Chapter 2

'That', Jane thought as she sat back down at her desk, 'that was when we really got close'.

Elsie had taken her through into her big kitchen and had made a pot of tea, then sat with her as Jane spoke of her unhappiness and her fear that Tom was losing interest in her.

'No!' Elsie had remonstrated with her, 'he can't be. You're so lovely, sweetheart. So sexy. Men would be queuing up for you. My George would be first in line given half a chance!'

And Jane had laughed through her tears and hugged Elsie to her and allowed her to wipe her tears away.

And then hesitatingly at first and then like a dam once breached Jane poured out her heart to her friend. And Elsie, without seeming in any way to pry, had said just enough to edge Jane, for the first time in her life, into opening up on her private life: her needs, her hopes, her disappointments, her longings. Once started it all just flooded out.

And Elsie, so loving, so warm and so caring, seemed to understand so well. Had said all the right things; had told Jane of her own unhappiness in her first marriage; and again and again had sought to reassure the younger woman of her attractiveness.

'Why don't you tell him, my love?' she had asked. 'Tell him that you want him to give you more loving. Tell him the things that you want him to do with you. That you'd like to do to with him. Tell him when you've got him excited. You can get a man to do anything then!'

Jane smiled wanly, 'I can't, Elsie. We don't talk about it... about... sex... Tom doesn't like to talk about... things like that... not really... you know... Not even... not even when... ' she stopped and began to cry again.

'There now', Elsie admonished as she hugged her afresh. She took hold of Jane's shoulders and pushed her out at arms length and jiggled her about. 'I think I'll lend you my George for a bit. He'll soon put a smile on your face with that big cock of his. He's kept me smiling this last 15 years and a few others besides'.

And she laughed with that earthy belly-laugh of hers, hugging the bemused Jane to her and her laughter was so contagious that Jane found herself laughing as well.

' You are the most awful woman, Elsie', Jane got out at last, half-way between tears and laughter, 'the things you say. I'm sure George would have a fit if he knew.'

'Him! Never!', Elsie wiped her eyes on her apron, 'George is never embarrassed. Besides, I'm only telling you the truth.'

Jane stared at her friend. 'But you said... you... you said he had... ' She stopped in confusion.