This is the first part of a long story. It's also my first attempt at erotica. Please comment.
Nothing was the same any more once the world turned upside down. A glimmer of news from a far off country turned into a trickle and then a torrent, it was coming. Should we be afraid? Surely we lived in a sophisticated country, it couldn't happen here. We'd be fine, we'd have a plan, a backup, all mapped out. Then the pandemic banged on our door and marched right in, without a buy or leave. People were afraid, the politicians dithered but it was in April that everything changed. It was called lockdown. Work stopped, and the nation sat at home. Families were thrown into close contact for twenty four hours a day and relationships were strained. Families were separated by miles and by rules and relationships were strained. The endless days were only broken up by meals or the state sanctioned stroll, the hour of exercise people were encouraged to take each day. The traffic stopped and no one knew what to do.
C and H were just an ordinary couple with grown up children. They had danced the dance of life together for decades, sometimes closer together, sometimes further apart. They knew each other's ways, perhaps they knew each other's ways a little too well. They were the normal couple next door apart from the not so normal parts of their lives. They had normal jobs, normal finances, normal hours, normal dreams, normal desires, normal secrets. Some of their normal flowed down the same path and some flowed in different streams. C was neat and fastidious, H scruffy and scatter brained. C was slim and fit, H seedy and fat. C was shy, H was brash but they shared a fierce intelligence and a set of secrets. Other secrets they hid from each other but mainly from them selves. C liked to be massaged and pampered but desired little else sensually or sexually, H had a thing about dressing in women's clothes and shared his unrequited submissive fantasies. The mismatch in desires had been problematic over the years but generally they bumbled along, supporting each other through life.
When lockdown came, they were apart. C had locked at her sister's place so had the delights of the Devon countryside to explore. H was left at home, occasionally going into work. C spent hours walking the lanes with her sister or cycling further alone, H spent the days flouncing round the house in a frock. H would enjoy nighties at night and demi bras by day. His only limitation was leaving the house while dressed, C was tolerant but she drew the line at him taking his exercise in a frock.
The two of them spent time together on WhatsApp, sharing their news, what little news there was. C talked about her explorations including a favourite ride, across the hills to the next valley, along the river then back over some different lanes. A mile outside one of the villages she cycled through was a cottage that backed onto the stream. She mentioned it to H several times as a landmark on her trips as the quirky cottage with rambling out buildings because of its unusual decoration and arty bits in the garden. On one of her trips a woman stepped out from the garden and said hello. C stopped for a chat and that's how Jenny entered their lives. It became a regular high spot in C's day, a trip through the countryside and a chat with Jenny the lady artist.
In one of their calls C told H all about her "I've met someone and I think you'd like her but..."
The long and pregnant pause was unusual
"But what?"
"But she's gay and I think I'm falling in love with her. I know its not like me but, I don't know, I feel I'm enjoying a fantasy moment. I've been cycling past her house every day and stopping for a chat and I look forward to talking with her. I feel like a naughty schoolgirl with a crush. Nothing will come of it, I don't fancy women and I'm not the sort of woman who has affairs. You know how shy I am. I just feel I've indulged your cross dressing for years and now I'm just going to indulge myself in this fantasy. I keep on feeling like I want her to wrap herself around me. Like I say, it's a fantasy and it won't go anywhere."
H replied "What if I said you should leave the door open to ... well, indulging your fantasy. You never know, you might enjoy it. I'm sure our relationship could cope with you having a fling. As you say, you've put up with all sorts of nonsense from me."
He saw her pause and swallow hard, them smile back at him.
"Thank you for saying that. I really appreciate it. I still probably won't but if I do... I'll think of some treats for you"
She was smiling and H wondered from sparkle in her eyes whether she would and if she did, what treats might be in store.
The days passed and life went on, in their daily WhatsApp calls C and H spoke of this and that but not of the other. Perhaps it was just a flash in the pan, an idea that came and went until C rang H one afternoon. She was lying on the bed, stretched out, wrapped in towels, still wet from the bath. She was glowing, her eyes alive.
"I've been invited for tea, I'm just getting ready."
"Invited where?"
"Jenny, the woman I told you about."
