CHAPTER SEVEN
Wednesday came around soon and they found themselves out with Steph’s friends. Mia had been concerned about where they might go, from what Steph had told her about Abby and Janie they were both successful women, and likely to frequent upmarket lounge bars. It wasn’t that she couldn’t afford it occasionally, just that it wasn’t really her scene. She was surprised when asking what she would wear, for Steph to tell her that they were going to a casual gay bar in town, somewhere Mia liked to go too.
Mia liked Janie on sight and could remember Abby from school when she saw her, although they hadn’t been close friends. They were both very friendly, and conversation flowed easily. She could see how much they cared for Steph. After a few drinks it wasn’t long before Abby brought up her memory of Mia.
“So, Mia, I seem to recall you were once the talk of the school.”
Steph knew what was coming, and while she could cope with Abby’s teasing, she wasn’t sure how Mia would react. “Hey don’t embarrass her.”
“Aww quaint, I see your big sister is protecting you already.”
Mia blushed. “It’s okay, I’m not ashamed of what happened. I assume you are talking about Felicity?” Her eyes twinkled.
“Ohhh yes.”
“Yeah well gossip always grows arms and legs.”
Abby looked disappointed. “So, it wasn’t true?”
“Oh, it was true.”
“What you were on your knees when you were caught, with your head between......”
Mia coughed, choking on her wine. Steph slapped her back. “God was that the rumour, that I was going down on her?”
“Oh yes, on the exercise mats. That you were interrupted just as she came.”
“Bloody hell young minds and the ability to exaggerate. I was 13 for god sake. No sorry to shatter your illusions, we were caught kissing....” Her eyes glinted. “And I may have had my hand inside her top.”
“Mm so just first base, how disappointing, I think I prefer the rumour.”
They all laughed. “Yes, although had we not been so rudely interrupted then who knows.”  She winked. “Believe me she wanted me, and that was the first time we could be alone.”
“Felicity was very cute if I recall, and head girl, all that power.”
“Yeah well it ended suddenly when we got caught, she was mortified, went from hot to cold in an instant. She’d been after me for months too. If you ask me we got off so lightly because she was the golden girl, and I was seen as the predator even though she was the one that was sixteen. My mum was fuming, she was called to the school and told about my ‘deviant behaviour’.”
Steph laughed she could just imagine Emma’s reaction, she wouldn’t have taken that lightly. “I wish I could have been a fly on the wall for that.”
Abby wasn’t letting go. “Me too. So, what happened?
“Well that outed me at home quickly. I was suspended for three days and had detention for a week, and I knew I’d gotten off lightly. To be honest I was more worried about what my mum would say when she knew I was gay. I vividly remember sitting outside the headmaster’s office on an uncomfortable bench, quaking waiting for her to arrive. She was fine though, I think she thought it was just a phase. Years later she told me she threatened to go to the police and report that I’d been abused and that that changed the school’s attitude pronto, couldn’t have Felicity’s scholarship affected, now could we?”
The girls all laughed, Janie wrapped her arm around Steph. “God Steph our schooldays were much less exciting.”
“I wonder where she is now?”
“Well if your prediction about Mia is anything to go by don’t bother guessing. She thought you’d be straight, married with 3 kids... oh and fat.”
Mia grinned. “Gee thanks Abby. Actually, I met Felicity a few years ago, I don’t think she was allowed out again for the rest of the school year, except to go to chapel, then she left for University. She’s married to a man, she’s got kids and she’s a doctor now, a gynaecologist. Oh, and she’s still hot.”
Janie laughed. “Mm still interested in lady parts then!”
They all laughed. Mia realised she was really enjoying the evening, Steph’s friends were lovely, and Steph was very relaxed in their company. They teased each other mercilessly. They laughed and joked with each other, without taking each other too seriously but they obviously cared for each other. Now she could understand Steph’s request for any information on her friend.
The moment that Mia went to the toilet Janie spoke. “God Abby you were right she is hot.”
“Yes, and I hate to admit it, but she’s improved with age, she’s gorgeous. If I wasn’t with Ailsa, I’d be tempted.”
“Mm, would be fruitless though Abbs, it’s clear she’s only interested in one of us that way.”
“Quite!” Abby looked at Janie.
Steph looked between them, confused. “What are you talking about?”
Janie rolled her eyes. “You my dear girl, she likes you Steph, and not just as a sister.”
Steph coughed. “Yeah right, look at her.”
Abby rolled her eyes. “Well don’t listen to us, you never do when the gorgeous ones like you, but time will tell.”
After sharing two bottles of wine Abby and Janie left at 10 as they were both working the following day, Steph bought Mia another drink, but sparkling water this time.
“If you don’t mind me asking are, they together?
“No, just friends. They dated for a short time, just a few weeks but it didn’t work out, fortunately for all of us they realised they were better as friends. Abby has been with Ailsa for almost a year now, she’s a lawyer, she’s lovely, the calm foil to Abby’s mania.
“And what about you?”
“What, with them, no, they’ve always been just friends. Janie and I have known each other since we were kids, she’s like the sister I never had. Abby is lovely but there’s never been any attraction there on either side.” Steph thought back to the early days of their friendship, once they’d acknowledged they were gay they had spoken about it and been clear that neither was interested in the other. It had paved the way for a close friendship.
Steph took the opportunity to find out about Mia. “What about you, are you seeing anyone at the moment?”
“No, not since Gina.”
“Gina?”
“We were together in Melbourne, she was a lawyer too.”
“Did a long-distance relationship not appeal then?”
“No, we broke up before I left, in fact that’s why I left when I did, I had planned to stay a few months more. She cheated on me.”
Steph was annoyed. “Ah why do women do that to each other, for god sake just move on if you aren’t happy, that’s what I would do, and before anything happened, not after. Although sometimes I think some women can’t be without a partner and need the next one set up, there before they move on. I’ve certainly met a few of them, but fortunately to date I’ve not been on the receiving end.”
Mia looked at Steph, the last few days she felt that she had gotten to know her, and all she knew she liked, if she was honest with herself, she more than liked. Steph always looked good, she dressed casually, but with style and quality clothes. Tonight, she had a light green grandad shirt over white jeans and a white denim jacket.  They were all well cut, and pristine, the jeans like a second skin, emphasising her toned long legs, and her shirt complementing her eyes. She had taken the jacket off and pushed up the sleeves of her top. In the warm weather over the last few days she had developed a tan, and it looked good on her. Her hair shone with vitality and her breasts.... Mia had known from the day at the airport that she was physically attracted to Steph, but now it was more than that, the more time she spent with her the more she liked her, she was in deep.
“Mia, are you okay?”
Steph’s accompanying and unexpected touch on her arm sent a jolt of electricity though her. “God, yes, sorry I was miles away.”
“Somewhere good I hope?”
“Yes, actually I was just thinking about fidelity.”
“Have you ever been unfaithful Mia?”
“No.....well actually yes, but unwittingly. Someone I was with was in a relationship, married, but I didn’t know, and the moment I found out I was out of there believe me. I felt like a fool too. I’m with you on that one, I don’t condone that at all, not after you’re officially together anyway.” Mia finished her drink, noting Steph had already finished hers. “Time to go?”
Steph stood up. “Yes, let me just visit the powder room first.” Washing her hands, she thought about the woman soon to be her sister. She had been watching Mia when she was deep in thought, Mia was lovely, she was really enjoying getting to know her, but if felt different to anything she had known before, it wasn’t just a friendship, but it obviously wasn’t a relationship, not a partner anyway, somehow it was something in between. If they had met in different circumstances, she would have been very attracted to her, although she knew she would never have had the nerve to approach her, whatever her friends told her. 
Steph finished washing her hands, splashing water on her face. Leaving the bar, she walked towards Mia, Mia’s face lighting up when she saw her. Steph didn’t understand what she was feeling, she just knew that she wanted to spend time in Mia’s company, as much time as she could. The rest she would figure out as she went along.