“Please, Maven, what have I been telling you for an entire year?” said a beautiful and long haired girl name Trixie Woodlands to her friend, a brown haired female named Maven, who had been her close acquaintance for some years, at a table in a diner.

“I know, I know, but it is so hard to forget him” The glassed female, with formal working suit replied, with a monotonous tone of voice, implying a lack of enthusiasm for the conversation.

“Darling, you had broken up with Jonah one year ago and you did not get over him. I am concerned about you, I must confess I have fears about your wellbeing” Trixie confessed to Maven.

“Please, Trixie, I don’t need the concern of anyone about myself! And, don’t worry about me, I have my job, I have my friends. Everything’s sailing smoothly, I can handle any rough waters that come my way, and I’m a big girl.”

“I know ... Maven; we have been friends since we were teenagers. I know everything about you and no doubt you know much about me. But, let me speak candidly, as that is what friends do. I think you should free your mind, free yourself from all your problems. You live too much in your job, you don’t give yourself any “me” time” Trixie said, knowing that Maven and her boss, Selina Kyle, sometimes went much beyond the remit of working relations.

“I don’t need you to tell me about what I do with my life”, Maven seriously emphasized. She was somewhat rattled by being lectured in this way by Trixie.

“I am not saying that. I know the nature of your relation with your boss is pretty much like two really confident friends, but its not cheating with her if you go out and meet someone else, boy, girl or whatever. You need that freedom, to explore your own possibilities” Trixie explained.

“You are right Trixie, I admit. But that thing with Jonah tore me down so much that I think I could do with avoiding any man for a while. Good Gods, I’m so glad that I discovered that I had the hots for girls, otherwise I would be doomed”, Maven said, with her head a bit low, while her friend, at the exact moment she said about her girl desires, had an idea. It was a eureka moment, something which Trixie was not unfamiliar with.

“Wait, wait, I think I have an idea! Will you come to Jane’s birthday tomorrow?” The redhead asked, eager for an affirmative reply.

“Yes, I was invited. I would never forget to go to Jane’s birthday, it’s etched into my brain”, Maven answered, pointing to her head and smiling.

“Well, go there. I think I have the perfect thing for you!” Trixie said with some kind of devious grin on her face.

“What kind of thing? I hope you will not introduce me to yet another one of the preppy friends of your husband?” The brown-haired woman asked, puzzled and perhaps a little irritated.

“No, no, no repeat of that, I assure you. It’s just a thing I had and have in mind, but you will only see it tomorrow”.

“It seems very nice, judging by the way that you talk”, Maven commented.

“Well, I cannot say it now, I need to go to work, and some of us have lives to attend to. Okay ... bye Maven, be there tomorrow, okay?” Trixie said, before a customary goodbye to Maven, leaving an air of mystery about what Maven would see the next day. It would vex the mind of the woman for much of the rest of the day.

The sun rose on the next day. It was the 30^th birthday of Jane Warner, who was married to the Gotham City radio talk show star Ronald Warner. Among the people in the party, was Maven, wearing a beautiful dark blue dress, talking with a small gathering of people. While chatting away casually, she spotted in the corner of the room, Trixie, her friend, talking with a long-haired brunette in a gray dress, at which moment the two women looked to where she was.

Then, Trixie and the woman approached Maven as soon as the brown-haired woman stopped by to talk.

“Hi Maven! I expected you to be here”, Trixie hugged her friend, in the complimentary manner which was second nature to her.

“It’s Jane’s birthday and she is also my friend. So I had to go ... listen, where is that great thing you wanted to show me? I’m eager to know.” Maven asked

“Oh, the thing? Yes, its here” The redhead said, pointing to the brunette who was at her side. “Maven, I want to introduce you to Candace, a girl I met at the country club. Candace, this is my good friend, Maven.”

“Nice to meet you, Candace” Maven complimented, smiling as she introduced herself.

“It’s so nice to meet you too, Maven. It is refreshing to meet someone unexpected at these parties, you can get bored with the same people over and over.” The woman continued, “Maven, that is such an unusual name, I like it very much, very unique, very ... exotic” Candace said, making the other woman blush visibly.

“Listen, I will let you girls get on with the serious business of talking. I just need to see what my husband is doing, better make sure he is not up to mischief! See you girls later”, Trixie said, before leaving the duo, who soon got back to engaging in their conversations.

“So, you are Trixie’s friend, right? She told me a lot of stuff about you” Candace said.

“Well, what can I do? We know each other since we were about 15 year old. She is my best friend” Maven smiled.

“She told me you work as a personal assistant.”

“Yes, I am. I am currently working as assistant of Miss Selina Kyle” The brown-haired woman calmly explained.

“Her? Oh my ... I bet she is not all that glamorous and shining as we see on the cover of those magazines”, smiled the brunette, “would be interesting to see if she lives up to the hype. Wonder how much is just image?”

“Not that much. Well, she has her interests and she is invited to many of the social parties, but she is totally normal. She is not like the Richie riches, hooray Henry’s, or whatever you call them.”

“It must be very tiresome for someone to stay normal under the attention of the lights, the cameras and the men. Tell me, how can she be with a different man every party?”

“She has lots of male friends, but she is not that kind of woman who is with any man for recognition. She tries to look the perfect man to herself”, explained Maven, seeing that her chart partner was intrigued by the subject

“But I can’t imagine she is that hard to please. She is so pretty and glamorous in the arms of those men...” Candace commented.

“Miss Kyle is a person, just like us. Under that pretty woman, the glamorous man-magnet package, there is a woman who is just like any of us”, the brown-haired and glasses-wearing woman further explained, before then asking Candace, “So, let’s talk about you ... Trixie told me she met you at the country club”

“Exactly. I had no partner for the bridge game, so she decided to help me and be my partner. You know, I am not the kind of girl of those places, its my boss who keeps pushing me to it” Candace said.

“Really? And where do you work?” Maven asked.

“I am, like you, a personal assistant. Well, more than an assistant, like some kind of ‘right hand’, if you know what I mean”, answered the pretty brunette “I work as an assistant of Mr. Rupert Thorne”, Candace said, much to the surprise of Maven.

“Wow! Really? You work for HIM?”

“Why the surprise?” Candace asked, somewhat perplexed.

“Is, you know ... he is been on all the newspaper front pages for that Marinetti trial. They said mean things about Mr. Thorne, so people were sent people to kill him”, commented Maven.

“Newspapers ... why do people still believe them?” The brunette joked.

“But, tell me. Is true what everybody says about your boss? This crime stuff, the killings, that news about him and the mob and such?” Maven asked, her face projecting astonishment and curiosity.

“Mr. Thorne has many enemies, at all levels of power. Everyone’s gunning for him. People can make up stories about him just to see a powerful man like my boss to fall. And you know how this city is made of vultures. People are always gunning for the top guy, it’s the way of the world”, told Candace like the subject was normal stuff. Maven was bit worried, but still surprised to see such a woman in her front.

“Golly ... so, let me ask. It must be difficult for you to work with him, with all the stuff surrounding Mr. Thorne?” asked the brown-haired woman.

“I have to face the press and the vultures surrounding Mr. Thorne, but you see, its not easy, Maven, to work for a man like him, with many people desiring to get rid of him. A woman like me has to get into the ‘game’ and face these kinds of people.”

“Wow ... You are such a strong woman, Candace.” Maven stated as she looked at Candace in much the same way as a very studious girl pays attention to her teacher. “Takes a lot of courage and steadfastness to do what you do”, she added, obviously impressed by Candace’s tough job.

In fact, despite the early surprise, Candace and Maven sustained a nice and cheerful chat, where many subjects were covered, like favorite stuff, friendship with Trixie, people and, of course, their bosses. Candace was pretty interested in the details about Selina Kyle’s life, just as Maven wanted details about the routine of her and Rupert Thorne and the law issues that he faced.

The chat was so long and good that the time itself seemed to accelerate to the two women. So, it was near midnight as Trixie went to talk with her best friend.

“Maven, you weren’t about to leave? It’s almost midnight, and you must work tomorrow”

“I know, but Adelia is not here. I took the ride with her and now she must be left with some of those boys she meets. I don’t find her on any place”, worried Maven.

“Yeah, I saw her with a guy...” said Trixie “she might be left the place by now”

“Damn ... so, how I will get home? I don’t have anyone that can take me to my place”, said the brown-haired woman.

“Easy, Maven ... look, I will wait for Dave to talk with Ronald and Jane and see if we can take you home”, the long haired girl calmed her friend.

“What is going on?” Candace asked, approaching to them.

“Maven’s ride home apparently left and now she can’t go back to her place”. Trixie explained.

“Hmm, really? Well, I know that I can help you”, said the brunette.

“How?” Maven asked.

“I came with my boss’s limo. He is out of town for two weeks and he lets me use the limo, so if you don’t mind...” Candace purposed and Maven went, somewhat in doubt

“I don’t know. I don’t know you much and I am waiting to see if Trixie will help me with this”, said Maven, looking at her best friend with anxious eyes. Trixie looked at Maven and promptly gave her own brand of advice.

“Look, I think you should go with her”, her friend said

“Well, I don’t know...”

“Please, Maven. I feel that we have some kind of ‘vibe’ and I want to do a favor to you. I see you are a great person and we get much along this night”, said Candace to convince Maven to accept.

“She is offering you her help. I think is more easy if you say yes”, Trixie stated, as Maven thought a little, then turned to Candace to answer

“Sure, let’s go”

“Good ... let me just call the driver and we are out of here”, said Candace leaving to do what she had intended to. Maven, looking to Candace, smiled seeing her backside, her firm butt and round legs, and saw her new friend with different eyes. And she is not that bad.

Outside, were Candace and Maven, who had waited for the limo for a few minutes, till a black stretch limousine appeared in front of them, a door opening brusquely. The driver, a chauffeur, sharply walked off to open the door to the two ladies who were in waiting.

“Here is Miss Candace”.

“Thanks Herb ... now, if you would kindly take us to my friend’s place, which is...” Candace paused.

“677 Hartwell St.” completed Maven.

“You live there? That’s halfway to Mr. Thorne’s office ... we always use this street to reach the Elm Avenue” Candace said.

“Well, it’s not utopia, but it is a good place to live. At least for not overly wealthy people like me”, said Maven.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. Herb, you know what to do, right?”

“Yes, Miss, consider it done”, Herb said before taking them on the road to Maven’s place.

The brown-haired girl was amazed to see such a limo. She had got in some luxury cars that the love interests of Miss Kyle used when they would hang out with her, but it was more for working business than a no-strings attached ride.

“Thanks, Candace. You gave me a good ride tonight”, smiled a cheerful Maven.

“That’s what friends do, help each other, it comes with the territory”, said Candace.

“Well ... I hope to one day repay you for what you did for me today”.

“Not needed. Please, enjoy the night ... have some champagne”, said the brunette as she showed the bucket with ice and champagne that was in front of their seat.

“Wow! That really is a fine thing; it must have cost a small fortune! Your boss will not mind if we drink it?” asked the spectacled girl.

“I have done this dozens of times. And, anyway, we did not drunk enough at Jane’s”, stated the brunette, handing the glass, along with a wry smile, to Maven.

“For me, sometimes, one cup is just enough”, Maven said, getting the glass and raising it to make a toast.

“To us?” Maven asked rhetorically.

“Yeah, to us”, Candace pondered, toasting with her new friend, and then drinking the glass of champagne, also pressing the button where a wall came out and closed the connection between the driver and the back seats, so the girls could talk without any interruption or someone hearing it. As the limo was going through streets, Maven started to look at the buildings and houses of Gotham City. She had a few rides in it, following Selina to where she was going to, but always as being her woman-servant. Now, she was the guest of honor on such a trip. She was somehow fascinated with it, yet also oddly melancholic.

“Now it comes to my mind that after I arrive home, I will be back to my normal life, so tedious and so ... normal”, Maven said, in a depressive tone.

“Come on! Your life is not that bad. You help one of the most impressive women in society, and you know so many nice people...” Candace replied

“That they sometimes don’t seem to care about you? Yes, I know...” the brown-haired girl whispered.

“Oh”, Candace looked at Maven, putting away her glass. “So, I might gather that what Trixie told me about your relationship troubles was true, after all.”

“She told you? Oh, that girl. You will never believe, she tells everyone about everything. She’s got a mouth like a Chicago Typewriter. She can’t stop on talking...” Maven, with a face-palm, complained knowing that her friend had told about her personal life to strangers.

“You should not worry about it. She is your friend and cares about you”, said Candace.

“And, let me guess, she talked also about my relationship with Selina, right? asked the glassed woman.

“Yes, but I never knew that it was her, thought it was a male boss”.

“It seems crazy, but, well, I had my thing with girls when I was young, but Selina was the only woman that could please me for real. I have known her for so long, and worked for her for so long, that, well, you know how sometimes personal and professional life does get mixed up, and it happens, stuff like that.” Maven explained, somewhat awkwardly, much to the interest of Candace.

“But Miss Kyle seems to trust you and you can’t let this ruin your relationship with her”, said the assistant of Rupert Thorne.

“Is ... Is that, sometimes I feel so much that we are like more than this boss/employee or just friends. I’ve had some heartbreaks in my life and Selina helped so much with moving on, that I feel I will not be able to have another relationship with anyone”, explained Maven.

“Please, Maven”, Candace said putting her hand onto Selina’s assistant, making physical contact. “Listen, you are a beautiful woman, and can have any person at your feet. You just need to believe more in yourself.”

“Like it’s easy to do”, replied Maven, seemingly not believing in Candace’s words.

“Look at me”, says the brunette, holding the chin of her guest “Maven, you are beautiful. You are easily the prettiest of all the girls at the party, or anywhere else, for that matter.” I know you can have any man or woman you want, and I can assure you this will be not a problem with your boss. Miss Kyle will understand and not feel cheated by you. You just gotta believe me, I like you and and I don’t like to see you feel bad”.

“I don’t know if a stranger feeling pity for me is a good thing”, Maven was unmoved, still not touched by Candace’s speech.

“It’s not pity, my dear. I like you and I want you to be happy. I know we have just known each other for only a few hours, but I like you and now I want to make you not sad ... I need you to be happy for me to be happy ... your mood weighs upon my mind”, said Candace.

“And how you plan to do it?” asked Maven, just to Candace

In a burst of courage, or a sudden loss of inhibition, she kissed the girl in the mouth. Maven, wide-eyed and shocked, moved away after a moment of the kiss.

“What happened? You didn’t like it?’ the brunette woman asked.

“Is that...” the brown-haired girl tried to talk, but she was still astonished by the kiss.

“Sorry if it was this sudden, but it was the only way that I found to revert your situation”, Candace explained, moving closer to Maven.

“But ... I didn’t know you...”

“Here is a lesson: you never know a person 100%. I like both men and women, so as you. And, yes, I am a bisexual, so as you too”, replied Candace.

“Really? Well, now I feel a bit bad about it. I don’t know, but this turned me on a bit”, said Maven.

“Serious? So, you aren’t mad and want to run away like hell?”

“I just was shocked with you did, but I am not mad. In fact, I think it was good...” Selina’s assistant smiled.

“So?” Candace asked to, now, Maven get the initiative and kiss Candace. She was also shocked by the boldness of the other girl, but decided to allow things to go further, her curiosity overwhelming her apprehension.

The kiss was intense and full of passion. The two women interlocked their tongues, now wresting against each other, and their lips pressing themselves. Maven and Candace embraced each other, lying on the seats, surrendering to the most sensual thing that had happened to them that night. A swirl of illicit thoughts flowed through their minds.

“Your kiss is good, Maven”, the brunette complimented.

“I had a great teacher in junior high”, answered Maven, between the kisses and whispers. Both girls were amazed at each other’s abilities.

As they kissed, Candace pressed by accident the button which made the wall level down, so the kissing scene could be seen by Herb, which made him stare transfixed by the scene reflected in the mirror.

“Oh no, this dyke is doing it again...” the limo driver thought to himself peeking at the mirror.

The kissing went frenzy, and Candace was now kissing and touching Maven, being nearly on top of her. Soon, they were moving each other, changing sides and kissing endlessly. They didn’t know how they got here, but it was surely good.

The kissing stuff lasted till Maven saw her building appear in the horizon.

“Stop! That’s my building, right there!” she said as she pointed, while she was underneath Candace, who looked toward the building.

“Herb, stop right there!” the brunette ordered the limo driver. Herb stopped the car right in front of Maven’s building, which gave both ladies time to rearrange themselves.

“Well, it was fun. Sudden, but fun”, said Maven.

“It didn’t seem strange for you? Well, making out with an unknown woman...” Candace asked, while elegantly buttoning her suit.

“I don’t mind...” trilled the brown haired girl, who motioned out via the door opened by Herb, and then turned back to her night partner.

“Well, I guess we should split off now. It was nice to know you, Candace, and, well, I’ll see ya around.”

“It was nice to meet you, Maven”, replied Thorne’s assistant, till she grabbed Candace’s arm while she was leaving the car.

“But it doesn’t mean the night is finished”.

Maven did not expect this move from Candace, who smiled at her and then got out of the car. Maven smiled in response to Candace’s sudden gesture.

The brunette then turned to her chauffeur, and gave him his latest instruction.

“Time to go, Herb!”

“But, Miss Candace, might I remind you that you are needed at work tomorrow”, replied Herb, stern yet polite.

“I call you and you pick me up at Miss Maven’s building, and that’s an order!”

“But, Miss Candace ... it would be rather unwise...”

“Listen, I am in command when Mr. Thorne is out of town. So, what I say goes. Better leave ... now!” ordered the brunette, her voice sharp as a razor.

“You’re in charge, ma’am”, Herb said, with just a hint of a sigh. The chauffeur went back to the car and started the engine of the limo. Soon, the big vehicle disappeared from sight with the two girls outside, and Maven still baffled at what had just happened.

“I can’t believe you did that!” the brown-haired woman was still rather astonished.

“Well, Trixie told me that you needed cheering up, and I know how to make you feel happy”, said Candace, stroking the chin of the girl. Soon as they kissed again, now in front of Maven’s building, in the middle of the night. The motion of the tongues, lips into each other, and the arms going through their bodies sparked a fierce flame between the two women.

“Shall we go upstairs?” Maven asked to her newfound lover.

“Well, the apartment is yours...”

“I never took a girl to my apartment before. Certainly, not with ‘these’ intents”, the brown haired girl wickedly giggled to the brunette, as they began walk into the building. Due to the amounts of drinking, it was somewhat of a problem for Maven to find the keys.

A few stairs separated the street floor from Maven’s apartment. When they entered, Candace looked surprised with the place, very much different from the luxury places that she was used to go in company of Mr. Thorne. It was a simple living room-kitchen with an additional bathroom and a bedroom. Perfect for single people who can’t afford much.

“Your place is good, Maven”, said Candace.

“Really? Sorry, I think you are used to inhabiting bigger and fancier places”, answered Maven.

“Not all the time. I was raised in the country. You know, with the animals and all that...”

“Serious? You don’t have the manner of country-folk” replied the brown haired girl, more than a little surprised, while opening the refrigerator.

“I moved to the town as a teenager. And for business, being the country girl is not good when you deal with the top crop of society”, answered Candace.

“From your looks, nobody could imagine that...” said Maven “So ... want something to drink? I have some water, soda and wine”.

“No, thanks. I think I had enough in the party and in the limo. I just need to sit a little and rest”, the brunette answered, sitting in the couch of Maven’s apartment. Not a bad place this girl has, thought Candace, looking around the home of her newfound friend.

“Ok. I think I got a cup too many. Better if we talk a little”, said Maven, as turned out of the kitchen and sit on the couch with Maven and they exchanged a little kiss.

“Here seems cozier than in the car”, commented Maven.

“Well, I think you did not get many limousine rides” said a giggling Candace.

“You don’t know anything ... I am expert on this...” replied the brown-haired girl.

“Anyway, I want to ask something to you”, said the brunette, while Maven sat on the couch, with her back against a pillow.

“What do you want to know?”

“Well ... how this thing with Miss Kyle and you is serious? You don’t need to answer if you don’t feel in the mood to”, asked Candace

“No problem...” answered Maven. “Even I ask myself sometimes about that ... Well, me and Selina know each other since, I believe, when I graduate from college. She called me to work for her and since them I am her personal assistant”.

“Oh. So, you must know her much to be ‘that close’ to her”, Candace showed that she was more than interested on the subject.

“Well, once, after a party, she complained on how about men were insensitive and how pig they were and such. So I had to console her, and since she was a bit drunk, you know what happened”, followed Maven with the story, which got the attention of her newfound friend word by world. “Well, since then we have this ‘thing’, more like that secret of girls knowing what girls want, but yet is nothing serious...”

“I see that you felt badly when you mentioned that is nothing serious between you and Miss Kyle”, commented the brunette.

“Is just ... I broke up with my boyfriend a year ago and I still feel bad for that, but mostly because I think that I might be cheating on her if I choose other people instead of her. See, she is so nice to me and all. I would be lying if I say that I don’t think that I could have the chance to be with her, to have her as mine.” said Maven as Candace came closer to her and held the brown-haired in her arms.

“Look, you don’t need to feel guilty about it. Trixie told me some stuff about your thing with your boss and, please, it’s nothing that you have to worry about. Maven, you are beautiful and nice girl. I knew that since the first seconds I started to talk with you. You don’t need to worry if you are going to cheat or not her. You are not exclusive of her, and so she is not exclusive of you...”

“I know, but these times were hard for me. My boyfriend was the love of my life, and then, it’s over. Not counting the other people I had. I feel like a failure in love”, said a saddened Maven.

“If you keep thinking like that, you will still fail at love, if I can say”, counseled the brunette, stroking Maven’s long hair.

“Yeah, like you had lot of this before...”

“Believe me, I had a lot. I live daily with a boss who only thinks of me as his secretary and occasional sexpet, surrounded by disgusting men who see me as some kind of ‘slutpet’ and only fuck me because they are too stupid to nail any bitch in the street! If you know me, for sure you wouldn’t tell that to me”, said Candace, with a harsh tone of vice, but friendly.

“So, you and Mr. Thorne...” replied Maven.

“Yes, you heard it right. I have a few ... er... ‘extra-curricular activities” with Mr. Thorne. It’s more a thing between boss and employee, but I guarantee you that is not what you are thinking”, she explained.

“So, what is it?” asked the brown-haired girl.

“Mr. Thorne is the most repulsive and disgusting man I ever fucked in my life. That dirty old fat bastard don’t know how to please a woman he wouldn’t know even if there was a map telling him where. I had to do all the stuff he ordered me to do, and he never said a thank you, or anything. And there are always the bitches he likes to get with!” said Candace, while Maven looked a bit worried.

“Poor little ... you are very strong to handle this entire situation...”

“Well, I do what I can do, but let’s not talk about this anymore”, finished the brunette before moving close to Maven. “Let’s talk, or do other things, more pleasant”.

“And what kind of stuff do you have in mind?” asked Maven, feeling that something would happen right there.

“We could finish what we started in the car. Here there will be nobody that could interrupt us.”

“Do you really want it, or is that the alcohol talking?” replied Maven, whose body bent toward Candace’s, with their shoulders touching each other and her breasts coming closer to the brunette’s body.

“Why don’t we see for ourselves, hmm?” asked Candace. Then, the two women approached their lips and kissed each other again, repeating the same moves they did inside the limo. Soon, Candace was on top of Maven, pressing her lips against her new “friend”, while the two tongues were into touching and fighting.

When Candace was about to start to remove the dress of Maven, the brown haired girl decided to pull her away, breaking the kiss.

“What happened?”

“It’s just I think we need to a more comfortable place. This couch is really a backbreaker”, explained Maven.

“And which place is that?” replied the brunette, perhaps steering the conversation by suggesting that Maven was about to take her to her bedroom or something else.

“Just follow me and you will see...” whispered the apartment owner, while she and her partner moved onward from the couch and went to the bedroom, with arms wrapped around each other’s backs and their journey marked by occasional kisses.

“I will tell you that you are the first girl I will take to my bedroom”, warned Miss Kyle’s assistant.

“Wow, what an honor”, said a flattered Candace. “Has Selina Kyle been in your bed?”

“In fact, her bedroom is so big and luxurious that I would never take her to mine”, answered Maven, while they went to the room;