I Love You More

By Susie Ray

3 stories of Women loving Women

 

I Love You More

A mini novella that explores how life just happens to Mary and Ronny, and just sometimes, with a wonderful outcome.

Maybe it's a mother's instinct to be determined to intensely dislike her teenage son's Cougar 'Girlfriend', but Mary never thought they would become friends, let alone lovers! There are extenuating circumstances, other than being of a similar age, both mothers, are of similar sexual orientation – read the story if you want to discover what they are and how perfect they are together.

 

Lock-down

When Sylvie lets her friends, Kay and Jen talk her into a staycation to help her get over her ex – she didn't realise that a lock-down was about to hit and that it would have such a dramatic effect on her and the holiday let, owner Emily. Maybe it isn't such a bad thing, or is it? One thing is for sure – nothing will ever be quite the same again!

 

Alone

A short-short, that proves the adage of 'Never say never'. Lisa and Jeannie have both sworn-off getting involved again, at least for the foreseeable future, after the pain of past break-ups is becoming all too regular for each of them. If only their mutual friends would stop interfering, they might even have stood a chance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: S-Ray Press
• Release date: Feb 22, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201014643

Susie Ray

Susie Ray Author bio I love to read and lose myself in stories conjured up by the written word – I am a mature individual, but I can still recall love’s first sweet kiss and the sting of rejection; the elation of being brought alive, by another’s caress, or tender words. I write sapphic stories for my own pleasure as well as hopefully that of the reader, and my head is full of ideas and storylines that are desperate to be shared. Admittedly, it was a freebie, but the first sapphic tale I read, left me feeling wanting and empty. I thought ‘I could do better than that’, and I did! My stories draw on a lifetime of experiences and places I have visited, so there is always a piece of ‘me’ in them. My preference is for short stories; tales, in bite-size portions, although some topics, simply require a novella to do them justice. I feel my writing skill has improved and grown with me over time and I am pleased to offer some of my work for your pleasure. Come lose yourself for a while, like I do when I’m writing…

Book preview

I Love You More

Chapter 1

This is going to be awkward – I love my son, Jason, but I can’t help feeling that his new girlfriend is way too old for him. When he told me, ‘She’s a bit older than me,’ perhaps I should have cottoned on right away or at least have quizzed him before agreeing to meet her in person. This isn’t something I could discuss with my friends – they are really little more than acquaintances that have developed over the years – it might be nice to have a real friend, but I find it hard to let people in.

Jay’s just left to pick her up, but not before telling me that we should get on well together as she is about my age...

Naturally, I’m fuming – what does this woman think she’s doing, leading my son astray – Jason’s only nineteen, no wonder he has been swept off his feet by this cradle-snatcher. I guess it’s still every boy’s dream to be seduced by an older woman, but really... Thank heavens he hasn’t asked me to cook for her. He plans to fetch a take-away for us all when we have reached a mutually agreeable choice of options, Greek, Italian, Chinese, or Indian. I told him to get it on the way home as I am pretty easy-going food-wise, but no he insisted on bringing her here first. This cougar’s name is Vera – she even sounds old from her name – who’s called Vera these days?

What if it’s serious between them?

I can’t risk alienating her, lest she steal him away from me altogether, out of spite.

I could murder some Dutch courage, but I am resisting the temptation to reach for my favourite tipple, as I will need my wits about me tonight, to keep my cool and not to tell her in no uncertain terms what I think of her. It should be Vera on tenterhooks, not me, but... no, I need to breathe deeply and calm myself – they should be here soon and I must at least be cordial. One thing is for sure, I am not going to like her, no matter what She’s like, or what she says.

I hope she didn’t notice my drapes twitch, as I sneak a preview of how she looks when they arrived – I can certainly see what Jason might see in her, she is stunning and can’t be a day over thirty. There could be as much as ten years between us – I must teach my son not to exaggerate. I guess as with most youngsters, anyone over five years older than themselves must be categorised as middle-aged. It doesn’t change anything – I still don’t like her! Time to paint on my false smile and pretend to be the perfect hostess.

Welcome Vera, it’s wonderful to finally meet you! I offer my hand but she draws in close and kisses me on each cheek.

Her perfume is not as I might expect, heady and cheap, but quite alluring and new – I don’t recognise it at all, but her actions have put me on the back foot.

So good of you to invite me – Jay talks about you all the time.

Is everything she says going to irritate me? I believed that the use of the diminutive of his name was exclusively my privilege.

May I call you Mary? Well at least she is polite and hasn’t presumed as much already.

Of course, you may! I should get a bloody Oscar for my acting performance tonight. Now, tell me about how ‘Jay’ and you met.

At a party, would you believe? You have raised a fine man in him Mary. He is very mature for his age and so courteous and handsome.

Are we talking about the same person – to me he is still my little boy? He pretends not to notice, that he’s the subject of our exchange, but I see him flush with pride. We elected for Italian, a 15inch pizza, one or two side dishes and garlic bread, and I think we still have a bottle of Chianti left in the cupboard, which should suit. I’ll get things ready while they are away – I will be glad of a respite from playing up to his ‘girlfriend’, even after only a few minutes.

After he phones the order through, Jason shatters my illusion, You won’t mind of Vera stays with you while I get the food, will you Ma? I won’t be long and it will give you two a chance to get acquainted. I wish he wouldn’t call me Ma, especially in Vera’s company.

Looks like a second Oscar winning performance is required. How very thoughtful of you, Son.

Without him to act as referee, I’m not sure how long I can keep this up, but almost the second the front door closes, Vera drops her confident look and approaches me.

Thank-you, Mary for tolerating me and at least being polite – what must you think of me? I’m pretty sure you still see Jay as your baby and what does that make me? She paused to let my jaw drop and regain my composure. Let me try and explain. We did meet at a party as I said, and I found him charming, such a refreshing change from a lot of today’s youth, but he seems to have it fixed in his head that I am romantically interested in him and I am trying to let him down gently.

And you’re not? I’m still rather stunned at her confession.

Vera continues, Hardly, I have a daughter almost the same age!

Now I’m shocked, A daughter, but you must have had her while still at school. How old are you? Twenty-nine, thirty? Okay, I was being kind, but not much.

Actually, I’m thirty-three, and you, thirty-five-ish? She smiled as she asked, and I noticed right away how her face lights up when she does so.

Time for honesty, You look pretty good for thirty-three and I’m thirty-eight, nine, almost. Even if your daughter is just seventeen that would still make you fifteen or sixteen when you conceived.

Vera tries to explain, When I said daughter, strictly speaking Claire is my step-daughter, not my natural kin.

So, you have been married before? I’m not sure if this helps or not, knowing that she is likely divorced.

She looks sheepish as though she doesn’t want to come completely clean at our first meeting – I can understand that, I think.

It’s complicated – maybe I’ll tell you someday. What about you? You must have been very young when you had Jason, or am I being too nosy, now. Oh, and I didn’t mean to suggest that you were being nosy, by the way. Now Vera is on the back-foot, but everything seems to have changed now.

So, what do you suggest about Jay? What can I do to help get things right again? I revert back to responding to her first bombshell.

It seems as if she has a plan in mind, "If I were to invite you and Jay to dinner at mine, would you accept and I’ll ensure that Claire is home too? I’m hoping that Jay will be smart enough to realise, seeing us all together that this thing he has for me is a no-brainer. I blame myself for not putting him down immediately, but honestly, I haven’t the heart to put him straight.

With that, we hear his car pull up outside and his car-door slam to.

Okay, I’ll come to dinner!

Chapter 2

If Jason noticed that the atmosphere between Vera and I had mellowed, he didn’t comment, or maybe he thought we were friends now? In fact, he seemed so happy that he merrily drank the lion’s share of the wine and I wouldn’t let him drive Vera home, but he didn’t object, he’s too sensible for that and normally such a good boy. The Italian meal was really quite good for a take-away and Jason accepted all the plaudits for fetching it, even though it was a mutual decision, which cuisine we were having.

With Vera safely in a taxi home, Jason sheepishly asks, Well, what do you think Ma, am I tilting at windmills, or do you think there might be a chance for us?

Well, Jay, if you have big plans, it’s generally best to aim high and Vera is about as high a windmill as you could get. But sensibly, I think you are a bit young yet, to be making life-changing decisions. Give it time and see how things develop.

Hopefully his mind may be more pliable without her direct influence especially with the aid of alcohol to numb his logic. It probably doesn’t help that Jay is quite inexperienced in affairs of the heart and now I appreciate Vera’s efforts to help him see the light.

Vera

The conversation over dinner was a bit strained occasionally, but we managed to get through it and Mary has accepted my dinner invite. All I have to do now is decide whether to forewarn Claire about our plan to bring Jay to his senses, or simply let things play out? Mary seems nice, but then I wouldn’t expect any less, judging by her son and his manners. I suppose I only have myself to blame for letting things get this far – I was flattered when such a personable young man, actively sought me out at that party, but I should never have given him my number.

Why do I always find it so hard to say no, even when things like this happen? It’s not even as if he is my usual type – wrong sex for a start, but that might be awkward to explain to him after an exploratory good-night kiss, or two, and besides, I don’t see why I should have to tell him that I prefer women... That’s a laugh – I can’t remember when I was at the kissing stage with another woman, it’s been that long. Probably why I let him kiss me that night. If nothing else it re-confirmed my preferences, but his fragile ego would be shattered to find that out. I have decided to bring Claire in on my plan, though.

Claire, you know I have been seeing a man – as a friend of course? She gives me that look as if to say ‘Tell me something I don’t know!’, Well, he thinks it’s more than friendship on offer and... The thing is he isn’t much older than you, and before you tell me off – it just sort-of happened. This is a first, my daughter is dumbstruck, well if nothing else, I have shocked her, big-time.

Before she can regroup and give me the benefit of her limited experience, I decide to give her all the bad news now and get it over with.

I have invited him and his mother over to dinner on Saturday and I would like you to be there to give me moral support. Will you do it for me?

That’s a laugh, you’re dating a young boy and you talk about morals. I could be deeply offended, but she smiles as she says it and I know she is messing with me again. So, what’s my part in all this?

His mom, Mary and I figured that if he sees us together as a family group, he might realise how impossible it is, so I just need you to be friendly and polite – just one evening, please? I know I can count on her – we have counted on each other for a good few-years, now.

Okay, but don’t expect me to like him! Claire likes to get the last word and this time, I let her.

D oesn’t he know you are a lesbian, or is that part of the appeal – boys think they can fix women like you with their...?

Claire!

Sorry mom, but you know...

Her outburst might not have been so bad, but we were out getting provisions for Saturday, when she came out with this pearl of wisdom – right in the middle of Sainsbury’s. I hope my blushes fade before we reach the till.

I whispered, My sexuality has not been an issue, thank-you very much! I hoped she might get my full meaning and let this drop.

She did, but she smiled all the way home and I can only guess what she was thinking, or perhaps she just wants to shock me back? I knew she was enjoying teasing me, now that the boot is on the other foot and we seem to have swapped roles, and as I need her participation, I am loath to put her right, this once.

I opted for something plain and easy for dinner, a hot-pot, well it sounds better than a stew and I didn’t want to look a complete mess when they arrive, and I can get ready while its cooking in the oven. Claire helped with the housework, as I feel I shall be under Mary’s scrutiny the whole evening, no matter how things work out with Jason. I noted how she shrank when I called him Jay, so I am trying to get used to using his full name again. When I said Claire helped – she tidied her room, and removed the clutter of her jackets from the hall stand, but I was grateful for any contribution she was prepared to make.

For some obscure reason she seems to be dressed as if this is her date, not mine, and she looks well over twenty, but perhaps I am simply over-reacting and as they are due in the next few minutes, I decide not to make a fuss.

It does feel weird, kissing him on both cheeks and then his mother, but hey, the whole set-up is weird, right? It’s almost as if Claire and Mary have been comparing notes, as they both look stunning. Why does my mind go to the impossible place in my head and I muse, ‘If only the situation wasn’t complicated enough, I could easily fancy you, Mary!’ But I am snapped out of the mini-reverie that fades as soon as it appeared. I admit to feeling the tiniest bit jealous when Jason’s eyes were on stalks as I introduced him to Claire – not the way to behave on