Chapter Two: Shopping Together
Francesca continued to be amazed at how their lives had flowed back together after all these years. She and Emma seemed to have picked up as if there had been no interruption at all between their teenage friendship and the women they had become. For the most part, their likes and dislikes were similar, and where they differed, the differences were easily passed over, rather as a charming anomaly than a difference.
"What is this thing?" she asked herself.
After all, she was a fairly private person in many ways, and she was rather choosy about her friends. She liked interesting people, with a broad range of interests, a good sense of humor, along with recognition of the ironies of life. Surely it was unlikely for this friendship to have endured and to be satisfying to both of them.
"What is it, that makes it so very different" she muttered to herself.
Still here she was, excited as if a new adventure had begun. The new adventure she had wished for.
"Is it true what they say," she mused, "that you shouldn't wish for things, you might get your wish!" Thinking it through, she decided that whatever it was, she truly wanted it.
What was a little troubling, was the strange reactions she was having. Emma actually elicited a feeling in her that was very much like sexual excitement. She had masturbated shamelessly as she drove away from Em's apartment in a hansom cab the first time they got together. That was something new for her conservative nature! Some adventure, she thought. "I haven't even ridden in a hansom cab before!" A big self-satisfied smile broke over her face at the thought of her outrageous behavior.
"You look happy today. What has happened in your life, may I ask?" Emma had come up to her as she waited under the clock.
"Ohhhhh, you sneaked up on me, you brat!"
She pulled Emma to her in their familiar hug; Now all grown up and sophisticated with a cheek kiss in the European style, three times, alternating cheeks. She was aware that her wrists just barely touched Em's breasts as she held her arms. Pulling Emma close, she was even more aware of their breasts touching as they had a thousand times before. Funny how she was noticing all these inadvertent touches now.
"Day dreaming, then? You sure have a mystical grin on you pretty face! Come on, out with it!" Emma wasn't giving up on it, her own smile was bright, spread wide across her face, clearly springing from a feeling of heartfelt pleasure. She waited expectantly.
"Oh, OK, if you must know, I was thinking about you, actually! About how happy I am that we have picked up just where we left off after all these years. I was just thinking that in spite of the years, we seem to go on as if we had never been separated. At least, that's how it seems to me! I hope that doesn't embarrass you, Em."
"Embarrass, me? No! I'm thrilled. I've been thinking exactly the same thing on the way down here. It is really amazing, don't you think? To tell the truth, I think I always had a big crush on you -- at least as much as a girl can have on another girl - it is soooo great to still have it! Now, I have to say it: 'Hope that doesn't embarrass you!??' Not that it will do you any bloody good if it does embarrass you - can't help it, can I?" She spoke in that non-stop, run on sentence manner you can only do with a close friend who knows the shorthand that each uses.
Em squeezed her hand and pulled her along. "Come on, let's get going, we've got shopping to do, money to spend, things to see, people to do!" They held hands happily for a few feet down the white granite hall of Water Tower Mall. Francesca felt a twinge of loss when they dropped their hands away from each other.
"Mister Charlie says I need new panties!! So he's going to get them, ..and the bill" she laughed. "The man is incorrigible, I think he still would like to 'play doctor' if I weren't such a prude." She nudged Francesca with a big laugh. "He goes crazy if I let him see my panties, don't you know! Remember when we used to drive my brother up the wall by flashing him? You were the worst one, I just played along to be nice to you!"
"Liar!!! OH, you are so full of it, ……yoouuuuuuu! You were the ring leader, I never had the nerve for all that stuff you lead me into!!" Francesca laughed at the memory.
They headed for Starbucks for a coffee and a sandwich, girding their loins for the arduous task of shopping a major mall.
"How about dinner with us tonight? Charlie suggested it and he says he'll cook. I have to watch you and Charlie, he likes you already!"
"Good, I think he is an absolute dear! Do you really think he likes me?"
"Likes you? He's never offered to cook for anyone except me before! And he only does it for me in exchange for a wild night of sex, sex, sex." Emma laughed. "Wait a minute. Now that I think about it, I better keep an eye on you two!"
"Gawd, Em, he's such a hunk, where did you find him? I think you're right"
"Oh, we just met at the office. I hated him at first. The arrogant bastard knows how gorgeous he is. Uh……. Wait a minute, back up, what was that 'I think you're right?' comment."
Francesca smiled her most arch, enigmatic smile. "I think you are right to watch us carefully. I'm practically a virgin, as you know, but he might even charm me out of my panties, if he worked at it! He's a good cook, too, you say?"
