Then she had read an article in the Sunday Mail about the Euro rail-pass and a woman who had back packed through Europe for a month, and how fulfilling and exciting it had been. The next days were spent researching on her lap top. That was two weeks ago. She was now on a train to Paris. Her Euro-Rail pass and passport in a little bag around her neck with five thousand pounds worth of travellers cheques.
Her parents could not hide their anxiety when they had seen her off from the small provincial train station this morning, so she had already sent them a “Don`t worry!” text with the promise to check in every evening, plus send her father an e-mail every day or so to detail her adventures.
Ann had no fixed plan in her head but had booked a small hotel near to the Gare de Nord for the first few nights. Paris was near the top of her bucket list of places to explore. It was nearly five in the evening when the train arrived in Paris. Using Google maps on her phone she walked the four streets to the small, but clean, hotel situated in a little side street.
The woman on reception was very friendly and spoke passable English. She was also very good looking, although at least fifteen years older than Ann. Ann climbed the stairs to her room with the words of the woman still in her ears, “If you need anything. Anything at all. I am available.” Had she been hitting on her Ann mused with a small grin to herself. She opened the door to her room to find it neat and tidy with a small bathroom containing a basin and a shower. The room was dominated by a large king-size bed and the windows were open to let in the Parisian noise, and let out the July heat.
After a quick text to her parents to say she had arrived Ann went into the bathroom. A long hot shower was called for after travelling on the dirty, sweltering trains. Ann stayed under the shower until the water ran cold. She had shaved her armpits, legs and pussy as normal. This ritual was started to please Kieran but now she did it without thinking. Her blonde hair was washed, and as she walked from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her combing out the tangles she heard a timid knock at the door.
Looking through the little spyhole she saw Simone, who was the lady who had checked her in earlier. Keeping the chain on the door, she opened it and peered through the crack, “Yes Simone,” her voice failing to hide her mistrust.
“Bonn Soir, Ann,” Simone began. “I know you are alone this evening, and I was wondering if you would like to eat with me. Paris can be a dangerous place for a woman alone if she has no experience of the city. My shift is finished in twenty minutes and there is a lovely little bistro just a few streets away if you are interested.”
Ann was just going to decline the offer when her stomach grumbled, reminding that she hadn`t eaten since breakfast and that was nearly twelve hours ago. Simone didn`t look threatening so Ann told her she would be delighted.
After agreeing to meet in the lobby in half an hour Simone gave her a nice smile and Ann closed the door behind her. Ann used the small travel hairdryer from her bag and selected new underwear and a skirt and blouse for her bag. Both needed a quick iron, and this she did once she found a small board plus an iron in the wardrobe.
Twenty minutes later she was studying herself in the mirror attached to the wardrobe door. The white blouse and black skirt looked OK for an informal dinner. She had packed one pair of short heels for special occasions, and these looked good enough with what she had chosen. She had spent five minutes in the bathroom with her small makeup bag and her lips were pink with lip gloss and her eyes looked bluer surrounded by pale grey eyeshadow. “Perfect!” she said to herself and grinned at the mirror before leaving the room for the first evening of her adventure.
Simone was waiting for her in the lobby. She had changed out of her hotel uniform and was now wearing a flowery summer frock with smoky grey nylons and ridiculously tall five-inch pale-blue heels. Ann had to admit she looked stunning, especially as she had touched up her make up and brushed out her jet-black hair from the pony tail she wore at work. Her hair cascaded in waves onto her shoulders, and she looked much younger than the late forties that Ann guessed her age to be. Only the slight crow’s feet at the corners of her eyes gave away her true age.
Simone took her arm as they walked through the warm streets strewn with rubbish. Ann was glad that she wasn`t alone as they walked past several small groups of men who followed them with lascivious eyes. They arrived at the small bistro in less than ten minutes. Simone was obviously a regular as she was greeted warmly by all the staff and they were given one of the nicest tables, directly in the bay window.
Luckily the menu was in English and French so Ann could choose for herself. Simone ordered a dark coloured red wine that tasted smoky and delicious. The two women chatted easily as they ate their salads and main courses. Ann told Simone all about her planned trip and as the wine kicked in she began to tell her the story of her breakup. A thing she had told no one before, not even her parents.
When the second bottle of wine arrived Ann was already slightly tipsy. The long day and lack of sleep the night before hastening the effects of the alcohol. She had slept badly due to the excitement and nerves associated with her impending trip. Ann thought about leaving, but she was really enjoying Simone`s company, she was a good listener and it felt really good to let it all out to a perfect stranger who she would probably never meet again.
As they slowly reduced the level of the wine in the second bottle Simone told her that she lived alone in an apartment just across the street. She pointed through the window at one of the houses opposite. She had never married or had children, had travelled extensively in the East, and that was where she had learnt English. In Thailand and the Philippines.
Ann yawned as the wine and tiring day caught up with her. Simone called for the check, and after a quick fight they agreed to split it fifty-fifty. As they left the bistro Simone asked innocently, “Would you like to see my apartment and have a cup of coffee?”
Ann was in two minds to say no, but then realised she had nothing to get up for in the morning and this was the type of thing she had taken this trip for. The chance to see an authentic Parisian`s apartment would be a good start to her travels.
Crossing the busy street rapidly to avoid a speeding taxi Simone opened the street door before leading Ann up a winding, creaking, wooden stairway to the first floor. Opening the door to her apartment she entered with Ann following as she switched on a few lamps that illuminated the small apartment. It constituted of a small sitting room with a tiny kitchen set off to the side, a bead curtain as a door. There was a sofa in the middle of the room and a table to eat on next to the window. A small sideboard had a few photographs and a small CD stereo which Simone flicked on as she passed. Lana Del Ray filled the small space and Simone adjusted the volume lower.
Ann asked if she could use the bathroom and Simone pointed to a door at the end of a short hallway. As she passed the open door to Simone`s bedroom she saw a neatly made king size bed and a rail with a jumble of clothes on it against one wall.
The bathroom was very clean with a toilet, bidet, small shower cabin and a hand basin. Ann used the toilet, washed her hands and wandered back to the sitting room. Simone had placed a small coffee pot, two little cups, a jug of milk and a bowl of sugar on the table where she was now sitting, one nylon leg crossed over the other. Her dress had ridden up and Ann could see the unmistakable darker colour around the top of her thighs that implied that Simone was wearing old fashioned stockings rather than tights.
Slowly Ann looked at the three photos on the sideboard. One was of an extremely good-looking man in a military uniform. “That`s my brother Francois. He is in the army in Chad at the moment.”
The next photo was an older couple, but the striking resemblance between the woman and Simone could only mean that they were her parents. As if to answer her question Simone said, “Mother and father. Both dead now unfortunately!”
The last picture was of Simone on some tropical beach with another equally fabulous looking woman. Both wore bikinis and Ann had a quick pang of jealousy at their fantastic figures which were barely concealed by the tiny swimwear. “Sister?” she asked.
“No. Ria was my girlfriend. We were together ten years. She died last year. Breast cancer. She was only forty-two!”
“Oh I am so sorry Simone, that must have been terrible. You look so happy in the picture.”
“We were. That was in Thailand. We worked as travel reps for a French travel agency. We had fun all day at work and made love nearly every night. It was the best time of my life.”
Ann swallowed hard. Even though she had drunk a bottle of wine she knew now that she hadn`t been mistaken when she thought Simone had been hitting on her. Now she was in her apartment with the old “Coffee” trick that had been used on her by men for years.
Ann sat at the table and added cream and sugar to her coffee before stirring it carefully. Simone was studying her as she sipped her own black coffee, then she spoke, “You are wondering if I invited you up here to seduce you, No?”
“Maybe,” Ann answered truthfully.
Simone smiled. Her teeth white against her bright red lipstick. “The answer is yes, and no,” she almost whispered. “I could tell you had had experience with women, I was not sure how much. I invited you this evening because I found you intelligent, intriguing and very beautiful. I have never thought about sleeping with another woman since Ria, then I spoke with you and got that old familiar feeling in my…….how do you English call it…….pussy? Is that correct?”
Leave a Reply