Lillian’s Bet

She’s sitting at her favorite table by the front window, her back to the wall, so she has a clear view of the room. She is carefully nibbling an almond croissant with her coffee, reading a book. She is probably around thirty, but presents herself as older. She has quite a pretty face made dour by the absence of any make-up. Her hair is a nice medium brown with some natural red toning, pulled tightly back in a workday bun. Her only jewelry is a thin gold chain around a first-class neck. Her clothes are quality, but blandly sensible, as well — a simple white blouse, pale plaid mid-calf skirt, and a lovely shawl sweater that would be perfect on my gran. She looks every bit the prim librarian, which I know is exactly what she is.I go across with my latte and stand at the empty chair until she looks up.”Mind if we share a table?” I ask and sit, not waiting for an answer.For a long moment, she looks blankly at me smiling across at her.”Ah… Sure, okay,” she answers quietly. She pulls her plate closer and goes back to her book.I take a few sips, looking around at the breakfast crowd, then deliberately back at her. I see her eyes flick my way for a second before she looks up, meeting my stare.”What? Do I have crumbs on me or something?””No. You’re quite perfect. I’m Bet,” holding out my hand to her.”Lillian,” she responds by reflex, taking my hand. We shake, but I don’t break our grip, as I hold her eyes and smile.”Like Bette Davis?” she asks, as we stay posed like that, hands grasped above our cups.”I wish! Like in ‘wanna make a?’ Mom named me Betsy. Really? Who the hell is named Betsy any more? So it’s Bet now and lay your money down.”She gives me a little smile. “Pleased to meet you, Bet,” she replies with a tiny hitch in her voice, as I slowly draw my hand away, letting a fingertip glide softly across her palm.She holds my eye for a second, then goes back to her book. I have another sip of coffee and watch the room.”She is cute.””She? Who? Bette Davis?” Lillian asks, looking up with a puzzled frown.”No. The girl you’ve been watching while you pretend to read. Her,” pointing with a nod, “the one in the yellow top, brown curls, sweet little bottom. You have good taste.””I don’t know what you could mean.””Oh nonsense, Lillian. Perfectly obvious, though I do have the advantage of an intimate knowledge of the whole girl/girl thing.””Intimate?””You’re a lesbian?””Shhh!” I hiss, an exaggerated finger to my lips, then lean in and whisper, “It’s supposed to be a secret, but I can show you my International Ladies Only membership card, if you need proof. I’m platinum level.” I give her a smile and a broad wink.”You’re funny!” she grins.”So, you gonna Kolej Escort ask her out?””Me? Goodness no. I wouldn’t… I don’t… I don’t date women.” She looks back into her book with a blush.”Don’t or haven’t?””I don’t.””So, you date men.””I didn’t say that. I don’t think about men that way.””So, a big no to men, but for women, it’s just ‘I don’t.’ Well, that may be true, but it doesn’t take a lesbian genius like me to see you think about it a lot. So what’s stopping you? Is it a religious thing? Family? Or are you afraid of what you might discover about yourself?””This is getting pretty damn personal for two women just sharing a table!””Hey, those were your eyes dancing with a girl’s bouncing butt a few minutes ago. Now, which is it?””I just never have.””So you don’t, because you never have, even though you really want to?”Stop putting words in my mouth!””Ha! Don’t have to, kiddo, doing that well enough all by yourself. Okay, simple solution. Dinner, you and me tomorrow. Pierre’s. A woman out with a woman, the two of us.””You and me? A date?””Well, that depends.””On what? she asks with a narrow stare.”On if I get to kiss you goodnight.””Very funny,” she retorts, with a sarcastic smile. She looks away into the middle distance, her face a blank. I can almost hear the wrestling match going on inside her head. “I have always wanted to try their menu,” she concedes at last. “I’ll think about it, okay? But no promises.””I’ll be there at 7:30, either way.”oOoOoOoI am lounging against the bar, sipping a neat whisky, and surveying the busy room. Through the swirl, I spot Miss Kathryn in her booth at the far end. She is flanked by a pair of astoundingly beautiful young women, a blond and a redhead tonight, each giving her their rapt attention, vying for hers. I catch her eye, offering her a smile and nod of respect, which she returns. She arches an eyebrow in question and I nod yes. She blows me a kiss, then turns her gaze to the blonde’s dark, prominent nipples on display beneath a gossamer pale peach blouse.I feel a soft touch at my elbow.”Bet? Sorry I’m late.””Nonsense. Right on time, Lillian.””I didn’t know what to wear. I hope I look okay.”I give her a slow head to toe. “You look lovely.” She has on a muted deco patterned blouse with a pleated navy skirt cut high enough to show off a nice pair of legs. Her hair is down, falling in loose waves to her shoulders in a vaguely 1940’s do. Her makeup is restrained, as one would expect given how seldom she probably wears any at all, but does play up her beautiful hazel eyes.”And you look… handsome,” she replies, taking in my dark camel Rus Escort Jaberri unstructured suit with a pale ecru shirt and vintage Lily Daché silk tie.”Shall we eat?” I ask with a chuckle. I give a little wave to Jillian, who comes over to collect us.”Your usual table. Angela asked to serve and Chef Pauline says hello.””Angela is always a delight and please give chef my warmest regards.””They seem to know you quite well here, Bet,” Lillian says with a smile.”Oh, we always enjoy your visits, don’t we… Bet?” Jillian murmurs, with a little smirk.I look up at her with a big smile and flutter my eyelashes shamelessly. I can hear her giggling as she leaves us.After a typically superb dinner, we are enjoying the last of our coffee and Armagnac. I now know more about the travails of the public library system than I ever wished to, but also discovered Lillian has a solid knowledge of German Expressionism and the Weimar years in Berlin, which is a passion of my own. I mentioned Veronica Lake in passing and thought she was going to swoon. And in between, there were jokes and smiles and little teases from both sides of the table.”I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a dinner as much as this.” Lillian declares warmly, setting down her cup. “Both the food and the company.” She takes out her cell and starts tapping.”What are you doing? I’m getting a Yelp review?””No,” she giggles, “calling a ride. I don’t drive.””Put that away. My car is outside and I claim the right. End of discussion.”She smiles with a nod. I slip Angela’s tip under my cup and get up to go, offering her my hand.”I see why they like you here,” she says, glancing at the bill peeping out.”Real consideration deserves real compensation, daddy always told me.”We park in front of her apartment on a quiet backwater street at the edge of the swanky part of town.”Thank you again for such a wonderful evening, Bet. I really am feeling quite happy for a change. I do have one question, though.””And that is?””Was this a date?”Our first kiss is slow and tender, her eyes never leaving mine. With the second, her hand finds the side of my head, and our tongues find each other.”Would you… Would you like to come up?” she barely whispers, looking down.I can hear in her voice what it took for her to ask that, see the tiny tremors of apprehension and uncertainty.”Nope. Bet’s rule. Never on the first date,” I whisper back, tipping up her head for a last kiss. “But call me, please?”oOoOoOoI figured it would take her three days. The first would be all euphoria and sunshine, but don’t rush like a schoolgirl. The second would be full of stormy doubts and Yenimahalle Escort second guesses. The third would be “For God’s sake, Lillian, don’t fuck this up! Call!” And I was right, which is just as well, since one day of business with a lady visiting from New York City had turned into a very lucrative two.”Bet? It’s Lillian. Sorry I didn’t get back sooner. Life, you know?””So good to hear your voice, Lil. Everything good?”So good. I still dream about that salmon… and everything else. That’s why I called. Would you like to have dinner on Friday? So I can pay you back?””My Friday is packed, but Saturday is free. Is that good?””Perfect. Do you like Italian?””Love Italian. Where were you thinking? Antonio’s?””I was thinking my place. I’m not Chef Pauline, but I make my own pasta and the basil’s from my window garden. Around 6:30?”Okay, that wasn’t expected. “Sounds wonderful. And I’ll bring dessert. Can’t wait, Lil, see you then.”I have been running scenarios through my head all day, trying to decide on the play. I finally give up. Too many possibilities, too many unknowns after one date, sweet as it was. Time to vamp and trust to your experience, missy.She opens the door before I have a chance to knock, greeting me with a beaming smile.”Oh my God, Lil! That’s fabulous!”She’s wearing an authentic 1940’s light cotton sundress with capped sleeves, a tight belted waist, and a wide flounced skirt. It is patterned in fantastically colored hibiscus flowers on a mint green background. She stands back and gives me a sexy spin, her breasts dancing beneath the thin cloth.”Like it? I found it in a thrift store years ago, but never had a reason to wear it until now.””It is perfect and fits you like a dream. You look so beautiful.” I set down my pink pastry box and take her in my arms. There is no hesitation in her kiss or the dance of our tongues.”Mmm, keep kissing me like that and we’ll never make it to dinner!” I whisper in her ear between little kisses along her neck. She giggles and pushes me away.”Then I better stop, because I’ve been slaving over a hot stove all day. What’s in the box?””Antonio’s tiramisu with rum. Not as sweet as you, but close.”She picks up the treats and goes into the kitchen, calling back, “I’m having some Chianti, but I noticed you were drinking whisky last time. This has been up in the cupboard for ages, can’t even remember where it came from.” Coming out and handing me a dusty bottle of twenty-year-old Glenlivet Single Malt. “Will it do?””You are one delicious surprise after the other tonight! Yes, this will do quite nicely, indeed.””Dinner will be about twenty minutes, okay?””Just enough time for a quick snuggle then!” I leer, as I sit in the corner of her old leather sofa with my drink, patting the cushion. She sticks her tongue out at me and heads back to the kitchen.Dinner is a plump fennel-laced chicken sausage, grilled sweet red pepper, herb-marinated mushroom caps, and fettuccine perfectly dressed with fragrant fresh pesto.