Both Jodie and Elaine were supporting characters in Breaking Up, which was recently published on Literotica. I got to thinking about both these women and thought why not continue the story and introduce another couple of women too? It gives me a chance to check up on Julie and Ilona as well. It's set roughly two months after Julie and Ilona got together, the city is of course, Melbourne.
Jodie stared out the window as a young mother strolled down the path towards the front door of her school. She had a full head of blonde hair and a slim figure. Judging by the grey trouser suit and striped blouse she must work in an office environment, a six year old girl was walking by her side and when she got to a crack in the pavement she jumped over it. As if sensing her attention, the woman looked up but Jodie knew from experience that at this time of the day it was impossible to see into the room from there because of the position of the morning sun.
Jodie blinked as she came out of her reverie, recalling Friday's brief conversation in the Vice Principal's office over a new pupil. Paula had been undergoing treatment for leukaemia and as a result she'd been off school for weeks at a time. Her previous school had been in Boronia, but now she was enrolled here and Kym was keen to provide a supportive learning environment.
Jodie had taken notes and offered up her own ideas and she now turned and stared at the lesson she'd written on the blackboard, it was one she'd done countless times over the last few years but even so, she usually tried to modify it slightly to reflect the times. When she was the age of her pupils she could have recited course work and any number of passages from books by rote. Granted, repetition was one way of learning but Jodie had learned that stimulating young minds by throwing in different passages was beneficial in forging new neural pathways. She'd decided to have a focus on revision for today at least, it would give her a chance to assess what her pupils had taken in and allow Paula the chance to see what had been covered, even if it was a snapshot.
She glanced at her phone as it beeped. It was customary to turn it off and she picked it up with the intention of turning it off before her pupils arrived. The text was from her best friend, Ilona.
Ilona: Was thinking of you. Do you want to come around for dinner tomorrow night?
Jodie: Sure thing, got to go right now. Class is starting soon. Text me the time.
The reply came through just before she turned the phone off.
Ilona: 7:30. Have a great day!
The knock at the door caused her to look up to find the vice principal standing in the doorway with the woman she'd just seen and the girl. Her eyes shifted to the girl who was wearing a beanie and had a nose piece attached to a tube that was tucked under her school tee shirt.
"This is Imogen and this is her daughter, Paula," she introduced them, "and this is Ms Jones."
"Jodie," she held out her hand and shook Imogen's, "that's an unusual name."
"My parents were Shakespearian actors," she replied.
Jodie registered the English accent in a heartbeat but didn't understand the connection as she bent down to greet Paula.
"Hey there, sweetie. Are you excited about school?"
"Uh huh," she blinked through large glasses, "you look pretty."
"Why, thank you," she beamed, "you look very pretty as well. Why don't you go and choose a seat for yourself and I'll be with you in a minute?"
Paula looked up at her mother and Imogen nodded and then squeezed her shoulder. At that moment the school bell rang and Jodie glanced over her shoulder. Within two minutes the relatively quiet corridor would be buzzing with children going to class. She guided Paula forward as Imogen looked at her and as she was sitting down the vice principal motioned to her and nodded at Imogen.
"Go in and sit with her for a minute or so."
When Imogen moved inside, the vice principal motioned her to move away.
"I'll leave you with her," she murmured in her ear, "if she starts looking weary text me and I'll get the school medic to come and take her to the sick bay."
"For sure," she nodded, "poor dear."
"She's a plucky kid but apparently the diagnosis was good," she glanced over as children spilled into the corridor, "here comes the stampede, have fun, remember to turn your phone on."
Jodie stepped back into the classroom and glanced at them. Imogen was whispering in her ear and looked up when Jodie cleared her throat.
"If you want to sit in on the lesson for half an hour or so, I can find you a seat," she glanced at her watch, "it's not normally done."
"Oh, no, that's fine. I have a class to go to myself but thank you," she put an arm around Paula and gave her a squeeze, "love you, sweetie," she glanced at Jodie, "she needs to have her phone with her, I assume that's okay?"
"Of course, mine will be on too," she glanced over as three boys burst into the room, they were pushing each other and Jodie snapped her fingers, "boys, less of the horseplay and more quiet."
One of them giggled and she rolled her eyes as Imogen rose.
"What's your course?"
"Accounting," she replied, "part time."
"My best friend is an accountant," she replied.
Imogen smiled at that and then bending over to kiss her daughter she farewelled her and left the room. Jodie stared after her, feeling as if something had been ripped from her. She looked down at Paula and felt a lump in her throat.
What kind of loving God allows this?
It was a question that remained unanswered at the back of her mind, like a stone in her shoe but by the next day it had subsided somewhat. Paula was an attentive pupil and she was pleased to note that other kids seemed almost blind to the nose piece and tube or extra careful around her. Despite the warning that she might feel run down though Jodie never saw any signs of lethargy and when Imogen came to pick her daughter up out the front of the school on the second day, Jodie was on hand to reassure her that Paula was coping well.
"That's a relief," Imogen smiled, "it was touch and go for a few days but the doctor tells me that the best thing we can do to help her is to get back into a normal routine and she's missed so much work in the last six months."
"We'll catch her up, I could maybe stay behind or do some out of hours work."
"Let's just see how it works out," she squeezed Paula's shoulder, "how about we go home and get ready to see Auntie Elaine, sweetie?"
"Uh huh," she looked up and smiled.
"Nice talking to you and thanks for waiting with her."
"No worries," Jodie blushed. She hadn't actually escorted her to the front fence, it had been purely coincidental but she felt a slight weakness in her stomach as she watched Imogen and Paula walking away. Was she drawn to Imogen for her situation or was it something deeper? It wasn't the first time she'd been attracted to a pupil's mother and it probably wouldn't be the last.
Besides, she turned away. It wasn't exactly encouraged under the current system, even if it wasn't illegal it was just that one didn't advertise the fact that you were dating a pupil's mother.
Her phone beeped and she read the message from Ilona.
Ilona: Still coming tonight?
Jodie: Sure am, just got to finish up here. Is it still 7:30?
Ilona: Sure is, you'll get to meet Elaine as well.
Elaine.
Jodie turned to stare at Imogen's back.
Surely not. No, of course not.
***
The first time Jodie had come to visit Ilona after a long absence it had been at her unit in Boronia because it seemed obvious but both women had been aware of the sexual tension that still existed between them after Jodie had laid her cards down. Whilst Ilona politely declined and Jodie accepted her choice she was still subject to fantasy and thus when Ilona suggested they meet next time at her girlfriend's place in Mooroolbark she agreed.
