Talking Points

This is more of a companion piece to 'A welcome break'.

*****

A lonely mid morning bench in an almost deserted little suburban park on a dry, cloudy Winter weekday. The morning frost has gone, leaving drying grey asphalt paths and stark leafless trees under grey, poorly-backlit English skies. A slender young woman wearing dark blue jeans and a maroon Helly Hansen crew jacket sits alone on a graffiti scarred wood. Her demeanour radiates a clear 'leave me alone' signal. Low heeled walking boots speak of a serious hill walker. A bright yellow chunky knit jumper peeps out from the jackets partly undone zip. She is ferociously reading an eBook, heart shaped face set in an unattractive frown of concentration under minimal makeup, long dark blonde hair tied back in a severe ponytail. A plain dark leather shoulder bag, discreetly expensive, sits beside her on graffiti scarred wooden bars.

Another more femininely dressed figure, half a head shorter, swaddled in scarves and a heavy red gore-tex coat enters the park and looks around. Spotting the seated woman she approaches, tan booted high heels tapping an elegant backbeat to the dance of her footsteps. "Marissa! Darling. It's so good to see you." She smiles as she arrives at the seated woman's bench.

"Hello Tanya." The seated woman looks up, tries to smile and fails.

"I got your text. Can we go somewhere warm?" Shivers Tanya.

"I like being out in the cold." Says Marissa, still reading.

"Well I don't, it's bad for the complexion."

"Please yourself."

"Well hello yourself grumpyboots."

"Can you stop being so relentlessly cheerful?" Pleads Marissa, looking up.

"Oh. Sorry to be so insensitive." Tanya says sarcastically, sitting down on the benches end.

"And don't gloat." Snaps Marissa.

"I'm not gloating. You're just being gloomy. I just thought you might like to talk to an old friend. You know, your bestie from home? The one who always brought along a shoulder to cry on?" Tanya chides her old friend.

"It's Tristan." Marissa states flatly.

"Okay. That's more or less what Peter told me." Tanya nods sagely.

"He's such a gormless twat."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"What's he doing?"

"More what he isn't."

"Oh you poor thing."

"Stop being patronising."

"Well pardon me for breathing. Shall I sod off and leave you to dissolve in abject misery, or should I stay and help out my oldest bestest friend? No pressure."

"Oh don't be angry with me Taz. I'm sorry."

"That's better. Oh come on darling, don't cry." Tanya hands over a tissue.

"N-no. I'm sorry."

"No need to apologise darling. Look, there's something I need to tell you and I need to tell you over a serious drink."

"Why?"

"Because I might want to help my best friend ever out of a deep dark pit she's dug for herself?"

"What are you going to tell me?"

"Just stuff."

"Oh no Taz! Don't tell me you've turned dyke?"

"No." Tanya's mouth twists in an ironic smile. "Well. Only a little."

"What!"

"Oh don't be so scandalised Maz. I don't recall you fighting off that rug muncher room mate you used to have at Uni."

"That was before I married Tristan, so it doesn't count."

"Everyone knew." Laughs Tanya. "Jules could always find your volume button."

"Stop that! Someone might hear!" Marissa looks around and blushes furiously.

"That you once danced with dykes? Oh my. You boarding school girls." Tanya laughs and feigns a swooning gesture, back of her hand to her forehead.

"Taz, no!" Marissa cringes.

"Fingers up every orifice if what I heard was true." Tanya grins at her.

"Stop it!"

"Now you're just a wrinkly old prude."

"I am not wrinkly!" Marissa puts a horrified hand to her face. "Oh God, please tell me I'm not."

"Well no, but you're still a prude." Concedes Tanya, shrugging prettily.

"I am not."

"Hypocrite then."

"I'm not!"

"I used to live in the student digs across the street from you and we all knew when Maz and Jules were at it. You weren't much of a study aid, I can tell you."

"Sorry."

"What for? Listening to you come from across the street was way more fun than reading some of the dusty stuff our professors set us as coursework. I used to quite look forward to you two getting it on. Chewing cold pizza and reading by an open window to save on electricity, listening to my old schoolfriend getting eaten out. It was thanks to you I almost didn't get a law degree at all."

"Was I that bad?"

"Bad? From what I could hear you were absolutely bloody superb darling. Come on. Let's go get that drink." Tanya says with a bright little smile.

"I don't want a drink."

"Better a miserable drunk than just bloody miserable." Tanya stands.

"Thank you Tanya bloody Voltaire."

"No seriously. You need a bit of a stiffener. Or maybe you just need a good stiffie. How long has it been?" Tanya teases.

"Taz!"

"Soz old thing, can't oblige without a toy. Now get off your arse and we'll both go get a bit squiffy and rattle about old times."

"Taz, what has got into you?"

"That's what I want to talk about."

"This isn't going to get perverted is it?"

"Don't be silly, we're just two old friends going for a chat over a drink. You need cheering up."

"My marriage needs cheering up."

"Oh come on, we'll talk about that too. You can spill all your woes on the table and I'll try and help clean them up."

"Lovely metaphor."

"I do corporate law, not poetry darling. I fall a bit short on that front. Now get off your bum. I could do with a coffee." Tanya stands up, shouldering her bag.

"I thought you said alcohol?"

"An Irish coffee."

"It's a bit early for alcohol."

"All right." Sighs Tanya. "We'll have a Latte, but let's get out of this cold."

"All right." Marissa picks up her shoulder bag and gets up to follow. "Where do you want to go?"

"Come on." Tanya turns and leads the way out of the park. "Lets find somewhere private we can talk." She says with an edge in her voice.

'Somewhere private' turns out to be Tanya's BMW X5 in the car park at South Mimms services with two cardboard-clad Latte's sitting in the centre console.

"All right sister. You tell me you and Tris are miserable." Tanya stares out of the windscreen at the drizzle. "You keep on arguing every time he comes home."

"It's like he doesn't care any more." Marissa sniffs. "I think he's having an affair."

"Not according to Peter."

"Yes well Peter wouldn't know his arse from his elbow when it comes to marriage."

"Oh I don't know." Tanya smiles enigmatically. "He's a bit more aware than you might think."

"He's just a man."

"He's my man sister, back it up." Tanya snaps. She looks away angrily, then takes a deep breath and sighs. She looks sidelong at her friend.

"Oh I'm sorry." Marissa starts crying again.

"Oh for heavens sake, Maz. Blow your nose. I didn't mean to be harsh. It's just that I get a little tired of the 'all men are bad' stuff. When it comes to Peter, I got lucky. My first frog did turn out to be a prince. So far." Tanya pats her friend on the hand reassuringly. There is an awkward silence. "Do you regret marrying Tristan?" Tanya asks.

"I don't know." Marissa snivels.

"Have you told him that you're unhappy?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Well, he knows I'm angry with him."

"You two need a good long dunking in cold water and a good long talk. Together." Tanya shakes her head sadly.

"But I don't know how, neither does he..." Says Marissa plaintively. Another long pause follows.

Tanya sighs and brushes a lock of glossy dark hair out of her face. "Maz. Marissa. Darling. I know what you need. You and Tristan."

"What?"

"A good old fashioned honest to goodness fuck. A complete balls to the wall shagging. No holds barred. At least an hour."

"Like that's going to happen." Marissa replies.

"Well something's got to give."

"But we do have sex. I mean, not very good sex, but we do have it." Marissa looks down, her face a study in misery.

"Worse than nothing at all." Tanya stares out of the windscreen for a while. "You know, Peter and I were where you are not so long ago."

"So what did it for you?"

"A little place out near the Welsh border."

"Sounds really exciting." Sarks Marissa. "Rain and sheep."

"No rain. No sheep." Tanya's lips quirk upwards. "It was a fun dungeon."

"A perv's palace? No thanks."

"You need to try something different."

"I am not a sub. Or a dom." Marissa says archly.

"So Tristan did tell you."

"And I told him no." Marissa says firmly.

"Your loss." Tanya stops staring out into the greyness. "So if Jules came back to give you a good licking, you'd turn her down then?"

Marissa blushes pinkly. "That was a low blow."

"God Marissa, what if I offered?"

"What?"

"I'd even let Tristan and Peter watch."

"No!"

"Then you could watch them both have me." Tanya gives her friend a sly catlike look.

"No!"

"Or I could bring this new toy I've got. Peter won't let me use it on him."

"No!"

"I'd blindfold you first. You'd never know the difference." Tanya teases.

"No!"

"So you're still a missionary only girl?"

"Yes! No! I don't know!"

"So what do you want Maz?"

"I want it to be like it was when we were first married." Marissa snivels.

"And you're still doing the same old same old?"

"I suppose so."

"It's rather sweet I suppose, but you and Tris, Maz are in a rut so deep I'm surprised you don't get woken up by tube trains passing overhead. But if you don't want my help, I suppose I'd best take you home. Then you can spin your wheels until Tristan's schedule brings him home. Next week."

"No..." Marissa blows her nose.

"No, what?"

"No... Don't take me home." Marissa's voice falters. Her hand drifts over until it rests on Tanya's calf length skirt. "Can we go to your place?"

"Is that what you want?"

"I just need to stay somewhere. Somewhere I'm not alone. Somewhere to talk."

"Look, let's go pick up an overnight bag from your place and we'll pick up a couple of bottles of decent wine on the way over."

"I-I'd like that."

"Good. That's settled." Tanya starts her car and swings out of the car park onto the busy motorway.

An hour of stop-start South London traffic under grey and drizzly skies later Tanya is taking stock of Marissa's underwear drawer. "No wonder you're not having sex." She comments, holding up a pair of rumpled plain white briefs at arms length like a piece of bad fish. "This stuff would kill the passion of a Nun. Haven't you got anything racier?" She shakes her head. "Maz, no wonder you're feeling low. If my underwear drawer looked like this I'd be depressed." Tanya looks around the spacious bedroom to the large walk in wardrobe. "No naughty nighties? Stockings? Garters? Anything?"

Marissa shakes her head. "No."

"Bo-ring." Tanya smooths a lock of hair from her forehead. "And when I was doing my law degree I thought you were the exciting one."

"You did?"

"At least you had a sex life. Mine didn't really take off until I was in my third year when I met Peter. He'd just qualified with his firm and was at our uni's recruitment fair. But you know that story."

"You think I'm the sexy one?" Marissa says dumbly.

"Not at this precise moment though." Tanya drops the briefs back in their drawer with an air of disdain. "Look, we're pretty much of a size bum wise, you can try some of mine on."

"Oh I couldn't."

"For heavens sake Maz. You want out of your rut?"

"Yes."

"You want to restart your love life?"

"Yes, but..."

"Yes nothing. Let's go get that wine, we'll play dress up and have a giggle like old friends."

"Nothing more."

"Are you disappointed?" Tanya tantalises. "You used to be keen on girls."

"It was just a phase." Marissa hedges.

"Oh well." Tanya gives a tight little smile. "If things go that way you'll have to take plastic."

Early evening finds them sitting at the dining room table in Tanya and Peter's town house, curtains drawn. The table is strewn with cartons of Chinese food and two empty wine glasses. An empty bottle of White Bordeaux peeps out of a bin. "Okay. Fashion show time." Tanya claps her hands. "There's another bottle in the fridge." She calls, trotting up the stairs.

A few minutes later she calls down. "Coming down. Ready or not."

"I'm ready." Marissa has opened the second bottle and refilled both glasses. As Tanya reaches the bottom of the stairs Marissa's jaw drops. "Wow!"

Tanya wears a hip length black chiffon nightdress under which c-cup breasts jiggle softly. Black lace full length patterned stockings are held up by a slim black garter belt and when she turns the slim band of her thong almost disappears between peachy buttocks. The front barely covers a heavily trimmed vee of short cut pubic hair with the shadow of her slit clearly visible beneath the sheer fabric. "What do you think?"

"I love it! You've even had your bush done." Marissa claps her hands.

"Mm. Fancy a peek?" Tanya reaches up between her breasts, undoes a bow and saucily flashes her tits. Her other hand drops down and a cheeky thumb pulls the thong down to briefly expose the top of her half shaven pussy. Marissa's eyes open wide and she fumbles her wine glass, almost spilling the expensive Bordeaux. "Well. What do you think?" Tanya reties the sheer black chiffon together in a neat bow. "It's easier to undo."

"Gorgeous." Marissa puts down the glass.

"Me or the outfit?" Tanya twirls and flirts, baby doll hem floating tantalisingly above thong bisected buttocks.

"Oo, both."

"Not yet. Wait there."

A few minutes later Tanya returns in a short peach silk nightgown with double side vents cut to the hips. It fits loosely, but her nipples and the swell of her unsupported breasts are clearly visible. "I like this." She lifts the rear flap to expose her naked bottom. "Peter says it gives him easy access, see?" She moves closer to the table. "Feel that."

Marissa takes hold of the front flaps smooth fabric and lifts it, feeling the smoothness between her finger and thumb. She peeks at her friends naked pussy. "That looks nice." She giggles.

"Not yet, you little tinker." Tanya pulls away. "Have another sip or two. I'll be back in a minute."

She returns in a little leather bustier which barely conceals her nipples and short chiffon skirt. In her right hand is a short riding crop. "I like this one best." Tanya swings the long thin stick suggestively with a sway of hips. "What do you think?" She twirls around.

"Oh my God! Do you wear that often?"

"Not for long." Tanya grins. "I don't normally wear knickers."

"Does Peter like it?"

"Mm. Do you?"

"It-it's lovely."

"Go upstairs and see what's on the bed."

"What?"

"Try something on. Come on, you told me you always wanted to be a model. Now's your chance. Come on darling. Time to strut your stuff." Tanya picks up her refreshed glass, swirling the pale liquid around, taking a sip. "Off you go."

"I-I couldn't."

"Yes you can."

"But..."

"Come on. Or do you want me to use this?" Tanya twitches her riding crop.

"You wouldn't!" Protests Marissa. "Ow!" The riding crop slaps her thigh.

"Up you go, or Mummy will spank her naughty little girl."

"Oh!" The little leather tongue strokes Marissa's tautly jeans-clad bottom. Marissa scrambles to her feet almost knocking her chair over. A heartbeat later she feels the muted sting of leather on denim over her bottom. "Tanya!"

"Bad girl." Purrs Tanya and the riding crop twitches again, this time sliding under Marissa's bottom, making her shift forward. "Put your wine down. Clear the table top." She demands.

Marissa does as she is told and the little leather tongue licks out. She struggles to balance but catches her tummy on the table edge and involuntarily leans forward. The leather tip stings. "Ah!" Instead of shock and outrage she feels her pussy physically twitch. Her eyes dilate with the shock and Tanya gives a wicked grin.

"Come on. Go upstairs and get changed." Tanya demands imperiously. The riding crop stings again.

Marissa bends forward even more, gripping the table edges tightly, eyes tightly closed. "No!" The whip licks and stops, stroking back and forth against her now quivering bottom.

"No is not the word I want to hear, you naughty girl. The game is do what Mummy says."

"I won't." Marissa gasps, but the words are a lie. Her pussy is already pulsing to the music of the whip and under her jumper her nipples are almost painfully stiff.

"I don't like those jeans. Take them off."

"What?" Marissa opens eyes wide with alarm and feels Tanya's firm hand on the back of her neck, gently pressing her face to the table.

"Take." The whip stings. "Them." And again. "Off."

Marissa gasps with each impact, but obedient hands undo the top button and zip before Tanya pulls them back to expose Marissa's tautly cotton clad bum. "Well, well. Sloggi's." The little leather tongue licks across the taut stretchy white fabric of her panties. "And I thought you were strictly a Marks and Spencers girl."

Tanya lays the tip of the riding crop between her friend's shoulders, pressing down insistently, licking out when Marissa tries to get leverage to stand. "Let's get rid of these horrid jeans shall we?" The heavy fabric shushes down Marissa's legs. Marissa struggles and is rewarded with a small stinging side swipe. Not hard enough to hurt. Just a little message to stay still. Then the thin shaft takes on a stroking motion between Marissa's buttocks, rubbing on the whiteness, pushing it into her cleft, moving down and around until it brushes between her legs. Outside an ambulance siren dopplers past. Then the room is silent but for Marissa's heavy breathing before smack! And a short scream jumps out of her mouth. "Mummy says step out of the jeans." Tanya demands. Marissa complies meekly. "Now... Let me see. I don't like that top either. Mummy says take it off." Marissa struggles out of the yellow wool jumper. Underneath she is wearing a plain white sports bra keeping her b-plus breasts with their erect nipples under control. "Oh, dull. Very dull." Tanya says. "Unsexy as hell." She gives an annoyed snort. "No wonder you don't fuck often enough."

"Fuck off." Marissa begins to lift her face off the table. "Ow!"

"Wrong answer." The whip stings twice. "No swearing. That's a rule. Now stretch out your arms."

Tanya instructed. "Good girl. Now take hold of the table edge." The whip resumes its between the legs exploration, licking at the fabric of Marissa's panties, pressing past her anus and touching the back of her pussy through the cloth, almost making her jump. "Face down, put your toes on the floor and push up." Tanya watches her friends bottom rise up. The whip tongue moves under her crotch and begins a gentle assault over her clitoris, thin shaft camel toeing into Marissa's dampening slit. "Hands behind your back and cross your wrists."

The whip ceases its stinging. A soft loop of what feels like velvet pulls Marissa's wrists together, knots are tied. "Stop it!" She pleads.

"We haven't started darling." Tanya purrs. "You wouldn't get changed, now I'm going to make you do what you're told." The air whispers over Marissa's back.

"No, please."

"But yes please." The whip returns to massaging Marissa's warming pussy. "Stand up darling." Marissa is pulled upright until she feels Tanya's bustier-constrained breasts pressing into her upper back. Despite herself, her bottom gives a little wiggle and she can feel hot breath on the soft curly hairs at the back of her neck. "Now isn't that better?" Tanya croons in her ear. Marissa's heartbeat thunders as a soft lace gloved hand strokes across her exposed belly. Across and down, teasing the front waistband of her knickers before tantalisingly moving away. "Upstairs." The word in her ear not so much spoken as breathed, an insinuation rather than a demand.