Chapter 5

<Cocktails>

Amy’s phone rang as Gary drove them back to the house, no Jenny tonight, she was on night-duty.

“Hey Geoff, how’s it going? Oh wow, you’re in the country, that’s great news. We’ve not got anything planned for tonight, so you’re welcome to stay, we’ve got some guests, so I’m afraid there’s no room for your pilot or crew, I’ll book a couple of rooms at the guest house in the town.”

Amy put her phone away, “well, that’s a nice surprise, Geoff’s in the country for a few meetings, so he’s popping round. I’ve told him all about you girls, I’m sure he’ll be pleased to hear about your work first hand.”

“Is Geoff like, a lord or anything?” Belle asked.

“Gosh, I don’t think so,” Amy replied.

“It’s just you said he owned a lot of land, and he’s friends with Lady Marina.”

“It’s not something I ever thought about, why don’t you ask him.”

“Oh, I couldn’t do that.”

“Well, I’ve known him for a few years now, so it would be awkward for me to ask him now.”

Back at Amy’s house, Poppy and Katie started fretting about meeting a potential Lord whilst wearing polo shirts and Converse.

“Relax,” Amy implored them, “he’s a pretty normal guy, he won’t be upset about the way you’re dressed.”

“But still, we’ve nothing even slightly smart to wear.”

Amy sighed, she guessed the girls were right, all they knew about him was he’s rich, took her to posh hotels and restaurants, and was a true gentleman.

“OK, you’re going to be a problem Belle, I don’t know anyone your size, Gary, could you phone Mrs Bradley down the road, see if we could borrow one of India’s dresses. Poppy and Lia, you’ll both be able to wear Tina’s clothes at a pinch, although you might need to wear a push-up bra, Lia, as Tina’s boobs are bigger that yours. Katie, I think there’s some of Alice’s clothes here, or Emily’s, they’re both a similar size.”

Amy took the girls over to their bedrooms, “Tina and Pixie’s clothes are in the left-hand wardrobe, Alice and Emily’s in the right. Poppy, you might be OK with Pixie’s clothes, but they’re mostly kind of slutty, because that’s her style.”

Amy could see Poppy weighing up whether to go slutty or nice, before she fell to the nice side, “I think I’ll just look at Tina’s clothes.”

The gate buzzer sounded as the girls were laying dresses out on the bed, “that’ll be Mrs Bradley,” Gary called from downstairs, “she said she’d bring a few round.”

Amy dashed across to meet her neighbour at the door, “Hey India, are you on your own?”

“Yeah, mum’s busy. She said you wanted to borrow one of my dresses, but she didn’t say which, so I’ve brought a few.”

“Ahh, thank you. I’ve got some friends up from London. We’re having cocktails tonight, but they didn’t bring anything fancy. One of them is smaller than my other friends, so I have nothing here for her.”

“Hopefully, one of these will suit her,” India replied, hefting a dress carrier.

She motioned for India to come through to the guest rooms, “are you all decent?” she called out.

“Yes,” Lia replied, “we’re still choosing.”

Amy pushed the door open, “Belle, this is India, my neighbour, she’s brought you some dresses to try.”

“Oh wow,” India exclaimed as she saw Belle, “You’re Belle, I’ve seen you on TV!”

“Yes! That’s me!” Belle replied, delighted at being recognised.

“Err ... I’m India, I hope you like my dresses.”

Belle looked at India, she was perhaps 12 years old, maybe 13. She was around Belle’s height, but a little slimmer. Belle was so hoping she’d fit in at least one dress, because she didn’t want to disappoint this lovely girl who’d dashed round to help them out.

As it happened, India’s style suited Belle, and she chose a short black dress with frills around the capped sleeves.

“I love that dress,” India told her, “it’s not as nice as the dress you wore at the gala, I saw the photos in mum’s magazine, you looked amazing! And you did Katie, that shimmery dress was awesome. Whoever bought it is really lucky.”

“The owner’s granddaughter bought it!” Katie told her, “I can’t believe she paid all that money to get her own dress back.”

After everyone had chosen dresses, India didn’t leave the room, watching as the girls changed.

“Mmm, could I ask a question?” she asked quietly as Katie zipped Lia’s dress.

“Ask anything you like,” Poppy replied kindly.

“I notice you’re all shaved, downstairs, you know, except Katie ... err ... no I can’t ask that ... forget I said anything.” she added, blushing furiously.

Poppy laughed, “you absolutely can ask that. We all like the feel of a nice, clean, shaved pussy, but Lia likes Katie to have a neat tuft of pubes to play with. I like Katie’s look as well.”

“Oh, you all...” she couldn’t complete the sentence, simply moving her arm across the room, pointing at everyone.

“I’m Belle’s girlfriend, she’s my whole life. Lia is Katie’s girlfriend, but sometimes we switch around. It’s not something that works for everyone, but it does for us, because we have such a strong bond.”

“How old are you, India?” Lia asked.

“I’m 12.”

“Mmm, I’m not a good example,” Lia replied, “Katie...”

“India, do you like boys or girls ... it’s OK if you don’t know the answer to that, some people are sure early on, I knew before I’d left primary school that I was gay, Poppy, I think only realised quite recently...”

“Yeah, on the streets, I loved Belle, and we fooled around occasionally, but I was mostly with boys.”

“I’m like Katie,” Belle told her, “I knew in primary school that I wasn’t into boys.”

“And me, I like both,” Lia added, “I prefer girls, but I’m OK with boys as well.”

“As for me,” Amy joined in, “I’m pan. I’ll let you google that, but not on your mum’s computer,” she added, laughing.

“I don’t know. I like looking at boys, but I really enjoyed watching you all...”

“There’s no right or wrong answer, India,” Lia assured her, “and sometimes people change their minds later in life, like me I guess. At no point until I met Katie did I think I might like girls, and I lived with Poppy and Belle for a few months.”

“You said you’re having cocktails...” India said, almost in a whisper.

“We are,” Amy replied, “I’ve got a very good friend coming round, I’ve not seen him for months, he’s just arrived in the country and will be here in about,” she looked at her watch, “about half an hour. I’ve got plenty of soft drinks if your mum will let you stay.”

“That would be nice, because I’d like to ask about your school ... and I’m dying to hear about Taylor Swift.”

India collected the dresses Belle didn’t choose and returned them to the suit carrier, “I’ll just run home and ask mum if I can come back for a bit.”

“Tell her I’ll get Gary to walk you home later, it’ll put her mind at ease.”

“Thanks Mrs Foster...”

“Amy ... Mrs Foster is Gary’s mum. my name is Amy.”

“Thanks Amy...” India said as she dashed off home.

“She’s sweet...” Belle sighed as she watched India run towards the front doors.

“And she’s 12,” Poppy laughed.

“Oh, I don’t fancy her or anything!” Belle replied, shocked. “She’s pretty, but she’s not gay, I can tell. She was curious when she watched us, because we’re all different, I think she was maybe comparing us all to the girls she sees at school.”

“Of course,” Poppy replied, “and sorry for thinking bad about you Belle.”

“No need to apologise, because I probably will have saucy thoughts about her in a couple of years...” Belle replied, before diving out of the way of Poppy’s playful slap.

“As I’m now completely overshadowed, I’ll go change into something less comfortable. We’ll have drinks outside, why don’t you go down and give Gary a hand.”

Poppy hung back, waiting to catch Amy alone for a moment.

“Mmm, about last night...” she started, a little embarrassed.

“What about last night, sweetie? Don’t think I’m upset or anything, because I like Gary to sleep with other girls.”

“Ahh, no. I wasn’t going to mention anything, because I didn’t want to upset you for other reasons. It’s just, when we come back to visit again ... well, I think I’ll stick to Belle and Jenny if she’s around ... because ... well, I’m still kind of sore ... down below...”

“Oh my!” Amy replied, sweeping Poppy into her arms, “I’d hate to think Gary hurt you...”

“Oh no! It’s not like he did it on purpose or anything, he’s just too big for me. I got carried away while we fucked...”

“That can happen,” Amy replied, smiling.

“And it’s not like Gary’s the biggest dick I’ve had. I mentioned Mikey, that bastard tore me up ... I wanted to enjoy my time with Gary, to take away to the memory of Mikey ... and I did enjoy the sex last night, while it was happening ... just not so much afterwards, if you know what I mean.”

Amy kissed Poppy tenderly, “I know exactly what you mean, honey. I’ve spent more than a few days walking funny after a rigorous session with Gary.”

“Don’t tell Gary he hurt me, because it wasn’t his fault. I guess my eyes are bigger than my pussy.”

“Hahaha, we all suffer from that sometimes, and don’t worry, I won’t tell Gary he hurt you.”

“Thank you, Amy.”

“Go join your sisters, I’m sure they’re wondering where you’ve got to.”

Poppy set off towards the stairs down to the patio area, before turning back to Amy, “mmm, maybe Lia would be OK with Gary. She’s the one who makes love to Alex most, and for the longest time.”

“Thanks Poppy, I’ll let Lia make that decision, and not until next time you visit. Tonight, he’s mine...” she added with a lascivious grin.

The gate buzzer sounded whilst Amy was changing, “That’s probably Geoff,” she shouted from the bedroom window, “he’s got a gate remote and door key, but he refuses to use them. Could one of you pop up and open the gate, there’s a button by the front door.”

Belle ran up the stairs, excited to meet Geoff, she pushed the button marked Gate Control and watched as the big, heavy gate rolled back into the wall and a taxi drove in, closely followed by India and a woman, presumably her mum.

Oh shit, Belle thought, I hope her mum isn’t upset she’s been invited to a cocktail party.

As India and her mum neared the house Belle relaxed, they were both dressed smartly, mum had come for cocktails!

Belle opened the door as Geoff climbed from the taxi and it drove slowly back to the gate, which Belle re-opened to let him leave.

“Ahh, my dear, what an absolute vision!” Geoff cried as he climbed the steps to the front door, he paused on the top step and looked her up and down, “let me see, you must be Belle!”

“Yes! I’m Belle,” she replied, delighted she’d been recognised again, “err, this is India, one of Amy’s neighbours, she lent me this dress, and India’s mum.”

“Hello Belle, I’m Kirsten.”

“Hello Kirsten, this is Amy’s friend Geoff. Shall we go down to meet the others?”

“That’s a perfectly splendid idea,” Geoff replied.

Belle tried not to laugh as she let the group enter, Geoff was so incredibly camp, she wasn’t sure even a girl as pretty as Amy could disguise his sexuality.

Amy rushed to Geoff as he stepped through the door out to the patio, “Oh my god! This is such a surprise, I didn’t expect to see you until Christmas.”

“Ahh well, I have a small legal matter to deal with in Brussels, nothing serious, just some trivial detail that should be delt with over the phone, but this tiresome man demanded to see me in person. So I thought, why not break up the journey to see my favourite girl, and now I see you have even more beautiful girls for me to gaze upon.”

“And only gaze, I know what you’re like Geoffrey!”

Kirsten looked a little worried until Belle whispered, “it’s OK, he’s gay.”

“So, I’ve already met the delightful Belle, you must be Poppy, I can tell because your eyes are following Belle behind me.”

Poppy blushed and mumbled, “I feel lost without her.”

“Then go and join her, my dear, because I’m sure she feels the same. Now then, Lia and Katie, mmm, you definitely look like a Katie,” Geoff said, pointing at Katie, “which makes you Lia, and now I know why Marina was so taken by you, such a beauty, and such an aura. Wonderful.”

Lia blushed furiously, “Marina talked about me. When? Why?”

“A few times, I was talking to her when she was in the States over Easter, the conversation turned to Amy and her plans to help you, and she was very enthusiastic about you; both your looks, and the work you do for the charity.”

“Oh my! It feels all weird that people talk about me when I’m not in the room, I’m not used to that at all.”

Amy could feel the heat from Lia’s flushed cheeks and took pity on her, thrusting a whisky tumbler in Geoff’s hand as she drew him away.

“Ahh thanks Geoff, I’ve got the feeling that the girls don’t think Lia is appreciated enough, you’ve just proven them wrong.”

“I suspect that Lia, Poppy, Belle and Katie will find out just how important they’ve become in December.”

“Honours?” Amy gasped.

“I don’t know for certain, but Marina has nominated them all and she’s spreading word of their work in all the right places.”

“Oh my, that’s brilliant. Watch them later, they’re not related, but they’re as close as any siblings I’ve ever met.”

“My dear, I’ll be watching everyone like a hawk tonight, I expect a lot of laughter.”

“I can guarantee that. On an unrelated note, when are you going to Brussels?”

“I was going to fly down tomorrow afternoon, why?”

“Ahh, I need a small favour...”

Back on the patio, Gary was ready to take orders from Poppy and her friends.

“Do you know what, we’ve seen the Big Lebowski about a million times,” Lia said before anyone else ordered, “and I’ve never had a White Russian, I think we need to fix that tonight.”

“Just one?” Gary asked.

“Yeah, I’ll wait to see if Lia dies before I have one of those,” Poppy replied, “I’d love a Mojito.”

“Me too,” Belle added, bouncing at the prospect of a cocktail.

Katie was next, “I fancy a Pornstar Martini. I’ve no idea what it is, but I keep reading about them.”

Gary looked up from his notepad, “that’s Tina’s favourite. I don’t have the ingredients here. Belle, be a love and find Amy, ask her to bring the Passion Fruit and Vanilla syrups.”

Kirsten followed Katie, “err ... I’m Kirsten, India’s mum...”

Gary smiled, “I’m glad you told me, I was just going to call for security.”

“Ohh, do you have security?” Kirsten asked nervously.

“Not really, no,” Gary laughed.

“It’s just, we hear so many rumours about Amy’s money, I wondered if you had bodyguards or something.”

“We’ve never felt the need, because I suspect you’re the only person around here that Amy has spoken to, everyone else probably doesn’t have a clue who we are.”

“Security through obscurity,” Kirsten replied, “if nobody knows who you are, they won’t know you have sackfuls of money here.”

“So, what can I get you, apart from a sackful of used £50 notes...”

“I’ve no idea, I’m really boring about cocktails, surprise me, something with gin.”

“And you, India...”

“Err, I’m only 12!”

“She can have a white wine spritzer, more lemonade than wine, a lot more...”

“Oh wow, thanks mum.”

“Just one, so drink it slowly,” Kirsten replied as they joined the girls under the gazebo.

Once everyone had their drinks, India opened the conversation with the obvious question, “what does Taylor Swift smell like?”

OK, maybe not the one everyone else was thinking.

“She smelt of vanilla,” Belle replied, “if I had to guess, she was wearing Billie Eilish’s perfume.”

“And she really kissed you both?”

Poppy opened her phone and showed India the photos.

“Oh. My. GOD! I’d never wash again, ever.”

“By the way everyone,” Lia said whilst India came to terms with sitting near people who’d met Taylor Swift, “this White Russian is awesome.”

“Taylor filmed a video on my ranch the other year,” Geoff broke in.

“You mean ... you met her?” Amy asked, not normally impressed by celebrities, but, Taylor Swift, she really is special.

“Just fleetingly, I was flying out to a meeting. I gave her a quick tour of the ranch then we parted. She stayed in your bedroom, Amy.”

“Seriously, and you never thought to tell me Taylor Swift had slept in my bed.”