Ledge Walkers (2 page)

"Yes, ma'am."

Then she proceeded to explain, “There are nine of us here. Oddly enough in that mix there are five teachers: two professors, an elementary schoolteacher, a yoga trainer, and an art instructor. All of us have been at the mercy of at least one of those for many years sometime in our lives. At their mercy meaning we had stuff crammed down our throats without ever being able to offer any advice on what we needed to learn. So, ladies, our adventure simply consists of learning some of those things that theyshould have taught us in school."

The traditional and silent appraisal began as each looked to the other, first with question mark faces and then with approval.

Claudia continued, “While we don't boast having a stoolie in every bar and porn shop in the city, we do know quite a few people.” She looked to Kris and Ginny, who were both laughing. “We'll be having an expert in for each session. Not only will we have some non-competitive fun, but hopefully we'll learn a few things and meet some interesting people."

A ripple of affirmative nods skipped through the group.

"And who hasn't been a kid who believed that all school days should begin with recess?” I asked—rhetorical minus the shackles. “So this is recess. We have until ten fifteen to do absolutely nothing but horse around and enjoy ourselves."

"Um, I have a question,” Susan said, raising her hand like one of her students needing to use the little girls’

room.

"And what would your question be?” Claudia played along.

"Is it common practice to serve mimosas for recess?” she asked.Yes, another millimeter closer to freedom.

"It is at this school,” Claudia answered.

"I like recess!” Susan said in a little girl voice. She raised her glass to be quickly joined by the rest.Two millimeters.

"Okay, everybody,” Claudia said, but obviously too politely, for everyone kept milling about and talking. Then the manager in her stood tall. She clapped her hands loudly and repeated, “Okay, everybody. It's almost ten fifteen. We've got to keep things moving along."

When all attention was had, she continued, “Welcome to Physical Education, the class you love to hate."

"The class with the ugly butch gym teacher who screwed you up because you thought there had to be something wrong with liking girls if you were going to grow up to be her,” I said, receiving leg-slapping laughter from everyone for the sick joke, an arm slap from Claudia for deviating from the script, and a cheek slap from myself for a badly run-on sentence.

"You all remember it, don't you, girls? Kickball, pushups, badminton, laps, claiming to have your period one hundred and twenty-five days in a row. Well, they didn't teach us what we needed to know to grow up to be strong, healthy women, now did they?"

A horrifically loud “No!” shook the room. Then they spouted every pathetic gym activity they knew, following each with “Bullshit!” They were madder than hell, and I could not take it anymore. I did the cowardly thing and ducked into the spare bedroom. Retrieving a stack of white sheets, I winked at Lover Doll and then made my way back to the living room. As I tossed the stack into the middle of the room, all eyes turned to me.

"So this one, ladies, is massage,” Claudia announced to a steady stream ofoos andahs. “You'll have to strip.

There's a sheet for everyone to wrap up in. Panties are optional."

Between them, they exchanged glances until the verdict was unanimous: They would go along with the plan.

Laura grabbed the first sheet, teasing, “You belong to the KKK? They don't like queers, you know."

Before I could make my retort, Maggie was studying the one she had grabbed. “Look,” she said, pointing to a mark on the sheet. “It's not KKK. She swiped them from a hospital—from St. Mike's."

"I just hope it wasn't St. Mike's Home for the Bedridden and Incontinent,” Susan added, much to my chagrin.

"Oh, shut up, you guys!” I said. “I got them from the thrift store. Claudia washed and bleached them. There's nothing wrong with them. Now shut up and get moving."

As they took turns stripping in the bathroom, Claudia and I set up a borrowed massage table for each couple, and one for Alison, who would be our guinea pig.

Soon, the living room was filled with white-sheeted bodies. Everyone walked about like clumsy geishas.

In perfect time, there was a quiet knock at the front door, and I let in our massage therapist.

"This is Janice,” I introduced. “She's going to be teaching us a few things. She's trustworthy, and she's one of us, so please feel comfortable. Ask questions. Whatever you need to do. Alison, you get the massage from the pro."

As Janice set up, Claudia and I stripped and joined the ranks.

Janice began with a short speech on the importance of touch and how it helps a couple with bonding. Alison reclined on the table next to her, and I wondered what she thought about bonding with a stranger. Maybe as a yoga teacher she understood things we didn't, as she seemed unfazed.

"Okay, so the point of this is non-sexual touch,” Janice said. “Pay attention to your partner's needs. Be gentle.

First, we'll concentrate on one partner, and then we'll switch."

With that, bargains were made, and eventually, Claudia, Holly, Ginny, and Susan were all prone. Janice handed out small bottles of oil to each of the apprentice masseuses.

"Always warm the oil in your hands before you touch your partner. A shock is not the best way to begin."

"Come on, Sutter,” Laura said from the table adjacent to ours. “Get it nice and warm."

"I am. I am,” I corrected. “You just pay attention."

Janice furthered her instructions, “Okay, once the oil is warm, place your hands gently on your partner's neck and shoulder area. Like this.” She began slowly massaging Alison's shoulders. “You want your back motion to go toward an extremity. Think of it as forcing the negative energy toward a place where it can easily escape the body, like the fingertips, the feet, the top of the head."

I watched what she did and then tried the same on Claudia. I must have done it correctly, as I could feel her relax under my touch, and an almost inaudible moan escaped her lips.

"Feel good?” I asked, for which I received a lazy nod. “Just tell me if I hurt you."

After several minutes of this, Janice said, “Now you want to move a bit lower, around the shoulder blade area.

This time it's the upward motion that should push the negative energy toward the arms."

Again, I did as she instructed, feeling Claudia lose herself in my touch. I thought back to the tension that existed between us during our last get-together. There was none of it now, and none that I could feel in the muscles that gave themselves to me. I imagined pushing out any residue and infusing her with the strong, thriving feelings I had for her.

As I caught onto the techniques that Janice taught us, I finally felt in command enough to move my attention to the others in the room. It was Laura I saw first. Actually, it was only Laura I saw. She leaned into Holly, passionately kissed her neck several times, and then started biting her way down her spine. And then, I heard her breathing. It was labored and long and seemed nearly to carry a scream with it. Her hands—which were supposed to be in the shoulder blade area—were on either side of Holly, whose facedown position caused her ample breasts to bulge considerably from the sides. “Oh God,” I heard her breathily utter into her, to which an overturning Holly gasped in reply, “Oh, does my baby need some more?"

As my jaw dropped, I questioned the word “more.” What had we missed whilewe followed instructions? Then, with my jaw attempting to hang even lower, I watched a frantic Laura open the sheet around her and climb onto a naked and welcoming Holly.

"Laura!” I yelled through clenched teeth.

Her desperate eyes shot to mine, and she said nothing but “Oh God."

I believe it was at that second—although, I admit that in the throes of shock I was not quite sure—when Janice bellowed, “Non-sexual, ladies!"

The writhing and kissing ones paid no mind. Another “Oh God” came from Laura, and I knew that we were nearing the point of no return. They gently rocked into each other, completely oblivious to anyone but each other.

Kris snapped to attention as all eyes in the room turned to the two them. “Laura!” she barked. “Get off of her!”

When no response came, she yelled Laura's name in a way that seemed to make the room reverberate.

Laura came back to the world momentarily. A pleading look made its way to Kris, and Laura implored in deep breaths, “Oh God, Kris, I have to have her.” She resumed the impassioned kissing.

"Laura!” Kris barked again. “You're in a room full of people!"

"No. No, we're not,” she breathed and continued her mission, which seemed to be devouring Holly wholly.

"Laura, look at me!” This time Kris took on a tone like she was trying to talk a jumper back from a ledge.

Laura looked at her, but her eyes were glazed and distant. Her breathing bordered on hyperventilation.

"Laura, you're in a room full of people!"

Her breathing slowed a little, a very little. She swallowed hard and said, “No. When I touch her, the world goes away. Clocks even stop."

"It may feel like that, hon, but you're in a room full of people."

"Oh, but I want her!” She laughed this time. “Goddamn it, do I want her!” She released a scream of utter frustration.

Kris continued, “Janice said this was to be non-sexual touching."

"She made it sexual!” Laura defended. “Be gentle. Pay attention to her needs. I was. I did. I mean look at her!”

She raised herself up, exposing a quite comfortable Holly and herself in the process. “How can this not be sexual? Holly, you are the sexiest woman in the world! I love you. I want you."

"Oh, babe,” Holly gushed, and the kissing resumed yet again.

Before losing them once more, Kris urged, “Laura, keep looking at me. Keep looking at me."

Laura did as she was instructed. She still looked intoxicated.

"This is the damnedest thing I've ever seen. You're a grown woman. Control yourself."

"I am in control. I love her. I want her. Oh God, do I want her."

"She's not an object! Holly, does she make you feel like an object?"

Holly didn't answer right away. Then she pulled Laura into her, thrust her hips, and said, “Laura, quick make me feel like an object so I know if I've ever felt that way before."

Everyone laughed, and it seemed to be enough to pull the jumper back from the ledge.

"She's not innocent in this,” Laura defended. “Everybody always thinks she's innocent. It's that gorgeous face that does it.” She smiled broadly and stared down at Holly, who at this point was laughing. “Tell them what you did this morning. Go on, tell them."

She pulled Laura into her yet again and said, “No, you tell them. I want to hear yousay it."

"Fine,” Laura said. “But remember you told me to.” She moved away from Holly a bit, and for the first time in a long time it seemed as though there were two of them. “I'm innocently—innocently, I tell you—taking a shower this morning, hurrying to get here on time. This tease here comes in, jams the door to the shower stall, drops her robe, and pushes her breasts to the glass. Then she begs me to touch her. Ican't f-ing touch her! She says she'll do it for me. I'm not kidding you!"

Holly laughed deviously. “Ah, but I eventually rescued you in time, didn't I? God, you were so wild by the time I got in there.” She pulled Laura into her again, the to-and-fro now beyond predictable. “God, I love you when you are wild like that!” And yes, they started kissing and writhing again.

Suddenly, I understood the word “more” and why they were late.

All eyes again were on them, and somewhere inside I thought to myself that it was hopeless trying to pull them apart. I thought it might be smarter to just let them have at it—to a silent chorus of closed ears and eyes. At least it would be done. Or would it? Two opposing words collided in my mind: contentedly insatiable.

"Are you guys like this all the time?” Susan dared to ask, rather loudly, and while I predicted that discomfort would be there, intrigue seemed to have overruled.

"Are you?” Kris asked. “Or did a simple massage just do you in?"

"We're not perverts, if that's what you're thinking,” Laura defended. “I just can't seem to stop myself when it comes to her. I mean really—just look at her!” She lifted herself up again for us to see what she was hoarding.

She looked down at her, and another “Oh God” came forth as if it were a religion.

"Ah, Laura, I think we've all had a good enough look at her,” Claudia reminded. “Thanks, though."

"Laura, you're jumping her bones in a room full of people,” Kris crudely clarified and then watched as Laura's eyes scanned the room as if seeing it for the first time.

"Okay, you're right. I'm sorry,” she said and sat up, barely wrapping the sheet around herself again, making sure that Holly was covered. She stared into Holly's eyes, but this time a different sort of emotion lingered there. To everyone's amazement, the bold and powerful Laura McCallister began to cry.

The room fell silent. When the planet shifts on its axis, there is sure to be mind-numbing incapacitation.

Holly sat up and kissed her, but this time it was gentle and meant to soothe. “Honey, it's okay."

"I know it's okay,” she said. “It's okay because I love you."

Kris jumped in, “Laura, what are you feeling? Why are you crying?"

"Because you guys think it's aboutit. It's not aboutit. It's not about sex. It's about her—not about me. It's about that feeling I get when I look at her, when I hold her, when there is only us, when she has that look in her eyes.

If that makes me a pervert in your eyes, then so be it. But I swear to you,” she said, “I will never stop letting myself get lost in her."

"Canyou stop?” Kris asked.

"Kris, just let it be,” Ginny jumped in to defend Laura.

"No. She's a walking master's thesis. I want to be sure she even belongs in one."

Laura stared at her, but it wasn't with the anger I think I would have felt. It was more an introspection, something that Laura didn't generally do in public—but then again, I had never seen her try to take Holly in public either.