In Her Day Read Online Free

thing anyone noticed about Carole was her height. She was six feet tall depending on the day. Once people recovered from that they observed her head. Thick, brown, medium length hair was brushed back revealing heavy silver over each temple. The silver was offset by small gold earrings. Her nose was long, straight, with delicate nostrils. Herforehead was high. Very English, thought Ilse, or perhaps high Irish. Her cheekbones were sharp and prominent, the jaw firm, the mouth sensuous, full. Deep creases surrounded her mouth and her eyes showed marked laugh lines. She exuded a self-confidence that, together with her physical being, made her compelling.
    “Would you like to dance?” Ilse decided to table the political discussion.
    “If we decide who leads before we get out there?”
    “You, you’re taller.”
    As it was a weeknight the women’s bar was only half full when they arrived and there was room on the dance floor. Carole hadn’t danced in a long time and the body contact hit her. She hadn’t done anything in a long time. Ilse rested one arm around her neck and the other around her waist drawing them tightly together. Temples throbbing, Carole couldn’t look down at the younger woman or she knew she’d kiss her. The irony of the situation didn’t escape her. She’d never kissed a woman in a bar in her life, much less the first time she met someone.
    Ilse didn’t look up or try to converse until the song started to fade. Then she turned her face up, the faint light revealing eyes of such a light, pure hazel they were practically clear. Without one more word of internal monologue Carole bent over and kissed her. It was one of the few times in her life since age twelve that she acted like a true animal. The freedom was intoxicating.
    “My god, what would Emily Post think?” she said.
    “Emily’d think you were one hell of a kisser.” Ilse tossed her hair out of the way, put both hands on Carole’s face and returned the kiss. Barry White boomed in the background and they danced one more.
    “Will you go to bed with me?”
    Carole was shocked. No one, woman or man, ever said such a thing in so short a time. It took months for people to get around to that question and no one dared ask it directly. They tried to sneak up on you usually on the path of a common interest.
    No charades before the procession into the bedroom, this is a new generation, she thought.
    Ilse, seeing her hesitate, quickly added, “I didn’t mean to make you uptight. I thought it would be a beautiful thing to do. I don’t want you to feel hassled.”
    “I admit I’m not used to such a direct and fast approach but you can ask me that anytime you like. However, tonight’s not a good night because I have to get up early tomorrow.”
    “Tomorrow night?”
    Carole decided not to think, “All right.”
    “If you want to pick me up at work that’s okay, or I could meet you somewhere. Oh wait, I forgot, a singer is coming into the restaurant tomorrow night so I have to stay until she’s done. You might dig her.”
    “It isn’t that electric screeching, is it?”
    “No. The woman uses a regular guitar.”
    “What time does she go on?”
    “Around ten.”
    “I’ll see you tomorrow at ten.” She stood up to leave.
    “Right, unless the revolution starts tomorrow I’ll be there.”
    “Ilse, I think the revolution already started.” Carole smiled and kissed her goodnight.
    Adele called Carole after her first class the next day. “Well?”
    “Well what, you relentless old gossip?”
    “I’m parched for news. What happened last night?”
    “We talked and danced a bit.”
    “And?”
    “And I came home alone because I had to teach this morning. Honest to god, Adele, I thought we left these conversations back in our twenties.”
    “Harrumph. BonBon, Creampuff, and I have them all the time, my dear. Anyway, Verne and I made a bet and I lost, dammit.”
    “You’re terrible.”
    “No, I’m not. What’s so bad about putting a