Restarted

2. The Ash-Blonde Woman

Edgar and Delia lay side by side and naked. Again and again, Delia found her gaze running up and down Edgar's nearly hairless body, admiring those youthful muscles. Her hand brushed his cock, limp now but not small. "You are a pretty good fuck" she said.

"Thanks," Edgar said. "I think that I really needed... That was a great way to start back over."

"So what happens next?" Delia asked. "I mean -- I'm happy for this to be a one-off, if you like.

I

must seem quite weird to

you

, after all."

"Is that what you want?"

"No! Well, not really. I'm not pretending that this was

love

or anything, that's all. You have a great ass, and I wanted you, and the rest of you turned out not to be so bad either. I'd love to do this again. But you were right, I don't know much about being Restarted. I mean, what do you think about us youngsters? What's the normal way things go between you and people like me?"

"There is no

normal way

." Edgar sighed. "This is all very new for everyone, you know. And I'm still putting my mind back together. I'm making this us as I go along!"

"So we just carry on for now?" Delia smiled.

"Perhaps. But there are -- other things I've learned."

"How do you mean?"

Edgar sighed, and then reached for his clothes. "Come on," he said, "there's someone I want you to meet."

Delia quickly showered and dressed in casual clothes, then followed Edgar willingly, although he had turned silent now. He led her through the relatively quiet Sunday-midday streets to the plain building that she'd barely previously registered when she'd passed it, although a sign on the gate made its function as a specialist hospital quite plain. He waved a pass at the receptionist, and then signed Delia in as a guest; the receptionist was too briskly efficient to show any signs of curiosity as to the young woman's interest there. Then Edgar took Delia along plain, well-let corridors to a side room, entering after knocking on the door briefly.

The room had one occupant, a slim, young-looking woman with ash-blonde hair and brown eyes, clad in a plain tunic and a long skirt, sitting in an armchair next to the hospital bed. The woman looked up when they entered, and smiled politely.

"Oh, hello," she said "it's Edgar, isn't it? Who's this, a new friend?"

"Hello Ann" said Edgar. "Yes, this is Delia. Delia, this is Ann."

Ann stood up, and Delia shook her hand, and looked as carefully as seemed polite at her smooth, flawless skin. Feminine curves aside, and she had some, Ann had a little more body fat than Edgar, but not much.

"Forgive me," Delia said, "but I gather that you're Restored too."

"Yes -- isn't it marvelous what they can do these days? A whole new life! I've been reading about the world, and deciding what I want to do." She gestured at a heap of magazines and books.

"Excuse us a moment," Edgar said, and drew Delia out of the room.

"She seems nice," said Delia. "A bit vague, though. Did they have to wipe a lot of her memory?"

"In a way. Most of it was already gone, I'm afraid. She was an early case -- a bit of an experiment, really; they risked it with her because she had so little to lose. You're right; she doesn't remember much. For example..." he paused

"What?" Delia stared at him.

"She doesn't remember me. Which does feel weird, as you put it, because we were married for sixty years."

Delia gasped. "God!" she said, then drew breath.

Edgar smiled wryly. "Yes. Actually, legally speaking, we're still married. The law hasn't caught up with this sort of thing, I suppose." He paused. "And now, I'm afraid that I have shocked you."

"Wow. I don't know. It is weird, isn't it?"

"Weird is barely the word. I don't know how to talk to her. Our family has been scared witless by the whole thing, and don't come to see either of us -- I can't blame them, our own kids are nice retired people who look too old to be our parents -- so I'm stuck here trying to work out what to do. You helped me a lot this morning, but I won't blame you if you leave things here. This sort of thing isn't your problem."

Delia shook her head. "It

is

weird," she said, "but I guess it's fascinating too, and I like helping people." She smirked a little at that, then pushed that chain of thought aside. "Now. Can we talk to her some more?"

"Of course. She likes visitors. She's very bright, I should say -- she always was. She's just still collecting stuff to be bright

about

. Come on." He reopened the door to the room.

Delia and Edgar sat on upright chairs opposite Ann as she talked about the books she'd been reading -- travelogues and popular science stuff, as it turned out, and she did indeed seem bright enough to understand everything -- and then as she asked about Delia, who talked a little about her job. Then Delia decided to risk a question of her own.

"Do you get out of here much?" she asked.

"Oh yes, sometimes." Ann laughed. "They couldn't stop me -- I'm a legal adult, you know, and perfectly healthy -- but I'm still learning enough to get around safely on my own. I like going for walks when one of the therapists or nurses has got time to go with me."

Delia nodded. "Perhaps you'd like to go out this afternoon, with us? We could have lunch somewhere, together." Out of the corner of her eye, Delia saw Edgar tense a little at that. She guessed that he found dealing with Ann confusing and a little distressing, naturally enough, but lacking his emotional baggage, she liked the woman, and did feel an urge to help her.

"I'd love that!" Ann almost sprang to her feet, and Delia smiled.

And so Edgar went and changed into ordinary clothes, and then the three of them strolled out of the hospital, and went for lunch at one of Delia's favorite cafes. There, Ann fell on a three-course lunch with enthusiasm, trying tastes from the other two's plates during every course. It was clear that she was experiencing the world anew, and enjoying every moment. Afterward, as they took a stroll, Ann announced that she didn't want to return to the hospital immediately.

"I don't have to very soon, you know" she said. "They hardly bother with tests any more. There's nothing for them to find."

Delia smiled at her. "What would you like to do?" she asked.

"You know," said Ann, "I'd like to see where you live. I don't think that I've seen an ordinary home in -- well, forever, so far as I remember. The hospital is fine, but I'd like to think that I can visit friends and just talk."

Delia smiled. "My place is small, and a mess" she said.

"I think that makes it better" said Ann.

And so they returned to Delia's apartment, where Delia made coffee and then returned to the sitting room to discover that Edgar, who'd been subdued during Ann's bursts of enthusiasm and slightly squeezed out of the conversation, had now thawed enough to chat with Ann about other people at the hospital and generalities about exercise. Delia gave them their coffees and sat at the other end of her sofa from Ann, while Edgar sat in an armchair.

Ann looked from Delia to Edgar and back. "By the way," she asked, "are you two having sex?"

Delia spilled her coffee, and Edgar put his down and froze solid, gripping the arms of his chair. Delia remembered that it was his wife of sixty years asking that question.

"Oh, I'm sorry" said Ann, "was that rude? I'm still getting the hang of what's polite and what isn't -- it seems that what I do remember is out of date anyway."

"It was a bit -- upfront" Delia replied.

"Sorry" Ann repeated. "I was just curious, you know? I know that I must have had sex myself, once upon a time, and it's another thing that I'd like to try again, some time. I'm just trying to get the etiquette right, and to discover how to talk about it."

Delia mopped up the spillage -- there wasn't much, and she had tissues to hand, fortunately, and shook her head. "That's a complicated subject" she said, and took another drink of the remaining coffee to buy time. "But I'm all in favor of honesty myself, so --" here she stared at Edgar, whose expression was that of a deer caught in a car's headlight beam "-- yes, Edgar and I have had sex."

"Oh, that's good" Ann smiled. "Was he good at it, my dear?"

"Yes," said Delia, reminding herself how little of this situation Ann could understand. "You don't have to worry; being Restored leaves you just fine in bed."

"Good" Ann repeated, drinking more coffee. But she was evidently unwilling to let the subject go. "I suppose that being so healthy must help. Though they haven't given me much of a figure back, have they? I think that I used to have more curves than this. And men do seem to like that, so far as I remember."

"I wouldn't worry too much" Delia replied. "Plenty of men like slim and athletic."

Ann smiled. "That's nice to hear" she said.

"As to etiquette these days, well" Delia smiled back at her. "A lot of it is the same as ever, I think. But there is one thing you might not know. You've got a medical implant system, right?"

"Oh, that thing" said Ann, rubbing her shoulder.

"Yes. Well, they must have told you that if you tap it three times, it shows what they call your general public status -- the things that you don't mind someone else knowing about you. Well, one thing that shows is that you're healthy -- assuming that you are, and you certainly are. It'll also say that your contraceptive system is turned on. It's considered polite to let someone see that before things go to far."

Ann looked interested, and pulled the shoulder of her loose-fitting tunic aside, revealing the implant display. (But no bra strap, Delia was amused to notice. Evidently that slim, toned, youthful body had definite advantages.) Absently, illustrating the principle, Delia reached over and performed the standard gesture, and watched the same sort of display as she'd seen on Edgar's system a few hours before. Ann squinted, but couldn't seen the display properly, and after a moment, Delia loosened her top and showed Ann the same trick on her own system.

"Thank you" said Ann, "that's very interesting, and I'm glad to see that you're quite healthy too. But I hope that this doesn't mean that we have to have sex now."

It took Delia a split second to realize that Ann was displaying a dry sense of humor, but then she laughed. "No," she said, "no obligations."

"Good. Not that I find you unattractive, mind you; you're very pretty, and I like that. But I understand that it would be impolite to Edgar..."

But Ann didn't finish that sentence, as Edgar jumped up and bolted from the room. Delia, who'd been startled herself, stood up and followed him with a muttered apology.

She sound Edgar in the kitchen, staring out of the window. "I take it that this is, well, unprecedented?" she asked.

Edgar looked around. "It certainly is" he said. "Ann was always quite straight-laced. I got the feeling that she could understand what made another woman attractive -- she had a good eye for lots of things -- but..."

"No signs of bisexual or lesbian tendencies?"

"Quite. I guess it's having to rebuild her mind these days. She sees everything as possible, and she probably wants to try all sorts of things."

"Good for her!" Edgar looked up, and Delia grinned. "I'm in favor of trying things myself. Don't complain at that -- remember that I tried a ninety-three-year old man earlier today."

"That's true." Edgar smirked at the memory.

"Right. So I suggest that we get back in there and help her work this thing out."

"What do you mean?"

"If she wants to try things, I'm happy to help her -- provided that you join in."

Edgar gawped. "Are you proposing to seduce my wife?" he hissed.

"Partly. Actually, though, I mostly want to help

you

seduce your wife. I don't think that I'll have to do much for myself."

"What? What the

hell

do you think you're on about?"

"Look, Edgar," Delia raised her hands, palm outwards, in what she hoped was a gesture of calm. "You were married to that woman in there for sixty years, great -- but now everything had been Restarted. Literally. I don't know what happens next, and nor do you. Maybe, once you've got used to the idea that you need to get to know her all over again, you'll be happily married again for another sixty years. Or maybe you'll both go your own ways and she'll, oh, end up touring the European orgy scene while you start a new career. Whatever turns out to work, I guess. But right now, she's clearly hot to go, and she needs to get the hang of sex again -- and you're the person least likely to take advantage of her while she's learning, right? I'll join in, because she's discovered this bi-curious streak -- but I get the feeling that, if we don't do something, she'll start going for walks on her own and picking up rough trade somewhere. This is safer."

"So you're doing this as a favor?"

"Well, that, and the fact that the pair of you are totally fucking hot. So let's get back there and help your sweet amnesiac Ann work out what she likes, okay? And try to look happy while you're being fucked by two eager women, please."

Edgar didn't argue, although Delia wasn't sure if that because he was speechless.

Ann was still sitting on the sofa when they returned to the sitting room, and she launched into a string of apologies the moment Delia and Edgar arrived. But Delia walked over and placed a finger to her lips in a deliberate gesture. "Don't worry," she said. "You're coming across as a bit brash, but it's not a problem. Now," Delia sat down again, and Edgar followed suit, "as you've said what you've said, I have to ask -- does this mean that you fancy just women, or women and men, or what?"

"Oh, both!" Suddenly Ann sounded quite girlish. Then she caught herself. "But I'm sorry -- what must you and Edgar think of me?"

"Actually, if I know men, Edgar will be quite happy to think about this" Delia muttered.

"What do you mean?" Ann asked.

"Oh, it's just the big standard male fantasy. Twice as many women, no male competition, and them coming along to show both the girls what they

really

need."

"Oh. I see." Ann looked thoughtful. "And does that work? Do we need them like that?"

"Occasionally." Delia found herself caught up in a flood of memories. "Cock is nice. I'm mostly hetero, and I have to admit, for me, cock is

really

nice. But there are a lot of other things that are good too..."

She was interrupted by a wordless gurgling sound from Edgar, but she just smiled at that and carried on. "But I'm getting the impression that you really want to try this for yourself, right?"

Ann looked away at that, and blushed; Delia realized that the Restart hadn't entirely stripped her of reserve. "Yes. I do like the idea of sex. But it's so difficult to know where to start."

Delia stood up and took Ann by both hands. "Well, you know what they say" she said. "There's no time like the present. We'll show you what to do."

Ann beamed at that. "Really?" she asked, "you'll help me?"

"Certainly. Between you and me, you're sexy as hell, and it isn't going to feel like

helping.

"

Ann stood up and hugged Delia, who led her through to the bedroom. Edgar trailed along behind, clearly the least certain of the three, and stood in the doorway as Delia turned to Ann again and kissed her full on the lips. Ann murmured happily, and ran her hands tentatively over Delia's back. Delia reached down, grasping the hem of Ann's tunic, and drew it up and away. Ann's breasts were indeed quite small, but neat and pert as a teenager model's; Delia held Ann at arm's length to look at them, then leaned forward to kiss both of her nipples in turn.

"Yes," said Ann, "that is nice."

Delia guided her to the bed, then helped her shed her flat-soled shoes, her shapeless skirt, and the plain panties that she wore underneath. Ann wasn't paralyzed, but it seemed that she wanted guidance at every stage. More -- she was thoroughly enjoying the feeling of being guided.

Delia stood back to begin stripping off her own clothes as Ann sat on the bed, and suddenly Edgar was beside her, clumsily undressing himself. Delia reminded herself that he did have the hormones of a teenager, and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Just kiss her for a moment," she said, "then we'll show her something."

Edgar obeyed, applying his tongue to Ann's throat and belly, making her pale nipples pucker up with his eager tongue, enthusiastically running his hands along her thighs as Ann murmured

Good

over and over again. This gave Delia time to finish stripping off, and she threw herself on the bed beside Ann, her dark hair and the complexion she'd inherited from her Asian mother making a contrast to Ann's porcelain perfection.

"Now," she said, "a demonstration first. Watch this closely, Ann -- there'll be a test later."

Ann smiled, looking directly at Edgar's crotch. "I'm watching," she said, then "Is that what you mean by 'cock'?"

"It sure is" Delia replied.

She grabbed Edgar by the arm and hip and pulled him to her. He was rampantly hard again, but fortunately she was already wet with expectation herself. She guided him into her, locked her legs around his thighs, and began rocking back and forth. Once again, his hormones took over, but he held back for just long enough that she was able to reach orgasm herself, gasping with pleasure in the immediate wake of Edgar's noisy climax.

Edgar slumped on top of her, and she looked at Ann again. "There, see?" she said, "The basics are very easy."

Ann smiled. "I hope that you haven't used him up" she said.

"I don't think so. The doctors did a very good job on you people, you know. But anyway, while he recovers -- it does take a moment -- there are things we can be doing."

Edgar rolled off her on the other side, and Delia leaned over Ann, running a hand over her face and shoulders, and then her breasts and stomach. "You're gorgeous" she breathed, "this is really an honor." And then her hand moved further down, and Ann looked concerned for a moment, and then smiled.

For a short time, Delia caressed Ann's thighs and hips, and Edgar took the opportunity to move round the bed and lie on the other side of Ann, watching the process. Stealing a quick glance, Delia noted that this girl-on-girl show was already having the desired effect on him -- but that was something to exploit later.

Delia's fingers caressed Ann's cunt, carefully probing; she felt the other woman gasp and writhe as she teased her body. Then she moved on, letting her thumb work on Ann's clitoris as her fingers probed and opened. But something felt wrong, too resistant, and she frowned as she traced kisses over Ann's perfect pale stomach. Suddenly, the truth came to her, and she gasped. "Good god, she's a virgin!"

Edgar stared at Delia across Ann's surging breasts, then scowled. "Of course she would be," he muttered, "they rebuild your whole body."

"Oh," said Ann, "what's the problem?"

"Before you have sex for the first time, your cunt is, well, partly closed off. The first time has to tear through. It can hurt a bit. Just for a moment."

"Oh dear" said Ann. "Well, never mind..."

"No, no worries" Delia said, "but we all want this to be good for you, so let's get you nice and relaxed and ready." She twisted round and rummaged in the second draw of her bedside cabinet. "Here we are" she said with a pleased smirk, turning back with what she'd found.

"What's that?" Ann asked.

"It's what they call a

vibrator

." Delia tapped the switch, and the toy hummed gently into life, ripples moving along its soft plastic shaft. "Now, just lie back..."

She traced the sex toy on its slowest setting over Ann's neat breasts and smooth stomach, and then moved it over her pubic mound and into the entrance to her cunt. Physical virgin or not, Ann was wetly ready, and for some minutes, Delia eased the rounded, pulsing tip of the toy back and forth, opening the way a little more each time. By now, both she and Edgar were kissing Ann's breasts, taking turns to tease her nipples into ever greater response, and Ann was lying back as commanded, unspeaking, breathing deeply.