Danielle sat on the white sand beach next to her husband of two years. They had been coming here together for the past five years since they began dating in the fall of 2001. As she sat watching the people at play and the waves rolling in to the wet sand he gently rubbed number 10 sun block on to her body.
Dani shielded her brown eyes with dark green UV protected sun glasses that also hid eye movement. Those eyes followed a young girl walking along the edge of the water.
The stranger, Dani reckoned, stood perhaps five foot seven. Dark hair fell onto her shoulders. Some cleavage was visible. As she walked bye Dani turned her head to enjoy the sight of well curved lower body and buttocks.
Danielle lay face up and stretched her 5 foot eight body. Mark continued to rub the lotion on to her.
"I think you're well protected by now."
"Yes I think so," she replied happily.
"Sweetheart what's for dinner tonight?"
"What would you like?"
Late that afternoon she served him a Sicilian dish called finnochio con sarde outside on the deck. The recipe had come down from her 56 year old immigrant mother.
Twentyeight years old, she was born two years after her mother's arrival in the United States. She had grown up learning two languages; English and Sicilian.
That time spent on vacation passed all too quickly. Dani returned to work wishing that she had more time to spend away from the office. She dreaded the workload some days. Some of the people upset her more than the work load.
Karen stood five foot nine with a body that seemed almost too muscular for a woman. An exercise fanatic she spent time every night at the gym near her home. The ash blond had begun playing tennis seriously as a freshman in high school. At age thirtyfive she still played at least on weekends with one partner or another.
Karen didn't care who knew that she's a lesbian. She had been quite open about it and did not care what anyone thought of her.
Karen and Dani could not get along. Danielle considered the other woman to be insulting and even at times impressed with herself.
The Monday after vacation Danielle arose from bed and came into the kitchen. Her husband was sitting with a cup of coffee and two slices of raisin toast. It was 6 30.
"Going back to work after vacation always makes me a little nervous."
Mark looked at his wife sympathetically.
"Too much work," he said, "I know the feeling."
"That too," she added, " Karen Somers is the biggest jerk and the biggest queer."
"Tell me about it," he said.
"Sexual harassment," Dani said.
"Isn't she the office dyke?"
"You got that right," Dani answered.
What ever happened three days ago on the beach was buried in Danielle's mind. No one knew that she looked at the other girl the way she had.
Dani kissed her husband lightly on the lips just before they parted. Some time later she left for her job.
Dani spent her day in charge of purchasing paper and binding for the printing of books. Karen had worked in accounts payable but the jobs did bring them into contact.
Monday evening had been Mark's traditional bowling night. This would take him out of the house for perhaps a couple of hours. During that time Dani would be alone in the house.
"Honey I'm going. I'll be home around eight."
"Ok," she called out from the living room, "have a good game."
She had met his bowling team buddies one after another on previous nights. There were Al, Rick, and Todd.
Dani had given some thought to the morality of lesbian sex. Like most she would say that she didn't care about another's preference, an interpretation of the new testament teaching against being judgmental. She tried to tell herself that everything was fine so long as Karen didn't make advances.
Danielle had secretly logged into her favorite lesbian only chat room. As "Prettygirl" she had many erotic chats. The scenes played out in her mind and her fingers typed.
Over time she became acquainted with many girls who visited the room. She knew them only from how they described themselves. She had created many different settings which the other girl had fit into perfectly. The night clubs, the beach and the mountains name a few. Every "date" led to sex.
The digital clock was coming up on eight. She heard a car door then seconds later heard Mark coming in the front door. She logged out of the chat. Her mind quickly reverted back to morality issues.
"Hi hon," she said," how did you do tonight?"
"pretty good," he answered.
She had been brought up to believe that God intended sex to procreate. Lesbian sex could not do that so therefor it must be wrong. Besides she wanted to give her mom and dad a grand child.
"How good?"
"I bowled a 180."
"Did you get a lot of strikes?"
"A few," he answered.
On Tuesday at noon Danielle sat in the cafeteria eating her tuna sandwich and drinking her bottled coke classic. She gazed out the window at the high way below thinking about the planned improvements to their home.
Karen walked to the table. Dani ignored her.
"Do you mind if I sit here?"
When Danielle didn't answer Karen pulled out a chair and sat.
"You're a bitch."
"I've never bothered you."
Dani knew that Karen had actually paid her a compliment. The time spent in chat rooms had defined "bitch" as beautiful and intelligent. She gave no sign that she knew this.
"Are you married?"
"Mark and I have been married for two years."
Dani wondered how Karen could not notice a diamond and wedding band.
Karen realized that her crush on Danielle had been unrequited. Dani was straight and taken.
Neither Dani nor Karen added any more to the chat. At 12 30 they left for their respective offices without a word spoken. For the first time in a long time Karen walked away from someone fighting back tears.
Danielle had gone back online that evening finding her favorite chat room almost filled to capacity. Another sexual fantasy played itself out on the private message screen. Dawn was also a regular in the room.
Mark had always been a die hard sports fan. What ever else was going on in his life during that summer the baseball game came first. Even at the bowling alley the night before the game had played on the big screen television. Dani paid no attention to the game or his emotional reactions to it.
Wednesday had gone well at work for Dani until it was time to leave. She had stayed the extra hour in order to get caught up on some work from vacation. At 5 she and Karen entered the central elevator.
The elevators in the building had a tendency to breakdown trapping occupants until the repair man could arrive. That day it happened.
Danielle was easily given to panic. Her panic was audible even outside her prison.
"Oh my God tell me this isn't happening!"
