Date: Fri, 31 May 2002 21:03:44 +0800
From: b e <another_face101@hotmail.com>
Subject: Second Time Around: Chapter 7

This story is fiction and so are the characters in it.

Please send any comments to me at another_face101@hotmail.com
I need to know if people are reading this.
Enjoy ?

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

Second Time Around

CHAPTER 7
A Thorn In My Mind

It was midnight by the time I got home.  We had had a few problems at work
so a few of us stayed behind to sort them out.  I had been up since 3am
that morning and was exhausted.  I opened the front door and tip toed into
the kitchen, accidentally kicking a chair, which made a loud screech.  I
dumped my bag on the table and headed for the shower.

The water was hot and soothing to my tied muscles, and after washing myself
I spent a few moments enjoying it.  I turned off the taps and stepped out
to be greeted by the cold air.  I quickly dried myself off, returned my
damp towel to its rack and quickly walked into the bedroom.  I grabbed a
t-shirt off the chair in the dark and slipped quietly into bed, next to
Danny's sleeping form.

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

Morning came too quickly and before I new it my eyes opened to a sun lit
room.  I shut them tightly, trying to ignore it.  I was still tired.  The
bed underneath me moved slightly and I felt a warm hand run up my leg.

"I could get used to this" Danny kissed the top of my thigh "Waking up with
a sexy," she kissed me again "half naked" and again "woman, next to me in
my bed"

I grunted and reached for the sheet that was around my ankles.  Danny's
lips found my neck and her hand started to make it's way under my t-shirt.
It was too early for this.

I pulled her up on top of me and shut my eyes.

"Aren't I squashing you?"

"No, but stop wiggling.  I'm trying to sleep"

Danny giggled.  "It's time to get up"

"No it's not"

"Yes it is, baby" she purred.

She kissed my neck again very lightly.  Her hand was gently squeezing my
thigh

"What are you doing?"

"Waking you up" She ran a finger over my t-shirt covered nipple.

"It won't work" I mumbled.

"Sure it will" she kissed me again and I could feel the huge grin on her
lips.

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

Two hours later I was up and eating toast.  Danny was at the kitchen bench
making coffee and humming a tune that I didn't recognize.  I took a bite of
my toast and put my head back down on the table as I chewed.  I was awake,
but my body was still tired.  My plan to go back to seep hadn't worked -
though I'm not complaining.  What we did instead was just as good - hehe,
who am I kidding - it was better.  After that we had taken a shower
together, which we hadn't done before.

I was on my mid year holidays.  I had a month off from uni in between
semesters and was working two jobs.  Danny was at the hospital during the
day so to fill in the time I got another job.  It was at the local
Blockbuster video store.  I worked there on weekdays from 8:30 - 4pm and
then waitressed at the Italian restaurant from 5pm - roughly 11pm (or to
closing on Fridays) Thursday and Friday nights.  I enjoy working - if you
can call it that.  It's not very busy during the day at the store so I can
just watch movies on the screens they have, which are mounted on the
ceiling.

Danny placed a mug of coffee in front of me.

"Sit up while you're eating or you'll choke" She giggled and took a seat
opposite me "I sounded like my mother then"

I sat up and finished my mouthful.  "Thanks for the coffee"

"That's alright" She took a sip of hers "Sorry I woke you up before.  I
probably should of let you sleep some more"

"That's ok.  It was ten anyway"

Danny had her elbows on the table and was holding her coffee in front of
her face.  Her eyes peered over the top of the mug.

"I was going to let you sleep, but.I was a little" she paused.  Her eyes
looked down into her coffee.  She was thinking.

"Horny?"

Danny's eyes shot back up at me and I could see the edge of a smile from
behind the mug "For lack of a better word, yes"

My foot found hers under the table and I rubbed her leg.  "I'm not
complaining"

The phone rang and I left my seat to answer it.

"Hello?" I was in a relatively good mood I just noticed, due to the tone of
my voice.

"Ashley?"

"Mom?" I saw Danny's head turn out of the corner of my eye.

"Yes, dear.  How are you?"

I was speechless "I'm good" I paused "You?"

"Yes, we're all well here"

"Well, that's good to hear" I wondered why she was calling.

"How's Liz?"

"Oh, yeah, she's well.  Though she's not living here anymore.  She moved in
with Steve almost two months ago" I started to pace up and down the
kitchen.

"Really.  Well, her and Steve have been going out for awhile, haven't
they?"

"Yeah"

"Are you by yourself then?"

"No"

"So you have a new flat mate then?"

"Yeah, sort of" Meaning that I was living with someone and was also
sleeping with her.

"Have you forgotten how to use proper sentences?"

I didn't answer.  I took a long sip of coffee and rested the phone on my
shoulder, away from my ear.

"Well, I don't want to waste time, Ashley.  I called because it's your
fathers 50th birthday this week and we're having a party at the house next
Saturday.  We thought it would be a good idea if you came"

I thought for a moment "Can I bring someone?"

"Well I don't see why not.  Can I ask who?"

Hmm.  What do I say?  Friend or lover?  I walked into the bedroom and shut
the door.  "My partner, Danielle"

There was silence on the other end of the phone "Clearly I can see that you
haven't changed"

"Jesus!  My sexuality is not something that you can just change, mother," I
may of said that a bit loud.

"Oh, so dating Matthew was just for fun?  That wasn't a change wasn't it?"

"You don't understand"

"Don't understand what, Ashley?  That you go out with Matthew and then tell
me you're a lesbian?  All I" She paused "all we, wanted was a normal
child-"

"And then you got me.  I am so sorry" I could feel my anger rising.  I
kicked the bed and winced at the unexpected pain.

Once again there was silence.  I took a few deep breaths and tried to calm
myself.

"I know that you don't approve of this, but really, mom, I don't need your
approval.  If you want me to be at Dad's party, I'll go.  But I want you to
be nice to Danielle, ok?"

"Of course.  You make me out to be a monster"

"I mean it.  If you're rude or anything, I'll leave.  You don't need to
bring your hate for me out on her"

"Ashley!  I don't hate you"

"Of course you don't, mom"

"Well, I'll see you 7:30 next Saturday?"

"Yeah"

"Good-bye Ashley"

"Bye"

I stood still for a moment taking more deep breaths.  I tried to calm down.

A few moments later I went back out to the kitchen and hung the phone up.
Danny was still sitting at the table.  I grabbed my coffee and drunk the
rest of it in one mouthful.  I rinsed my mug and placed it upside down next
to the sink to dry.  I stared out the window for a few seconds, trying to
fight off the anger that had risen due to my mom's call.  I don't even know
why I said I would go.  I'd get there and spend the whole time wishing I
was somewhere else.  We would be lucky if we all didn't end up in a big
fight during the party.

I returned to my seat opposite Danny at the kitchen table.  I looked down
at the remaining bit of my toast and then got up and chucked it in the bin.
I was no longer hungry.

"I'm sorry" I scratched my head and did my best to smile "What where we
talking about?" I leant against the bench.

Danny straightened herself up in her seat "Do you want to talk about it?"

I had been looking at the floor.  I raised my eyes to her face.  I hadn't
seen that look before - she looked concerned.  I shook my head "It's
nothing.  My mom has invited us to my dad's 50th" I kicked a little bit of
something that was on the floor "It's next Saturday night.  Do you want to
come?  I understand if you don't want to.  I already said I would go, don't
know why"

"Sure I'll go" Danny smiled at me.  That smile made me feel so much better.

I took Danny's mug off of her and washed it.  She came up behind me while I
was putting it aside to dry and placed her hands on my shoulders.

"Your parents don't like that fact that you're a lesbian?" She started to
massage my tense shoulders "You were kind of loud on the phone"

My body moved forward slightly every time her fingers pressed into my
shoulders.

"Yeah.  It just wasn't what they wanted" I paused and straightened my neck
as her fingers started work on it.  "They had a daughter who was supposed
to date men, eventually get married to one and have children," I thought
for a moment.  Danny's thumbs made their way down the sides of my spine "I
went out with Matthew for nearly 4 years.  I guess they got used to having
him around.  I guess they thought that we'd get married some day.  And then
I tell them I like women" I shook my head and walked into the living room.
Danny followed me. "You know, I convinced myself that I was attracted to
him.  And when he asked me out I said yes.  I guess I figured that if I
wasn't attracted to him then, that I would be if I were given time.  I
never thought I was gay - it didn't even cross my mind.  Because that's how
things are supposed to be, right?  I was suppose to be sexually attracted
to men and I spent all this time convincing myself I was"

I started to straighten some books on the coffee table.  Danny had taken a
seat.

"The first year of our relationship was ok.  We did a lot of cool things
together and it was fun.  I never really enjoyed sex - actual I hated it -
I just thought I was weird or something.  I always felt uncomfortable when
he touched me, and I must admit, I only slept with him half the time to
please him" I went into the kitchen and grabbed a cloth.  I started to dust
the shelf.  "Then I got busy 'cos it was my final year of school so we
didn't see that much of each other.  Then he went away for three months" I
ran the cloth across a shelf "What am I talking about?" I looked at Danny.

She smiled "You're telling me about when you realized you were gay and
about your parents"

"Oh" I picked up an object and dusted it "anyway, I was out some where one
day and this chick walks past me.  I can't remember now, I think she was
wearing a short skirt or something, I don't know, and I turned around to
get another look at her.  Then I realized what I was doing" I scratched my
nose "and I wondered why I did it.  It was only then that I started to
think about women and realized that they turned me on" I smiled to myself.
"It took me so long to except it though.  I'm not sure what I was scared
of" I ran the cloth over the top of the TV "I don't know why I'm telling
you this, I must be boring you"

"No you're not.  It's good that you're telling me these things.  We're in a
relationship.  I'm suppose to know these things about you"

I was standing in front of her.  I was hopeless at telling people about my
self.  And I was nervous.

"My parents always had high expectations for me and I don't think I ever
fulfilled them.  My dad always put so much pressure on me.  I struggled
through school, but still managed to get a decent mark in my final exams.
Then I took a year off, which I can tell you, he wasn't happy about.  I
just had to.  I couldn't cope with uni, with all the pressure from my dad
and with everything that was going on with Mathew" I looked down at the
floor and Danny put her hand on my clenched fist "It just wasn't a good
time for me"

Memories from that time started to flood my mind like a dam had just been
broken.  I had tried so hard to push them out, which was my way of coping -
to just forget.
  Mark was the only one I had told this too, and even then I had left some
things out.

"It does help to talk about these things" Danny had managed to squeeze her
thumb into my fist, which made me relax it.

I thought, for what seemed like hours.

"I just wasn't very happy.  I started to drink a lot and, ah.I.I wasn't my
biggest fan" I tried to back away from the couch but Danny wouldn't let me
go "Mark found me one night at this old boat shed we always used to hang
out at" Danny continued to rub the back of my hand "he ran me to the
hospital .it was only around the corner.  Well, that's what he said
happened.  I had overdosed on something.can't remember what I had taken.  I
had my stomach pumped.and I think they had to resuscitate me.  If Mark
hadn't turned up when he did.I wouldn't be here now"

I stood still and remained quiet.  I waited for Danny to say something.
But she didn't.  Instead she stood and took me in her arms.  I felt a tear
run down my face and I quickly whipped it away.  She held me tightly and
put her lips to my ear.

"I love you" She whispered.

I had a lump in my throat and was lost for words.  I swallowed and spoke
the only words I could think of.

"I love you too" And I really did - that, I was sure of.

"Promise me," Danny brushed some hair out of my face and held my head
between her hands "that if you ever feel like that again you will come and
talk to me about it, ok?"

I nodded "I promise"

Back then the only person who I could talk to was Mark.  My parents didn't
want to know about my problems because they were too busy working and
Matthew had told me to grow up when I had tried to tell him how my parents
made me feel and how controlling he had been.

But now things were different.  I was in the arms of a person who cared
about me and who was willing to listen to my problems.  That person just
happened to be a woman and quite frankly, no man could ever make me as
happy as she had.  She didn't tell me what to do or when to do it.  She
made me feel wanted and she respected me for who I was.  I made a mental
note to thank Mark for introducing us (he had always told me he'd find
someone for me) I was in love.  I was in love, with a woman.  Society could
shove its norms right up its ass.  I wonder what my parents would say to
that?

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

Later that day we drove to the river and then spent an hour and a half
walking along it, hand in hand.  On the way home we had stopped off and
grabbed a video to watch that night.  Once we got home I got as a drink and
headed to the couch where Danny was sitting.  I placed the drinks on the
coffee table.

"You ever been with a man?  I don't think I've asked you before"

Danny shook her head "Only women"

"How many?  You don't have to answer if you don't want" I joined her on the
couch and rested my head in her lap.

"Four.  Well, five including you" I rested my head on her lap "Is that
alright?"

I rolled onto my back so I was looking up at her "Yeah.  I don't care who
you've been with, as long as you don't sleep with anyone else while we're
going out" I smiled as she ran her finger over my bottom lip.

"I wouldn't do that to you.  I've been cheated on before and it's not nice"

"I wouldn't do that too you either" I giggled as Danny's hand brushed over
a ticklish spot on my stomach "I only have eyes for you" Danny's head came
a little closer to mine.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah"

Danny bent down further and gave me a sideways kiss.  I giggled during it
as her hand found my weak spot again.  I squirmed from side to side and
eventually ended up on the floor.

I looked up from the floor and put my hands behind my head "Thanks"

Danny blinked "For pushing you onto the floor?"

"No" I scrunched my nose up at the face she was pulling at me "For cheering
me up" I rested my foot on the couch "And for listening to me ramble on
about stuff earlier today"

"Well" Danny slid off the couch and joined me on the floor, propping her
head up with her hand "I don't like to see you upset" she pushed some hair
behind my ear "And I like to listen to your stuff" we both smiled at each
other "And anyway, if you're going to go into a cleaning frenzy when you
do, you can do it when ever you want"

Danny kissed me again, and again, and again and again.

************************************
Please send any comments to:
another_face101@hotmail.com
Thank you!
Next chapter should be posted in the next week or two.