Why Did It Have to Be Me Pt. 01

I've always been an Abba fan but I've never published a story with an Abba song as the title. The original title sounded morbid and I decided that this was a much better title. The story was born in Bloomsbury Square on my way back from Melbourne last year. It's set partly in London, 2024 and Melbourne 2001. I've reintroduced Penny and Robyn from Women Who Talk and other characters from the story, which is available on Literotica if you want to refresh your memory.

Enjoy! Love, Shaima.

Bloomsbury Square Garden, London 11th November 2024.

Susan paused at a sign displaying a brief history of Bloomsbury Square. Designed for the 4th Earl of Southampton it was originally called Southampton Square. She had heard about it before and had envisaged a larger garden, probably in the style of St James's Park. One entrance was dominated by a statue of Charles James Fox, a 17th century Whig politician noted for his stance against mad King George III and his opposition to slavery. Susan kept reading as her wife took a picture with her new digital camera. The Canon and its extra lens had been a recent birthday present from her and Sarah had enrolled in a basic photography course.

"I think that's her over there," Sarah lowered the camera, "on the bench at the far end."

"Oh," she nudged her glasses and squinted at the woman sitting on a park bench and a moment later she nodded, "yeah, she's got the family nose, that must be her."

"Do you want me to wait here?"

"Wait?" Susan's brow furrowed, "fuck that, you've been my wife for twenty two years, she and I were an item for six weeks," she tightened her grip on a plastic bag and a small suitcase. "Lead the way, McDuff."

However despite her outward show of courage she still felt a twinge of anxiety as they drew closer to Charlene's older sister, Janis. In the brief time they'd known each other, Charlene had said that her sister had the personality of a wet sponge. But in recent emails she seemed polite and so grateful that someone was there for her sister's final hours. She'd been unable to fly over because she was in recovery after a heart attack, by the time she got the all clear from her doctor, her remains had been cremated. In a throwback to Covid, Janis and her mother saw the funeral via a live feed that Susan arranged for them and their friends.

Janis rose as they came closer and Susan smiled crookedly, hoping it wasn't coming across as being disrespectful. This was a handover of a portion of Charlene's ashes. As they came to a halt she ran an eye over her. Janis had more weight than Charlene, but she'd always been a fitness fanatic even when she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She honestly thought she could sweat the illness out of herself. She had grey hair tinged with black and brown eyes, her hair was cut short, just nudging the collar of her black overcoat.

"G'day, I'm Susan Goode," she shook her hand and then nodded at Sarah, "this is my wife, Sarah Lee, it's lovely to finally meet you in person."

"Likewise," she shook Sarah's hand, "thank you for coming all this way with her remains."

"It's not a problem. We were coming on holiday anyway," she smiled.

"All the same, it's such an honour to meet you. Our family can't thank you enough for the help you were to her in her final year," she turned back to her, "and considering your past I'm impressed that you were able to be there at all, if you don't mind me saying."

"It's fine," Sarah replied, "I've known about what happened between Susan and Charlene for years and we talked about it when she came back into our lives. We're secure enough to let the other have girlfriends even if they are exes."

"Quite right," Janis nodded, "I've always thought that stereotype a little worn out, many of my gay friends are the same, it's all about trust in the end," she looked down at the bag in Susan's hand, "is that her ashes?"

"It is," she held the bag up, "as per her wishes, we had some buried at Harkaway but the rest are all yours," she handed bag over.

"That suitcase has her personal items. She wanted her clothes taken to her favourite op shop and I included photos of the gravestone and the address of the cemetery too."

"Thank you," Janis grabbed the suitcase, "the weather must be a change from Australia."

"We're from Melbourne, four seasons in one day," she looked around.

"It's smaller than I expected, I expected a bigger park."

"It's small but it was one place where the voices in her head were silent."

"Yeah it was one of the first things she told me when we started hanging out together. We used to go to a park in a suburb called Croydon and just sit there, dad was physically abusive to mum and my sister but never to me."

"Sexual?" Janis raised her eyebrows.

"No, he was violent but it was never sexual."

"I wish dad had been like that, at least the physical scars heal. A lot was hidden back then, how are your daughters by the way?"

"They're fine, Taylor's preparing for the birth of our first grandchild and Sierra's gone to Vietnam with her girlfriend," she took out her phone and showed her a picture of two young women in their early twenties.

"Wow, twins," Janis smirked, "they certainly look like you."

"Everyone says that," she smiled, "Taylor has her father's eyes, Sierra has mine, it's the only way I could tell them apart when they were babies."

She looked down the road and Susan and Sarah both shifted on their feet and then she turned back to them.

"Why don't you both come back and meet mum? I know she'd love to meet you both, unless?"

"We're fine, we've got no plans for the day. We were planning on seeing the British Museum," she turned slightly, "which is that way?"

"Yes, a five minute walk, but I've got tomorrow off, so we could go together if you want, they do supply maps but they're pretty basic and it's been awhile since I've been."

"Um," Susan looked at Sarah, "is that okay, honey?"

"Sure, why not? Where's your mum?"

"That way," she pointed, "a five minute walk."

"Okay, sure let's do it then, as long as it's not too stressful on your mum."

"Oh, it might have been a few years ago," she started walking, "but age is cruel and kind in equal measure if you're lucky. It ages us but it can also make us more tolerant and she feels guilty for the things she let him get away with," she glanced over her shoulder.

"Where are you staying?"

"Out in Earls Court, the Mercure?"

"How Australian," she smiled crookedly.

Susan bowed her head as they headed out of the park and let her mind slip back twenty three years to the day she first set eyes on a vivacious English girl.

~*~

Croydon Uniting Church, Friday 25th May, 2001.

Susan looked up as a woman cursed. She'd dropped a few tins of soup a second ago and they were now rolling across the floor of the church hall that was a food bank for the night. The patrons turned to look at the tins of Campbell's cream of mushroom soup and she imagined a brawl over extra tins of soup. One man picked up a tin for her as she bent down to get the rest of her tins. The bag she'd had them in had a large hole in it.

"Oh dear," the woman beside her muttered, "how's she going to carry all those tins home?"

"I'll get one of those bags from the kitchen," Susan replied, "we don't need them now."

"I'll get it, I need to grab some more bread," her companion nodded.

"Thanks," Susan stared at the woman who'd dropped the cans. She looked to be about the same age as her with long black straight hair and a tanned complexion. Her outfit was a little odd, she wore a white blouse and black tie, a black waistcoat, and trousers. Granted, middle class folk used the food bank too, but still. She stepped out from behind the table and walked over to the woman, who had managed to grab a couple of tins.

"I'm so sorry about this, they don't make plastic bags they way they used to."

The accent was definitely English and Susan bent down and picked up the last four tins.

"We'll get a spare bag from the kitchen for you."

"Oh, no need, these are for you. Well, the food bank, I thought I'd donate some food."

"Oh," Susan's blue eyes shifted slightly, "okay, this is unexpected," she rose and studied her for a few moments, "but thank you so much."

"It's fine," the woman looked past her, "where do you want them?"

"Um, on the table, we'll save them for families."

"Okay, that's easy then," she smiled.

The woman followed her to the table just as Susan's companion came out of the kitchen with a bag and Susan smiled at her.

"No need for the bag, Tracey she's donating soup."

"Oh," Tracey's eyes narrowed, "thank you."

"No problem," she smiled, "I'm Charlene by the way."

"I'm Susan and this is Tracey," Susan introduced her friend.

"Hello," Charlene extended her hand, "it's a pleasure."

"I love your accent," Tracey took her hand, "my mum is from Oxford."

"I'm a Londoner but my aunt lives in a village just north of Oxford, or she was last time I looked."

"You don't know?" Tracey looked mystified.

"It's a long story," Charlene looked around, "speaking of stories, what's the story here? Can anyone help out or do you have to be a member?"

"It should be okay, I'll just introduce you to Christine, she runs this food bank."

Charlene nodded as Susan led her to an older woman with a pair of glasses who squinted at her as she explained the situation.

"Of course, we'd be happy to have an extra hand, Susan can take you back to the kitchen where we make up packages."

"Follow me," Susan nudged her glasses, "it's an easy job, it's probably the easiest because you're in the back with the others drinking coffee and tea and packing food."

"I don't see many people here yet," she glanced over her shoulder.

"It's only just started, we won't get many people for the next fifteen minutes and then it's manic for the next hour or so," she opened a door for her, "how did you hear about us?"

"My ex told me about it," she lowered her voice slightly, "you saved her skin a few times."

Susan didn't register that statement for a few seconds but then her eyes shifted.

"You don't mind I said that?" Charlene smiled nervously.

"No, not at all," Susan recovered a second later, "it's fine but keep it under your hat in here, other people might look at you differently."

"I have no intention of telling anyone," she smiled.

Susan led her into the kitchen where a few volunteers were busy packing food into bags to take out to the tables in the hall. Most were women but there was one man, a recent guest of her Majesty who had been released on good behaviour.

"This is Charlene and she's here to help, she just donated some tins of soup."

"Yum," a woman grinned.

"How did you get so many tins of soup anyway?" Susan asked her.

"My boss was going to throw them out because the labels are damaged. I work down at the Dorset Gardens in the bistro, I'm a waitress."

"People don't normally eat labels unless they're very hungry," she smiled.

Charlene smiled at her joke and Susan looked past her.

"Well, I'll leave you to it, these fine folk will get you working."

"Come and help me out, I've got a hundred rolls but only two hands," Meredith smiled.

Susan waited for a minute or so to make sure she was fine before heading back to the main hall but she found herself thinking about that off the cuff remark. Had it just slipped out or was she trying to sound out the terrain? Susan decided on the first option because the second was just odd and for the next hour she was kept busy handing out bags of food and drink for the local residents. It could be a bit of a lottery because it depended on what the local supermarkets had given them. Some weeks it was pretty poor but in all the time she'd been here they'd always been able to give everything to the people most in need. Charlene came out regularly with more food and to check on the status of the soup, it was given away in half an hour but one family got two tins because the main breadwinner had recently been sacked.

"That's the last bag," Charlene put it on the table.

"Thanks a lot," she looked around the hall but everyone had gone.

"Listen," she lowered her voice slightly, "if no one comes in before we close then this bag is yours, okay?"

"Are you sure that's okay?"

"Of course it is, you brought the soup, it's only fair."

"Thanks, I wasn't expecting that."

"When you least expect it," she grinned.

Some fifteen minutes later the bag was still there and one of Susan's companions handed Janis the bag as Susan went back to the kitchen to grab her handbag. When she came back out everyone was outside except for Donald, their minister and she smiled warmly at him as she exited the church and stepped out onto the pavement. The others were saying goodbye but Charlene was standing off to one side and she felt something shift inside her. She looked forlorn and lost, and so she sidled up to her and held out her hand.

"Thank you for helping out tonight, you're more than welcome to come back next week."

"I might," she shook her hand, "it depends on my shifts, they change at short notice."

"Well, whatever. You know where we are," she released her hand, "I've gotta go, mum's cooked dinner for me, she goes to the dancing every second Friday night."

"No problem, I'll be seeing you then," she nodded at her and then turned and walked towards Main Street. Susan stared at her for a few seconds, there was plenty of parking in the side street next to the church so why had she parked in Main Street, or had she?

"Where are you parked?" Susan called out.

When Charlene didn't reply she hurried after her and repeated the question and this time she turned and looked a little embarrassed.

"I use public transport, I live out in Bayswater North."

"Oh? I'm in Croydon South. I'll give you a lift home."

"Thanks. Sorry, I didn't want to put it on anyone."

"You're not," she inclined her head, "come on, I'm parked in Mount View Street, there's no need to catch a train all the way into Ringwood and then back out to Bayswater and I don't know when the night bus leaves from the station."

"It's every hour but thanks," Charlene fell into step beside her, "I really appreciate this."

"No worries, happy to help out," she started walking up the street.

"So," she glanced over at her, "you got a licence or is it the car that's off the road?"

"I don't have a licence, I've been meaning to get one ever since I moved here but with rent, food and the utilities I don't have enough money for driving lessons."

"Have you got a learner's permit?"

"Ironically, I do have that," she looked around, "which car is yours?"

"That one," she pointed to a brown HQ Holden Kingswood station wagon with extra wide wheels and black curtains on a couple of windows.

"Cool," Charlene nodded at the windows, "love those curtains."

"Yeah they're cool," she unlocked the driver's door, "but I've never slept in it."

"Why not?" Charlene asked a moment later.

"No reason to be honest," she slid the key into the ignition lock.

"The guy I bought it off used to fold the back seat forward for a mattress and go camping but I got rid of the mattress after I bought it but kept the curtains for privacy I s'pose."

She turned the key and the 253 V8 started turning, a moment later she slid a CD into the CD player and the sounds of Chrissy Amphlett's song, Pleasure and Pain filled the car.

"I love this band, the Divinyls?"

"Yeah, I'm a big Divinyls fan, along with Fleetwood Mac and Abba of course," she shifted into first gear and smiled at her, "I was always borrowing mum's or my sister's CDs, so mum got me one of those CD burners for my computer and I copied all her collection."

"Cool," she put her seatbelt on, "how old's your sister?"

"Melinda is twenty eight, six years older than me."

"You don't look twenty two, I thought you were eighteen."

"The story of my life," she put her own seatbelt on and released the handbrake, "I'm always taking out my driving licence to buy booze at a pub, it's so depressing."

"They're probably trying to do the right thing."

"I know but if I could only look my age."

"You will in time and then you'll wish you could look half your age, it's the curse we have to live with, time is cruel to women, I'll be twenty six in December."

"Touché, you don't look your age," she drove across Mt Dandenong Road and waited in the right hand turn lane.

"Thank you," Charlene replied.

A minute or so later she executed a U-turn and headed towards Bayswater Road.

"Sometimes I almost wish I could have been born a boy but there's the whole dick thing."

"You don't like standing up for a piss?"

"That'd be cool but it's the fact it's got a mind of its own. You can be a born again Christian but that little organ stands to attention without so much as a by your leave."

Charlene burst out laughing as they turned onto Bayswater Road and as they headed south towards Bayswater North she learned a bit more about her.

She'd been born in London and lived in Camden, she had an older sister Janis, who was six years older than her and a younger brother, Michael who was two years younger. She was from a single parent family after her father was arrested for sexual offences and whilst she didn't say that he had molested her, it was implied that perhaps he might have. His children were never called to testify as the police already had three star witnesses from the school where he'd worked. He was found guilty of multiple sex offences and sentenced to thirty years. He'd been due for release in 2003 but when a girl's body was found in May, 2000 and linked to him, eighteen years were added to his sentence and his automatic early release was overturned. He would probably die in jail Charlene commented as they came closer to Wattle Road.

"How do you feel about that?" Susan looked over at her.

"Conflicted, I have no warm and fuzzy feelings for my father. He was barely at home but there's a part of me that wants to ask him why he did those things? What did he do to me? I have some vague memories but nothing concrete. Janis has stronger memories."

"My dad was abusive too, not sexually," she glanced at a street sign and slowed down.

"He was physically abusive to mum and my older sister, Melinda. I was four years old when he was arrested by the police after a neighbour called them about the screams next door," she shifted down a gear and continued.

"The cops were almost always called in after he bashed her but she refused to press charges," she checked her rear view mirror and flicked her indicator.

"This time though one policewoman, Constable Fønsmark sat her down and said that one day she or one of her colleagues would get called out to look at a body of a woman and maybe even the bodies of her daughters too," she came to a halt.

"She told her that all that could change if she would just have him charged, they'd lock him up and recommend to the judge that he be given a custodial sentence," she stared into the oncoming traffic coming up over the hill.

"The weird thing is, I still don't know why mum said yes to her when she said no to everyone else, but he was taken away in handcuffs and the policewoman came back a few weeks later to help mum take out a restraining order against him," she waited until a Harley Davidson roared past and turned down into Wattle Road.

"Has he ever been back in contact with your mum?"

"No, he got out of jail after eighteen months and moved interstate. He's in Cairns, a city I've got no intention of visiting and mum moved in with a copper, they've been together for twenty years next year and I call him dad even though technically he isn't... which number are you?"

"Right there," she pointed, "number six."

"Shit, sorry, you should've said something sooner," she braked and pulled over to let the car behind her pass her.

"It's my fault. I was too caught up in your story."

"No worries," she shifted into reverse and nudged the accelerator and reversed back to her drive and then pulled into it.

"Well, this is you," she stared at the house, "you live with someone."

"How did you know?"

"The living room light is on, so you either left it on before you went to work or you're living with someone else," she smirked, "sorry, my dad is a cop."

"I can see that now," Charlene replied, "I live with a gay guy, Gary."

"So, how long have you been living here with Gary?"

"Eight months. I moved around for the previous four months. I've got a two year working visa but I might try and extend it or get a bridging visa in twelve months. I love it here but this far out I really need a car but Gary's a lovely guy though so I'm lucky to be here."

"Can you afford a car?"

"I could, if I write to mum, she's got a bit of money tucked away and she's always said that if I need a cash injection then I should just call but I hate to bother her."

"Why not?"

"Well she could send money for a car but I really need lessons first and they cost a shit load, I can't justify asking her for extra money for lessons. We have a difficult enough relationship as it is," she bit her lip and looked away.

Susan stared straight ahead as she considered the decision and then exhaled.

"How's about I take you for lessons. I've been off my probationary for nearly a year now so it's all legal. You'd need to do a few lessons with an instructor but if it'd help out."

She waited for the refusal but Charlene stared at her and then shifted in her seat.

"Why are you doing this?"

"I want to help out, I know what it's like to be living without a car. I couldn't do without mine to be honest but that's only one reason for doing this."

"What's the other reason?"

"I need to expand my horizons and out in the suburbs life gets boring, so while you're learning to drive in my car you can tell me about living in London and other things."

"Okay then, it's a deal but I insist on at least buying you a coffee once a week or so."

"Cool," she held out her hand and they shook hands.

"I guess we'd better swap numbers then."

"You took the words right outta my mouth," Charlene grinned.

~*~

When Susan told her mother and stepfather about it later that night she felt a twinge of guilt. Yes, she was curious about London but she was even more mystified about women, specifically women who loved other women. She had a boyfriend, or that's what she called him but he rarely kissed her and that was probably the primary reason they were still together. He hadn't tried to put a ring on her finger yet.

Susan stared at herself in the mirror as she removed her makeup a few hours later. She was in prime marriage territory, so older women told her. Blonde hair fell in cascading waves past her shoulders, framing a narrow face and firm jawline, the green eyes and upturned nose were inherited from her mother. She had a slim figure and whilst she conceded she was attractive, she couldn't turn heads like her sister Melinda, who was married to an actor who'd had parts in TV shows and theatre roles. But she didn't bask in her partner's spotlight, she was a lawyer for the Office of Public Prosecutions and wore the pants in the family. She would have kids eventually but right now she was too focused on work and paying off the mortgage.

Susan was a kindergarten teacher, a job she fell into quite by accident after working at one for work experience in her last year of high school. She'd done her three weeks and went back to school but a few weeks later they called to ask if she'd consider working part time at the weekend. They had just started a Saturday program for children in single parent households. That eventually became a full time job, they'd let her do a Certificate IV in Early Childhood Education. She was still at home with no plans to move.

Susan's eyes shifted as her mother knocked on the door and then nudged it open.

"Mum," she turned to face her, "what's up?"

"Al and I are going out for dinner tomorrow, it's only the Dorset but we were wondering if you'd like to come along too. An Abba tribute band is playing, Bea was supposed to come with but had to cancel, she's come down with the cold. I know it's not your style of music," her eyes shifted as she caught the look on her face.

"Sorry, I guess not, I'll see who else I can get to come along," Valerie stepped back.

"It's fine, I'll come. It's just that I was talking to a woman who works there tonight, it's just a weird coincidence that you decided to invite me to come with you."

"Oh," her mother sat on the bed, "does this woman work behind the bar?"

"Charlene's in the restaurant, she dropped off some tins of soup tonight and helped out, I took her home because she doesn't have a licence."

"The poor thing, it's tough not having a licence. Why hasn't she got one?"

"She's from London, she's here on a working visa."

"That explains it, their public transport is fantastic."

"Well part of this deal with driving lessons is that she tells me all about London and other things."

"Good," her mother inclined her head, "what other things?"

"She's gay, and I just want to know more about women like that. It's not as if I know any lesbians," she swallowed, "I'm not by the way... but she's different, kind of," she frowned.

"Cute, intriguing?" her mother's eyes widened, "it's cool, I don't care but I'm curious, we've got two at our women's meeting but the eastern suburbs aren't a lesbian hub."

"Assertive and vivacious but I don't know if she's working tomorrow night."

"Whatever but you do whatever rocks your boat," she stretched, "I'm off to bed."

She went to bed not long afterwards but as she slid beneath the duvet Susan found herself thinking about Charlene, another word was alluring or was it sexual?

~*~

London, 11th November, 2024

"That's the first time I heard your name mentioned," Edith picked up a picture of her daughter in front of an old Chrysler Valiant sedan.

"I couldn't believe the size of that car, it's like a limousine."

"It's from the seventies, we had a lot of big cars from that era but with the cost of petrol many of us had to downsize," she replied.

"So some things are the same everywhere," Edith put the picture back, "the cost of housing here is obscene, I don't know how young couples can find a deposit these days."

"It's the same in Melbourne," Susan stared at the picture and then looked back at the older woman sitting in front of her, she might be eighty two but she still looked fit.

Edith Stewart lived in a flat in Aria House on Newton Street, Holborn. It didn't look expensive but Janis informed her an hour or so later that it was worth over one and a half million pounds because it included a lock up garage in the next street. Janis lived out in Shepherd's Bush in a house she had bought after getting divorced seven years ago.

Over a cup of tea and cake they had learned that Edith had been a store manager out at Debenhams in Uxbridge, she'd bought this three bedroom flat after her ex husband was jailed years ago because she needed to get away from her old home. There was the implication she came from money though and Janis confirmed it as she walked them to the nearest tube station afterwards.

"She's related to a former lady in waiting to Queen Mary but it's a distant connection at best neither Charlene or I put much stock in it to be honest, she only mentions it on the twenty fourth of March, the anniversary of her death."

"Yeah, she mentioned that years ago," Susan nodded, "she seemed dismissive though."

"With good reason," Janis took a puff from a vape, "we were both republicans," she had a second puff and then inclined her head, "so, I'll see you tomorrow morning?"

"For sure," Susan nodded, "I'll text you when we leave the hotel and we need to download the tube app as well, it's like a maze."

"The tube maps are colour coded, just change at the right station and get on the right line, the key is to pay attention to the tube maps at each platform otherwise you'll be on the right line but going in the wrong direction. My brother Michael will be down the day after tomorrow."

"Thanks, be good to meet him."

"No problem," Janis nodded, "well, until tomorrow."

As Janis walked away Susan sent a message to her daughters.

Mum: Mission accomplished! Ashes handed over, heading into the tube, will call you in ten hours via WhatsApp, love you both to the moon and back, xxx.

Two messages came back a few minutes later as Sarah went to get takeaway coffees from a local café.

Taylor: Fantastic! You woke me up but it's cool, look forward to pictures, love you madly.

Sierra: Oh good, we're sitting on a floating restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City, if it sinks my last meal was blub, blub, blub! But seriously, look forward to speaking with you both, love me and the totally gorgeous Mackenzie.

Her next message was to Penny in Melbourne.

Susan: Success! Met Janis and her mum, will call you later. Heading back to the hotel for an hour or so and then going to Buckingham Palace and the Churchill War rooms. Going out to St Stephen's tavern for dinner, if I can work out the right line to get on. Talk soon, Love, Me and Sarah. X

As they headed down the stairs to the station five minutes later Susan allowed her mind to wander and the first thing that came to mind was that dinner out at the Dorset followed by the first driving lesson.

~*~

Dorset Gardens Hotel, Saturday night 26 May, 2001

The Dorset Gardens Hotel is typical of many outer suburban pubs. Unlike inner city pubs which are often modelled after British pubs these pubs have big carparks, drive through bottle shops, multiple bars, lounges, a casino, nightclub and a restaurant. Wealthier people often turned up their noses at the bland décor, and what they called second rate food but the locals didn't care for their 'reviews' They loved the convenience, choice and cheap price. Whilst cheaper meals were available at some restaurants, a counter tea was not only cheap but you could also buy alcohol at the bar, buying wine at a restaurant was too expensive. In the old days you often ordered the counter tea from a counter that separated the kitchen from the bar. Most menu choices consisted of lamb or beef, roast potatoes and vegetables, gravy and a side salad or you could select, fish and chips, and bacon carbonara or other dishes just to mention a few.

Susan looked up from her menu. Her mum and stepdad could remember when this place was called the bloodbath due to the fights every weekend. The staff used to wash the blood off the floors every morning, thankfully those days were long gone but there were still fights in the front bar, which was not far from the ladies lounge. Her eyes shifted as she caught sight of a familiar figure coming over to them. Charlene had her hair tied in a ponytail, she wore a black, knee-length skirt, waistcoat and white blouse and black tie.

"Hiya, long time no see," Susan greeted her with a smile.

"Hello, I wasn't expecting you here tonight."

"I'm here with my mum and stepdad, this is Valerie and Alastair, and this is Charlene, the woman I told you about last night, we're here for the band later on."

"The Abba Band," Charlene nodded, "it's nice to meet you all."

"Pleased to meet you too," Valerie nodded, "so you want to learn how to drive."

"I do," she fiddled with her tie, "if that's all right."

"Of course it is, perfectly legal, isn't it, honey?"

"Yeah, as long as she's sober," Alastair winked, "sorry, it's the copper in me, pleased to meet you, I hear you're from London. What part?"

"Holborn," she replied.

"I can't recall that bit," he glanced at Valerie, "can you?"

"It's part of Camden, in the west end," his wife replied.

"Near Finchley Road, isn't it?"

"No, Finchley is much further north and west, Holborn is closer to the Thames," Charlene took a step back and slipped the notepad from her apron pocket.

"Beautiful city but it wore me out after five days," he replied.

"So, what are you having?" Valerie cut in.

"I'll have the porterhouse steak with all the extras and a glass of beer," he glanced at Susan.

"I'll have the fish and chips," she pointed to the menu.

"No problem," Charlene noted it down, "and you, madam?"

"I'll have the duck, the salad and can we have a tray of garlic bread please?"

"Certainly," she grinned, "I'm actually just the drinks waitress but I'll take your food order too."

"Shit, sorry," Valerie winced.

"It's all right, I am a food waitress too whenever they're short staffed. What're you drinking?"

"I'll have the Shiraz," Valerie pointed to the menu, "what about you, sweetie?"

"Yeah, that works," Susan nodded.

"And I'll have a pot of VB," Alastair spoke up, "if you're both having wine can you bring us the bottle as well?"

"No worries, is there anything else you'd like before I take the menus?"

"Nope, that's it," Alastair nodded.

"No problem," she collected their menus, "I'll bring your drinks now, the food will be about fifteen or twenty minutes, is that okay?"

"Fine," Alastair nodded.

As she walked away Susan stared after her but was brought back to reality when her mother kicked her gently.

"Are you blushing? Or just hot?"

"Me? Blushing?" Susan felt the colour in her cheeks, "um, maybe, probably not, I don't know."

"I see, you don't do that for Grant."

"He's not my real boyfriend, just a guy I'm seeing, but I'm not gay. I just think she's nice."

"No one said you were," Valerie held up her palms, "and she is very nice."

"Yeah, she is," Susan straightened up and nudged her glasses, "a good friend."

She glanced at the bar, Charlene was talking to a colleague woman and for a few seconds she felt slightly disoriented. Charlene turned around a second later and Susan looked away just in time but when she looked back a few seconds later Charlene looked away.

It was a sure sign that they'd checked each other out and yet as they ate their meal a little later she couldn't quite make out why she was drawn to her. Was it because she was from another country or was it because she was gay? Her curiosity about lesbians was also very much in the forefront of her mind. She'd never felt drawn to any lesbians but then again the only one she knew hadn't been all that easy to get along with, Mandy was very assertive and a little smothering.

After the dinner her mother headed for the toilet leaving her stepdad and daughter in the restaurant. Eventually they headed into the club to listen to the band. The Abba tribute band were pretty good, the members must have been a few years older than Susan. The two lead singers playing the part of Agnetha and Frida were Angie and Xanthia and it was hard to choose between which was the better looking woman. Halfway through their first set Susan found herself drifting into a kind of daydream about them before bringing herself back to reality for the last set of the night.

"I've got to go bleed the lizard," Alastair excused himself.

Susan had to go the toilet but because her mother was touching up her makeup she went out to the restaurant, which was in the process of closing and nodded at a woman clearing a table.

"Can I help you?"

"Is Charlene around? I just need to say goodbye."

"Sure, I'll go get her, she's on a fag break I think."

Charlene came into the restaurant a few minutes later.

"You wanted to see me?"

"Yeah, I'll be off soon. Dad's gone in to rescue mum from the pokies but how's about we set up a rough time for your first lesson?"

"Oh, right? Can I call you this Tuesday night? They post our shifts up for the next week then, I'll be working Saturday or Sunday but not both and I want to start driving during the day."

"Yeah, no worries," she smiled, "thanks for the meal, my dad left you a tip, was it enough?"

"Yeah, thanks, it's the best tip I've had all month so far."

"How was the band?"

"Great, I quite liked them but mum and dad loved them."

"So, what's your favourite? Dancing Queen?"

"Actually it's why did it have to be me, sorry to burst the bubble."

"You didn't," she grinned, "it's one of mine too, have a good night, what's left of it."

~*~

Arndale Shopping Centre, Croydon, Sunday, 6 May 2001.

The driving lessons started the next week and almost ended the same day when Charlene came too close to a brick wall in a carpark and scraped the front bumper bar. There was a sound of grinding metal and she winced and came to a halt and put her hands over her eyes. Susan turned the wheel further to the right and touched her leg.

"Put your foot on the accelerator more and take your other foot off the clutch."

"I'm sorry, I can't," she bit her lip.

"Okay, turn the engine off and get out, so I can scooch over."

Charlene acquiesced and got out of the car. Susan slid over and pulled away from the wall and then parked a little way away from it and got out of the car to have a look.

"Oh, it's barely a scratch," she nudged her glasses.

"Barely a scratch? It's ruined."

"It's called a bumper bar for a reason," she nudged her, "now get back in there," she pointed to the passenger seat and let me take you through the clutch and accelerator again."

Charlene complied and Susan explained the relationship between the two pedals again. She then got out of the car and for the next ten minutes she got her to drive forward a foot at a time, keeping an eye on nearby cars. Finally she got the hang of it and she got back in and got her to drive around the carpark for a few minutes.

"Do you feel confident enough to go out on the road again?"

"Not the main road," her eyes shifted briefly to Mt Dandenong Road.

"I was going to suggest the side road, we'll drive around to the leisure centre first."

"Okay then."

"No problem, when you're ready."

A few minutes later she drove out of the Arndale Shopping Centre carpark and onto Civic Square, a road that led around the council chambers and library to the leisure centre. She was able to change into third gear as well.

"Left indicator on and change down to second," she looked over her shoulder.

"Left," she flicked it again, "oh shit, I got that wrong."

"You'll get used to it, it's second nature after awhile, it's just muscle memory."

Charlene braked and when she tried to move again the car stalled.

"What am I doing wrong?"

"You were in third gear, you should've changed into first gear if you came to a halt but relax, it's Sunday arvo and there's hardly any cars on the road so don't worry. Just put it into first, start the engine again and we'll turn into Birdwood Avenue and then left at the end so keep it in first until you get to Lusher Road."

"Okay, sorry, so sorry."

"Stop apologising, you've done nothing wrong."

"Yet," she grimaced as she started the car again.

The driving lesson eventually ended twenty minutes later and saw her driving the length of a busy Bayswater Road, all the way to Wattle Road.

"That was nerve wracking, I don't care what anyone says," Charlene turned the engine off.

"It's cool, I wasn't at all worried."

"I'm still worried about the bumper bar, I think I should pay you money to get it fixed."

"Don't worry about it, a car's an inanimate object my stepdad says, it doesn't have a mother, you can kick the tyres, swear at it and it won't shed a single tear," she stared straight ahead.

"But you do owe me a coffee."

"Of course," she went to open the door but Susan stopped her.

"Put it in first gear and put the handbrake on, safety first."

"I told you this was a bad idea."

"If you wrap the car around a pole I'll agree with you," she grinned.

Thankfully her confidence grew and by the end of May they were going all the way to Chirnside Park because Charlene said she wanted to do some shopping there. One time they drove up to the carpark at Skyhigh Restaurant because she wanted to take pictures of Melbourne and the suburbs for her mother back in London. She learned then that Charlene's grandmother had been a lady in waiting for Queen Mary aka Mary of Teck, the wife of George V. The information came out of the blue as they took turns peering through a pair of coin operated binoculars. An Internet search back at home revealed more about Queen Mary, and when she told her mother and stepdad they raised their eyebrows as well.

~*~

Arndale shopping centre, Melbourne Sunday night, 3 June 2001.

"I think it's cool that your grandmother was a lady in waiting," Susan ventured as she pointed to the far end of the nearly empty carpark the following week.

"Head over in that direction."

"Fuck the royals," Charlene stared in the direction she'd just pointed in.

"What do you mean fuck the royals?" Susan nudged her glasses, "they do a lot of work for charity and they bring in a lot of tourist money."

"They're the most expensive benefit scroungers in the fucking country," Charlene came to a halt and promptly stalled the car.

"Relax," Susan put a hand over hers, "just start the car again. Sorry, it's my fault I distracted you with that comment about the royal family."

"Thanks," Charlene looked down at their hands and Susan pulled her hand away.

"It takes time to get used to the clutch, but eventually it'll be second nature."

Charlene nodded and started the car again and Susan glanced down at the gearshift wondering if she had stepped over the line with that touch. Was that normal? Should she ask permission or warn her? Just as she was about to speak up however Charlene revved the small block V8.

"Okay, tourists visit Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle but they also visit Madame Tussauds, the museums and art galleries, Westminster Abbey and all the other places and that's just London. They trot out that argument every time but it's not the whole story."

"I suppose so," Susan glanced over at her.

"So, over there now?" Charlene peered out the window.

"Yeah," she nodded, "remember to follow the lanes between the parking spots. I know this place is empty now but it's for practice."

"You're the boss," Charlene replied, "but if we're going to practice parking then expect a massive fail from yours truly, it's too dark."

"Ah, I have a solution for that in the back," Susan grinned.

The solution turned out to be traffic cones that her stepdad 'obtained' a few years ago from a mate. He and his wife each had one in their car. Susan had stuck long dowels down the centre and each rod had a white fluorescent flag attached to it. Alastair supplied the nylon material for the flags and she cut it into triangular shapes and taped them to the rods. The parking lesson went better than expected and over the next few weeks Charlene became proficient at parking and they progressed onto parallel parking in a service lane. The change in Charlene's outlook was also noticeable. She had more confidence, in fact she had a little too much because she tried to change a CD when she was driving and Susan had to tell her no.

"There's nothing wrong with it but don't get into the habit now, once you've passed your test then you can do two things at once."

"Sorry, you're right," she glanced at her, "can I get some groceries from here?"

"Yeah, sure. I need something too, just park the car and we'll get some here."

After grabbing their groceries Susan got her to drive up to Skyhigh to see the city lights. Charlene liked them but was soon distracted by a woman who got out of a panel van and stepped over a steel railing to go for a piss.

"She's taking a risk up here doing that," Susan cast an eye over the cars parked in the lower carpark, some of which were rocking as couples gave in to their primal desires.

"She won't care, trust me. She's my ex girlfriend, Kitty. She's always been an exhibitionist, she'll have her boyfriend filming her going for a piss or a shit."

"Your ex?" Susan's eyes widened as she stared at her, "oh."

"It's cool," she reassured her, "it was a long time ago and we weren't together that long."

"She's got a boyfriend? I thought she was?"

"She swings both ways, with Kitty it's always about her, her, and in case you're wondering it's all about Kitty. We lasted all of three weeks before I got sick of competing with other men and women, I don't miss her but I wish I hadn't gotten involved with her. We met on the plane over here and to be honest it should've stayed a one night stand but she can be manipulative."

"So, who do you miss or is that a touchy subject?"

"Sasha, she wasn't my first but she was the one who taught me the most about lesbian love. I was still new to it, believe it or not I was determined to stay a virgin until I was married."

"I find that hard to believe but okay," she grinned, "what's the attraction with women?"

"At first it was safety, we naturally fear men because they represent a real physical threat. Men fear embarrassment from women, but we fear being murdered or raped, or both. But the other part of it was emotional. We know how the other thinks or at least we can sense what they're thinking, we're inclusive by design and don't get me wrong, we're not perfect by any stretch of the imagination but," she stopped.

"I get it, I feel the same way. The guy I'm with, Grant is more of a friend than a boyfriend, he's not the kind of guy I'd marry but while he's with me other guys will stay away. I know it sounds cruel and heartless but that's the way it is."

"Why would it be cruel?"

"You know, not giving him what he wants," she nudged her glasses.

"Since when do our lives revolve around giving out to men? If we give out to a man we're a slut and if we don't then we're frigid or cock teasers, where's the equality?"

"Exactly," she fixed her eyes on a road leading from the inner city to here, "I've been fighting that for years, I had boyfriends in high school and a couple I could've slept with but I refused to give my virginity up after my dad gave me a birds and bees talk."

"Really, what did he say?"

"Not much but he said that women had sex to find intimacy or belonging but guys did it to carve a notch on a bedpost, he said I should watch the way he treats his mother and sisters and women who are just friends. A good guy would treat them all like human beings and the guys at school certainly didn't treat their mothers and sisters so good."

"Wow," Charlene turned her head to stare at her ex as she made her way back up the hill, she was fastening her jeans and looked up in their direction and then stopped and stared.

"Oh," Charlene grinned, "she's seen me."

"Is she going to say anything?"

"Nope, but she probably thinks you're my girlfriend."

"I'm almost tempted to let you put your arm around me," Susan replied as Kitty headed towards a red panel van.

"I'm almost about to give in but she's not worth it, trust me."

Kitty stared at them again and raised her hand, Charlene acknowledged the wave and she got behind the wheel of the van.

"See, not worth worrying about," Charlene spoke up, "so, where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?"

"We were talking about my dad's advice about boys."

"That's right, I like your stepdad but why do you call him your dad?"

"I don't know, Melinda calls him her stepdad but she's got more memories of our dad but I was too young when he left so it feels natural to call Alastair my dad. He's done everything a father should, my biological dad sent me a gift card for my eighteenth but didn't come down to meet me until my twenty first," she touched her glasses.

"It was an awkward moment, my two dads staring at each other but thankfully nothing happened and I spent an hour or so with him," she smirked.

"When I came back into the house I told mum that he talked too much about himself and she burst out laughing and said, he's a legend in his own lunchbox."

"What did your mum say? About the birds and bees?"

"Oh she said the same as Alastair but she added other things too."

"Such as?"

"The physical, we talked about the pill, and other forms of contraception. Mum's always been very pro choice, she grew up in a time when back yard abortionists killed women with their incompetent techniques. She told me I shouldn't feel like I had to have sex with a guy just because he wanted it, she said even if I was stark naked I had a choice."

"Absolutely, that was one thing I loved most about women when I first started sleeping with them, a woman understands consent implicitly. I don't know if it's hard wired into our brains but a woman won't force herself on you," she frowned.

"Okay, there are certain women who can get fixated on a woman and try to seduce them or control them, but even they're bound by that same rule."

"The butch ones?"

"Some are butch but it's not the way they dress or their mannerisms, it's more their personality to be honest, they're naturally assertive, the opposite are lipstick lesbians."

"So, what kind of women do you prefer? Butch or lipstick?"

"Both to be honest, the outer doesn't impress me as much as the inner."

"So, why don't you have one now?"

"Ah, you already know the answer to that one."

"I do?" Susan looked over as Charlene took a joint out of her handbag.

"Do you mind if I, indulge?"

"No, that's fine but you're not driving back after smoking that and don't offer me any."

"As if I would," Charlene actually looked shocked, "sorry, I had to say it but it's just too tempting up here with all the pretty lights."

"So," Susan asked her again, "why aren't you with someone?"

"You know the answer or it should be easy to guess."

"Is it the lack of a licence?"

"Yeah, I can go into the city and hit the clubs, there's plenty of hot girls in there but the last train back to Bayswater leaves about midnight."

"Okay, I understand but you know you can't drive with any alcohol in your system until you're on a full licence."

"Probably a good thing then because I've made some fucking stupid mistakes while drunk," she had another toke, "this is good shit."

"That may be so but move back a bit, if dad smells it on me I may have to explain and I've always hated lying to him."

"Shit, sorry, my mistake," she moved away.

"That's cool," Susan smiled.

It was kind of cool to be standing near the restaurant whilst Charlene had a joint, thankfully she was the only one out here but from inside it looked as if she was smoking a roll your own cigarette. She walked towards the restaurant and stared out over the twinkling lights, allowing herself to fixate on them. The conversation about sexual orientation had set her to thinking about her own love life or lack of one to be honest.

Two women opened the door and stepped outside. They both had long blonde hair and one looked to be in her late twenties, the other was a little younger but what struck Susan immediately was the fact they were both holding hands. There was no attempt to hide it either and she smiled at them and was rewarded with a smile from the older woman.

"Lovely evening for it," she smiled.

"It certainly is," she glanced over at Charlene as she puffed away. The older woman followed her line of sight and her eyes shifted.

"A little word of advice, tell your friend to smoke that in the carpark, you don't want some nosey patron telling the staff about it."

"Sorry, I'll tell her," she backed away, "I don't smoke it by the way."

"I can tell that already," she nodded and took a packet of cigarettes out of her handbag.

Susan hurried over to Charlene and inclined her head.

"Come on, they can smell it, let's not cause a scene."

Charlene looked over at the two women and then winced.

"Shit, I thought I was far enough away."

"You are," the older woman called out, "until someone steps outside, but I'm not judging, I'm just trying to keep you out of trouble."

Charlene extinguished the joint and then took a few steps towards them.

"What did you mean by that?"

"I'm a lawyer, it goes against my better interests because I could defend you but I've retired from criminal law and taken up family law instead."

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean anything by that," Charlene apologised.

"I thought not, I'm Penny by the way and this lovely lady is my girlfriend, Robyn."

"Charlene," she held out her hand, "and this is my driving instructor, Susan, so you're gay?"

"Yeah, I guess I am, and you?" Penny's eyes shifted.

"Been that way inclined for years, but didn't really explore it properly until I moved here."

"Whatever," Penny looked at Susan, "so you two are together?"

Susan's eyes widened and she opened her mouth to say something and then shut it again. Charlene put an arm around her shoulders and squeezed her.

"She's not my gay girlfriend, she's my straight girlfriend and driving instructor."

"Oh," Penny smiled at Susan, "is this why you're not indulging?"

"No, I just don't do drugs, it kinda goes against my beliefs."

"What? Is your dad an anti drugs campaigner?" Penny asked.

"He's a cop, but I go to church."

"Which one?" Robyn asked her.

"The Uniting one in Croydon?"

"Ah, been past it hundreds of times. I work out at the real estate agency near Hewish Road but I was a member of the Independent church in Kilsyth," she shook Charlene's hand.

"Near Collins Place? It's on Mount Dandy Road."

"I've been past it lots of times, just never been in it," she replied, "isn't there a coffee shop there?"

"Every Friday night, I was on the team until I um... came out and had to resign."

"How did that go down?" Charlene raised her eyebrows.

"Better than I thought, I split the church down the middle. Half wanted to burn me at the stake and the other half wanted to nominate me for the Nobel Prize but I don't go anymore."

"I'm fascinated," Charlene replied.

"Are you now," Penny studied her, "why? If you don't mind me asking."

"I had to hide behind masks for years, my grandmother was a lady in waiting to an English queen many years ago and we had a strict set of rules to abide by."

"Fascinating," Penny smiled, "which queen?"

"Mary, she was married to George the Fifth."

"Queen Victoria's son," Penny nodded, "even though he was probably a swinger, most of them were back then."

They lapsed into silence for a few seconds and then Robyn spoke up.

"So, where do you live?"

"Bayswater North," Charlene replied.

"But that accent isn't local, what part of England are you from?"

"London," she pulled a wry grin, "I work out at the Dorset as a waitress."

"That's it," Penny straightened up, "I knew I'd seen you before somewhere."

Charlene blushed and Susan spoke again.

"So, where did you two meet? If you don't mind me asking."

"I put up an advertisement for the church coffee shop in her office," Robyn flicked at her hair, "and she invited me to her meeting."

"Meeting?"

"Women Who Talk," Penny replied. "It's an organisation of women who meet once a month usually over dinner or a barbie and talk about stuff like body image, sex and sexuality, finances, feminism and a heap of other things, it's very fluid."

"Oh," Susan nudged her glasses, "my mum goes to the Croydon one."

"That's run by Margaret, she was in our group but it was getting too big so we split it and she took a little less than half the women with her."

"I'd be interested in learning more about it," Charlene spoke up.

"So would I," Susan added.

"Are you too busy right now?" Penny blew out a cloud of smoke.

"Not really, why?" Susan shifted on the balls of her feet.

"Why not come back to our place, we're literally within walking distance. We'll make you a coffee and tell you more about it," Penny paused for a second or so, "I'll even let you finish your joint out on the verandah if you like."

"Okay, um," Charlene looked over at Susan, "if that's okay with you."

"Sure," she nodded, "as long as it's not imposing on you."

"Trust me, it's not," Penny grinned, "you can give us a lift home, we walked up here."

"No problem," she stepped aside and let Penny and Robyn descend the stairs to the carpark.

As they followed them down to the carpark she glanced over at Kitty's panel van. Kitty had gotten out of the van and was raking around in the back of the van. As they got closer she saw it had been decked out with a foam mattress, a mini disco ball, a mini bar and leather lining on the sides and the roof. Rock music was echoing in the night sky as a man crawled through the arch from the front and Kitty turned around and propped on the tailgate.

"Long time, no see," she greeted Charlene.

"Likewise," Charlene slowed and the others kept moving but then came to a stop, "up to look at the pretty lights?"

"Yeah, we're checking out the submarine races," she grinned.

"Well, have fun, rather you than me."

"Never know if you don't try."

"I'll take your word for it," Charlene replied.

"Who's your girlfriend?"

"Susan," she replied.

"Hey, Susan, nice to meet you," Kitty smiled.

"You too," she glanced at her car, "we're kinda in a hurry."

"Hey, don't let me hold you back."

As they moved away however she shot Charlene a confused look.

"Submarine races?"

"It's slang for sex," Penny explained, "the submarine is the penis and the race is how fast it slides up inside a woman."

"Okay, I did not know that," she grinned, "it's this car."

"Nice," Penny ran an eye over it, "eight or six?"

"Eight but it's been converted to run on gas too."

"Something I nearly did," Penny nodded.

They drove away a minute later and she discovered that they were literally within walking distance, Penny lived on Observatory Road and her house overlooked Melbourne. She didn't have to walk up the hill to see the lights, they were visible from her back verandah.

~*~

Holiday Inn Express, Wandsworth, London 16:00

It was a night that she could still recall with crystal clear clarity even now and as she sat on the edge of the bed in their hotel room and read a reply to her earlier message to Penny. She'd been about to read it but decided against it as a train had pulled into the station. It was only when they got back to their hotel that she finally read the WhatsApp message.

Penny: Taylor called to update me and I'm glad things went went well. If you want to get to St Stephen's take the over ground train from Wandsworth Road to Waterloo, turn left at York Road and right at Westminster Bridge. Go past Boudica's statue and it's past Westminster Underground to your right. Robyn sends her love, so do Bailey and Fluffy, I'm turning the phone off now because I need the sleep, call me later, be good to hear your voice. Take care, Love. Penny. X

Susan: Janis, is much nicer than I imagined. She took me back to meet her mum and she'll be our guide at the British Museum tomorrow. We'll speak to you both before we leave London. I'll send you a link to my Google Pictures tonight, heaps more pics from London there. Love, from me and my better half. X

She put the phone down and stared at an ugly piece of modern art on the wall, circles, squirls, and random lines. She'd always hated 'modern art.' It was one of the things she noticed about Penny's art that night, she had drawings of places or people on her walls.

"I love these drawings, who's the artist?"

"Robyn," she nodded at her, "it's one of her latest hobbies."

"Cool," Charlene joined her at a drawing of a woman wearing a blouse and skirt. Another woman stood behind her with one hand resting on her stomach and the other on her shoulder, the blouse was partially unbuttoned.

"What was your previous hobby?" Susan found herself asking.

"It's not a previous anything, my part time job is dressmaking," she replied.

"Cool? I'd like to see your creations," Susan turned to her.

"You're looking at them," she looked down at herself.

Susan ran an eye over her outfit. She wore a knee-length, buttoned dress with an autumnal pattern of leaves and flowers under a cream-coloured cardigan. Robyn then nodded at Penny and she turned to look at her as well. Penny wore a white, silk blouse with a placket hiding the buttons and plastic gems on the collar that was tucked into white denim jeans and matched with an elegantly tailored white jacket.

"Holy shit," she swore, "not all of it?"

"All of it," Penny tugged at the edges of her jacket, "now, how do you like your poison?"

"Um... coffee, white and two, please."

"How's about a latte?"

"Oh, yeah, sure."

~*~

Sarah stepped into the room just as she put the phone down.

"You almost ready?"

"Yeah, just got to put my face on," she sat on the bed and unzipped her makeup bag.

"I just texted Penny."

"What time is it there now?"

"Three in the morning, she's got her phone on silent."

"Have you worked out her directions yet?"

"Doing that now," she tapped her phone and found the Google Maps app, "it's a train from just over the other side of the railway line to Waterloo," Susan tapped in the address and expanded the screen for a closer look.

"Oh, piss easy, it's literally across the river, we need to aim for York Street."

"I'm so glad you're navigating," Sarah smiled, "if it was up to me we'd wind up in Death Valley or Timbuktu."

"I get that from my mum, but Melinda can't navigate to save herself. She's always holding the map upside down and wondering why she's confused."

"On a completely different subject and you've probably mentioned it before but when was the first time you can admit to actually finding Charlene attractive?"

"Probably from the very start but at the time I would never have admitted to it. I was still going out with Grant and I had all those hangups from my Christian faith," she stared at the phone.

"I think it was the night we went back to Penny's for the first time and she kissed Robyn in front of us, I had one gay friend but I'd never seen her kiss anyone. It was the first time I'd seen two women kissing each other and I thought they were both beautiful."

"So, it wasn't all the time you'd spent with her before that?"

"No, but that was because I'd already laid down boundaries. I was her driving instructor, well one of them anyway," she nudged her glasses.

"She was pretty much focused on her lessons too, she didn't have time to flirt with me. After she hit the wall at Arndale she was too paranoid."

"Interesting," she stared into space briefly, "so you saw it as abnormal before then?"

"Kind of, and kind of not. I saw it as something other women did, just not me."

"But then it changed," Sarah stated the obvious.

"Yeah it certainly did," she smiled crookedly.

Sarah finished her makeup and adjusted the collar of her pink blouse.

"We ready?" she grabbed her handbag.

"Let's do it," Susan leaned forward and stretched and yawned, "it was the day Robyn measured me up for my first outfit."

"Pardon?" Sarah's brow furrowed.

"The day when I first actively considered changing sides," she replied.

"Oh," Sarah rose and held out her hand, "well, let's get going, and you can tell me all about it."

Susan chuckled as she grabbed her handbag and took her hand.

To be continued...