.

"Yeah," she took another mouthful and put the glass on the bedside drawers, "Alana's dropping off a book for me tonight."

"Who's Alana?"

"She's Erin's boss, she works at the jewellery shop."

"So, when are you going?" Helen put the can on the floor.

"About twenty minutes," she eyed the glass briefly and tugged at the skirt.

"It's a nice skirt," Helen felt the hem, "it's certainly nicer than my skirts."

"Do you mean to tell me you've got skirts, plural?" Robyn nudged her leg with her foot.

"Just office attire," she swivelled around to face her.

Robyn's foot dropped slightly and rested between her legs. The younger woman's eyes narrowed slightly as Helen looked down at it and then up at her.

"I still can't get over those leather pants," she rubbed her heel against Helen's thigh, "it's almost as if you're psychic," her eyes shifted as Helen grabbed her leg.

"You shave your legs."

"I do," Robyn slid a hand beneath her cardigan Helen, "don't you," the last word came out in a rush as Helen tickled the back of her calf but when she tried to pull away Helen tightened her grip on her foot.

"Don't touch my feet," she warned her.

"Why not?" Helen tickled her foot.

Robyn giggled and yanked her foot back hard, and Helen let go.

"I'm ticklish," she put her foot on the floor.

"So I see," she pulled a wry grin.

Robyn shifted forward as she pulled her other leg under her. She hesitated for a few seconds and then threw her arms around her.

"Thank you for letting me crash on your bed," she squeezed her tightly and Helen slipped an arm around her. Robyn's grip slackened and she kissed her cheek quickly and slid back.

"You'll never kiss that spot again," she grabbed her things and eased off the bed, "and thanks for the cardigans as well."

"No worries," Helen picked up her can as Robyn put her shoes on, "any time. There's always plenty of beds here."

"Have you ever thought of getting a boarder?"

"Who'd live with me?" Helen frowned, "I'm not the easiest person to live with."

"Why not?"

"I like my privacy," she replied.

"Whatever rocks your boat," she shrugged and stretched her legs out.

"So, you and Penny, huh?" Helen looked down at Robyn's legs.

"We're friends," she replied, "but yeah, she's certainly cute."

"Definitely fuckable," Helen agreed, "although she's way out of my league."

"That's because she works with you, she doesn't do office romance."

"It's not just that to be honest," Helen frowned, "she's got a lot of money and the bank owns most of this house, although to her credit she tries not to make a big deal about it."

"She's generous with her time," Robyn nodded.

Penny is a good boss, certainly better than my last boss at the Department of Social Welfare," Helen shifted further onto the bed, "so, what's next for you," she poked her in the side.

"Now that you've come out to your ex boyfriend, and me."

"That's the million dollar question," she fell back onto her elbows and looked down at herself, "at some point I need to put the pedal to the metal and actually go out with a woman. Not like it was last night with Penny but an actual date where there's a possibility we'll end up sleeping together at some point."

"Dinner with dessert," Helen looked down at her, "my favourite kind."

"I'm not sure it'd be that kind of dinner for me," she remarked, "I don't root on first dates, maybe it's a part of my Christian upbringing but I've always seen it as cheap."

"So, who would be your ideal first fuck?"

"Oh, Penny would be my first but there's also Alana. I've got the feeling she could be tempted, but she's where I was a few days ago on the outside looking in and not sure if she's going to step inside or just continue on down the street. There are others of course but I guess I've got to just take my time and not jump into bed with the first woman I find."

"I can think of worse plans," she grinned and reached out to finger the cardigan, "cool cardigan, where'd you get it?"

"Ha ha," she looked down at her hand, "nice try," she sat up suddenly and frowned, "well, I gotta love you and leave you if I'm gonna meet Alana back at my joint."

"Of course," Helen rubbed her back lightly.

Robyn left some five minutes later with a black garbage bag filled with cardigans and even though she hugged her again at the car Helen felt sick with jealousy. If it wasn't Penny it was some woman she'd never heard about. She stared at the traffic on Swansea Road, she was another potential rival, there was no underestimating the allure of two curious women left to their own devices.

***

Alana McDonald. Robyn frowned as she stared at herself in the wardrobe mirror some twenty five minutes later. It was a noble name, she liked the Scottish connection because her father's mother was Scottish by birth although she'd married an Australian of English extraction. She adjusted the brooch she'd bought with the help of Alana's staff discount, she hadn't changed out of the outfit she had worn this morning. Her only wardrobe adjustment had been to add the brooch, it was a subtle sign for Alana's benefit that she'd been able to help her.

She glanced down at the garbage bag filled with cardigans, now she was going to give something back to her. It was a good start because she could always fall back to the default position of just helping out a girlfriend, but if Alana gave out her own signals then she'd suggest a date.

"Am I really doing this?" Robyn asked her reflection, "trying to seduce a woman?"

Scamp looked up from his position on the bed and wagged his tail.

Seduce seemed like too strong a word, she glanced up as she heard the sound of a car pulling into the driveway. Scamp stood up and hurried to the other side of the bed and barked. Robyn turned and stared out the window as she watched Alana's Toyota Celica come to a halt behind her car.

Flirting, she picked up the bag and then on an impulse she dropped on the bed again and hurried through followed by Scamp who was still barking.

She opened the front door and nudged him with her foot.

"Scamp, quiet down."

The King Charles spaniel stopped barking a moment later but she kept the flywire door closed as Alana got out of the car and then coaxed her West Highland terrier out of the passenger seat. The dog leapt down and she bent down to fasten the leash. Scamp started barking loudly and Robyn reached down to grab his collar.

"Scamp, be nice, okay? Be nice."

He barked a couple more times as Alana made her way to the front door. Robyn kept her eyes on them as they drew closer. Alana was wearing a grey, roll turtleneck jumper and blue jeans along with Ugg boots. Mac was straining at the leash and whimpering excitedly, his short stumpy tail wagging frantically. Scamp barked again and then started wagging his tail and when Mac pressed his nose against the flywire mesh he whimpered and sniffed the other dog's nose.

"I think we'll be okay," Robyn opened the door.

Mac dived around and came to a halt in front of Scamp, the dogs sniffed each other and then Robyn nodded.

"Okay, let go of the leash and let's see what happens."

Alana let go of the leash and Robyn squatted on her haunches to assist with the introduction as both dogs sniffed each other's arses.

"'I've never worked out why they do that," Alana smirked.

"They're sniffing for diseases, come in," she stepped back to let Alana come inside.

"You're wearing the brooch," Alana reached out to touch it.

"Yeah," she looked down, "it goes well with this blouse."

"I love this kind of material," she looked at it, "I've got a peach blouse made of the same kind of material," she stopped as Scamp crouched down and barked, "I wish I'd thought about it on Friday at Cindy's place."

"You can always ask if she can make it in silk noil," she replied.

"Maybe," she inclined her head, "the books," she handed her a plastic shopping bag with two books in it, "Philosopher's Stone and Chamber of Secrets, some people are put off by the first one because it's so small. I have to cover for another manager at the shop in Chirnside Park and Tuesday is my day off as I'm working next weekend."

"No worries," Robyn took the books out and glanced over as Mac danced around Scamp, "cool McGool, thank you. I'll look after them, I promise."

"Well, I know where you live now," Alana stared at her dog as he laid down with his front paws out in front and he was wagging his tail, "I think they like each other."

"Come on through to my room," Robyn inclined her head, "I'll put these away and grab the bag of cardigans I told you about."

"Okay," Alana glanced at her dog once more as Scamp suddenly rose and darted up onto the couch and barked, Mac spun around and ran in a circle and barked.

Satisfied that the two dogs seemed to be getting on okay she followed Robyn through to her room and Robyn put the books on her bed and nodded at the bag.

"Have you taken the ones you want yet?"

"Not yet," she closed the curtains, "I'm wearing one now but I thought I'd let you have the first pick, the other two are out right now."

"Uh huh," she looked over as Mac trotted into the room followed by Scamp, "thank you."

"You're welcome," she stepped over to the chest of drawers and opened the bottom drawer, "I'm just going to change out of this skirt," she took out a pair of jeans.

"No worries," Alana took out a peach-coloured cardigan, "where did these come from?"

"Helen," she stepped over to the bed and Scamp leapt up onto it, "kind of weird now I think about it," she tossed the jeans onto the bed, "she doesn't look like the kind of woman who'd wear those sorts of cardigans."

"Why not?"

"Helen's a little," she frowned, "butch, she wears men's clothes but apparently she has skirts, which shocked me."

Alana pulled the jumper over her head to reveal a white tee shirt and Robyn felt her heart skip a beat when she saw her smallish breasts pushed hard against the tee shirt. Alana glanced at her for a moment and then looked away quickly as Robyn undid the button on her skirt.

"She's gay," Robyn unzipped her skirt as Alana started putting the cardigan on.

"So, you and Helen then?" Alana turned to face the mirror.

"I doubt that very much," Robyn unzipped her skirt, "I'm more into feminine women," she pushed the skirt over her hips and let it fall to the floor. Mac stood up on his hind legs and whimpered as he put his front paws on the bed.

"Here, Mac," she picked him up and put him on the bed. Scamp greeted him excitedly.

"That suits you," Robyn picked up the jeans.

"It's a bit big in the front," she looked down at herself.

"Try one of the longer ones," Robyn suggested, "they've got belts, I'm bigger up top," she started putting the jeans on.

Alana took the cardigan off and picked out a long grey cardigan and a few minutes later she'd taken two longish cardigans with attached belts, the grey one and a cream one.

"The rest are nice but they just hang on me," she looked down at herself as Robyn put the books by one of her pillows, "Erin's got bigger boobs so maybe she'd like them."

"She's next in line because what I can't get rid of I'll dump in the charity bin, I'm not going to do it all for her."

"So, what's she like? Helen?" Alana knelt on the bed and ran her hand through Mac's coat.

Robyn bit her lip and frowned but a few moments later she told her about Helen, confessing that while she wasn't attracted to her, she did seem to be one woman who was instantly available.

"I mean there is a certain logic to a one night stand I realise now."

"But only if you've got an easy exit," Alana replied, "Frank was supposed to be a one night stand but he stayed longer than one night. I was feeling vulnerable and exposed. My marriage had just ended, Roger the Dodger was fucking another woman, not the one I caught him with, her marriage was in tatters as well because her husband was angry and her and me."

"Why you?"

"Fucked if I know," she stared at the curtains, "the only excuse I can think of is maybe I hadn't been good enough for my husband, if I'd been able to satisfy him then he wouldn't have fucked his wife. In that department though Frank was quite understanding, he used to say that people lash out in odd ways and in the end you just have to pick up and move on."

"You and me both," she replied.

"Speaking of moving on," Robyn went on, "I spoke to Penny about you coming along."

"And?"

"It's cool, you can come along to the next meeting, it's at Kathy's joint."

"The woman we saw in that panel van," Alana adjusted her position slightly, "the women," she bit her lip, "are they all gay?"

"No, no, it's probably about fifty fifty, I think and it's not a sexathon either. I was talking to Penny about it on Thursday night, she's quite insistent that it's not a place to pick up women. It's a place where women can feel comfortable talking about things that bother them," she paused.

"Like the problems with your boss, for example," their eyes met, "I mean you might be handling it okay but if you weren't then that's something you can talk about."

"I need something like that," Alana laid down across the bed and propped on her palm, "all of my girlfriends are in relationships and sometimes I just feel like the third wheel. Some of them even introduce me to a single guy, usually their partner's mate and it's always embarrassing."

"Cringe worthy factor?"

"Ten," she rolled over onto her back and stared at the ceiling, "it's like I've got a target on my arse, single woman needs a man and I admit I want company but I don't want to put myself out as some kind of desperado but the longer I'm single the more I get set in my ways. It took something to just come out and see you today, I had the perfect excuse," she reached out to pat Mac.

"I love my dog, I love my mum, I love my sister and I love my girlfriends and introducing a man into the mix might complicate it but at some point I've got to take my courage in my hands and dip my toes in the dating pool again."

"I have to do that as well, just not yet. I've been single for about an hour though but sooner or later I have to start going out with women," she stared at her, "and then there's the issue of differentiating straight girlfriends from girlfriends."

Alana didn't say anything as she stared at the ceiling and Robyn looked away.

Scamp sat up and barked, and a moment later she heard someone walking down the driveway.

"Who's that, Scamp?"

Scamp jumped off the bed and a moment later Mac followed him. She heard the jangling of keys and then the noise of Scamp sniffing at the door.

"It's Erin," she spoke quietly.

"Shit, I still haven't apologised for being such a bitch on Friday," Alana pinched her nose.

"She'll be fine, I could," she stopped, "sorry, that's up to you."

"It is," she sat up and stared at herself in the mirror, "she's a good girl and it was Theresa's fault, I was under a lot of pressure."

They heard Mac's barking a few moments later followed by Erin's voice.

"Robyn? There's a strange dog in our house!"

She walked into the bedroom a few seconds later and came to a dead stop when she saw Alana on the bed.

"Oh, hiya. I didn't know whose car it was."

"It's mine," Alana leaned forward.

"What's all this?"

"Cardigans," Robyn indicated them, "courtesy of Helen."

"Helen? What the fuck is she doing wearing those?"

"It was a fad she went through apparently."

"She's a weirdo then," Erin moved closer to the bed, "you're not thinking of going out with her?"

"No, I just went there after the market. I've broken up with Jeff though."

"What the fuck?" Erin knelt on the bed as Scamp jumped up on it.

"Long story," she also leaned forward, "help yourself to cardigans, just not those ones," she pointed to the ones Alana had claimed, "are you still staying for tea?"

"Yeah, um... sure, I might."

"I'll go and defrost the mince then," she slid off the bed, "you're not a vegetarian are you?"