This is a quick excerpt from a novel I am working on. I hope it is not confusing. Enjoy!
* * * * *
"Hello?" Lily said into the receiver.
"Hey, this is Raine."
"What's up girl?" Lily greeted, the smile evident in her voice. She was pleased Palmer's girlfriend had called. She wanted the opportunity to get to know her so she could see if her brother had found a good woman in a young woman's body, or if he had lost his mind and was now into near pedophilia.
"Not much. I heard you make a great enchilada and I wanted to surprise Palmer with it. I was hoping you'd lend me your expertise." Raine said genuinely wanting Lily's help. If her ulterior motive happened to be satisfied at the same time she'd consider it icing and not as being devious. She needed the opportunity to feel the woman out before she set things in motion to hook her up with Erica. She wanted to be sure Lily Gonzalez was worthy of her friend first.
"Sure. Do you have the ingredients or do we need to go shopping?" Lily inquired doubly pleased with the turn of events.
"Shopping." Raine answered immediately. Lily moved up the stairs to her bedroom as she spoke.
"Be here in half an hour." She instructed. Raine grabbed a pen and paper and took down the directions.
They hung up and each raced to get ready to leave the house. Raine arrived promptly thirty minutes later. She rang the bell and tugged the bottom of her shirt down a notch. She had the white Gucci t-shirt tied up in the back leaving her stomach exposed, showing off her navel ring and emphasizing her breasts. Her jeans were fitted Gucci low-riders and showed off her round bottom to perfection. She wore a Gucci belt around her waist and carried a black Gucci backpack purse.
Lily opened the door and grinned widely at Raine. They had dressed nearly identically. Lily wore a sleeveless blue Hilfiger t-shirt which ended two inches above her navel. Her jeans were also Hilfiger and low-riders. They both wore white Reebok Classics. "Well I'd say there's no arguing great minds think alike here." She commented and Raine returned her smile with one of her own. The full wattage of it was devastating and Lily could easily see how she had caught Palmer's attention.
"You ready?"
"Just let me grab my purse. Have you met Daisy?"
"Yeah. Hey Daisy!" Raine called stepping into the foyer.
Daisy came racing down the stairs putting in her earrings.
"Take me with you please. I'm going stir crazy here!" She said giving Raine's cheek a kiss.
"Sure, of course. I'm sorry I didn't think to invite you to begin with." Raine apologized horrified by her poor manners.
"Don't worry about it kid. Where are we going?"
"Lily is going to teach me how to make enchiladas. We're going to the grocery store first. We can take a trip to the mall after we drop the groceries off before we start cooking if you want. I want some more CD's and there are a couple of movies I've been meaning to get." Raine offered still feeling guilty over her inconsideration.
"Sounds good to me but let's run it by Lily. She might have a hot date tonight. It's like they're lined up around the block for her. I've never noticed how many gay women there are in this city. Almost makes me wish I was bi. There seem to be a lot more attractive women running around than men." Daisy said. Raine surprised her by laughing throatily. Lily joined them and grinned before asking what was so funny. Raine recapped and Lily tsked at her sister for exaggerating the truth. She was unable to hold her reproachful look and eventually gave into the giggles.
"They can only handle one gay Gonzalez sister. Two would be far too devastating." Lily said sassily and Raine and Daisy cracked up.
They entered Raine's car and she drove confidently to the Albertson's nearest her apartment. Lily had agreed readily to the mall excursion and they moved through the store quickly. After they had dropped off the produce they left Raine's apartment and headed to the mall.
"Can I ask you a personal question?" Raine said after a small silence. Lily turned slightly in her seat to face the young woman.
"Certainly, as long as I can ask one in return." Lily replied. Raine hesitated only a fraction of a second before agreeing. Lily would know the worst already. If Palmer hadn't told her Daisy definitely would have.
"I've done a lot of research over the last few years on the shit, pardon me, the things females in my situation go through and a lot of what I've read lists molestation and rape as a reason for lesbianism. I've thought about it on many occasions, have found myself attracted to females before but have never acted on it." Raine lied telling herself not to feel guilty about it. She and Erica had agreed they would keep what they had shared between them and not even Brandi or Shalom, their respective best friends, knew. "Do you think that sexual abuse is an accurate reasoning to explain homosexuality being so...abundant?" Raine inquired choosing her words carefully. She had already decided she wanted to write a story involving a lesbian. Between Lily and Erica she could gain some valuable insight into the lifestyle. She was also interested in Lily's method of expressing herself. Erica was a very intellectual woman and would need someone who could hold her own in conversation.
Lily was momentarily speechless. Of all the things she had thought Raine might ask her that was not one of them. She opened her mouth to speak then closed it again when she realized she had no words. Raine waited patiently and there was a definite air of anticipation in the car. "I believe that there are a surprising number of gays out there who choose the lifestyle because to their way of thinking it's much easier than dealing with the alternative which is having to face the pain of whatever they went through with a member of the opposite sex. I also believe there are situations where a person is hurt by someone of the same sex at a young age and uses it as an excuse for what they desire. In both instances it is just an excuse. No amount of pain can cause a person to want to be with a person of the same sex if it is not something they are...preprogrammed for, for lack of a better term. The predilection has to be there already. They use it, whether consciously or not, as a means of giving themselves a justification. I also know there are those of us, a large majority of us, who simply recognize a preference for someone like them. I have never been raped or molested by anyone of any sex. I simply recognized at a young age that I was not into boys. To answer your question though; yes it's accurate to a degree. It's accurate in that there are those who fall into that category. But it is inaccurate in portraying it as though that is the majority or the whole of the gay community." She finally replied. "I hope I don't offend you by saying this Raine, but that was a surprisingly insightful question." Lily admitted. Raine smiled softly.
"I know you're trying to feel me out." She said simply as she came to a stop at a red light. She glanced over at Lily and was pleased to see the woman did not feign ignorance. She merely waited for Raine to continue. "I know you're probably thinking either I'm a gold digger after Palmer's money, or he's gone crazy and is now robbing the cradle unthinkably. I don't blame you for those thoughts, I'd have them too if our roles were reversed. I'm certain, nevertheless, that you'll grow to love me and see how much I love Palmer. However, I do need to make this statement, not because I really believe you are the type to be close-minded, but because it'll make me feel better knowing I've put it out there just in case." Raine began.
"Go ahead." Lily encouraged fascinated with the way the young woman put her words together, the fact that she took time to think about what she was going to say and the fact that she wasn't afraid to speak her mind despite Lily being older than her. From what she'd heard about the way this girl was six months ago, Raine's progress was commendable.
"I'm young in all the ways that draw attention, speculation and judgment but not in the ways that matter. I'm sure you know of my past. I don't know if you were given the gory details or a sugar-coated version but Bernard Butler forced me into adulthood early. I love my friends to death but there are times when I can't even fathom what they are talking about. It's so trivial to me. Palmer is never trivial. Palmer...excites me mentally, I don't feel like I need to prove I'm not a child to him, he never talks to me as though I'm not on the level, yet at the same time he's showing me how to have fun. I love him like I never thought I would be able to love anyone and no matter what happens I'm for him until the day he says he doesn't want me anymore. So whether you approve of me or not, I don't care. I'm confident we'll get along great. Daisy loves me, don't you?" Raine added playfully to Lily's twin.
"Sure do. Relax big sister. Raine is the genuine article and frankly Palmer's lucky to have her." Daisy praised and Lily nodded slowly. She would, of course, ask again when they were alone but she didn't sense any deceit in her sister.
"I like you already. I can see why Palmer is gone over you. Now, it's my turn for a question." Lily stated. Raine nodded and waited.
Lily took a minute to think about what she really wanted to know most. She decided to not hold back. "Are you sleeping with him?" She requested. Daisy inhaled sharply but Raine merely smiled that soft smile of hers.
"I could say a lady doesn't kiss and tell but I don't really think I'm a lady, plus it wouldn't be fair since you were so candid with your answer. No, Palmer and I are not sleeping together as far as engaging in sexual intercourse. He's very respectful of my needs and wants, and my comfort level. We're working on a slow sexual...courting if you will. A step by step thing. First it was just kissing. His hands never went lower than my waist, never to my chest or anything. It was nice. It was a physical display of the fact that I could trust him. He doesn't ask for more than I can give. We moved on from there, a few touches, then more in depth exploration. He helped me become more comfortable in my own skin, let me learn his body at my own pace. I don't know how much you want to know." Raine warned. Lily waved her on.
