Catherine was blushing furiously. Looking anywhere but at Briana she murmured, “You know, I feel like going for a drive somewhere…”
“So have you?” Briana asked quietly, still grinning.
Catherine looked up, her eyes wide. She had been hoping to change the track of the conversation. “Have I what?” She asked, pretending. Briana was a little flushed, but she was making lots of eye contact.
“Have you ever done it?”
Catherine blushed harder. Briana was persistent.
They had been hanging out while Catherine’s husband, Daniel, was at work. Since she had moved so close, Briana often came over these days. She and Briana had actually become better friends these past years than they had ever been in high school. Briana had been the first to know of Catherine’s engagement, and had rushed over to hug and gush on her. Catherine greeted this with delight and not a little confusion. Before, Briana would have been aloof and then changed the subject.
It was wonderful to have her around to talk to during those first tense weeks after the marriage, when everything was so new, and they had recently begun to talk more and more candidly about their respective sex lives. Today, much to Catherine’s surprise and embarrassment, the subject had wandered to fantasies, and Catherine had accidentally spilled one of her secret ones: to make out with another girl. Briana had grinned and clapped her hands, but Catherine had been so flustered by her own unexpected volubility that she had tried to end that thread of conversation. But for some reason, Briana wouldn’t let it go.
“No! God, no! I wouldn’t even know how to…”Cath gestured vaguely. “No.”
Briana was still watching her. “Does it surprise you to know that I’ve thought about it, too?”
“Well, yes, a little. I’m not sure it’s all that common.” Suddenly her embarrassment took control. “Are you making fun of me?” She even felt a little rise of anger.
“No! Absolutely not!” Briana reached across and grabbed Cath’s knee lightly. “I’m serious. I would never make fun of your fantasies, ever.”
Catherine was acutely aware of Briana’s hand. She stood nervously and ducked into the kitchen for a glass of water. When she got back Briana was still watching her. She seemed about to say something, stopped, then said it anyway, blushing furiously.
“Cath, I’ve really wanted to do that. I’ve always wondered what it’s like, what I’m missing. But I never felt comfortable enough with anyone to really try it. I really like you and trust you and…I guess what I’m saying is, would you hate trying it with me sometime?”
This little speech seemed to start a storm in Catherine’s head. Her knees felt watery, her stomach fluttery, her head swimmy, and her ears were ringing. She sat down hard on the footstool nearby, not quite daring to look into Briana’s eyes.
“Yes…I mean no…” she stammered. “I mean, I would want it…you know…with you. I trust you, too.”
The tension in the room was almost visible, long strands of newly found desire snapping between the two young women like static sparks. The box had been opened and when their eyes finally met they both knew there would be no shutting it. Catherine got up a little shakily and slowly stepped over to the couch where Briana was sitting. She sat down gently beside her and took her hand. They both settled back and leaned closer, taking comfort from this initial close contact; friends destined to be more.
They sat that way for a while, then slowly began to talk again, never releasing their hands. The subject jumped from topic to topic but it was clear that only one thought was really behind it all: Who would make the first move? Should it be me?
The tension slowly mounted until Briana knew she had to get home and cool down or this was going to go all wrong. It was also getting nearer the time that Daniel would be coming home, and she did not want to be interrupted just as they began.
Briana turned to Catherine and smiled. “I really need to get home and grab something to eat before I faint.” Now she smiled bigger. “Can we continue this…conversation tomorrow?”