The Owls Club

The OWLS Club

The story is about a group of people, an actual place, and a dream. While having a none too subtle dig at society in general. This is a work of pure fiction. None of the characters are real people, nor do they represent real people. It is a slow burn, a lot of romance and some gratuitous sex for those who need to get off on it. It is based in Australia so I have used local language. There is some Italian and French conversations, so if you want to really become attached to the characters I strongly recommend you use a google translator. It will help with the flow of the conversations. As I use the Queen's English, I will apologise in advance to my American friends for the correct spelling of some words.

Some of the place names are correct.

There is no underage sex involved.

Part 7 -- A French Distraction.

After my brief meeting with Jen at 4pm that afternoon, I thought it was late enough in the day to enjoy a glass of wine, or two. Korked had just opened for their evening customers and as I walked in through the door, I saw Ash, wiping down the tables as she went around the place, making sure all was as it should be.

"You're early?" She commented as soon as she saw me. I smiled "I've had a busy day and need a drink." I told her.

She poured my a red wine from off the top shelf, I brought it to my nose, swirled around the glass took another sniff, and then a sip.

"Hhhmmm nice. I needed that."

"Glad you liked it. From my private stock you know." She told me.

"YE Gods and little fishes, you are sharing your private stock, it's not Christmas again is it?" I asked with a smile all over my face.

"Shut up, or I'll take it back." Ashley exclaimed.

"Is your better half around, you know Ellie, your wife?" I asked with a smirk on my lips.

"You mean my other half? And she's in the kitchen, where she belongs." She told me.

"How come you never say that when she is around? Can we three have a chat before it gets too busy?" I asked her.

She looked at me sideways, and using her quick Aussie lesbian wit she said. "What's up, not pregnant are you? I knew you would get knocked up eventually, the way you flaunt yourself around. Know who the father is do you?" She carried on. All the while smiling.

"When you are quite finished with your comic routine, I have something to tell you both." I told her.

Ash, shouted over her shoulder, through the open kitchen doorway. "Hey babe, the little town flirt, wants a word to us, BOTH, it must be important."

Then the prettiest woman on this planet, poked her head around the kitchen door. Wiping her hands on a dish towel draped over her shoulder. Ellie saw me and her face lit up, "Hi Kathy, you're not a flirt, are you?"

"Oh I have my moments." I told her. She came around from behind the bar, hugged and kissed me. Swiftly looked at us, smiled and said to me "Unhand that woman, she's married."

"OK you have our undivided attention, what's on your mind?" She asked.

"I am opening an exclusive club next door." I came right out and told them, nothing subtle. "I can't see it impacting negatively on you guys, in fact it may prove to be a bonus." I explained.

"They looked at each other, Ash shrugged her shoulders, then looked back at me before asking, "First of all Why? And is it going to be another wine bar?

"Why, good question, two reasons, because I want a place for gay women to go and be safe and to be able to be who they want to be, without having to worry about who is watching them and what they think. Secondly because it will be profitable for the family." I told them with a smile. "AND no, we aren't going to be in competition with you. This will be an exclusive 'members only' club. Very discrete on the outside and totally safe on the inside. A couple of bars, a small restaurant, some reading rooms, and places for a member to be intimate with their guest."

Ash looked straight at me and without batting an eyelid, "So you are opening an all-girl knock shop next door to our highly respectable wine bar, great. How am I going to keep the wife out of there every day?" She said to me.

"Simple." I said, "Make sure you keep her well sated at home and she won't need to be a member, You two still, you know, still do it don't you. I mean you are getting old now."

"What, who's old?" Asked Ash, "Besides you think that smile on her face is all because she enjoys working here with me, hell no." All of that was said with a complete warm smile on her face and Ellie reminded her "Happy wife, happy life."

Then hugged Ashley and kissed her on the cheek, patted her backside and asked "Are you still a happy wifey?" Ashley looked at her smiled, kissed her on the tip of her nose and nodded. "Yep, you know it girly, besides, you'll have to do for now" She replied.

I raised my glass to them said "Happy lives." Then took another sip of her wine.

"Thanks for letting us know in advance Kathy, but I can't see it being a problem." Said Ellie.

I finished my wine, told them I'll be back for dinner and headed out the door for my next task.

I wanted this one to be completely private.

I unlocked the car, a not so new Hyundai Sonata, I was never a big fan of flash cars, and this one was stylish, comfortable and inexpensive to run. Sat there for a minute and wonder how I was going to handle this next call. Although I did tell Emily that she would have to handle her mother, and I knew Emily and Mia was likely to come up in this conversation.

I love my family, but they can be difficult at times.

I started to dial Miriam's mobile number, stopped halfway through it, then continued, it rang once, then twice. And was answered. "Hi Kathy," her cheerful voice said to me, "How are you?"

"Hi sweetheart, I am wonderful, what about you?"

"Yeah, I'm good, keeping busy as per normal." She replied.

"That's important." I told her. "I was thinking it was about time we caught up for lunch or a night out, what do you say?"

"I'd say, Yes Please, it's been ages since we've had a night out. Just us two or should we drag Emily along too, show her how us oldies can still party." She asked.

"Emily would be great company, speaking of Em, has she told you about those Wall Art drawings she and Mia have done together?"

"Yes, she showed me one, beautiful aren't they?"

"Yes, I commissioned them to do the whole set for the family. Your dad has got two and I've sold another 3 earlier today. It goes without saying you'll have one or two."

"Yes she told me you wanted all of them done, she was so thrilled. You spoil her you know." She told me.

"Well this was purely a business decision, the 3 I sold today will just about pay for the whole lot. I have a feeling they will become quite a collectors piece."

"Now while we are talking about Emily and Mia, have they told you what they have been working on for me, well us?" I enquired.

"Not really, she did say you asked her and Mia to do some proposal about restoring an old building we own in the Port."

"That was why I was ringing you to tell you that we are going ahead with their proposal. We will take a hit on it for the first 3 years but after that I am certain it will return us a nice profit." I told her.

"OK, you know what's best. But please don't tell me this is just because she is your niece's daughter!" She asked in her own direct style.

"Miriam, sweetheart, you know me better than that. When it comes to the family, I do what's best for the family. This is no different. I did tell them that I wanted them to set up a business so we can pay them legitimately, nothing under the table. So I got them talking to Jen Halloran's law firm and our accountants. Nothing dodgy, they pay their own way. On top of all that, your daughter has a talent for interior designing. Well Erica thinks so. She gave her some work as well."

"And you had nothing to do with it, am I right?" I heard her say.

"Hand on my heart, not a thing, no arm twisting, no promises, no quid pro quo arrangements with anyone. These girls did it on their own. All their own work Miriam, honest to god." I replied.

I continued, without missing a beat, "This Mia is a good influence on our Em, she has her focused and giving her a sense of belief in herself."

"Hhhmmm, I have noticed she seems..... well very attached to her." She told me.

"You mean your daughter seems jubilant and yes they make a nice couple, don't you think?" I had laid the bait.

"Yes she does appear to be happy, but let's wait and see shall we, before everyone starts jumping to conclusions. As for them being a couple, I not so sure. You know what her grandmother and her grandfather will say, don't you?"

"I do, well I already know what your dad thinks, he mentioned it to me the other day, he is completely nonplussed to be honest, but I haven't spoken to your mum in ages, so I'm guessing she won't be too pleased. In a lot of ways Emily reminds me a lot of you, when you knew Paul was the one." I reminded her once again about her late husband and regretted it immediately. "So totally wrapped up in him you were, blind to what any of us thought."

"That was a long time ago Kathy." She hesitated for a moment then continued. "I still miss him, you know." She sounded down now and I felt guilty.

"Of course you do, we all do Miriam, we all do." I stopped for a moment before saying "I have often wondered why you never remarried?"

"Never felt right, to be honest, I was wanting Emily to grow up first and be happy." She sighed and I heard her take a deep breath.

"Well, you have succeeded, she is happy, she is a well-adjusted young woman, head over heels in love. You must be very proud and happy too?"

"If she could find a man like her dad I'd be even happier." She stated with a chuckle.

I sighed. "Come on Miriam, just be thankful she is happy. I explained. "Besides Mia is a wonderful person and she has Emily's best interests at heart, a better person than a lot of people we know." I told her. "Tell me" I asked her. "What concerns you most about Emily's choice of partner, the fact that it's a 'she' and not a he, or is there something else?"

"Well, I had in my mind the perfect scenario for her, a good man, her own home, a family, you understand don't you?"

"Actually no, I don't. What you have just said is a load of crap to me. Look at me, in my 60's, never been married, never had a child, I own my own home, plus several more if I wanted to, and on top of all that as happy as Larry about it. Look at you even, you could marry if you wanted to, or find a man if you wanted one. It isn't as if you are not a worthwhile catch, you still have your looks and a trim body, most men and a lot of women would chase the living daylights out of you, if you let them."

I heard her laughing, "Stop it." She said. "Are you trying to convert me to the dark side, set me up with one of your girlfriends, or something?" Miriam was laughing all the while as she said it.

"You know I wouldn't do that, if you want a girlfriend you will have to go find her yourself." I replied in earnest. "But I'm sure you know where to go to find a bloke if you wanted a 'quickie' or something." I laughed along with her.

"Kathleen, I'm not like that, I hope you weren't serious?" she asked aghast at the thought I would think she would.

I laughed again, "No Miriam, I know you aren't like that at all and any bed mate you find would have to have a romantic attachment that comes along with it, guy or girl."

"Stop with the girly talk Kathy, I'm not like that!"

The seeds had been sown and rejected wholeheartedly by this stony, barren, hard earth, but with a little water, some fertilizer, who knows what may take root?

"OK. What about our dinner date then, do you want to check with Emily and Mia, then get back to me?" I told her.

"Sure, but not sure when she will be home again. She has only been home one night this past week."

"Well they have been busy working on that proposal for me. Tell me something, do you allow Mia to stay over with Emily?"

"No way, I'm not going to encourage them. So please don't ask me to." She stated firmly.

"I have never butted in nor offered advice, unless asked, about you raising your child, so won't start now!" I exclaimed to her just as forcibly in return.

"But think on this for a while, you may not want to know what they get up to, and I am certain Emily won't willingly tell you, but those two are just as much a couple as you and Paul were before you were married. Remember the grief your mother gave you the first time you didn't come home one night. You swore black was blue to them that nothing happened. Remember? Are you still telling me nothing happened?"

We laughed again, "I think we were bonking all night long, and then again on the way home." She laughed out loud.

"How old were you?" I reminded her.

"OK, so my little Emily isn't all sweet and innocent any more, is that what you are trying to say?"

"I'm saying she and Mia are as much in love with each other as you and Paul were, if you want to see more of her, make it easier for them to be around you. That's all I'm saying." I said it with such a tone as to make it a gentle statement.

"Get back to me ASAP about a time and date, I'll pick the venue or venue's." I told her.

We said our good byes but before she hung up she told me sincerely. "I love talking to you Kath."

"Thank you, and I to you. Let's do it more often then." And I hung up the phone, well pushed the end button more like it.

I sat there in the car and thought back on the conversation. Smiled to myself and was happy with the result. The first hurdle, of Emily's mum was overcome, I was sure now that Mia wouldn't be made to feel unwelcome in Miriam's home. Plus I got to throw a few seeds into that barren land. Now to water it and to make sure the right fertilizer was used.

I walked back to the wine bar, as I past the front door of what will become the most talked about address in Port Adelaide. I stopped, looked up at this magnificent old build and said to myself. "You my old love are about to step into history."

I walked into Korked, Ash was chatting to a back packer by the looks of her. She was short, had sandy coloured hair, nicely proportioned, her body was thin, her backside was firm and cute, no cellulite, which told me she was young and her arms and legs revealed a well-toned suntanned person, a person who worked manually out in the weather. Her clothes were inexpensive and the shorts, were cut down from an old pair of jeans I was thinking. They were tight, extremely tight and very very short.

The bottom of her shorts finished at the bottom of her back pockets. And her T shirt, was a size too small for her but she still found a way to tie a knot in it underneath her small firm breasts. It too was very revealing, she wore no bra, and I noticed a pierced belly button.

I sat and watched her and listened to her broken English, which Ash was having trouble understanding. Now I must point out here, that Ash is a kindly person, loving most of the time, flirty with certain types of women and girls but was not blessed with an abundance of patience.

She saw me come in, smiled over the shoulder of her young customer, and rolled her eyes. They were going over the prices of the different glasses of wine, and or spirits. By the sound of her accent she was French, it was cute hearing her battle with broken English. I sat there for a short while and I saw Ash roll her eyes again, not for the second or third time I thought. Patience I remembered from earlier experiences wasn't one of Swiftly's most endearing features. I had to help them both out of an awkward situation and who knows, I might even help myself out into the bargain. That itch had returned.

I used what little French I knew to help. In fact my French was quite good and extensive.

"Désolé de m'immiscer, puis-je être d'une certaine aide?" I said to her.

"Oh oui s'il vous plait" she replied She smiled, nodded and replied. "Je suis confus par l'argent nécessaire pour juste un verre de vin."

"Un moment pendant que je parlerai à la serveuse" I told her, I then turned to Ash, who had such an astonished look on her face.

"Poor love is confused by your overpriced wines. And before you answer in your typical Australian slang, she does understand a little English, so be kind."

"I never knew you spoke French, and now I am betting that a certain Australia dyke has her eyes set on such a poor sweet thing."

I smiled back at her. Then turned to the young lady, "S'il vous plaît, laissez-moi payer votre vin et un repas, je suis sur le point de commander le mien, afin que nous puissions manger ensemble, est-ce que cela vous conviendrait?"

"Merci, j'adorerais ça. Ce serait bien d'avoir une compagnie aussi élégante" she replied.

I held out my hand and introduced myself. "Je suis Kathleen Ambrose, comment devrais-je t'appeler?"

She replied with a warm smile. "S'il vous plaît appelez-moi Michelle. Michelle Dumuir."

I turned to Ash, who stood there smiling at us both, "Ashley, meet Michelle Dumuir."

"La serveuse est aussi la propriétaire avec sa femme, elle s'appelle Ashley." They shook hands.

"Put it all on my tab Ash, and we'll be eating down in the OWLS nest." I informed her.

"Of course you will be, I'm guessing your guest will be staying overnight maybe?"

"If I'm lucky, she will." I answered over my shoulder as we walked towards my little alcove. My hand in the small of her back guiding her.

"Luck has nothing to do with it. And why does 'a fly into a spider's web' come to mind." She was talking just loud enough for me to hear.

I smiled back at her and raised my eye brows.

We enjoyed a bottle of good Australian wine, not that the French mademoiselle was overly impressed with it, nor the food. But she did enjoy the company she told me as she rested a hand on my arm.

I saw her looking at my chest and got the feeling she so wanted to touch them. I pushed them out on a couple of occasions, to tease, she took a deep breath each time I did.

I sensed in her demeanor a willingness to follow, as she accepted my guidance to the table and didn't flinch at the assertive hand in the small of her back. I let my hand fall to her thigh and I rested it as high as I dare with a complete stranger. She didn't flinch, nor did she close her legs or place a hand on mine. I took it that she was both inclined towards the fairer sex and was used to being in the company of older stronger companions.

It was just a feeling I had, the vibes she gave off.

I sipped my wine as I watched her movements, it was then that I saw the small rainbow on the inside of her wrist. I smiled to her as I picked up her hand and kissed her wrist and the rainbow, then nodded to her.

"J'adore ton tatouage arc-en-ciel, je devrais en avoir un, aussi un jour." I told her.

"J'espérais que vous le verriez et j'avais encore plus d'espoir que vous étiez si enclin." She replied. I leaned in and kissed her, her mouth opened and welcomed me.

I took her hand and led her outside, which was quiet and in fact it was totally empty so the Garden of Unearthly delights was all ours to explore.

We walked hand in hand around the pathways I stopped her, took her face in my hands and planted a kiss on her lips, her mouth welcomed me again, her tongue danced and entwined with mine. We moaned in each other's mouths. I put my hand on her bare stomach and let it slowly ride up to her small firm breasts, I tweaked her nipple, she swooned and told me it had been such a long time since her last lover.

I untied the knot in her T shirt and eased it off over of her head and let it fall to the ground as I searched for the button to her shorts, which unbuttoned so easily. She eased her shorts down and kicked them off and stood before me naked.