'What's happening?' Julia said softly when her tears had stopped. Jane was cradling her head in her arms, gently stroking her hair.
'Nothing terrible, you are just finding out at last who you are sexually.'
'Does this mean I'm a lesbian?
Jane laughed, she couldn't help herself, and then she kissed Julia softly on her forehead. 'I don't think so, not necessarily, it means that you just enjoyed your body with another woman that's all.'
'It really is rather confusing; I don't know what to think.'
'Then don't think, just go with your senses, open yourself to them, you can trust them you know.'
'It's very strange Jane, what on earth would Elise think of me?'
'Well, for that matter, what on earth do you think of her? She probably has her secrets too, none that she is ever going to share with her mother.'
'Jane, will you do something for me?'
'If I can.'
'I'd like you to investigate Robert's computer with me, I know it's a lot to ask.'
Jane picked up her glass and gazed at the bubbles floating to the top. She thought of the dozens of photographs she had sent to Robert during their time together and she felt certain that Julia hadn't seen them all. 'I need to think about it if that's ok'
'Yes, yes of course,' Julia said, sitting up on the bed. 'Just look at me!' she exclaimed, looking down at her skirt still hitched up around her waist.'
'You look lovely,' Jane said, 'come on, let's go downstairs and finish the champagne in the garden.'
The sun was bright and hot and Jane extended the canopy she had fixed to the wall above the French windows. 'I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to take my top and bra off, the nice thing about this part of the garden is that it's private and can't be overlooked. I often sit here without any clothes at all.'
'Please do,' answered Julia, 'I'll join you if that's ok.'
Jane stripped down to a pair of pale blue lace knickers and went to fetch the champagne. Julia could hear her filling the bucket with ice. She looked around at the pretty garden as she unbuttoned her blouse, Jane's words echoed in her mind. 'Don't think; just go with your senses...' Standing, she unzipped her skirt and let it fall to the ground. Jane re-emerged from the sitting room and brushed her hand across Julia's shoulder as she placed the ice bucket on the table. 'You have a very nice body,' she said softly. She poured the champagne and sat next to Julia. 'What a lovely day.'
Julia sipped her drink, enjoying the sensation of the air on her skin and the cold bubbles as they fizzed on her tongue. 'I think I might have been a bit selfish upstairs,' she said, 'did you come?' Jane laughed and nodded, 'Oh yes, I let my fingers do the job while I was concentrating on you.' A bee buzzed and settled into the bell of a hollyhock.
'Have you had sex with many women?'
'No, not many, the first time was when I was at Uni, with a girl called Angela Green, she was sex mad, very pretty, would do it with anybody and I was very curious. And then I was going out with boys, just having fun, parties, you know what it's like when you're nineteen.'
'Not sure if I do when I come to think about it,' sighed Julia. 'I think I was little miss prim and proper, thought sex was all a bit naughty.'
'Well it is if it's done properly,' laughed Jane, unable to restrain herself from making the quip.
'I think I'm finding that out, on top of everything else.' Julia said wistfully.
'How did you meet Robert?'
'Last year of university, I hadn't met him before although we were there at the same time. He was reading Science and I was doing Eng Lit, so we were hanging out with different crowds. He was gorgeous, I fell for him straight away, he was the first and only boy I had complete sex with.'
'Hadn't you done anything before?'
'Petting, but I always felt awkward. I'd be getting into it, rather carried away sometimes, but I could always see a mental picture of my mother's disapproving look, I let a few guys put their hands in my knickers, and one boy, Robin, made me suck his cock and he spurted all over my face which I sort of liked but at the same time thought it was yucky.'
Jane laughed, 'you were lucky, I went out with so many that after a few snogs and a feel of my tits they'd come as I was fishing their cock out of their trousers and the game was up!'
'I remember that!' Julia said giggling.
Inside the telephone rang, 'It'll be Claire, she's dying to know what I'm up to, having cancelled the Tate.' Julia watched as Jane went inside, appreciating the fullness of her breasts and the pert roundness of her buttocks. She closed her eyes and felt the heat of the sun on her body, still melting from her orgasm of half an hour before. She felt free and somehow different. She poured herself another glass of champagne and sipped it slowly. She heard Jane laughing, and for no reason other than she wanted to, she took her knickers off.
Jane reappeared with a big grin, 'She's mad that girl β ooh, you've got your knick's off!' She slid into her seat, a quirky expression on her face. 'She's just dumped David, and I really liked him, thought he was good for her. He's a bus driver with a difference, double first at Cambridge!' She started to laugh, and then cough, beside herself with mirth. 'He's lovely, mad as a box of frogs, dead sensitive, and writing his novel, I've seen bits of it, bloody good actually, about the First World War. Anyway I told her to think about it and not to be hasty, all she said was 'well I'm not going to let him fuck me for at least a week!' She slapped her sides, breaking out in a fit of giggles. The effect was hypnotic, and Julia found herself laughing too. 'Thing is, she wanted to come round and have a drink and a bit of hanky panky, which I allow sometimes.'
'I could go,' said Julia, 'I've imposed enough.'
'Stay right where you are lady,' said Jane leaning across to kiss her. 'I've told her to pull herself together, and, if she must, get her toys out. She said, do you think I should?!' Again Jane giggled. 'She's really mad, but lovely with it.'
Julia looked into Jane's eyes, 'You really are so very nice,' she said simply.
'I'm just me.' Jane answered, 'Just 'lil ol' me.'
'Are you seeing any men?' Julia asked.
'I've had a few dates, but it's a bit soon after all the hooh - hah with Sean. I don't really want to get too involved at the moment, if in fact, ever.'