Initially we just chatted with me standing just behind the drivers panel until we reached my stop, before we were eventually meeting for a drink or a coffee in town on a regular basis, and we even met up for a meal a few times, and before long we were almost joined at the hip. Everyone who knew us thought there was something going on between us, but that was never the case.
Clare, I knew was a lesbian and had been with her partner Cheryl for almost 15 years, but that never stopped me thinking about her and me spending time in bed, though I never acted on those thoughts instead relishing her friendship. She was just over 5 foot 3″ with a curvy body, blonde hair and blue eyes. she had a gorgeous lilting Irish accent and I could listen to her talking for hours on end.
To be honest we had become like a brother and sister, and I had spent more than the occasional night at both her and Cheryl’s home, making good use of the spare room, or their large comfy sofa, though that meant having to contend with their two dogs, both of whom were Staffies and whom believed that anyone laying on the sofa was fair game to be stood or laid on, and in typical staffy dog law completely licked to death.
Completely opposite to Clare, who was in a solid relationship, I was just happy to sleep with any female who gave me the opportunity to. Playing Ice Hockey and working on the door of a nightclub afforded me plenty of willing partners but even with all this, I occasionally found myself thinking about what it would be like to take Clare to bed.
I had played hockey for a couple of teams around the UK and eventually an opportunity came up giving me a chance to play hockey in Finland for a team in Helsinki. The chance to play with top players from around the world, and the increase in salary was too good to pass up and despite knowing how much I would miss my family, friends and my almost daily chats with Clare, I decided I had to take this chance.
I asked Clare out for a drink later that week so that I could tell her my decision, she already knew about the offer but I had told her I was still considering my options, and I was dreading how she would react when she found out I was going.
As I entered the bar I immediately saw her sat in one of the alcove seats, I waved to her and signalled to see if she wanted another drink. She shook her head pointing to the glass in front of her, so I approached the bar, looking at the barman standing behind the pumps.
“Hi Chris, pint of Doombar please.”
“Hi Frank, hows things?” he replied grabbing a pint glass from the shelf above his head, “You decided on that Finnish job yet?” he asked, taking a quick glance in the direction of my drinking buddy.
“I have” I replied, “And I’m just about to tell Clare my decision, so keep the drinks ready, and maybe have an ambo on stand-by, just in case” I joked, laughing, slightly more nervously than I thought i would be.
“Will do” Chris laughed, and turned towards the next customer who was standing a few feet down the bar.
I turned towards Clare and taking a deep breath I made my way towards her. As I approached her I took the opportunity to appraise what she was wearing. As usual she was wearing a pair of jeans coupled with a pale green blouse which had the top two buttons undone showing just a brief hint of cleavage and her boobs encased in a matching coloured lacy bra. Her hair was tied into a pony tail, and she sported just a brief hint of make-up.
I smiled at her and made a quick personal chastisement for the thoughts that had just flown through my mind and the resentment why such a gorgeous woman would never want to even think about sleeping with me.
“Hi gorgeous” I said, as i gave her a quick peck on the cheek.
“Hi handsome” she responded, smiling as I took my seat opposite her. “I take it you’re not working tonight” she said nodding at the dark liquid in the glass I cradled in my right hand.
“No, I will be tomorrow night, but I’ve managed to get tonight off” I looked down at my drink, then continued saying “We aren’t usually busy on a Thursday night, and usually only need 4 bodies.” I continued as a grin crossed my face, “We get more trouble on ‘nappy night’ than we do on metal night”
What I said was true, it was ridiculous how much trouble we had on those first Sundays every month when we opened the club to the under 18’s, where naturally only soft drinks were sold, but many of those attending still seemed to want to take on anyone standing at the door, as their teenage testosterone went amok. And when it came to the erection section, each and every one of us had to be ready to split up a punch-up.
Clare smiled, and took a sip of her drink, eyeing me over the rim of her glass. “I thought ‘nappy night’ was finishing?”
“No, Mehdi still wants it to continue, he thinks its good publicity for the club, and he believes that some who attend may eventually be regulars when they turn 18” I sighed, having a sip of my drink “It’s more trouble than it’s worth”.
“Anyway, I didn’t ask you for a drink to moan about the club, I wanted to talk to you about something” I continued, searching her face for any response.
Clare looked at me with a hint of a smile on her face, “Let me guess?” she said holding her hand up to stop me saying anything more. “You’ve decided to go to Finland, but you’re worried how I will react, or what I will say?”
I smiled ruefully, Clare knew me better than anyone I’ve ever known and at times I swore she had some kind of super telepathic powers, especially when it came to yours truly.
“Erm, something like that” I sighed and rubbed my forehead, wondering what to say next.
She laughed at my obvious discomfort and held her hand out for me to take in my own hand. As I did so she stared directly into my eyes and said “I knew you would take that chance, and I couldn’t be happier for you”. She continued, “You’ve put so much into your career and now an opportunity comes up for you to play in an Elite League? Of course you were going to say yes, and to be honest if you hadn’t have said yes, I would have been a lot more angry with you than you could ever imagine”
“Thank you, Love you sis”
“Love you too” she replied smiling, and took another sip of her drink. “Both me and Cheryl were expecting you to say yes, and we are both happy for you’, besides” she continued with her eyes sparkling with her glee “We could both do with a romantic break in Helsinki, and have our hunky hockey brother show us around”
“You’ve both clearly given this some thought haven’t you? I responded, laughing, holding my glass up to Clare in salute.
She shuffled slightly in her seat, and her face coloured as a blush rose in her cheeks, “Mmm yes we have, and probably more than you could have imagined”. We continued chatting for about an hour, talking about how much I was going to miss the both of them before I joked “I know it means I will never get to take you to bed”
Clare laughed, saying “That if you had been a women then there may have been a chance, but you never know, life always had a funny way of turning out” and with that she said she was going to get going as she wanted to speak to Cheryl about something, then added “And your ears will be burning”
I looked at her confused and was about to ask what she meant, when she stood up and looking down at me she said “Come over to ours on Sunday and we will make you a special meal” Just before she walked away she turned back to me and said “I am truly happy for you”. With that she turned and walked away, and I could swear I saw a smile and a look in her eyes which I couldn’t quite place.
Over the next few days I tried to work as best I could, trying to work out what that look on Clares face was, and things were made worse by her not answering any texts or calls except on the Saturday evening, when she sent a text saying for me to be at theirs for around 3pm, and they hoped I would be able to stay over as they wanted us to have a proper chance to say goodbye.
That Sunday afternoon I made my way over to Clare and Cheryl’s, carrying flowers, a couple of bottles of wine and a box of their favourite chocolates. I had spent most of the previous few days packing boxes and sorting out my personal belongings as there was less than a week to go before my flight to Helsinki.
Cheryl opened the door, and gave me a huge hug, “Hi bruv” she said as she gratefully accepted the chocolates and flowers that I had offered to her, “Ooh our favourites, these will go down well” as she walked down the hall, I noticed she was wearing a pair of black leggings and an attractive floral blouse which just covered her bum cheeks.
Cheryl like Clare was around 5″Ft 3″ with long blonde hair, blue eyes, but while Clare was curvy, Cheryl was sleight with small breasts which hardly needed the bra that she wore. I smiled to myself, I was really happy Clare and Cheryl were together, they had the same sense of humour, and were clearly in love with each other.
“Franks here” she called up the stairs as she led the way towards the spacious kitchen. Cheryl had a very good job, and although they shared the household bills, it had been Cheryl who had been the one whose wages were how they had found their mortgage.
On top of that Cheryl was an awesome cook and the smells emanating from the kitchen told me she had prepared one of her superb curry bonanzas.
As i stood at the door, I sensed movement behind me and turning round I saw Clare standing in a gorgeous figure hugging dress, which clung to her curves and accentuated her wonderful boobs.
“Hi” I gulped “Erm, you look gorgeous, what’s the occasion?”
She just smiled at me and gave me a peck on the cheek before moving past me and sidling up next to Cheryl, she gave her a soft kiss on the lips before turning back to me. “We have something to ask you but it can wait till after dinner.”
For the next hour or so, we just chatted as normal, whilst eating an absolutely superb meal, and polishing off both bottles of wine. We eventually found ourselves in the living room, after doing all the washing up, and I was sat on one side of the sofa with my leg tucked up beneath me, with Clare on the opposite side in virtually the same position, with Cheryl sat on the floor between us, alternating her time between fussing the two dogs, who both seemed to think they could occupy the same space on her lap and enjoying the banter between the three of us..