Disclaimers: Whilst the leading ladies come across as very familiar, they are in fact products of my over active imagination, as is the whole story. No infringement is intended.
Sex/Violence: There is love between two women (or there will be eventually) in this, so if that’s not your cup of tea, I wouldn’t bother with this. The sex won’t be graphic, but the violence might be when it pops up.
While this isn’t my first fanfic, it is the first one to be posted. It’s also the longest one I’ve ever written, and that’s just the first part. So, there is lots more to come, and please don’t get too impatient. Take a long view when reading it, cause that’s how it’s written.
Feedback: Please, don’t hold back. Good, bad or indifferent, I would like to hear your views. After all, it’s all about the readers. fishbulbgeek@yahoo.co.uk
Chapter 4
June, 2005
Taylor fingered the napkin in her hand nervously. It was ridiculous. She was thirty-eight years old and trying to work up the courage to phone someone who had told her to call! Shaking her head, she dialled the number already committed to memory, and waited.
“Hello?” Chris answered promptly. Taylor struggled to hear her, wherever she was there were a lot of people.
“Hi Chris, it’s Taylor.” Taylor paused briefly, then carried on. “I was just calling to confirm our plans for tomorrow. It’s still okay, isn’t it?” She asked uncertainly when there was no immediate response.
“Oh yeah, it’s fine.” There was a muffled shout in the background.
“If you’re busy I can always call back later.” Taylor offered, wondering what was happening on the other end.
“No, no, this is fine, just give me a sec.” Before she could reply the line went muffled. Taylor could hear voices in conversation again, a lull in the noise, then some yells and laughs. Taylor continued to wait, wandering through to the kitchen. She pulled out her stool and sat looking out the window, surveying her now neat and tidy yard. Chris’s voice in her ear startled her out of her musing.
“Sorry about that. You caught me in the middle of a game. Just had to finish up.” Taylor put this information, and the noises, putting two and two together.
“Are you at the Commercial?” She guessed.
“Yeah, I’m here every Saturday actually. This is the place to be at the weekend.”
“I’ll try to remember that. So, about tomorrow-“ Taylor tried to steer the young woman back to the original topic, but was interrupted.
“Why don’t you come down?” Chris asked suddenly. “If you’re not doing anything that is. We’re just hanging out, shooting some pool.”
“I wouldn’t want to intrude.” Taylor replied quietly.
“Wouldn’t have invited you if you were.” Chris shot back. “C’mon, it’ll be a blast. All my other friends are here.” Taylor nibbled her bottom lip, trying to decide. She did need to start getting out there and make some friends in Dunston, but it was still last minute. She thought about what she would be doing otherwise, and decided.
“Okay.”
“Really?” Chris sounded surprised. Taylor continued, voice stronger.
“I’ll be there in half an hour.”
“Excellent. See you then.”
“Bye.” Taylor said, before the line went dead. She smiled as she put the phone back in it’s cradle, and went to get changed.
Half an hour later she paid the taxi driver, tipping him generously, and went into the bar. It was louder and busier than she would have expected. It was early still, just past nine o’clock, but as she looked around she saw more than a few patrons with that glazed look and unsteady balance that said that the party had started hours ago, for them at least. She smiled at the folly of youth, remembering more than a few all day sessions with the lads herself. Scanning the room, she spotted Chris waving from the back, where the pool tables were located. Of course. Where else would they be? She asked herself wryly, remembering the conversation earlier, and why it had been disjointed. She started forward, raising a hand to show that she had spotted them.
As she reached the table a glass was thrust in her hand, which she accepted automatically. She raised it up to her lips and took a cautious sip, relieved to find it was just beer.
“Thanks.” She nodded at Chris, who shrugged.
“I dragged you out, thought the least I could do was get you a beer.” Taylor smiled at her thoughtfulness, sitting on the empty stool she assumed was for her. Glancing around the table, she nodded hello to both Laura and Caz, who smiled. “So what did you get up to this afternoon? Bowl over any more women?” Chris asked, teasing. Taylor laughed, and shook her head.
“Nothing that exciting. I just did a spot of gardening. And yourself? After changing I assume.” She replied. Chris raised and eyebrow at the last line, but answered anyway.
“I was working on my bike.” Chris paused, wanting to say more, but not sure if she should. Taylor just waited for her to finish, giving her an encouraging smile. “So I ended up changing twice in the end.” She muttered.
“I guess ‘grease monkey’ is more than a job description for you.” Taylor said, imagining Chris in grubby overalls that she had seen other mechanics wearing, and a smudge of something on her cheek. She smiled indulgently at the adorable image her mind gave her, wondering if it was anywhere close to the truth.
“Way of life is more like it.” Caz said with a snort. Chris promptly hit her on the shoulder, ignoring the glare she received for the abuse.
“I’d like to see any of you guys change a chain without getting a little messy.” She said archly. Taylor could see that this was a familiar subject between the friends. She looked around as they continued bickering, and watched the pool matches.
“Fancy a game, Stretch?” It took a second for Taylor to realise that Caz was looking at her expectantly. Guess that means I’m Stretch. She mused, before replying.
“Sure.” They got up and headed over to the tables. Taylor played the game, and conversed with Caz, but her eyes kept drifting across to the table where Chris and Laura were sat, deep in conversation. She had been wondering all afternoon what tomorrow was. When Chris had first offered to show her around town, she had accepted, assuming it was some sort of date. Then the subject of ‘the date’ with Kevin had come up, and she had started looking at it differently. And now, after today… what was tomorrow supposed to be? Was it her imagination or was there flirting going on? And. . . a ball crossing a few inches from her nose broke her train of thought, even as she was reaching out to catch it mid-air. Only her reflexes stopped it from hitting the floor. She looked at the ball, then at her companion.
“Is this a common occurrence or some sort of fluke?” she asked the sheepish woman, eyebrow raised, but lips smiling.
“I prefer to think of it as a skill.” Caz replied, catching onto the grin on Taylor’s face.
“Indeed.” Saying nothing more, Taylor merely replaced the ball on the table. “Two shots to me then.” She said with a smile, already lining up her first.
“So we never got a chance to talk about work earlier.” Chris snorted.
“Honey, that was the main topic of conversation. You trying to be a boss when before you were a grunt. A new appreciation for Mark, when last year he was just a bastard…” she trailed off when Laura just glared at her.
“Not my work silly. Your work. Is your dad ever going to promote you?” Chris looked away, unwilling to talk about it. Since Laura had been promoted, it had been on her mind. She had taken a good look around at the garage, and realised that Blue was in charge in nothing more than name. She did all of the work expected of him, and more besides. Her dad had to have noticed this, and with a bitter taste in her mouth she realised that he still didn’t trust her enough to make it official.
“The only way I’ll get promoted is if he retires.” She said. Laura gave her a sympathetic look.
“Well why don’t you leave. As qualified as you are, you can get a job somewhere else.” Laura paused, and Chris was sure she didn’t want to hear what was coming next. “I hear that the other garage is looking for an assistant manager.”
“I do that and I’ll be disowned. My mother will hate me for ‘tearing apart the family’ and no-one will speak to me ever again. God, you know what he’s like about family loyalty. It would kill him if I went to work for ‘the enemy’” She concluded, scowling. Laura said nothing and Chris angrily downed half of her beer. “It’s not as if I haven’t thought about it. I’m just not sure the good outweighs the bad.” She finished quietly.
“The hardest thing to do is step out from the shadows of our parents and live for us, not just for them.” Laura said, and Chris laughed bitterly.
“Get that out of a fortune cookie?” She asked. Laura shook her head.
“It’s just something to think about darlin’. I hate to see your talent going to waste when you are worth so much more.” They both fell silent as Taylor and Caz rejoined the table, and Chris resolutely avoided making eye contact with Laura. Even when she’s right, she’s dead wrong. I can’t leave. It would kill him. She forced a smile on her face, and looked back up at the rest of the table. Caz was currently grilling Taylor, and she leaned forward, curious to learn more about the enigmatic woman.
“So where did you learn to play pool like that?” Taylor shrugged.
“Just something I’ve picked up over the years. My dad taught me when I was younger, and I’ve never forgotten the lessons.” She admitted, although Chris detected a hint of sadness when she mentioned her father. She remembered that Taylor had said she wasn’t close to her parents anymore, and although she wondered why, she sensed that the taller woman would prefer not to talk about it.
“I learned to play pool when I was still at school. “ She admitted, then laughed wryly at herself. “I told you I liked to hang out with my Dad when I was a kid. Well, I used to hang out with the guys who worked there all the time. I was so impressed by them, and I think they used to take pity on the bosses daughter. They let me hang out and ‘help’ them work. I was also allowed to tag along when they weren’t working. There used to be a pool hall where they’d go after work.” Laura laughed.
“God I remembered that place. You dragged me there on more than one occasion. Dingy little pit.” Taylor glanced at Laura, before looking back at Chris, a little half smile playing on her lips. Chris blushed.
“Yeah, so I was a geek as a kid. Anyway, one of them, Blue, took me under his wing. Taught me everything, from the engine, to playing pool, to how to drink.” She raised her pint in a silent salute to one of her oldest dearest friends. “A lesson I took to heart, as you can see.” The whole table laughed. After the laughter had died down, Taylor turned to Laura.
“So how’s the job working out for you? Promotion everything you hoped it would be?” She asked politely, and Chris stifled a groan. It was Laura’s favourite topic, and she immediately launched into a recital of her week. It was filled with details both interesting and boring. Chris felt her eyes starting to glaze over, and caught Caz’s eye. Once she had her attention, she tilted her head towards the juke box. Nodding, Caz smiled. They got up to choose some music with little fuss, and shared a laugh as they got to the juke box. Chris stood to one side and let Caz choose the music.
“I couldn’t listen to those stories one more time.” Caz admitted.
“Neither could I. I think I’ve sat through them three times already this week. God knows I’m glad for her, but I don’t need to know every second of her day.” She said, ignoring the faintest hint of guilt she felt.
“You know what she’s like. Give it a few more weeks and it’ll all be back to normal.”
“Bitching about the boss.” They said in unison, then laughed again. It was an old joke between the group, and would no doubt happen again as soon as Laura was comfortable in her new position. They lingered over the choosing of music, until Chris spotted Taylor moving off towards the bar. She quickly headed off to the table.
Taylor threaded her way through the crowd, intent on getting a refill for the jug. Having sat through Laura’s tales, she could understand why her other companions had found an excuse to leave. Laura was nice enough, but worked a very boring job. And there is no polite way to say, sorry but you’re boring me, she mused as she reached the crowded bar. She was startled when she felt a hand on her back, and managed to stop her initial reaction to grab that hand and injure the owner. Instead, she forced down years of ingrained habit and glanced behind her, and was surprised to see Chris.
“Yes?”
“Uh, hi.” Chris squeezed in beside her, and Taylor moved over to give her some space, although not as much as she could have. She did enjoy the young woman pressed against her. “I just wanted to check that Laura hadn’t scared you off, although,” Chris gestured at the jug, which was waiting to be filled, “I can see that isn’t the case.” Taylor glanced at the empty jug, then at Chris.
“I needed a top up, as did everyone else. Just doing my civic duty.” She said, touched that Chris had come to find her. Chris shrugged.
“Yeah, I forgot to warn you. Laura gets a bit carried away sometimes.” Chris confided.
“As does everyone else from time to time.” Taylor said diplomatically. “Although, now I know why you two spent so long choosing a few songs.” She said with a grin. Chris laughed, a light and carefree sound. The sound touched a place in Taylor’s heart, and she immediately looked across the bar and waved the jug at Brad, who came over and grabbed it, moving quickly away. By the time she looked back at Chris, her desire for the woman was deeply hidden.
“So what’s the plan for tomorrow?” She asked, still wanting to get the details ironed out.
“How do you feel about motorbikes?” Taylor blinked at the unexpected question.
“Uh, pretty ambivalent. Why?”
“Well, the best way to see everything, In my humble opinion,” Taylor grinned at the false modesty Chris displayed, “is on the back of a bike.”
“Specifically, yours?” Taylor guessed, and the smile that lit Chris’s face was answer enough.
“A 1994 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy to be precise. The only way to travel in both comfort and style.” Taylor pretended to consider her offer, although there was no way she was going to refuse her request.
“Well, I can hardly turn down an offer like that, can I.” she admitted, and was rewarded with another of those massive smiles that completely changed Chris’s face from merely beautiful to breathtaking. “Where would you like to meet?”
“I can pick you up at your place, say eight?”
“Sure. Hey Brad,” She turned to the bar, where Brad was just bringing over the now full jug. “Can I borrow a pen?” Instead of replying he just held out a pen he picked up on his way. “Thanks.” She grabbed a dry beer mat and quickly wrote down her address for Chris, who was paying Brad. She passed the pen back to Brad and the beer mat to Chris, who immediately studied it. She picked up the jug, and nudged Chris.
“I think the natives are getting restless.” She murmured in her ear, and headed back to the table, leaving Chris to follow, not noticing when Chris swallowed thickly and blushing behind her.
The next day, at 7:55 am, Chris pulled up to the drive of the address marked on the beer mat, parking behind the truck there. She glanced over the truck with an experienced eye as she killed the engine and rested the bike on it’s kickstand. The truck was only a couple of years old, and had been well looked after. A good solid choice, practical for the local area. As she climbed off the bike she grabbed the spare helmet, and took her own off, carrying them both by the chin piece. As she got to the front door, she didn’t have to worry about how she was going to ring the bell, as it opened as she stepped up on the front step. Taylor stood there grinning, holding a cup of coffee.
As they stood there, Chris ran her eyes up Taylor’s lanky frame. Sturdy tan boots covered her feet, blue jeans that really could be a little tighter from her point of view, and a tight black t-shirt. Her eyes drank in the sight of wide, muscled shoulders, and clearly defined tanned arms. Her gaze eventually drifted up, and she blushed at Taylor’s bemused look.
“Do I pass inspection?” She drawled, as Chris tried to swallow, suffering from a serious dry mouth.
“Only if you’ve got a leather jacket to wear on top of that.” She replied seriously, being a stickler for safety. “I hope this fits, its my only spare.” She added, holding up the helmet. Taylor took the helmet, and held up the cup.
“Since I got you here so early on a Sunday, I thought it was the least I could do. Please, come inside and have a seat.” Chris accepted the cup, following Taylor inside.
“Thanks. And don’t worry about it. I offered to come round early.” She continued, trying to smooth down what was a bad case of helmet hair while Taylor wasn’t looking. As they made their way into the house Chris peered around curiously. The walls were bare, and there was very little in the way of furniture. It was easy to see that Taylor hadn’t lived there long enough to collect any of the knick-knacks that normally filled a house. She sat on the sofa when Taylor pointed at it, sinking into the luxurious leather as her impromptu hostess disappeared where she assumed the kitchen was. Glancing around, her attention was drawn to random patches of colour on all the walls. There was writing next to them all. Before she could get up and see what it was, Taylor re-entered, carrying another steaming cup.
“I’m trying to decide what colour to paint the living room. I still can’t choose.” Chris smiled.
“I can tell,” Chris said before grinning, “May I suggest you avoid the lime green though?” Taylor glanced over her shoulder, and laughed.
“One of my more whimsical moments.” She admitted, tucking her long hair behind her ears. “The sample somehow got into my bag at the store, and I decided that since I had paid for it I might as well try it.” Chris just smiled at the admission, and continued looking around the room. Her attention was drawn to the far wall opposite the couch. A long low bookcase, filled with a mix of books, cds and dvds took up part of it. The entertainment equipment took up the rest. An expensive plasma tv sat atop a stereo, a cable box and a dvd player, all housed in an unusual wooden unit.
“I’ve never seen an entertainment unit like that.” Chris said, eyeing it curiously. She could use something like it in her apartment, and wondered where Taylor had gotten it. Not from Dunston, she was sure of that. She turned to look at Taylor, who shrugged.
“I couldn’t find anything I liked when I got here, so I made it.” Taylor looked embarrassed, so Chris didn’t say anything other than a simple “Cool.” As she continued to look at it, even Chris could tell it was quality work, and wondered why Taylor was shy about an obvious skill. She changed the subject by pulling out her cigarettes and offering Taylor one.
“Thanks.”
“No problem.” They smoked quietly, chatting about nothing in particular. Taylor asked how long she had been riding, and Chris related some of her less exciting stories, unwilling to scare her out of riding that day. Honestly, you total one bike a few years ago, and suddenly everyone thinks you’re ‘just another one of those lunatics’. It was a rep she could do without. Eventually, they had finished their coffee and were ready to go. Chris waited in the foyer for Taylor, holding both the helmets. Taylor appeared, shrugging into a leather jacket. She modelled it for Chris.
“Is this okay?” Chris eyed the way it accentuated her long legs, wide shoulders and framed her ass perfectly.
“Yeah, that’s good.” She managed to croak out, handing over her helmet once Taylor had locked up. They strolled over to her pride and joy, and she smiled involuntarily as Taylor whistled, obviously impressed. “Have you ever ridden pillion before?” Taylor shook her head. “It’s very easy. I’ll get on first and turn the bike around, then you climb on behind. Just put your foot here,” she tapped the peg in question, “and swing your leg over. Don’t be shy about holding on tight if you need to. I’ll be taking it easy so you can have a good look around, and I’ll be stopping often. Okay?” This time Taylor nodded.
Chris smiled reassuringly, and pulled her helmet on. She got on and started the engine, and managed to manoeuvre the bike around, holding the brakes on to stop it rolling down the slight incline as Taylor hopped on behind her. Her long legs meant that her knees ended up outside of her own rather than behind, and when Taylor wrapped her arms around Chris’s waist, she felt as if Taylor was cradling her close. It was a warm and comfortable space, and Chris felt like she could stay in it all day. However, there was the tour to complete first. As such, she started off down the street. She couldn’t resist goosing the throttle, and was rewarded when Taylor pulled her tight against her startled, and kept her there. She smiled widely under her helmet, and started Taylor’s tour.
They pulled back up to Taylor’s house late that afternoon. Taylor slid off the bike, tired and sore, but with a smile on her face. Chris killed the engine as Taylor pulled her helmet off, and attempted to shake out her matted hair. She looked on with envy as Chris merely ran a hand through her short locks.
“I never thought that Dunston would have it’s very own civil war re-enactment group.” She said, amazed. Chris laughed.
“That’s why I wanted to get an early start on this tour. It’s a little out of the way, and the ‘boys’ like to get it started before the sun gets too high. They say it’s to avoid dehydration and sunstroke in their authentic uniforms.” Chris gave Taylor a sceptical look. “I think it’s because they want more time to drink before their wives expect them back.” Taylor grinned at that.
“Well, it was interesting to watch.” Chris just smiled, still straddling the bike. “Would you like to come in? I don’t know about you, but I’m parched after riding around in this heat most of the day.” Chris smiled, and got off the bike.
“I’d love to.” Taylor smiled back as they headed up the drive. As she unlocked the door Taylor was suddenly glad she had made the effort to tidy up. Usually she left her tools piled all over the bottom floor, but when she had decided to invite Chris in for coffee first she had shoved them all in the utility room. She didn’t want Chris to think she was a slob. They both left the helmets in the foyer before heading through to the kitchen.
“Just dump your jacket anywhere. Would you like juice, or milk, or anything else?” She mentally crossed her fingers as she opened the fridge, since she couldn’t remember if she’d actually bought any juice or milk on her last trip to the store.
“Oh, whatever you’re having is fine?” Chris answered, and Taylor bit back a sigh of relief. There was no juice, and enough milk for some coffee, and that was it.
“How about some water and a brew?” She offered, head still in the fridge. She was surprised when there was a low laugh just over her shoulder.
“You haven’t been shopping, have you?” Taylor felt herself flush, and it wasn’t just from embarrassment. She stood up slowly, shutting the door as she did so.
“Ah, not in the strictest sense, no.” She admitted, turning slowly on the spot. Chris was leaning on the counter next to the fridge, looking at her intently. A touch of a grin played on her lips, and Taylor ducked her head. “So how about some water and a brew?” She offered again brightly. Chris just laughed, and nodded.
“Sure, sounds good to me.” Taylor shooed Chris towards the living room before fixing the coffee. After it had started dripping into the pot she poured them both some water, and took them through. Standing in the doorway, she watched quietly as Chris wandered around her living room, stopping to look more closely at some of the things she had out. When she picked up a small picture frame, she moved into the room fully, putting the glasses on the table. Chris turned to look at her, still holding the frame.
“It’s a Chief Constable’s Commendation for Bravery. I received it for my part in a raid on some drug dealers.” she said quietly, answering the question in Chris’s eyes.
“You were in the police then?” Chris asked, looking again at the framed commendation.
“For twelve years I worked for the South Wales Police.” Taylor said, smiling wistfully as she remembered her time on the force. Her jaw tightened as she remembered why she had left the force, and she forced herself not to think of the last two years, and what had forced her to quit, and move to another country. Chris had her back to Taylor as she returned the frame to it’s place on the bookshelf, and didn’t notice the pained look on Taylor’s face.
“What made you decide to do that then?” Taylor took a sip of her water before she replied.
“It seemed appropriate. My father was in the police, and his father before him. Both of my older brothers had joined.” She shrugged. “So once I’d finished school, I joined as well. I remember the look on my dad’s face the day I got accepted. He didn’t know whether to be shocked or proud. He eventually settled on proud.” She concluded, looking back at Chris, who was standing by the bookcase, staring at her intently. Feeling uncomfortable with the attention, she put down her glass forcefully. “Take a seat if you like, I need to check if the coffee’s done.” She walked back through to the kitchen stiffly.
Open mouth, insert foot Chris thought to herself with a small groan. She sat on the couch and sipped her water, relishing the cool liquid after the dusty roads that morning. She felt bad now for bringing up an obviously sore subject. She had enjoyed putting the wide, carefree smile on Taylor’s lips, and wondered how to get it back. She was still pondering the issue when Taylor appeared in the doorway, carrying two steaming mugs. The scent of coffee filled the room, with a hint of cinnamon mixed in as well. She followed Taylor’s progress out of the corner of her eyes, not wanting to startle her. Yummy was the only thing she could think as she allowed her eyes to travel the expanse of leg, up past deliciously curved hips, up past the tight breasts that had been pressed into her back all morning, and finally up on to the face, that right now was pensive.
“So what do you think of little ol’ Dunston now?” She asked, and was pleased to see Taylor’s look turn contemplative as she handed Chris one of the mugs.
“Nicer than I ever expected it to be.” Taylor said finally. Chris hiked an eyebrow.
“Really? It’s a bit small and secluded if you ask me. Nothing like those fancy cities you’ve been livin’ in.” she said, before biting her tongue. Not a good way to impress someone who’s just moved here. Taylor shook her head.
“That’s the reason I moved here. I was tired of the big city life. Too much happening all the time.” Taylor shifted so that she was sitting to face Chris, drawing one knee up close and wrapping an arm around it. The other leg was left dangling off the edge of the couch. “Thank you for showing it all to me.” Chris smiled at her warmly.
“It was my pleasure darlin’.” she drawled. “Although I still don’t know why anyone would move here. Most people are trying to move out.” She added.
“I’m not most people.” Taylor said simply, and Chris had to agree with her. They shared a small smile, before Chris lowered her eyes. She wanted to know more about Taylor, about what had drawn her to Dunston, but didn’t want to upset her. To cover her indecision, she offered her host a cigarette instead. Taylor accepted, as an mischievous thought entered Chris’s head. She couldn’t resist sharing it.
“So I guess you would have had your own handcuffs if you were in the police?” she asked mildly. Taylor answered automatically.
“Of course, they were standard issue.” Chris paused, while Taylor glanced over at her, suddenly suspicious. “Why do you ask?”
“Oh, I was just wondering if you were the type to take your work home with you, is all.” she commented, working hard on keeping her face innocent. Taylor’s eyes widened comically as her meaning hit, before she grinned, eyes suddenly becoming hooded.
“Sometimes. I sure was disappointed that I had to sign them back in when I left.” Chris forced herself to swallow the lump in her throat away, as Taylor just laughed.