Euryleia's own Ice breaker thread

[Euryleia]

The spanking worked and here it is, well under 5k words.

Gluttony

Anne reached out to turn the page of her novel and noticed a smear of chocolate on her index finger. Sticking the digit in her mouth, she sucked it clean and then glanced furtively around the small café to see if anyone was watching her.

The barista was busy rushing to fill orders of the many business people clamoring for a late afternoon caffeine buzz. The long line extended almost to the door. Packed as the place was, everyone was carefully not looking at the corpulent woman sitting by herself at a table for four.

Anne shifted a little on the two chairs she was sitting upon. Once she had reached a certain weight, she found that she was almost invisible. Even her boss, who oversaw her data entry work, never looked directly at her when giving her assignments or feedback. Sometimes it was hard for Anne to look at him, too, because she had trained him when he first started with the company.

With a long sigh, she forced herself not to think about her job right now. She glanced at her watch and went back to reading. An omnivorous reader, she was known to scrutinize cereal boxes if there was nothing else at hand. She always had a book with her, sometimes two, especially when she was meeting her best friend.

As usual, Clarissa was running late. She was always rushed, charging full speed from one interest to the next, never staying with anything long before dashing to the next fad or phase. She had an edacious appetite for new hairstyles, political causes and even girlfriends.

At three years, her current relationship was the longest Clarissa had ever had. Anne snidely thought that their success had more to do with Lisa’s long days at the office and large bank balance than any love between them.

Anne had seen enough of Clarissa’s lovers to know that her priorities were luxury over passion. As she nibbled on the sticky bun, she mused that she would not kick a partner to the curb if they tried to control her expenses, even if they cut up her credit cards. Of course, unlike Clarissa, she probably would not have run up such a huge debt in the first place.

They were just very different from each other. Meeting as roommates in college, they stayed in semi-regular touch after graduation. Anne knew that Clarissa normally called when she needed someone who was outside her regular circle of friends. Wondering what it was this time, Anne took another sip of her hot chocolate and wiped away the whipped cream from her upper lip with her finger. She was licking it off when there was a commotion at the doors.

Stepping into the café like she was walking down a runway, the slender blonde paused when she reached a clear space in front of the register. Anne rolled her eyes at Clarissa’s typical grand entrance. She knew that her friend was standing there so that people could admire the trendy clothes she got direct from Milan. Anne waited while Clarissa took off her sunglasses and raked her gaze over the room, not so much searching for her but rather to allow everyone the chance to admire her flawless complexion and dazzling blue eyes.

Once it looked like her public had been satisfied, Anne lifted a heavy arm and waved Clarissa over to her table. “You’re late,” she said.

“Oh. My. God.” Clarissa dumped her double armload of shopping bags onto one of the remaining chairs before flinging herself down on the other. “This day has been exhausting.” Daintily pushing two empty mugs and plate away from her, she asked, “Are they too busy to bus the tables?”

Anne flushed a little to have her gourmand tendencies pointed out. “I had to have a little snack while I waited.”

“Oh, darling, I’m so sorry to be late. It was all in a good cause, though. See, I was delayed at the Mignon Faget jewelry store.”

“What kept you?” Anne asked with a sigh.

Clarissa held out her tanned and toned left arm.

Feigning ignorance, Anne studied the French tipped nails. She asked, “They do manicures there now?”

“No, silly. I just had to get this darling little thing.” She shook her wrist so the diamond encrusted, platinum tennis bracelet sparkled in the light. “Isn’t it beautiful?”

“It looks expensive.”

“Of course it is. Only the best from Lisa to me.”

“Does she have any idea that she bought it for you?”

Clarissa glared across the table. “She will know tonight when holding my arm at the Charity Ball.”

“Is that what all the packages are for?”

“Well, no one can expect me to wear the same old thing all the time.”

Anne snorted. “Have you ever worn anything more than once?”

“You know I have. You’re just jealous.” Clarissa took a breath. “I’m sorry, Anne, I didn’t mean to fuss at you but it has been a very tiring day. I did most of Magazine Street today searching for the perfect shoes to go with my darling new dress and I’m dying for a pick me up.”

Anne inclined her head. “Why don’t you get comfy while I go get you something to drink?”

“That would be divine. Make mine a venti skim triple shot caramel macchiato, no whip, please.”

“Okay,” Anne got to her feet and struggled through the tightly packed tables to the register. After placing Clarissa’s order, she decided to get something for herself as well.

When she returned to the table, Clarissa was examining her face in a small hand mirror.

She tossed it back into her purse and asked, “What are you reading?”

Anne tried not to blush. “Just a little bit of fluff.”

“That’s quite a lurid cover. Is she holding a bullwhip?”

“A single tail, yes.”

“So what is this piece of literature called?”

“Um, Lydia and the Leash Law.”

Picking up the book, Clarissa randomly flipped it open and read aloud, “I become a rapacious lesbian when my pet struggles in her bondage.” She cocked her head. “You like this stuff?”

“It was something to amuse myself while I waited for you.” Anne snatched the book and put it on her side of the table.

“What else have you got?”

“Excuse me?”

“We both know that you read voraciously. You usually have seven or eight different books that you’re devouring at any given time. What else are you reading right now?”

“A couple of mysteries. You know me, I like a good whodunit.” Anne reached across the table and stroked Clarissa’s purse. “This looks nice.”

“That’s a Birkin by Hermes, just like the one that Victoria Beckham carries.” Clarissa turned it around. “Isn’t it the most gorgeous thing you’ve ever seen?”

“And how much did it cost?”

“Just thirteen thousand dollars.”

“You paid over ten grand for a purse? What’s it made of? Some endangered species, I bet.”

“It is made out of the skin of the Porosus crocodile from Australia. And it’s only threatened, not endangered.”

“You’re splitting hairs. Does Lisa have any idea what you’ve been up to with her money?”

“Oh, what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.” Clarissa giggled nervously.

Anne narrowed her eyes. That laugh was a warning sign that Clarissa was feeling guilty about something. “What aren’t you telling me?” she demanded, slapping her hand down.

Clarissa jumped, knocking several bags off the other chair. Bending down to pick them up, she tried to balance them but only managed to start an avalanche. She stomped her foot as her many purchases spilt out on the floor.

Once she managed to gather her things back together, she looked across the table to see Anne still staring at her. Leaping to her feet, Clarissa blurted, “I’ll go pick up the order.”

Drumming her fingers on the table, Anne wondered what her friend had gotten herself into this time. The last time she had acted so suspiciously, she had been sleeping with the Dean of Students. Scrutinizing the twitching and tics of her friend as she waited for the barista to finish steaming the milk, Anne was convinced that Clarissa must be hiding something big.

After Clarissa distributed everything on the tray and had taken a sip of her drink, Anne asked, “Are you going to talk to me?”

Clarissa looked around the café before lowering her voice. “I met this woman the other day.”

“Oh?”

“She was at the Art for AIDS event and I hardly saw the paintings on the wall because she was so beautiful.” Clarissa sipped her drink and said dreamily, “She’s smart, too. We talked for hours after Lisa abandoned me after being paged to go back to work. She even took me home on the back of her motorcycle.”

“Are you trying to sabotage your relationship with Lisa?”

“No, of course not. It was so nice to have someone pay attention to me. Just some harmless flirting, Anne, not the end of the world.”

“It doesn’t sound harmless. In fact, you sound enthralled by her.”

“I wouldn’t go that far.”

“Tell me how she made you feel.”

Thinking for a moment, Clarissa finally confessed, “She made me feel like I was the most important person in her world.”

“Okay, that could be bad. What you have to do is avoid temptation. Just make sure you don’t see her again.”

Clarissa twirled a lock of her hair. “That’s going to be hard.”

“What do you mean?”

“She’ll be at the Ball tonight.”

“That’s okay. You can stick close to Lisa and make sure you don’t engage this other woman in conversation.” Anne tried to make eye contact with Clarissa. “I’m serious,” she hissed when her friend kept her head lowered.

Clarissa snapped her head up. “Look, I just want to dance with her a little. You know Lisa hates to get out there on the dance floor. Is it so wrong to have a good time?”

“It is when you know that your girlfriend is rabidly jealous and you signed a pre-civil partnership agreement.”

“She’s a lawyer. Her response to everything is paperwork. Lisa doesn’t have a passionate bone in her body.” Clarissa tossed her hair back. “My little flirting is not a big deal.”

“It will be a big deal if she cuts you off.”

“She’s already cut off any human contact. We aren’t even sleeping in the same bedroom anymore.”

“But is this woman worth throwing everything you get from Lisa away?”

“Yes. Maybe. I don’t know,” Clarissa wailed. “It is wonderful to be wanted. She looks at me with those big, brown eyes and I get wet. Her voice gives me shivers.” Pulling out her cell phone, she asked, “You want to hear the sexy voice mail message she left me?”

“Are you insane? Saving something like that is just foolish.”

“I can’t make myself delete it. I’m ravenous for more contact from her.”

“Tell me more about her.”

“I just know her first name. Jayne,” Clarissa enunciated it slowly, savoring the taste of the name. “With a Y.”

“Do you know anything else? I can run her through the database if you have her last name or license plate number.”

“Don’t be so suspicious. Can’t you be happy for me?”

Anne shook her head. “I don’t understand enough to be happy for you. I thought you and Lisa were solid. Doesn’t she give you everything you could ask for?”

“I want to be loved.”

“Loved? Since when?”

“Since the moment my eyes met Jayne’s.”

“You don’t even know her last name. How can you call it love?”

“She believes that people can have a instant attraction to one another. She was drawn to me and wants to have an opportunity to show me how she feels.”

“Does she know about Lisa?”

“Yeah, she says it doesn’t matter to her. She’s poly…poly something.”

“You mean polyamorous? Into multiple partners at the same time?”

“Yeah, that’s it. She’s got three other girlfriends and a husband.”

“She’s bi, too? You always used to say that bisexuals were just too avaricious for their own good.”

“That was then. Before Jayne and I talked about it. Her arguments were so persuasive.”

“Girl, you’ve got it bad.”

“I know.” Clarissa folded her hands in front of her. “That’s why I needed to see you today.”

Anne nodded. “Yeah, I’ve been missing you, too.”

“No, it’s not just that.” Lowering her voice, Clarissa whispered, “You have to tell me the truth.”

“I always do.”

“That’s good because she’s going to meet us here.”

“What!” Anne screeched. “What were you thinking?”

“I was thinking that my best friend would like to meet the person who I believe is going to change my life.” Holding out her trembling hands, Clarissa begged, “Please, Anne. I don’t understand the effect she is having on me and I need your help.”

Anne scratched her head. “Clarissa, I’ve never seen you like this before. Of course, I’ll do anything to help. I think it might be good for me to meet her.”

“Thank you so much.” Pulling out her cell phone, Clarissa typed in a quick text message. “She is just around the corner and she’ll be here in a minute or two.”

“You are deleting those texts, aren’t you? Remember how much trouble that Detroit Mayor who got in from archived texts.”

“You are such a worrier. It will be fine.”

Anne was distracted from delivering further warnings by a tall, dark haired woman entering the café. She was wearing a tailored leather jacket over a white-buttoned collar shirt and blue jeans that hugged her long legs. Scanning the café, she smiled when she made eye contact across the room.

Feeling a little frisson at the warmth in the gaze, Anne smiled back. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Clarissa turn in her seat to see what she was looking at.

“Oh, goody,” Clarissa said, clapping her hands. “Thank you for coming.”

“It is my pleasure.” Jayne bent down and kissed Clarissa on the cheek before standing to her full height. “You must be Anne,” she said.

“I am.”

“It is an honor to meet you. Clarissa has talked about you so much, that I feel like I already know you.”

“Thank you. She’s only told me a little bit about you.”

“All good, I hope?”

“She did say you were beautiful.”

Jayne pulled a chair from another table and spun it around. Straddling it, she reached out and took Anne’s hand in hers. “Not a beautiful as you,” she said solemnly. She leaned closer to Anne, “You have the most gorgeous eyes. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that shade before.”

Blushing, Anne pulled her hand free. “I thought Clarissa was who you were interested in.”

“I’m interested in everyone.” She glanced over at Clarissa and then took a hold of both of their hands. “I’m so lucky to have such lovely women to talk to. Everyone else in the place must be eaten with jealously.”

“I’m sure,” Anne replied. “Were you going to get something to drink?”

“Oh, I don’t need chemicals to make my heart race. Just meeting you and being with Clarissa does that.”

“You are such a sweet talker. Is that how you operate?”

“You don’t know me, Anne. If you did, you’d know that I’m not playing games.”

“Sorry. I guess I’m not used to being flirted with.”

“I don’t believe that.”

Anne laughed, harshly. “Hello? Have you looked at me?”

“Yes. I am looking at you. I’m seeing the real you that you’ve been trying to hide under all that weight.” Jayne smiled. “I’m sorry that other people have let their size prejudice keep them from getting to know you.”

Anne blinked back tears. She glanced over at Clarissa to see her beaming at her. “What?”

“Now do you see what I mean about her?” Clarissa asked.

“Aren’t you jealous with her focusing on me?”

“Of course not. Doesn’t she make you feel good?”

“I’ll admit that the attention is flattering.”

“It’s more than that and you know it. She’s genuine in her affection and you can feel it, can’t you?”

“Yes, I can. I’m having a hard time believing it, though.”

Jayne interrupted them. “Hey, I don’t want to be the cause of problems between you. Anne, believe me when I tell you that I don’t want to hurt Clarissa in any way. Any more than I would want to hurt you.”

“How can you expect me to trust your intentions when I know you’ve got a string of lovers?”

“One of the greatest fallacies ever perpetrated on the world is that love is finite. It really is all powerful and everywhere. There is plenty to go around.”

“Isn’t sharing hard?”

“It just takes a bit of practice and for each person to open their heart.”

“What about jealously?”

“It is a problem until there is trust.” Jayne looked deep into Anne’s eyes. “You can ask any of the people I have been with and they will all say that I’ve always been completely honest and above board with them.”

“I believe you. It isn’t for me, I’m afraid, but I do believe that it works for you.”

Jayne’s phone rang and she excused herself to go answer it.

Anne watched the tall woman through the window as she spoke animatedly into her phone. After a moment, she looked over at her friend. Clarissa was staring down at her clasped hands. Sighing, Anne said, ‘She seems nice.” The sudden look of happiness on Clarissa’s face made her add, “I like her.”

“You do? You really do?”

“Yes. I can see why you like her, too.”

Blushing, Clarissa said, “She makes me want more for myself.”

“This might be hard.”

“I want to try, though.”

“Okay. You know that I’ll back whatever you decide.” Anne grinned. “And its not like you’ve never slept on my couch before.”

“Let’s both hope it doesn’t come to that. You aren’t used to keeping me in the style to which I have become accustomed.”

“And you think whatever you may have with Jayne is worth the potential trade off?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“You know, I don’t think you’ve ever let your heart led you somewhere. She may be the best thing that ever happened to you.”

Clarissa eyes shown with tears as she watched Jayne walk back across the café toward them. “She has awakened appetites in me I never knew I had.”

“Italo Calvino wrote, ‘In love, as in gluttony, pleasure is a matter of the utmost precision.’”

“What does that mean?”

“That we hunger for certain things. A glutton prefers a specific dish, cooked a particular way. So, too, the lover.”

Jayne returned to the table to hear the last comment. With a heavy, fake Bronx accent, she asked, “Who you calling a dish?”

“You,” Clarissa answered. “Only you.”