Chapter 11

While riding in the underground the darkness and the flickering of the shadowy light matched the click-clack of the wheels on the track between the glaring lights of station stops along the way. Sioban dwelt on two things that happened on Saturday at Bourne on the Water, Colette’s kiss on their walk to the pub and her invitation to tea when she had said, “There is something I want to discuss with you that could be of great consequence. But I can’t in good conscience consider it seriously until I get to know you on my home turf.”

There was no question that Colette Bentley wasn’t compelling. Sioban felt it the moment Colette picked them up in front of Ryan and Arthur’s residence hall. Sitting in the front seat of the Range Rover with Colette she found the woman intimidating but appealing. She found it an effort not to stare at her during the trip to the Cotswolds. The woman’s magnetism was so powerful that had they not been sitting in bucket seats; she might be overcome by an urge to move closer to her. No other woman in her life had stirred her to her core in this way. It was unsettling. She couldn’t get over the fact that Colette was the one who had mentored Arthur’s accomplished sexual technique.

During their time at Bourne on the Water Colette was a perfect host who made her feel like an honored guest. As a mature woman, she was completely adaptable to the whims of her younger guests even when they were too timid to express them. She was adventurous as well. Perhaps being an airline stewardess keeps a woman young Sioban thought. When Colette kissed her out of the blue on the trail Sioban was shocked while being curiously turned on.

She had experimented with a girlfriend in high school but never considered herself a candidate for bisexuality and hoped that the appealing older woman would not hit on that today. At the same time, she was curiously aroused. Colette’s mention to her about the concept of a group encounter with Arthur and Ryan was as daunting as it was strange. Yet, due to her sexual activities with both Arthur and Ryan, she couldn’t get it out of her mind.

The invitation to tea was both appealing and menacing, and what is the “something” she wants to discuss? After having at first, agreed she had second thoughts and wanted to cancel the date. But here I am on the train. As the momentum of the train slowed at the approach to Wembley Park Station, she felt butterflies in her stomach and thought Well, I guess I’ll soon find out.

Colette’s flat was a five-minute walk. It was a fairly modern building across the street from a well-tended park. Looking again at the post-it note that Colette had given her when she had dropped her at her Uni residence, she found the building and took the elevator to the third floor. As she knocked on the door, she felt like she was in a strange bubble. When the door opened, the aroma of what seemed like Star Jasmine filled her nostrils. Through the frame of the doorway, she saw the familiar image of the woman who had become a giant in her mind. How could she ever forget how Colette had so willingly foregone her night of sex Arthur?

She was wearing a blue V-neck sweater with no bra underneath, white capri pants, and no shoes or socks on her feet. Sioban was embarrassed at being unable to take her eyes from her hostess’s generous cleavage and how her unslung breasts formed pebble-like bumps of what appeared to be hazelnut size nipples. With a hint of a smug smile, Colette grinned and said, “I enjoyed having you with us last weekend Sioban, I’m so glad that you could come.” She beckoned her in with her hand and stepped aside for her guest to enter.

All week Sioban wondered what Colette’s flat would be like. She was delightfully pleased with how much it matched her expectation. She was definitely in the flat of an airline stewardess ... the home of an adventuress as well. The white-painted walls were covered with myriad pictures and Objet d’art. There were pictures of Colette and other stewardesses in groups, she with groups of pilots, with three (captain, co-pilot, and flight engineer), pictures of safaris (she is standing with a rifle, her foot on the maned carcass of a lion). There were pictures of exotic birds and animals, and two pictures of her bungee jumping at two different locations. It would have taken a long time to view all of the pictures. She noticed numerous men, some appearing quite young. She saw one of Colette and Arthur wheeling their suitcases at Heathrow. She must have had someone take that picture when they got in.

“We’ll have tea here,” Colette said as she stood by the couch in the living room, the coffee table set with a tiered tea tray, a modernistic yet delicate teapot, and matching cups and saucers.

As Sioban moved toward the couch her eyes devoured Colette’s gorgeously maintained body. In profile, she saw that the older woman still had a relatively flat tummy, a bathing beauty’s arse, and was reminded of the tight legs she saw over the weekend while Colette was wearing shorts. Before meeting Colette and getting to know her in the intimate environment of her Cotswold’s cottage Sioban had never been aware of another woman who excited her sexually. She wondered if it might have had anything to do with Colette’s occupation.

Like any aware person, Sioban had heard rumors of flight attendants leading more promiscuous lives than other women. But I love sex and would love that kind of lifestyle. I wish I could see her in her uniform. Reliving her night with Arthur in his dorm room and comparing it to the sex she had just shared with him in Colette’s “hall of mirrors” she wondered, is it because I know how expertly she has brought Arthur into the sexual universe? And how much better would sex be with Ryan as a result of his night with her? The allure of her being a flight attendant, which immediately began covetous thoughts of her own had certainly been something she had been dwelling on since the weekend.

Colette took pride in what she saw in Sioban’s eyes as she thought this may be more fun than she had imagined. She had been impressed by Sioban’s striking, Irish redhead looks the moment they first met and was amazed that her discovery, Arthur, had attracted such an elegant female as this Irish beauty. “Let’s sit down Sioban, have tea, and chat.”

As she poured from the modern white teapot she said, “When I met Arthur on the plane it was like I had been mining for diamonds for years and finally discovered what appeared to be the most precious gem in the world.” She chuckled. “I know that might sound a bit overblown, but I have been looking for someone like him for years. The fact that he turned out to confirm my perceptions were even more amazing. I had been planning to have him all to myself during his stay in London but when he talked so effusively of you and Ryan, I had to meet both of you.

Because of my lifestyle (she smiled and raised her eyebrows), I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors of airline girls. I am happy that Arthur is enjoying sex with others, Sioban. Selfishly I just wanted dibs on him on our weekends together. He’s been so enthusiastic about his good fortune in having Ryan as a roommate and you as a friend that I couldn’t go further without meeting you. And just like everything else with Arthur, you and Ryan are both golden (she reached out and touched Sioban’s hand). I’m ecstatic that we were able to share time and I’m sure you are going to be quite happy with what it has come to mean.”

When Colette touched her arm Sioban felt a tremor of excitement that alarmed her. Since Colette interrupted their walk to the pub in Bourne on the Water with that impetuous kiss she was at first shocked beyond belief. It was so unexpected that she wanted to wrench herself away and run. Arthur and Ryan were standing only paces away. But in the midst of her embarrassment, the magnetism of Colette’s kiss made her realize that never before had she been kissed as lusciously. Panic changed to acceptance along with the wish for the kiss not to end. And when it did she was petulant, momentarily resenting that the two males were present. Since it happened, the memory of the kiss haunted her. And in the midst of her frolic with Arthur in the “hall of mirrors,” while his mouth was on her pussy, she wondered how Colette’s would feel in the same spot. Now in Colette’s apartment panic returned. She thought I’m not ready for this. I’ve got to get out of here. But Colette abruptly changed direction. “We talked about your interest in becoming an airline stewardess Sioban.”

It was like one chapter ended and she was readying herself for a more serious subject. “I said I was interested in what you do for a living Colette. You’re the one who said t I would be a perfect candidate.”

With a pleasant smile, Colette responded, “As I remember it you asked if I thought you might be able to be trained to do it. I took that as definite interest.”

“I thought your career was fascinating, but I haven’t given it another thought since.” She was lying. She had been dwelling heavily on it.

Imagining how effective it might be when confronted with an out-of-line traveler Colette admired Sioban’s Irish testiness. “Nonetheless Sioban you have characteristics that all of us at British Airways are trained to look for. You’re intelligent, attractive, positive, and sunny so...” she reached for a piece of paper on the couch beside her and proffered it. “Here’s an application that you can fill out if you are interested.”

“Thank you,” Sioban said, “I’ll look it over and see if I would want to change the direction of what I am studying.”

“Sociology, right?”

Sioban nodded. “You’ll be surprised at how much your studies will help when you are selected. Working every airline flight is sociology in the flesh Sioban just as psychology is. You should take some of those courses too ... and salesmanship.”

“When I’m selected?” Sioban said with a dubious chuckle, “That sounds a bit presumptuous.”

“Presumptuous or not,” Colette answered with a smirk I have recommended countless candidates, none of whom have been turned down. So, unless you go berserk and attack the interviewers you will be selected.”

After having tea and cakes (Both females took note of the fact that the other had taken only one cake) Colette was interested that the pretty Irish girl was developing good habits. Sioban noted that the older woman was eager to keep herself looking young and fit. “Meeting you and Ryan and spending the last couple of days with you has opened my eyes to the quality of people who have befriended Arthur,” Colette said. “Frankly, I realized how blessed I am to have chosen Arthur in such a friendship and how fortunate he is to have become friends with the two of you. When you told me of your desire to spend more intimate time with him and the obstacles you face making it happen, I felt perhaps what a mother feels when she knows her son is being taken care of properly. When I saw how close he is to both you and Ryan I knew that you and I needed to talk privately.”