By Kitty Kavanaugh
After driving to the next city, I hesitantly park my sedan across the street from the coffee shop where we have decided to meet. My mind is racing, wondering what she’s expecting of me. I’m not the greatest conversationalist, but know I cannot completely rely on her doing most of the talking. I’m early enough to scope out downtown, get my bearings and hopefully become more comfortable in these unfamiliar surroundings. But it’s not really helping. I’m still nervous.
I step out of my car and cross the street through traffic. Inside, I order a coffee and pick a table next to the window in order to watch the traffic and keep an eye on both entrances for her. The door closest to me opens. I see a short-haired, petite curvy girl in running shoes, jeans and a purple blouse. She steps in with a friend with long dark hair and a simple black dress. The short-haired girl smiles at me and I stand to greet her.
“Hi! I’m Ann,” she says in an excited, pleasant voice. “This is my friend Julia.”
“Hi Julia, I’m Kitty,” I politely wave.
“We’re just going to grab a coffee and we’ll be right over.” Ann gives me another of her warm, inviting smiles.
“Okay.”
I go back to the table and watch Ann and Julia stand in line quietly talking to each other; I observe their behavior, their closeness. Anyone could sense the intimacy between them.
Julia sits across from me and Ann takes a seat at my side. Julia has very sexy eyes that I have no trouble meeting with my own intrigued gaze.
Ann likes to talk and she laughs often. We spend the better part of an hour easily chatting and getting to know one another. Ann and Julia admit to being intimate with one another on occasion, but they each have partners that they see outside of this friendship. Julia is meeting her boyfriend Luke after our coffee. It isn’t very long before we say goodbye to Julia, and Ann and I are alone together.
Ann invites me back to her apartment. It isn’t very far away, but we both step into my car for the short drive.
There is a tall staircase outside leading to the front door. Inside, there are several more winding staircases, but her door is at the landing closest to us. Past her door, we are greeted by two playful cats. They belong to one of her three room-mates. She shares an apartment with a young bisexual man, a young gay man, and a young lesbian; they are all in their twenties and are all current or recent students now working to support themselves.
After a short tour of the apartment, Ann introduces me to her room. It is painted a dark dusty rose. The ceilings are high with painted exposed pipes. Her bed is soft with many pillows. Ann turns on some music and we sit down and face each other on the bed. We speak softly and tenderly, whispering sweet nothings, each telling the other how beautiful she is and how attracted we are to each other.
She moves closer. With her right hand in my hair and her left hand embracing me, she licks her lips and I lean in to meet her sweet kiss.
All reservations and doubts I have are abolished in that brief and life-changing moment.
Kitty is a nursing student with a background in psychology and creative writing, who lives and studies on the East Coast.