Helen and Nikki were taken by surprise when Cassie came round and told them of Rose's unexpected appearance from out of nowhere at their house. When they saw Rose's bandaged knee, questions poured out of their overheating imaginations. They'd been hard at work on the back garden oblivious to the drama unfolding. for the first time, Rose was supposed to be at Emma's for a sleepover as far as they were aware..
"What on earth's happened?" Helen began to say when Cassie cut in.
"It's a long, long story but everything's fine, except for a grazed knee. Suppose you explain what happened Rose since you were there?" the fair-haired woman said gently.
The little girl felt fully recovered from her ordeal but she was reluctant to tell the story as she knew she'd let her impulses get the better of her good sense. At key points in the story, she looked downwards but she very kindly abbreviated michael's part in the story until the point when he came on the scene. Finally, she stopped and waited for a scolding.
"I'm sure you know very well by now where you went wrong. Sometimes you need to think twice before you act. For a start, you owe your friend Emma an apology bigtime," Helen said in firm but not unkind tones.
"You're right, mums," she said meekly."I've phoned Emma up to reassure her that everything's right and make sure she's OK. I didn't want to tell her until Monday about the trouble I got into."
"Well done Rose," Helen said, smiling kindly on the little girl."I've got to say also that Emma's mother was at fault in not phoning Nikki or I. It was her responsibility, not yours. We'll have to seriously rethink things to you get to go on sleepovers in future without any more mishaps."
"Thanks mums," Rose said meekly while Niamh and Michael exchanged glances as they saw Rose being fairly and kindly treated.
"Anyway, thank God you're all right. That's the most important thing. We also owe Michael bigtime that you're all right," Nikki said kindly, taking in all the others in the room with her glance.
"Just what I was going to say. We can't thank you enough Michael for sticking up for Rose. It's not the easiest thing in the world to do. God knows what would have happened if you weren't there. I only hope you don't get into any trouble over it," Helen said, her eyes misting over with gratitude. Michael knew very well that this sharp minded woman had filled in all the mental blanks and yet was incredibly grateful. this boost to his self-worth glowed within him because he hadn't felt this in a long while.
"I couldn't have done different. This bustup with them had to happen. I've got nothing in common with them any more and I know who my friends really are," Michael said steadily with a clear look in his eye and a quiet readiness to take on the world. An immense sense of peacefulness and belonging settled down on the room and Cassie drew the bind on the darkness outside.
"After dragging you over here, we must invite you all for a cup of tea and some home made cookies," Roisin offered hospitably. She had cooked them only this evening in a fit of industriousness while Michael had been out and Niamh had retreated into her room. She'd reached for this to get away from their worries about Michael that had been steadily eating away and suddenly, their whole world had turned on its axis.
It was only then that the delicious smell of fresh cooking wafted through from the kitchen now they had relaxed enough to take notice of it.
"Mmmm, can I get fresh orange juice and two cokes for you guys?" Michael offered, catering hospitably for his sister and their friend. Soon, everyone was sitting comfortably and chatting pleasantly. Cassie exchanged glances with Roisin of sheer blissful happiness that their family had reunited as one with their friends and neighbours making them feel that they weren't on their own. Nikki and Helen gave off this aura of being visitors to exotic places while being down to earth. Roisin was the first to put this into words.
"So what do you do with yourselves except work and family Helen?" she enquired.
"Well, Nikki and I have started going to a club called Chix with our woman friends who take it in turns to look after Rose," Helen grinned, flicking the hair off her cheeks
.
"Hey, I saw a sporty looking car parked outside and two pretty women call, one fair haired and another with long dark hair. I was looking from mums' bedroom as I was curious."
"That'll be George, short for Georgia, and Alice. You played hopscotch with the club owners, Trisha and live together like Helen and I do and so do your mums," explained Nikki glancing all around. Up till then, they'd not talked about such matters but Nikki seized the chance to inch her way into the question. As the two women carried on talking, they became aware that there were two more volunteers for Pride in the offing but they are a little shy in coming out with it, just when their friends' family was bonding together so nicely. At length, Cassie detected something behind their friends' nervous smiles..
"I get the feeling you're holding something out on us, some intriguing secret. Come on, spit it out," she said.
The two women were uncertain how to pitch it and explain what Pride was all about as they wavered between talking to grownups and children but Cassie and Roisin were listening intently. they'd been ploughing their own furrow a lot of the time and hadn't thought in terms of universalising their experiences. In Roisin's head, she had problems she couldn't properly verbalise.
"We need to think about things. We'd really love to go in a way but it isn't that easy," Roisin found herself saying, feeling instantly foolish. . Her words were coming out all wrong. Cassie felt stuck for saying anything different as loyalties ran deep inside her. Michael and Niamh put two and two together just why their mums were so coy about the 's mind was starting to run over ideas as her mums hadn't told her of this.
"Is is Ok if Niamh, Rose and I have a private talk. Can we borrow your bedroom Niamh as mine needs tidying. I don't think we'll be long so could you guys hold your horses," Michael said in careful tones.
"Now what are they up to?" wondered Cassie aloud as the three children made a bee line for the bedroom.
"I think we should follow their advice," Nikki smilingly considered as she read their fleeting expressions before they moved off. In the interval, Roisin made a fresh pot of tea which they sipped and drank while their eyes flitted every so often to the closed door. In a short time, three smirking faces emerged and Michael and Niamh gave way for Rose to open the batting.
"Every year I've been driven to grandad's house in the country and had a lovely time and when I'm home, you two mums hint about what you've been doing. As soon as I start to ask questions, you tell me I'll understand when I'm older. I think I do understand after tonight and so do Michael and Niamh as we've been talking. we're coming on Pride," Rose said in her determined fashion, curiously imposing for one so young.
"It's lovely but you don't understand," Roisin started to protest when Michael joined in.
"Is this Pride thing something like a carnival Nikki? You must know a lot about this sort of thingt," he asked with his direct gaze.
"Something like it," answered Nikki with her ingrained honesty. Too late, she realised she'd been forced to admit this as three triumphant grins registered an important point gained. "I mean there's more to it than that.".
"We've thought up a little slogan just for us, " contributed Niamh producing a small sheet of coloured paper,' Proud of our mum's pride.' "We thought it sounded good."
"Hey," Helen answered with a gleam in her eye as her irresistable enthusiasm burst through."That mades a good slogan for a T shirt if we could find someone to make them up. Of course, the colours are up to you guys."
Cassie and Roisin witnessed this cross talk of ideas in front of them and they started to weaken, especially as their friends were obviously going to let Rose take part. How could they deny their children their wishes as long as they knew what they were doing?
"And of course, you won't have to worry about us being looked after when you have your fun as we'll be there with you," Rose added triumphantly with satisfied grins and nods from her two accomplices. Cassie and Roisin burst out laughingly as they couldn't resist this triple act. It made them happy inside in a dizzyingly buoyant mood. They looked at the clock in passing. Could so much have happened this evening in so short a time?
Eventually, everything caught up on Rose. Her eyelids were closing and she was sucking her thjumb and Helen and Nikki apologised for their exit as Rose would be dead to the world and conked out asleep in bed in no time at all or so they judged. The two women waved cheerily as they went out the door, lugging their daughter's dead weight and making a mental note of five extra volunteers for Pride.
As the four left in the house looked around themselves, this was the start of a new era where life patterns could easily be rewritten if they willed it. Cassie and Roisin knocked up an evening snack of sandwiches and drinks and cleared up the kitchen. They were in the mood to get everything clear before settling the children down to bed, something only Niamh had let them do for a long time. They didn't notice Michael and Niamh disappear mysteriously to Niamh's bedroom and only emerged when the two women had finished with different ideas in store.
"Mums, this has ended up the best evening for absolutely ages and we know how much you've looked after us over the years. we've come up with something different so you get the treat you deserve," Michael said.
"That's very kind of you both," Roisin said automatically and tailing off in bewilderment," but I don't quite understand." .
"Michael and I remember how when you make each other happy in the evening after we've gone to bed, you're so much more relaxed the next day," Niamh added, cutting to the chase.
"I know I've been horrible in the past so it's made it worse for you that you've not made each other happy for ages. I'm made everyone all stressed but that's not everything," pursued Michael.
"Which is why you two are having an early night and Michael and I will watch TV quietly and get ourselves to bed. You can kiss us goodnight now rather than later and Michael wants to get you know you guys all over again," continued Niamh with perfect coordination.
"But we've always put you to bed," protested Roisin as automatic habit kicked in while Cassie's mind started turning things over and remained silent.
"It's the weekend. It's only like the same sort of treat that you'll get but not quite the same. You really need this kind of happiness so much for yourselves," Michael answered with a particularly meaning tone in his voice. At last the penny dropped as it had taken them a long time to get their heads round it. Their children didn't want to deal with the specifics but knew that their physical love for each other made everyone secure.
"We'll trust you and we'll leave you to it," Cassie said lightly. Michael grinned out of sheer relief of being understood and respected and Niamh beamed with pleasure.
"Night night children," Roisin said followed by Cassie and kissed them on the cheek. Michael accepted this old-fashioned mothering with perfect grace as he somehow felt like a man. The last the two women saw of them was curling up on the settee, chatting contentedly over the TV choice.
"So here we are at last gorgeous," Cassie said, turning round to face her partner and lover in the brilliant white purity of their bedroom. She remembered now that Roisin had kissable lips and as for her full breaasts, words didn't do justice. The blond-haired woman moved closer with open arms to make her sudden rush of fantasies come real.
"Why don't you give me a quick grope?" Roisin breathed throatily into her lover's ear after having mostly unbuttoned her own shirt. Laughing with pleasure, Cassie deftly undid her lover's bra and her fingers greedily sought out her hearts desires. As Roisin felt nimble fingers gently squeeze and massage her, she moaned softly, feeling electric desires start to run through her system. With one hand, she ran her fingers through her lover's blond hair and with her other hand, she ran her fingers down Cassie's slim back and around her gorgeously shaped rear. Both women felt intense urges rise up which had been so long been denied and they greedily kissed each other, long and deep
"Do we get undressed or we have our wicked way with each other as we are," breathed Roisin with the last lungful of air left to her.
"Let's get naked and into bed. That way we can used fingers and tongues," gasped Cassie with a deleriously hard choice to make when self restraint even for a few minutes went against the grain.
"Good idea sweetheart," Roisin answered throatily. trust her lover to come to a sensible answer like everything else she did in their lives. In no time at all, their clothes were strewn all about them and they were rolling around their double bed, Cassie lying delightedly on top of her lover.
.
"I love you so much sweetheart. You mean the world to me," Roisin sighed, seeing Cassie's face above hers, framed by her unruly fair hair hanging down and her brilliant blue eyes.
"There isn't a woman in the world that has so much heart as you," Cassie solemly declared,
This was what she wanted, Roisin breathed, the woman who was dearest to her in the world who was kissing her shoulder and stroking the insides of her wide open legs. It seemed an age until Cassie eased her two fingers into her wetness and start to thrust back and fowards inside her and expertly work her up into a state of ecxtacy.
As Roisin's body and mind finally settled down from the delerious ecstacy of her orgasm that felt as if it lasted forever, she knew that she had to pleasure her lover with exquisite tenderness. Instead of lying on her back like a good Catholic, it would be her turn to be on top of her lover and move down her so that she could taste her intimacies and be at he heart of her beloved. A passing stray thought crossed her mind to tidy away their clothes if the children came into their bedroom in the morning. She mentally filed this away as she gave an expert twist of her body so that she could see her partner's grin on her face as she lay on her back, knowing very well what was in store for her.
Roisin blinked her eyes to a soft sunlit golden glow which bathed her senses. She gradually realized that this was morning yet she wasn't wearing her nightie as was her habit and she was being cuddled from behind. Of course, she and Cassie had spent last night in the most passionate lovemaking they'd had for ages which caused her sleepy sense of well-being to drift through her senses. The gentle squeeze from behind and kiss on her back announced cassie's awakening.
Suddenly the bedroom door opened and a happy looking Michael and Niamh occupied the gap. The accusing red shapes of the electric alarm clock on the bedside table caused a momentary twinge of guilt to run through Roisin that they'd been lying in and hadn't been up before the kids to get things ready.
"Morning mums. Hope you've had a good night sleep. Michael and I had a great evening. Do you want your morning cup of tea?" Niamh asked in her most angelic fashion.
Both women's instincts were to get up and out of bed but their nakedness inhibited them so they coyly clutched their quilt to cover their breasts.
"That's really kind of 'd love it," Cassie said softly, reining in the temptation to specify its precise chemical composition.
"We'll be ready for when you get up. See you guys in a bit," Michael said in his most angelic fashion.
The two women relaxed against the headboard relaxing in a sense of physical pleasure and drinking their early morning cup of tea.
"This is the life Roache. The kids are wonderful and we're in bed naked, the taste of each other's juices in our mouths mixed with a nice cup of tea. Couldn't be better." Roisin giggled and nearly spilt her tea at her lover's droll mixtures of descriptions. She was right though.
"So what shall we do together? I'm certainly in the mood and I hope you guys are," Cassie said, dressed in nicely wasahed pale blue jeans and red T shirt and rubbing her hands together with nothing in particular in her mind.
"We'', seeing that we've been so good, what about us all going to McDonalds?" Michael and Niamh exclaimed together ending in a gleeful shout. Roisin had always had strong views on traditional cooking which was a last trace of her upbringing but she couldn't resist smiling at how easily they'd been led into the trap. She saw Cassie's knowing grin and thought, what the hell.
"They do chicken sandwiches with salad and mayonaise," Niamh sweetly reasoned to her.
"Why not?" laughed Cassie. "This is the start of a new era. You guys better show us what you do, that's all."
The meal had gone fine. They'd entered a garish world full of yellows and reds with shuffling queues and mysterious food combinations but the children took the lead and soon, they were grouped round a table with other families and teenagers on nearby tables. They floated in a sense of belonging feeling perfectly natural. michael and Niamh grinned as their mother delicately bit into the burger and then peronounced it excellent.
"How do you want me to grow up mums? I'd be interested in what you think," Michael asked with deliberately casualness as they were finishing off the french fries and the cokes.
"That's a good question. I'd wish you to have good values, inner strength and to seek the truth, It's no big deal to do," Roisin said reflectively, lighening the seeriously.
"In other words, to be a man. You're making a very good start already. Some never get it," added Cassie. This was something they'd thought about from time to time.
"Then that's good," a very relaxed Michael said. The two women grasped that this question had been worrying him for months but he'd dared not ask them. He'd been in the anomalous position of being a growing man with two lesbiam mothers which oughtn't be a problem unless they masde it one.
And so, the afternoon passed dreamily on, a most meaningful moment passing in the hurly burly of a McDonald's cafe.
When they got home, Michael and Niamh were mentally limbering up to start their homework. He was at an age where he was starting to take notice of the world around him. He saw an article in the local newspaper and his expression got serious as he read and reread it. He deftly took the middle pages out of a new school exercise book started writing with a sense of resolve. He knew his mums would understand and approve.