Scene Thirty-Six
Trisha was the first of them to rise out the exhausted slump that the group had sunk into."Why don't you all come back to my club for a celebration party?" she urged.
"You can count Nikki and I in for a start," Helen replied.
"What about you, Claire?" urged Trisha, her eyes starting to shine as she sensed encouragement for her idea.
"Yeah OK. I'll come. I'm not too tired to not come with you guys for a bit. If I do flake out, someone point me in the right direction home," that very calm and self-assured woman pronounced with measured enthusiasm.
"Well, I'm definitely up for a party. That feels good to me. Too much hard work makes Jill a dull girl and one of my aims in life is definitely not to be dull," exclaimed George with a wide grin on her face." Besides it would be the height of rudeness to refuse."
"The thought doesn't worry you, George in coming to a gay club?" Nikki enquired with a twinkle in her eyes.
"It is hardly likely to be Sodom and Gomorrah, is it. It's all new to me but I am open to any new pleasurable experience. Besides, Neil Haughton will be after my blood if I know anything about him and this is the last place he'll ever think to find me."
Everyone fell about laughing at George's witticism. In the meantime, a thrill of excitement ran through George's nervous system. The invitation had come out of nowhere but the thought crossed her mind that she might not have to seek the answer to her conundrum of what to do with life. It might suddenly appear from out of the blue. At any rate, she was willing to give this new experience a go.
"What about you Jo? Do you care to broaden your experiences of the world?" Trisha said jokingly. Unfortunately, Jo immediately went into a panic state and reached for the nearest excuse to hand.
"Oh no, no. That is I'd love to come but I have a trial to prepare for tomorrow. That's why I've just popped in here to hear the verdict."
"Are you sure you can't spare us a bit of time?" George asked with all the kindness in her eyes.
"Quite sure. You know me. As soon as I'm there I'll feel guilty that I'm not where I should be. Make sure you give my love to everyone."
The six women looked regretfully at Jo but didn't consider trying to persuade Jo to change her mind as they sincerely thought that they were respecting her wishes. Jo turned on her heel and waved gaily at them, her heart full of bitter regrets as she found history repeating herself, when she could have been a rock and roller and passed up the chance.
After a thoughtful silence, Trisha phoned up the club quickly and the cars headed off in convoy to the club. Claire and George followed the lead of the other four women who knew exactly where they were going and, as Sally Anne had done before them, they found the club to be perfectly normal in its ambiance. Claire viewed the club with cool appraisal while George greeted it with a whole souled smile. Already, the smooth pop sounds of Kylie Minogue coiled its way round the pulse rates of the women in the club. Sally Anne immediately felt enormously relaxed and she put aside the previous strain of the court hearing as if they were soiled unclean clothes. That was the past, here is her future.
"Gill isn't here, Trisha. I can feel the difference."
"Yeah. It means I don't have to have eyes in the back of my head. Wanna dance, babes?"
Sally's beam of pleasure was of someone coming home to herself. She took the outstretched hand and sashayed onto the dance floor with all the confidence in the world.
"You don't mind me having first dance, guys," Trisha explained over her shoulder.
"You two go and enjoy yourself. You've both deserved it. We know the pressure Sally's been under has been yours as well," Helen called back to the blonde haired woman. "After all, we've both been there."
A brief smile of gratitude from Trisha in return was cut short as they both disappeared into the throng of swaying, gyrating women, all sharply and fashionably dressed.
"Do you want to join us for a drink and let Trisha and Sally let their hair down and enjoy themselves?" suggested Helen.
She indicated a table for four in a quiet alcove where the music was quieter but still loud enough for the musical emotions to wash over them like a grateful morning shower. She remembered how out of place she once felt ages ago in 'Chix' and she could relate to George and Claire possibly feeling uncomfortable. Nikki went to fetch a tray full of drinks from the bar while Helen chatted to the other two women in her most relaxing manner. As the conversation rambled onwards, she could see that Claire was enjoying herself in her quiet fashion. This was really the same as Helen and Nikki going round to their place, only there was music and ambiance in the background. She sensed that George's reaction was entirely different as the first thing that blond haired barrister did was to immediately slip off her dark formal court jacket, as if to cast aside that necessary formality which was the tools of her trade. She was an excellent conversationalist but Helen couldn't help but notice how she was glancing all around her. All the time, Claire looked more and more fidgety and finally she took her leave in her usual courteous fashion. This club really wasn't her scene.
Sally and Trisha came to join them at their table just after Claire made her way out of the club. Sally was chatting away with Alice as they made their way over, having first got to know her a month back. Alice was a warm-hearted beauty with loose flowing long black hair who wore her favourite tight black trousers and white lacy top. Her attention was taken by George who greeted her with a dazzling smile.
"I thought I'd introduce George to you, Alice. She's a red hot barrister who represented me in court and screwed ninety thousand out of the Metropolitan Police for the way they treated me."
"Sally is in danger of overestimates my talents, Alice. She was frightfully brave in taking the stand against one of our more unpleasant, reactionary barristers."
Alice opened her eyes wide with announcement at this very glamourous blond haired woman with her arched aristocratic nose and sparkling blue eyes. She swooned inside at hearing that particular aristocratic accent which she had a weakness for. She had insight enough to see beyond George's self-deprecating manner and at once respected the talents of this highly intelligent woman. This combination of feelings was irresistible and she was in no mood to resist them. She took the seat that Claire had vacated and two more chairs were brought up for all of them to talk.
While there was a superficially genial atmosphere, the conversation tended to pair itself off. Nikki gave a slight sideway nod of her head and Helen, taking the hint, moved off with Nikki and they leant against a pillar to deliberate.
"Are we doing right with dropping George into this situation?" asked Nikki anxiously.
"Dropping George into what?" counter questioned Helen. "George knows her own mind very well. You can't force her into doing something she doesn't want to. For God's sake, she's probably more single-minded than we are. Besides, you take a look at George and Alice. Don't you think they look like an item already?"
" What's bothers me a bit is that John obviously wants George," Nikki muttered uncomfortably.
"You are a real romantic, Nikki," laughed Helen, her white teeth gleaming and her tongue licking her bottom lip in the way Nikki found so endearing. "You can't pair everyone up perfectly. It depends on what George wants and that is bloody obvious. Besides, what John really needs is close friendship and he'll get that from us, as we'll give it to John. He can get girlfriends any time he wants."
"I see what you're getting at, darling," said Nikki, brightening up, grateful that Helen had squared the situation with her conscience.
"Come on, Nikki, let's dance. I feel in the mood for it. We'll get Sally and Trisha to join us and leave George and Alice to it."
Nikki let Helen take her by the hand and Sally Anne and Trisha followed them while they danced away under the soft pulsating lights. They were at home in the music and were happy to let their hair down after the stresses and strains of the day.
"Is this the first time you've come here, George?" Alice enquired, knowing perfectly well what the other four women were up to. The feeling grew around them of being in a bubble of space just for the two of them.
"To be perfectly honest, it is. I wanted to come here and celebrate with my client, sorry Sally Anne, and it seemed only right to come here….."
A slight look of disappointment flicked into Alice's eyes. She was afraid that this woman was, at most bi curious.
"……………….but there's more to it than that. I came here as I've been changing my lifestyle so I decided to let everything flow naturally."
"Am I part of what you want to let flow?" Alice asked in soft tones, lowered eyelashes over her large brown eyes.
"To be honest, Alice you look absolutely divine. I've never looked at another woman in the way I see you now. As they say, there's a first time for everything."
"So do you want to dance with me?"
George undid the top couple of buttons of her shirt as she was going to get hot very quickly. She smiled freely and let her hand be taken. A feeling of excitement ran through her system as they were entering the zone where they weren't just observers from the outside. This was a world that she knew for certain she really wanted to join. She hadn't been to a proper dance for so long. She started feeling good in herself as she started to dance as well as the way Alice moved her body. She idly wondered as she gyrated with Alice how come she had made this decision so quickly and easily. She vaguely concluded that all along, Sally Anne and Trisha had been siren voices showing her as they talked legal business how lives could be lived. She'd absorbed that in her unconscious so that when Trisha invited her to her club, she was surprisingly ready to face who she wanted to be. Presently, she swept such introspection aside and swam in the here and now. As the music pumped away and the coloured lights splashed over the dancing crowd, George had the perfect opportunity to take in Alice's beauty, her slim legs and she knew beyond doubt that Alice was equally attracted to her. Life was so good, right now.
Presently, the music slowed down and despite herself, George was a little nervous as she slipped into Alice's soft arms without thinking about the matter. Her body was soft and welcoming and George sighed with satisfaction as her face nestled on the taller woman's shoulder and drank in her perfume. This was heaven for both women as they gently swayed to the music and their bodies were pressed up against each other. Alice glanced down at George and sensed the blond haired woman's full breasts that her open necked shirt half revealed. She couldn't believe her fantasy made into flesh and blood nor could she believe she had the luck to meet this intelligent woman with a larger heart than she cared to make public. George's head moved slightly away and her face came into view. This was surely the right moment for Alice to kiss the other woman's cheek so softly and delicately. George smiled and murmured in pleasure and sought out Alice's lips and her tongue feeling out Alice's. The dark haired woman was in seventh heaven at the certain promise of making love with such a surprisingly confident lover. George wasn't remotely shy or restrained as she ran her fingers down the soft material covering her back. It was not the normal way round but all the more of a delightful surprise for all that.
"My God, that's the fastest coming out I've ever heard of," exclaimed an open mouthed Helen to Nikki. "It puts me to shame as being hopelessly indecisive."
"George is a determined lady," drawled Nikki fondly at the way Helen overlooked the obvious.
"If my memory serves me right, I was a prisoner and you were my jailer."
"Oh," Helen said in an absent minded fashion. "I quite forgot."
"You kept calling me up to your office and bending my ear about it every time I made half a move on you. Can't you remember, darling?"
"Well, sweetheart, it goes to show you how long ago that was and how we've left all that bad stuff far behind us," Helen said pertly.
"Come here babes," Nikki called out to her lover in the sultriest tones she could summon up. Helen slid eagerly into her arms and their lips met in a long kiss. The party was there for everyone.
Just when the two women disengaged from each other, Trisha and Sally Anne emerged from the half lit crowd on the dance floor. Sally's eyes were shining bright with elation and a wide grin lit up her face. She had all the confidence in the world as her arm was looped round Trisha's waist. They cuddled each other close and their heads leant into each other.
"How on earth are you so confident in kissing me like this? Most women, me included, go through big hang-ups to get to where you are now. You're in a perpetual battle with yourself for weeks, if not months to sort out who the hell you are," said Alice in a state of blissful contentment.
"Oh Alice darling, I am very willful as you will find out. I've had enough of being Queen Bee to the political male elite. My ex husband, John has lofty ideals yet he broke my heart with his womanizing ways. Of course, I never admitted it to myself, far less to John and I even made jokes about it. Deep down, I vowed to myself that it would never happen again so I became this hard, money minded bitch," George explained as she stroked Alice's hand and looked close into her eyes. They were seated at the table, taking a rest and talking as only lovers do when meeting for the first time. George found Alice a sympathetic and attentive listener so that spoke freely and easily in a way she had never done before with previous partners.
"Curiously enough, it all started when Nikki joined with John in an almighty row I had with them. I had the doubtful assistance on my side of the two pathetic men who sat in the visitor's gallery today. Nikki set me off to question my existence. Then Sally Anne's case came my way and the more I heard of her plight, the more it unfroze the hard protective shell I'd built around myself. I also came to realize that my identity as a straight woman left me in a conundrum I couldn't get out of. The feeling crept over me by degrees that somehow or other, being a lesbian will help me to stop being selfish and to be as soft as I wanted to be, perhaps seeing Trisha and Sally Anne so protective of each other. Everything pointed to another way of living, which I finally knew for certain when I came here tonight."
"But why me in particular?" Alice asked, seeking validation of her immense good fortune.
"Darling, as they said in the movies, I saw your face from across a crowded room and our eyes met. I used to think that was sentimental rubbish in a Barbara Cartland novel till I felt it for myself. I remember Sally told me about this kind hearted and warm creature she talked to at the club. When I heard your name, I put two and two together. I discovered for myself the softness and gentleness in you so I fell in love at first sight, dearest," George murmured softly in her most gentle tones, her fingertips gently stroking the other woman's cheek."
"Everything you say makes perfect sense to me."
"What about you, Alice? Here I am, talking about who I am, what I want. What of your life?"
"I've been into women all my life so there's nothing I've ever had to give up, as it were. It's the case of finding the right woman. You talk to a lot of women here and the hardest and most cynical of them are shame-faced romantics. I'm open about it if I can find someone to be open with. I know that everything about you makes be feel weak at the knees. That's a pretty good guide."
George laughed appreciatively at Alice's understanding and her confession of desire for her. It sounded far better than the stale platitudes she'd been lumbered with over the years.
"So what can I give you in return? I think I can give you the kind of love I once had for John but this time, I know that we'll get it right. Our lives are just starting."
For all six women during that magic evening, events moved like tableaux, which appeared and mysteriously moved on and the feeling of being in an unforgettable grand cinema embraced them all. George and Alice slowly embraced while the other women in the club looked fondly on, mentally wished them well and saw only a normal coming together. This was what the club was about.
"You're not going to suffer from the likes of those stuffed shirts that were at the back of the gallery for becoming a real the pain in the arse to the establishment?" Nikki asked George with gentle concern as all six united once again round the table after eons of time had passed. "I don't wonder, that those bastards don't try and put the screws on you and shut you out of the loop, professionally speaking."
"As it happens, they've threatened that already. I loathe admitting it but the prospect did rather scare me. I since decided to take a leaf out of John's book, and stand here and fight them. They don't push me out that easily. If all else fails, I could get a limited amount work in the State of Virginia. I have professional connections there."
"You didn't look today as if you were scared," Trisha said in tones of wonder and respect.
"When I have to, I'm good at keeping up appearances."
"Well, if you fool them into believing you, it can't do any harm," Helen volunteered brightly, impressed with the logic.
"There can be such a condition of too much of a good thing, Helen," George answered in an utterly serious and sincere tone of voice. "It is a dangerous failing of the English upper class and those, like John, who have climbed their way into it. It works as a short-term fix but I know now that you have to be in tune with how you feel and not lose sight of it and of yourself. I mean that."
"I don't have an emotional belief that goes deeper than that even if the downside is that you sometimes suffer from it. I really couldn't live any other way," Nikki said, her voice slightly shaking and her eyes slightly misty. The force of the remark got to George's emotional core in raising her spirits and validating her newfound beliefs.
"You speak so often of John. I can relate to that as well as Nikki does," Helen observed in an even tone of voice disguising her intense interest in how he emerged into the conversation, unbidden.
"We'll remain platonic friends however much we row with each other. We have our daughter Charlie in common. Nikki met her once. I knew a long time ago that we could never live together again. This night has made that possibility doubly remote and I know now where my life and where my heart lives," and here she squeezed Alice's hand reassuringly. "Besides, you and Nikki will remain friends of John. You have too much in common with him to avoid that possibility even if you wanted to. I just know that everything will turn out for the best, for all of us. Are we not all sisters under the skin, even John?"
Everyone laughed lightly at George's droll final observation yet they all knew that she had spoken the truth. This was one of those poetic moments that made all of them feel that they were at the right place and time and the truth of their situation was laid out before them with a perfect clarity of beauty.
"I suppose we'll all meet up again here?" Sally suggested after a long pause for contemplation.
"I rather think we will," drawled George in her nonchalant fashion though her glowing eyes belied her speaking manner. The murmured assents of the others was answer enough.
"George, you're lucky," said Trisha, venturing her emotional support. "I've known Alice for a fairly long time and she's very warm and sympathetic. She's a good listener."
"I agree with that and the two of you look good together," added Sally Anne with striking simplicity.
"How do you feel right now, Alice?" Helen asked, turning to the other woman.
"Like a million dollars," Alice murmured, looking dreamily and adoringly at George. Her face certainly expressed her feelings clearly enough.
At this point, George's conscience rose to the surface. She had been becoming gradually aware of her conflict in her desire to share this moment of togetherness with the other women, with more direct physical desires growing within her demanding expression. The way things were going the rest of the night, was running dangerously short of time for what they needed to do. The mental picture of the two of them and her spacious bed was becoming more and more beguiling. She looked touchingly embarrassed to the other women and for the first time ever blushed slightly as she finally found the words to express her mixed feelings in a less than self-assured manner.
"I really hate to break up the party but right now, my libido is running over and I really want to take Alice home and let her show me what I've been missing out over the years."
"I know, first night together is always special," Trisha grinned with understanding, glancing sideways at Sally Anne who nodded in agreement. She remembered all right.
"We remember oh so very well," agreed Helen while Nikki smiled dreamily, nostalgia taking her back to what felt like years ago.
"Here, let's have a quick hug before you two race off to bed. Fair compromise," put in Sally Anne, neatly splitting the difference.
The four women each held George and Alice close, physically bestowing their blessings on them before they finally departed. All of them fondly looked on as the two women hastily threaded their way through the crowds to the club door. So much had happened that day, especially tonight.