Sappho, mentioned in the title, was a Greek poet and author many of whose poems and stories were written for the women she loved. Although considered subversive after her death in approximately 600 b.c. she is today venerated on the island from which the name 'lesbian' is derived.
Although all characters and events are fictitious the resort of Skala Eressos exists on the Greek island of Lesbos and it is the centre, yearly, of a large lesbian festival. The tour company mentioned also exists and has its base in the area. Many women, having found the resort, set up home here running small hotels and pensions exclusively for women.
I looked across the aisle and watched as the knuckles on Lisa's fingers whitened with her grip on the arm of her airline seat. 'Fuck that camera', I thought, if we hadn't had to go back for it we could have had window seats together and I could have comforted her. As it was the three feet that separated us may as well have been three miles for all the good that I was doing her.
I tried to get Lisa to visit her doctor and obtain some tranquilisers for the flight, but no, she decided to trade alcohol for drugs this time. As it was she'd had two large brandies and she still looked like a frightened rabbit caught in the headlights of a speeding car.
I reached across the aisle, my hand covering hers, a gesture, hopefully of reassurance. Her hand left the arm and gripped mine, bridging the gap that separated us. Suddenly she let go, her hand once more gripping the armrest as she looked around the plane, furtively.
I rested back into my seat. I knew what she was thinking. I felt like shouting back at her, 'So we're fuckin' dykes, so what', but I didn't. I'd tried to get her to 'come out' more times than I could count. On the last occasion she reminded me, forcefully, that I had nothing to loose, and she was right. I had no family to condemn me, or friends to judge. I was orphaned at the age of ten, both parents killed in a stupid car crash with a drunken salesman, leaving me to kick around foster homes for eight years, until the last one kicked me out for coming on to their daughter. At least that was what they had thought, actually, it was the other way around, but, I must admit, I didn't resist.
When we met I could tell immediately that Lisa was attracted to me, and I too her. It took months before she admitted it, and even then I was sworn to secrecy, like two school children sharing a stupid secret. It took even longer to get her into bed.
The sound of the engines revving dragged me back from my thoughts. I looked across the aisle at Lisa; her eyes were shut tight, causing little crows feet to show around the corners. My heart ached to comfort her, to tell her that it was ok, but I was strapped in, helpless.
The plane moved forward slowly, the engines revving higher, almost screaming. Then the brakes came off and we hurtled down the runway. Lisa's lips had slipped back, her white teeth gripped together as if she was snarling. I reached to her again, but she didn't respond this time. After a few minutes we were at cruising height and I saw her relax back into her seat.
Our trip to Lesbos was an attempt, by me, to get her to act as if we were a couple in public, instead of pretending that we were two girls out together, friends not lovers. I'd heard that it was a 'gay friendly' island, not surprising; after all, it was where the word lesbians originated. Sappho had a lot to answer for, I thought, wryly.
I unbuckled my seat belt and stood in the aisle, stretching. Being 5'10", and as Lisa remarked once, all legs, meant that the room provided by the budget airlines was less than adequate for me. Looking around the cabin I spied quite a few girls sitting together, most engaged in conversation or reading. I caught the eye of one and smiled. She smiled back, then leant across planting a lingering kiss on her partner. I shrugged as she looked back at me, smiling again and raising her eyebrows. I wondered if it was an invitation for a threesome at a later date. I shook my head, declining, if that was what it was. She mouthed 'ok' back at me and engaged, once more, in conversation with her fellow passenger, as if nothing had happened.
I sat down. Why can't we be like that, I thought. Be like a normal couple and if people don't like it then fuck them. I knew most of Lisa's friends and family by now and I had to agree with her that some would have abandoned her, if they had known about us. The apartment we shared had two bedrooms, the unused one always looking anything but, in case anyone called uninvited. As far as anyone knew we were just good friends splitting the cost of the rental, which in London, was exorbitant.
We rarely went out together, her fear of discovery meaning that we had to go to the 'straight' places, no gay bars for us. The resulting problem of fending off men on the prowl for an easy lay meant that nights were usually spent in front of the T.V. or listening to music; not the sort of life for two young people, and both of us being in our mid twenties that was what we were. This holiday was, hopefully, going to change that, if only for two weeks, but things had started off badly. I tried to slip my arm around her in the departure lounge but she shrugged me off, even though two girls were openly making out, much to the amusement of the other passengers.
I looked across at her; she was engrossed in a paperback, acting as if we were strangers. I was tempted to open the overhead locker and get my own book down, an anthology of lesbian erotica, but I knew that she wouldn't speak to me for days if I did. The book was destined to be hidden, read allowed to each other in the seclusion of the bedroom.
I know I shouldn't have but I couldn't resist it. I leant across the aisle to her and whispered, "Fancy a trip to the toilet for a quick one", I said. A look of horror spread across her face and I laughed, drawing the attention of several other passengers. She again absorbed herself in the book, that's me ignored for the next couple of hours, I thought. I did think of spending ten enjoyable minutes in the toilet myself, but I didn't think it was fair on the other travellers, a queue already forming outside. I suppose I could have asked for a blanket to hide my actions but knowing what I was like when I came everyone in the immediate vicinity would have known. No book, and no one to talk to, this was going to be a long flight, I thought, so I settled back into my seat to snooze my journey away.
By the time I woke we were coming into land. I'd missed my lunch, which is never a bad thing knowing what airline food is like. I looked across at Lisa, her hands were gripping the armrest, I wondered if the nail marks would ever totally disappear. I didn't reach out to her this time, I thought, what's the point, she'd just ignore me. Again relief bathed her face as we touched down at Mytilene, another flight not destined for the disaster list. As we taxied to the terminal she smiled at me, at least she was beginning to thaw, but, I wondered, how hot would she eventually get?
By the time we got our luggage she had actually touched my hand, she did look around to make sure that no one was watching, but at least it was a start. When we boarded the bus to transfer us to the accommodation she rested her hand on my knee, I was surprised until I noticed there was no one in the opposite seat to see, when someone did sit the hand was quickly removed. I didn't expect her to throw me to the ground and lick me out but surely a small show of public affection wasn't too much to ask, especially on holiday and especially here.
We reached our accommodation, on the edge of Mithymna at about two in the morning, Greek time, and we were both exhausted. The thought of cuddling up together, not having sex, but just being close filled my mind, that is, until I discovered that she had booked a twin room; no double bed. My anger rose again.
"What the fucks this?" I said when we entered the room, "When we looked for a place you were supposed to specify a double bed . . . we agreed."
"We can push them together," she answered.
"Yeah, and then pull them apart in the morning? For fucks sake Lisa, do you think anyone cares here?"
