by Lise Gold
“Turn around and face the wall,” Mel whispered in her ear. Sophie’s eyes widened in surprise, but she did as she was told. She gasped when Mel slipped a hand underneath her skirt from behind, cupping her ass. She felt hot breath in her ear and against her neck, growing heavier when Mel’s fingers moved between her legs, stroking her inner thigh. She moaned quietly. Mel moved up, massaging her center through her panties. She grabbed Sophie from behind with an arm around her waist before moving a finger underneath the elasticated edge of the lace material. Sophie gasped and arched her back, pressing her behind against Mel’s thighs. One finger entered her. Then another. Mel penetrated her slowly.
“I love being inside you.” Sophie had to bite into her hand against the wall to stop herself from making any more noise when Mel’s other hand moved down into her panties from the front, stroking her. She moved deeper inside, faster and more determined now. Sophie threw her head back and held her breath, amazed by how Mel knew exactly what to do to send her over the edge in no time. Mel bit into her earlobe and whispered when she felt Sophie’s body tighten.
“Is that good?” Sophie didn’t dare open her mouth for fear of making too much noise, so she nodded, moving her hips to Mel’s rhythm.
“I didn’t hear you,” Mel said. “Does that feel good?”
“Yes,” Sophie panted. “That’s so good. Don’t stop, please.” She kept her eyes shut tight and her mouth on her hand when a hot tingle moved up her legs and spread through her core, exploding into a release that made her legs go weak and her head dizzy. She gasped and leaned back against Mel, who was still inside of her, kissing the back of her neck. She rested a cheek against Mel’s face and closed her eyes, taking long, steady breaths, shivering at the aftershocks.
“See? Best idea ever, right?” Mel smiled when Sophie turned around, still stunned.
“That was…” She laughed. “That was amazing.”
“I’m glad.” Mel smiled and winked. “For the record, I’m not done with you yet.” She hesitated and watched the door handle turn. “But I think we need to get out of here before they start banging on the door.” Sophie nodded and pulled herself together, straightening her outfit. She felt a familiar presence as they came out of the cubicle, still giggling and holding hands, but it was too late. Her stomach dropped when she saw Marnie in the corridor. Her mouth was gaping and her eyes wide as if she’d just witnessed a six-legged talking monkey appear from out of nowhere. Marnie was one of Cat’s friends whom Sophie tried to avoid as much as she could. They had nothing in common, and Sophie didn’t like her negative attitude. Marnie looked like she had been so grumpy throughout her life that the corners of her mouth had fixed themselves permanently downwards, her thin lips forming a perfect arch of misery. Except for when there was gossip going around. The moment she heard something juicy, her face lit up immediately. And by the look on her face right now, they had given her enough entertainment for at least a month. Sophie saw her nudging her friend in the ribs before waving at her and panic struck when she couldn’t think of anything to say that would explain the situation. She walked up to her and tried to act casual.
“Oh hey, Marnie. How are you?” Marnie’s tiny smile told them that they were busted.
“I’m good, thank you. This is Estelle, but I think you two have met before, right?” Sophie nodded and smiled at the girl whose face she couldn’t remember, still blushing. Marnie glanced at Mel, curiosity written all over her face. “And who’s your friend?” Sophie looked from Mel to Marnie and back as if she had forgotten her name. Mel came to the rescue.
“I’m Mel,” she said, holding out a hand. “Sophie and I work together.” That answer didn’t seem to satisfy Marnie.
“Ah. So you’re the famous Mel. That’s great. Cat told me you two have been spending a lot of time together. In fact, word going around is that you might be a bit more than just colleagues. Maybe even more than friends. Is that true?” She looked Mel up and down. Sophie sighed and cocked her head, angry and annoyed. First her mother, then Cat and now this. She couldn’t take it anymore. Who was this grown woman to judge her? They weren’t teenagers anymore. Marnie didn’t even know her well enough to pry. It was simply rude. She took a step forward and regained her grip on Mel’s hand.
“Well Marnie,” she said in a passive aggressive tone, “not that it’s any of your business but if you must know, yes. We are more than just colleagues. Mel’s my girlfriend.”
“Right,” Marnie said, rolling her eyes. “No need to be rude, I was only asking. Not that it wasn’t obvious, the way you two came out of that cubicle together. Let me give you some advice, Sophie. If you don’t want people to know, don’t flaunt it, because word travels fast.” Sophie laughed.
“Really? Are you threatening me? I don’t care, Marnie. So please go ahead and tell everyone because frankly, I don’t give a shit about what people like you think about me anymore.” She turned to Mel. “Come on, let’s go home.”
40
“There’s my girl,” Maggie’s voice crackled before her face appeared on Sophie’s screen. “I’ve missed your face, loser. Why haven’t you called me back?” Sophie laughed.
“Don’t be dramatic, Maggie. You’ve only called me once, and that was last night. Before that, I couldn’t get hold of you.” She squinted, focusing on Maggie’s background. “Wow, is that your apartment?” Maggie nodded and turned her phone to show the bright white loft with exposed beams and a modern cooking island in the middle of the room.
“It’s great, isn’t it? Expensive but worth it. We even have a spare bedroom and a roof terrace so you need to get your arse over here as soon as you can before it gets unbearably hot here.” She smiled. “I miss you.”
“I miss you too.” Sophie sighed. “How’s the new job? Are they nice to you? Are you nice to them?” Maggie laughed.
“It’s good. Everyone is friendly. Quite reserved but friendly nevertheless. I can’t say I’ve made many friends yet, but Dan’s introduced me to his friends and family and they’re all very nice.” She paused. “I really want you to come over. Can’t you take a couple of days off? Just for a long weekend? I need some girl time. Just you and me.” Sophie smiled.
“Of course I’ll come. I can’t wait to see you again.” She paused. “Just not right now. I have some things to take care of, but maybe next month?” Maggie frowned and leaned closer into her phone.
“What do you need to take care of, you childless, petless, mortgageless free spirit? Did you get yourself into trouble?”
“No, not exactly.” Sophie grinned. She didn’t feel nervous confiding in Maggie. Not like she had with Cat. “I’m dating a girl. My new colleague, Mel. We fell in love in Hong Kong.” Maggie gasped. Then she moved further away from the screen again, studying Sophie’s face.
“You’re not joking are you?” She chuckled. “That’s cool, Sophie. It was about time you met someone who knocked you off your feet. No man has ever been able to do that to you so yeah… it makes sense.” She laughed. “Mel, huh? I know I’ve never met her, but I feel like I know her anyway. I looked her up on social media after I found out she had my job. Went through all of her pictures and her posts.” She shot Sophie an apologetic look. “I know it sounds disturbing, but it’s not like my social life is booming here in New York, so I spend a lot of time stalking people online. She’s very good looking… it’s kind of hot. And you know what? I tried, and I tried, but I couldn’t really find anything that annoyed me about her.” Sophie nodded.
“She’s certainly hot. But she’s also smart, funny, kind and talented. I feel so lucky.” She grinned. “And I will also tell her to switch her account to private.” They both laughed, and Sophie sat down on the couch, pulling her legs up underneath her. “But it’s all a bit of a mess. I told Cat about Mel in confidence, and now everyone knows about us. She obviously wasn’t able to keep it to herself.” Sophie rolled her eyes. “It really upset me. Do you have any idea how scary it is to tell someone you’re gay for the first tim
e?” Maggie nodded. “But she just had to, didn’t she? I’ve had about twenty missed calls and voicemails from her but the thought of listening to her voice makes me sick right now, so I’m ignoring her.” And then on top of that, there was my mother. She found out, and she didn’t take it very well. She thinks I’m putting our family to shame, that I’m just looking for attention.” She sighed. “I’m furious with her. I haven’t spoken to her in weeks. My father doesn’t know yet, but I’m going to tell them both next weekend. I’ll tell them that I’m serious about Mel.” She laughed. “Together with Stew. I recently found out that he’s gay too.” Maggie burst out into laughter, snorting wine through her nose.
“Stewart? I knew it! Didn’t I tell you? Remember that one time we had to pick up the keys at his house? We had a coffee with him in his spotless kitchen with the fancy espresso maker. And you told me I was crazy.” She laughed again. “I’m sorry. I know this is a serious matter, but I can’t stop picturing your parents’ faces when you both tell them!” Sophie laughed too.
“I know. That should be interesting.” She paused. “And to make matters even worse, I’ve signed to take over from Debbie, so Mel reports into me now.” She saw Maggie’s puzzled face. “I know. It’s kind of fucked up. When I thought about it last minute, I didn’t really want the job anymore. Not now my situation has changed with Mel. But Debbie was so desperate, and she literally looked like she was about to give birth on the spot so I couldn’t say no.” Maggie laughed even harder now.
“Good Lord. You really did get yourself into trouble, didn’t you? Talk of the town and sleeping with your direct report? I leave you on your own for two months and look what happens.” She shrugged. “Hey, but at least you’re happy, huh? Must be exciting, being in love, having amazing sex. I remember what it was like for me when I first met Dan. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still happy with him but that first year was the best time ever.” Sophie smiled.
“Yeah. It’s great. I just wish it wasn’t so complicated. We already had our first fight because she thinks my mother is a nasty piece of work but I guess we’re kind of on the same page about that now.”
“So what are you going to do about the work situation?” Maggie asked. Sophie shrugged.
“I don’t know. Next month I’ll have my first performance review with her.” She sighed. “That’s just wrong. Maybe I should look for another job. Do you think I should look for another job?” Maggie nodded.
“That’s probably not a bad idea. And I think you should do it sooner rather than later if you’re serious about Mel.”
“Thanks, Maggie. I wish you were here. Do you know you’re the only sane person in my life apart from Mel right now?” Maggie laughed.
“Wasn’t I always?”
41
Mel was on her way home when she received a text message from her mother.
Please come straight home, Mel. We have a visitor. She read the message again, puzzled by the fact that her mother even knew how to send a text. She usually just called. The tube was crammed with people, and Mel squeezed her way through the crowd, trying to reach the doors before they closed again. She managed to jump out last minute and cursed at a group of tourists, blocking the exit with their suitcases.
After crossing the high street, she passed a Turkish bakery and stopped off to get some Baklava. If they had guests, her mother would expect her to feed them, so she ordered eight pieces with extra honey and pistachio. It was a mild evening and sitting outside on the patio seemed like the perfect way to unwind from her hectic day.
“Hey Mum, what’s going on?” Mel entered cheerfully with the bakery bag in one hand and her laptop bag in the other, to find a woman crying in her mothers’ arms. Isabella waved and held up a hand to greet her, while stroking the woman’s back with the other. She seemed relieved with Mel’s arrival.
“Melzinha. There you are.” Isabella patted the woman who was still sobbing on her shoulder. “Honey, this is Mel. She’s here now if you want to talk to her.” Mel stared blankly at the lady, who turned out to be of her own age when she finally removed herself from Isabella's embrace. She turned around and looked up at Mel.
“Hey,” the woman said. “I’m Cat.” Her eyes were red from crying. She straightened her hair before getting up to greet Mel. “Glad to meet you.” Mel glanced at the immaculately dressed girl who seemed to have stepped straight out of a commercial for household products.
“Hi,” Mel stammered, still taken aback by the impromptu visit. “Nice to meet you too, Cat. I didn’t expect you here.” Cat looked from Isabella to Mel and back.
“I’m sorry for barging in like this.” She shuffled on the spot. “I need to talk to you.” She regarded Mel with begging eyes.
“You’re upset,” Mel said, stating the obvious. Please sit down.” She looked at her mother, who pointed at the patio. “Or shall we go outside? Maybe some fresh air will do you good.” Cat nodded.
“Outside is fine with me. I just need ten minutes.”
“Great idea,” Isabella said, leading Cat through the kitchen and into the garden. “I’ll get you girls a drink and leave you to it.” Cat sat down on the bench and accepted a glass of the rum mixture, which to Mel smelt stronger than usual. She poured herself a glass too, confused by the drama she had walked into. Cat took a sip and then another.
“I’m sorry to bother you,” she said. “But I didn’t know who else to talk to.” She started crying again. Mel looked to her mother for help, but Isabella had already disappeared back inside. She took a deep breath and another sip of her drink.
“I assume you’re here because of Sophie?” Cat nodded.
“I made a big mistake, Mel.”
42
Sophie opened the door to find Mel with a huge bunch of white roses.
“Could you be any more perfect?” she asked, giving Mel a good glance-over. “I love going on dates with you.” Mel wore ripped jeans and her black blazer over a denim shirt, and her hair was held back by a jersey hairband, tied at the top. She smiled and handed her the flowers.
“You don’t look so bad yourself.” Sophie blushed. She had spent over an hour getting ready, changing from one outfit into another. Even after two months, she was still nervous each time they met up. She ran up to put the flowers in a vase and adjusted her white shirtdress in the antique mirror in her living room before joining Mel in the cab.
“So where are you taking me? I thought we were going somewhere around your house tonight.” The cabbie was driving towards Fulham, clearly familiar with the streets as he took numerous back roads to avoid the traffic. Mel shook her head.
“I thought it would be fun to try something new. Besides, I’m in the mood for some French bistro food. What about you?” Sophie shrugged.
“Sounds good to me. It’s just not what I expected, that’s all.” Mel sighed.
“Okay, here’s the thing. Ever since that bloody incident with Marnie at Mayfair, you’ve been avoiding the places you used to hang out. It’s not right. You should feel comfortable where you live.” Sophie opened her mouth to speak, but Mel held up a hand. “Wait. Let me finish. Everyone knows about us by now so why would you still go through the trouble of hiding it? I’m sure most of your friends won’t care. They just want you to be happy.” She shifted in the back seat and turned to Sophie. “But you’ll never find out if you ignore them. You haven’t answered your phone in weeks. You’re avoiding your parents and your friends. I don’t want you to cut yourself off from the people you love because of me. It feels wrong.”
“But I prefer spending time with you,” Sophie protested. “I can’t be bothered with the small talk anymore, tip-toeing around the subject.” Mel smiled and took her hand.
“And I prefer spending time with you. But that doesn’t mean you should forget about everyone else. I still see my friends every week.” The cab stopped in front of a cozy French restaurant with a green-tiled façade and an art-deco sign that said, Chez Patrick.
“How do you know about t
his place?” Sophie asked as they followed the waiter through the restaurant into the courtyard. “I used to come here a lot, but I haven’t been in a while.” She sat down when the waiter pulled back a chair for her at one of the enameled tables under a red parasol. Mel sat down too and looked at the menu.
“I heard it was good. Never been here myself.” She looked up. “Wine?” Sophie nodded.
“Wait. Is that…” Her heart jumped in her throat when she saw Cat entering the courtyard.
“Fuck. It’s Cat,” she whispered, hiding her face behind the menu. Mel pulled the leather binder down.
“I know. I invited her.” Sophie shot her an angry look.
“How could you? You know I don’t want to speak to her!” Mel ignored her and stood up to greet Cat as if they had known each other for years. Then she turned to Sophie.
“Don’t leave, Sophie. Please. Just hear her out, okay?” Sophie sighed and looked up at Cat. She looked terrified. Her eyes were bigger than Sophie had ever seen them, and she shifted nervously from one foot to another before she sat down.
“I can’t tell you how sorry I am, Sophie. I made a big mistake, and you have every right to be angry.” She sighed. “If you never want to speak to me again, I understand. I just want you to know that I’ll always regret what I did.” Sophie sniffed.
“Sorry for what? Sorry for telling everyone the only secret I ever asked you to keep? I wanted to tell people myself, Cat. When I was ready. How could you do this to me?” Sophie’s vision was blurred by anger but not enough to miss the tears running down Cat’s cheeks.
“I only told Marnie,” she sniffed. “She drove me home after a game of bridge one night. I was drunk, and it was stupid. I regretted it straight away, but she promised to keep it to herself.” She cradled her forehead in her hands. “I’m so very sorry, Sophie. I understand if you can’t trust me anymore, but I can’t lose you as a friend. You’re the only real friend I have.” Sophie shook her head.