Rusty had several trophies for the pocket billiard championships that she had won over the past years. She had taken a year off not competing in tournaments but kept practicing at the local pool room. The proprietor had been trying to sale the establishment but the location was making it difficult. At one time, it had did pretty good business. But now that downtown activity was cut back due to stores moving to the mall, and not having a parking lot, there were not many people stopping in to play or socialize anymore. Rusty bought the billiard equipment and opened a pool hall not far from the other location, so it was still in the neighborhood, but there was a parking lot. She leased the empty space attached to it and put in tables and video games. There was a parking lot for that side also. She sold ice cream, hot dogs, potato chips and can sodas. She wanted the people in the area to have a place to hang out. The small city was growing, but there still wasn't much entertainment for people. Adults and children came to play pool, video and board games, and to socialize. Due to the economy, people didn't have a lot of money, but because Rusty was only interested in making enough to keep the place open, she didn't have high prices on anything. And so people came and enjoyed themselves and thought of it as their own. There had been some skeptics who had told her that it wouldn't work. But not one to at least try an idea, Rusty's effort proved the skeptics wrong."Hi Rusty, how are you?" asked the woman who lived two doors left from her. Once again they were at the mail boxes. The woman had become friendlier. She had even came to a cookout given in Rusty's backyard. She was tall, on the skinny side and attractive. Rusty had never seen her when she wasn't in makeup and her hair always looked like she had just left the hair salon. She was thought of as the trailer court model. She was delicate looking. Her six-year-old daughter came riding up on her bike.
"Mama, I want ice cream" said the little girl. The ice cream truck had just entered the court and the amplified jiggle was alerting the kids.
"I don't have any money on me baby. I'll have to go to the house. We'll catch it on the way out."
"How about if I pay this go round?" Rusty asked casually. She knew Gayle was having a difficult time making ends meet. She had a part-time job and was getting food stamps. A couple of times she had sent her daughter to ask Nancy for a cup of sugar and another time she had sent a note asking to borrow ten dollars to get gas for her car. She had paid back the money and tried to return the sugar but Nancy wouldn't accept the sweetner. People were gossiping because another neighbor had told that she had come borrowing. Some said she should stop dressing so well and going to the hair salon. What they didn't know was that she bought some of her clothes from Goodwill and did her own hair. The previous summer, there had been an argument because a man in the court had offered to fix her flat tire. The live-in girlfriend did not like the attention the boyfriend was always showing the trailer court model. From that time on, Gayle kept pretty much to herself.
"That's nice of you. Say thank you Vanessa" replied Gayle. The girl smiled and thanked Rusty. They went the short distance to the ice cream truck that had several kids waiting to buy their treat. Rusty paid for Gayle and Vanessa's, and bought something for Nancy who was sitting on the front deck. Rusty had a new bigger deck built so that her mother could sit outside and have space for a table. Before it had just been no more than steps leading to the door with only enough space for a chair. But the door couldn't be opened without moving the chair. Someone had commented that it must have costed a pretty penny. Rusty seldom sat out but her mother was really enjoying it. There was now room for a table and several chairs, so when people came by, they didn't have to stand or go inside. Rusty had gotten the deck builders to add the small front porch to her back porch, which gave her space for two chairs. The back door was located near her bedroom.
One night, just about eleven, Rusty was out back putting out the trash when she heard loud voices coming from Gayle's direction. She listened for a while as the voices got louder and she could hear a man yelling. She was about to go in the house when she heard little Vanessa crying for someone to stop. Thinking that maybe she should call the police before things got out of hand, Rusty listened a few minutes more. She couldn't see Gayle's front door, but she heard it slam and then a car door slammed followed by a roar of an engine. Auto lights shined and she saw a vehicle pass heading out of the court. She walked over and knocked at Gayles front door just to see if she and Vanessa were all right. Gayle assured her that they both were fine and thanked Rusty for showing concern. A few days later, Rusty learned from her mother that the man yelling that night was Vanessa's father, Gaye's ex-boyfriend. She had filed for child support and he was mad saying she didn't have to take him to court. He was five months behind in payments. About two weeks later, Gayle was putting something out for the street pickup and Rusty was putting out the trash. It was a nice crisp night and Rusty sat on the back porch star gazing and counting airplanes.
"Nice night" Gayle said softly coming toward the porch. "My sister took Vanessa out trick or treating with her kids. I gave out some treats and I think some kids came by more than once" Gayle laughed.
"I gave out some also. Not many kids were out. It's not like it was when I was a kid" Rusty said. She was sipping on a wine cooler and offered Vanessa one.
"Not tonight. Maybe another time" Gayle declined and soon left.
The next two weekends, she was outback when Rusty was putting out the trash. Rusty did it pretty close to the same time every Sunday night. On nice night's she would sit out for a while to try to unwind. The court was usually quiet except for when a car came through with the music too loud. Gayle came up on the porch and accepted a cooler when it was offered. They talked a bit about nothing in particular. It was chilly but neither wanted to say good night. The dark sky was cloudy, and the smell of rain was on the air. Gayle had told Rusty that Vanessa was spending the weekend with her father. Lightning flashed off in the distance. Gayle said that she didn't like thunder storms. The chairs were close together. Gayle turned her legs slightly and a knee brushed against Rusty's. Gayle felt like she had been shocked. She put it down to electricity in the air because of the storm coming closer. Suddenly big drops of rain pelted them. Both women stepped into the hallway. Rusty said they could drink another cooler in the kitchen. Gayle said she should be getting home before it started to rain harder. However, she did not leave. They didn't leave the hallway. Neither knew exactly how it came about, but they were kissing each other. Rusty turned off the hall light then pressed her body against Gayle. Rusty was mentally fighting with herself, trying to make herself stop before things went too far. One day Gayle had told Nancy that she had not dated in four years.
"Gayle" Rusty said almost breathless as Gayle pressed harder against her and breathed on her neck. She liked Gayle and was turned on, but she didn't want to get involved with a neighbor. And she wasn't really sure if Gayle was attracted to her or just needed sex. She gently moved herself from the woman's embrace.
"What's wrong?" Gayle asked also a little breathless. She couldn't see Rusty's face and she was no more than a shadow in the dark hallway.
"We shouldn't be doing this. This is a bad idea, we're neighbors" Rusty said.
"I thought you liked me. I like you" Gayle told her.
"I do like you and that's even more reason to stop." Both women were speaking in low tones. The thunder was getting louder and the rain was coming down harder.
"I've been thinking about you. It's annoying actually how much I think about you."
"Okay, then how about going out with me. Will you have dinner with me tomorrow night?" Rusty asked knowing the answer before it came from the pretty lipstick mouth that had been kissing her only moments before.
"Umm, I can't. No listen, wait Rusty ..."
"Just as I thought" Rusty said backing further away from the scented woman.
"If I tell you something will you promise not to tell anyone else?"
"I don't kiss and tell, and I don't often repeat what someone tell's me. I promise not to repeat what you tell me, unless you confess to a murder" Rusty said and Gayle could hear the lighter tone.
"Rusty, I like you. I like women" Gayle confessed and waited for a response but there wasn't one, so she continued. "I had a girlfriend when I was seventeen. We were together about five months when her mother caught us kissing in her bedroom. Her mother told my mother and they both scolded us and made us stay away from each other. Of course I got the "it's a sin" lecture. So for many years I dated men. Four years ago, I broke up with Vanessa's father. I just couldn't do it anymore. I met a woman and we were becoming close until my mother found out. She said she would take me to court and get custody of Vanessa if I didn't stop fooling around with women. She knows the other woman is a lesbian only she used another term and made it sound so nasty."
"I don't think that she can get custody, even here in Virginia, just because you're ..." Rusty didn't say the word, not liking to label other people.
"I'm a lesbian Rusty" Gayle said softly and Rusty could hear the relief in her voice from saying it out loud and to someone who wouldn't judge her on that one word.
"Gayle, I really like you. But I don't know what you want from me. Well I do know what you want, but I can't help you. I'm not going to be sneaking in your back door at night. Or have you sneaking into mine. My mama likes you too but she will not like me for even kissing you."
"I just need to feel your arms around me, your lips against mine. It has been so long since I've felt a kiss."
"You have four choices, carry on being alone, get with another guy, take a chance with the courts if your mother is that heartless, or go live somewhere else away from your mother."
"I can't afford to move somewhere else. I'm renting the mobile home, and I only have a part-time job. I don't want to -- I can't be with a man anymore. And I can't risk openly dating a woman. So I guess I'll just be alone until Vanessa is older" Gayle said sadly taking a step toward the door. The thunder was louder, and a flash of lightning lit the hall window. Before Gayle could open the door, Rusty was holding her from behind.
"Gayle, it's better this way. Stopping now, before we went further, cause we both want to do more than to kiss each other. And it will probably be better for you not to have sex since you have gone this long. We live too close, it will be hard seeing you and not be able to touch you."
"Not so hard for you. You have other women, and can get a kiss whenever you want one. Need one. No no, that's okay. Thanks for the use of your lips tonight" Gayle said moving from the arms that felt so good around her. She opened the door and walked out into the rain. A couple of minutes after Gayle was out of sight, Rusty stepped out on the porch. With her face skyward she let the rain wash over her but it didn't cool her body or her mind.
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Gayle still borrowed sugar occasionally, waved when passing but she didn't stop to talk when Nancy was sitting out. A couple of times, Nancy had called to her as she passed but Gayle said she was in a hurry. Nancy wondered what had happened but didn't get a chance to ask questions. Several weeks later, Rusty was pleasantly surprised when she came home and found Gayle sitting on the porch talking to Nancy. Rusty asked Gayle how she was doing, got a short reply, kissed Nancy on the cheek and went into the house. Gayle had been present one time when Rusty had kissed her mother before going somewhere. She thought it was nice, the affection that Rusty showed her mother daily. She also liked that Rusty took her mother out to dinner and to the movies. She tried not to think about Rusty as an attentive lover. She knew that Rusty had been right in stopping them before they went too far. And too far would have made her want the handsome woman even more, as she did now. Since that thunder storm kiss, Gayle would sometimes pleasure herself while thinking of Rusty. In the moment, it eased her physical ache, but afterwards she felt even more lonely and empty.
One Sunday afternoon, Rusty came home to find several people from church in the living room and kitchen. Nancy had invited them for dinner. Rusty knew Nancy had been preparing more food than she usually did for Sunday dinner, but thought it was to take to church. Rusty said hello and continued on to her bedroom to get some sleep. She knew all but one of the visitors.
Rusty had spent the night at a motel with a woman who lived with her father and son. They dated each other occasionally and went to a motel when in the mood for some physical playing. They cared about each other but knew that this was as far as their relationship would go. They were lovers and friends. Which is pretty much the way Rusty wanted things with the women she was sexing. Some women she dated, she didn't have sex with, but they enjoyed seeing each other. Some that she dated were lesbians, while others were not.
----------ROBIN----------
"When are you going to settle down and get yourself one woman?" Robin asked Rusty one evening at a restaurant. Robin's boyfriend Gary was a long distance trucker and was on the road. Usually, Rusty and Robin went out to dinner at least once while he was gone. Robin had dinner at Rusty's house sometimes with and without Gary.
"I think I'm about as settled as I'm going to ever be" Rusty replied cutting her steak. She didn't eat steak often preferring broiled chicken or fish when she consumed meat.
"Is there not one woman that you'd like to be with more than any other?" Robin asked and when Rusty didn't reply, Robin shook her head. "You don't want more than flings? That's okay when younger, but my sweet friend, you should put more effort into finding someone special. There's nothing like having someone to come home to at the end of a hard day. Don't you ever think about having kids?"
"No. I like my life just the way it is. I don't dream about more than I already have" Rusty replied. They had been talking about general things, and now Robin had switched gears and was asking personal questions. Robin usually talked about her relationship with Gary, and other family things, but Rusty seldom even mentioned a woman she was dating or interested in dating.
"Do you really not even think about being with just one woman? Okay, I'll stop talking about it" Robin said as a waitress came to see if they wanted anything else. They had finished their meal and was sipping on their wine.
"There's a billiard tournament coming up that I've been thinking about entering" Rusty told her friend as she paid for their meal.
Rusty and Robin had met at community college and became friends. Gary was a school friend of Rusty's and Robin met him at a cookout given by Rusty. Robin had of course heard the story about Josephine, and wondered if Rusty was afraid of really falling in love again. There had been two or three women that Rusty dated who Robin didn't like at all. Those women had only tried to use Rusty's generous and caring nature. And one in particular, she felt that Rusty had really liked. Maybe Rusty had been hurt one-too-many- times, and that's why she played the field. Robin had been at the local dance club and heard a couple of women say if they were into women, they'd be all over Rusty. And she could understand that, seeing that Rusty was sweet and charming when she wanted to be. She had gone through a rough period herself when people in her life found out that she was friends with Rusty. But she liked Rusty and refused to end their growing friendship. And in time, people stopped talking about them being alone together.
"Where is it and when is it, not before Christmas?" Robin said watching Rusty's profile. Rusty was a good-looking woman.
"In Greensboro, in five weeks. I have to register and put up a hundred dollars. And then there will be a play-off, until only two remain."
"Is that legal Rusty? It sounds like gambling to me" Robin said.
"Yes, it's legal. Everything is a gamble. It's up to the organizer's and the winner to pay taxes on the earnings. I've been thinging about sponsoring a tournament.
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Rusty did enter the contest and was runner-up. The woman she had played the final against was a regular on the billard circuit. Both women were the biggest names on the east coast for women's billiards. After returning home with the runner-up prize money and plaque, Rusty spent more time at her pool hall. She practiced every day for hours. There was going to be a big billiard tournament the following summer and she wanted to be prepared, just in case she decided to try to qualify. Several times, she had been challenged by strangers, and won each. The only betting allowed on the premises was to raise money for charity. When someone betted, the money went into the charity jar. Whoever won the bet received a free lunch for a week next door.
One day, an thirty minutes before closing, one of Rusty's girlfriends came to the poolhall. Rusty was involved in a game, so she went to the other side. Just before lock-up time, she returned. She told the elderly gentlemen putting away the cue sticks that he could go next door and get something to eat. He was an ex-solder who would sweep and help keep the place tidy inside and out. He did the bathroom which she was glad of because she didn't want to do it. And one of her cousins who sometimes managed the place when she wasn't there, didn't like to do it. Rusty gave the ex-soldier some cash and a meal. She was thinking about adding burgers to the menu. Helen, another cousin managing the restaurant/video game side, had told her that people were asking why they didn't sell burgers. She basically fixed the hotdogs, and worked behind the counter.
"I've been thinking about you all day", said the girlfriend. Rusty was ready to make a shot when the woman's hip hit her left leg.
"Let me finish this shot and then we can go", Rusty told her.
"I don't want to go baby, that's the opposite of what I want to do", the woman said trying to seduce Rusty with her voice and more hip action. Only this time, her hips swayed back and forth against the back of Rusty's thigh.
"Umm, Darlene baby, we can't go out tonight. I have other plans."
"With a woman?" Darlene asked with more annoyance in her voice than she ever meant to express. Even though she understood the relationship with Rusty, she sometimes wished for more. She knew that she wasn't Rusty's only playmate. And Rusty wasn't her only playmate, but she liked Rusty more than the other two women she saw occasionally. One friend had even suggested a three-some but she had never asked Rusty if she wanted to.
"I'm taking Mom out to dinner" Rusty said kissing the woman on the cheek. Darlene reached for Rusty and pulled her closer for a hug. As she held Rusty she snuggled her nose against her neck. A couple of minutes later, Rusty locked up and walked Darlene to the parking lot. Darlene asked when they could go out. The tall woman bent a little to kiss the lips puckered and waiting to feel hers. Rusty said she would call her later. Darlene drove off and Rusty went to see if they were ready to close up next door.
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For Thanksgiving, Rusty gave monetary donations to the Salvation Army and the homeless shelter. Twice a month, Rusty closed down the business and let the people from the shelter enjoy the facilities. The adults could play pool or sit and socialize while having free lunch. The kids were given tokens for the video machines. For Christmas, she plained on having a play area for the kids set up at the shelter, and several picnic tables so that the residents wouldn't have to be inside on nice weather days. Minister Farley had Rusty by name in his prayers every night. She was his biggest supporter but he couldn't talk her into coming to church.
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A couple of days after Thanksgiving, when Rusty arrived home, Gayle was at the kitchen table talking to Nancy. Vanessa was sitting on the floor watching cartoons. She smiled up at Rusty who returned the smile and asked how she was doing. The girl said "fine" and was focused on the tv again.
"Hi ladies, how is everything?" Rusty asked. She kissed her mothers cheek and Gayle wanted one too. But all she received was a wink from Rusty, who then washed her hands and made a turkey sandwich. Rusty sat and ate as the women continued to talk. Nancy filled a glass with tea for Rusty and refilled Gayle's. Rusty moaned as she chewed the first bite. Nancy, at the fridge taking out the sweet potato pie, didn't see the look that passed between the two sitting at the table.
"Guess who I saw today?" Rusty asked wiping her mouth with a paper napkin. "I was at the shelter when Zion came by to give a donation. She's cute and the woman with her is beautiful."
"Did you get to talk to her?" Gayle asked with eyes wide.
"Yes, she's nice. I was in junior high when she was in high school. I was at the game when she performed during half-time, she blew everybody away. Hmm, if I'd met her then ...."
"I was at that game, I saw her and she was really good way back then. I went to the other high school, so we played against yours."
"She was fantastic. I've only been to one of her concerts. When she was in Lynchburg, it was amazing even from the back section."
"I've seen her videos and saw her on a couple of talk shows."
"Yeah. We've had guys from here that were on professional ball teams, but she's the biggest name from here. She's so cool. And I didn't for a moment believe the lies told about her. I'm glad that it's over but it's a shame that her career got sidelined."
"Do you think she's through with showbusiness for good? Maybe she just needs time for things to settle down and some time away from the spotlight."
"I have no idea. Just think of all that great music from her that we might never get to hear."
"Yeah well, now that you've met her in person, maybe she'll give you a personal tape of some new stuff."
"Wow, that would be great, but it's not likely to happen. We only met once and might never again."
"You could have invited them out to dinner" Nancy offered.
"Well, if I do meet them again, I will." /E3\(c)Salty2008
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