1
It has been a strange time-out-of-time during the Covid-19 emergency. Luckily when the first lockdown was imposed Dulcinda, my gorgeous transwoman lover, was staying with me, and we resolved to remain together. We had all we needed: access to shops, to the internet and each other. Dulcinda was rejoicing that her age had caught up with her hip measurement: 42.
That's mine, too, but it's a long time since my age was the same. She said she was in her prime, and, indeed, she's near-inexhaustible, so our sexual activity had ben intense. Day after day we came and came.
I felt no urge to record our couplings, perhaps because they had become a way of life, and with the relaxation of the restrictions we remained together, though extending our expeditions to safe locations now and then. We suspected another lockdown would follow, and I 'm moved to write about the delightful addition to our household that it brought.
2
We had often seen the woman from three houses away, walking to the shops or getting out of her car. She was in her fifties, with silver hair, spectacles and a pale complexion. We remarked on her figure, because she was short with a jutting bosom and a jutting bottom, always in a dress or skirt.
We greeted her if we passed her in the street, observing the due distance, and gained the impression she lived alone and was finding the lockdown stressful. Her expression was strained and her smile forced. We thought she wanted to speak but was too shy.
The greater freedom of the interlude between the lockdowns didn't seem to change her routine, and her air of strain seemed to increase, to the point we waylaid her to start a conversation. During the usual pleasantries about the weather and the virus situation she became more anxious, especially when considering the near future. She was sure there'd be another lockdown and was clearly dreading it. We gave our details and urged her to telephone, email or knock on our door if we could help in any way, whatever the restrictions.
We weren't surprised that on day one of the second lockdown, there was a knock and there she was, standing back. The mask didn't conceal her agitation. Her eyes and a slight trembling betrayed her. In normal times one of us would have embraced and taken her in, but through our masks we could only say we were glad to see her and ask how we could help.
She stammered, 'I can't do it...I just can't. I nearly went mad...So lonely. You said I could...' Tears welled in her blue eyes behind her glasses and ran into the mask.
We stole a glance at each other, and I said, 'Let's make a bubble. Move in with us.'.'
She seemed so astonished I added, 'That's if you'd like to..'
She gulped back the tears, 'You really mean...? But you don't know me.'
Dulcinda said, 'We will. It'll be a joy to know you. In every way.'
She hesitated a moment. 'What do you mean?'
'You know,' I said,
Over the mask, through the tears, she blushed rose-pink. 'Well, I guessed you were a...couple, so wouldn't I be... gooseberry?'
'That's up to you,' Dulcinda said.
She'd stopped crying and moved closer. 'I don't know much about....'
'We'll teach you and show you,' I said.
'No masks and distance?'
'We'll be too close,' Dulcinda said.
She took off the spectacles and mask and gave us a watery smile. 'I'll go and get a few things.' She hastened to her house, and was soon back on the doorstep with an office bag and a small holdall.
'That's all you need?' I asked..
'I couldn't stay away longer. Just my laptop and some...'
Dulcinda took the holdall. 'Knickers. You won't need those all the time.'
She blushed again, and now we could see it suffuse her whole countenance.
I reached a hand, took hers and drew her in. Dulcinda shut the door and embraced her. 'I'm Dulcinda. Welcome.'
'Sylvia,' she said, Thank you, thank you.'
I took her in my arms. 'Welcome. I'm Norma Jane. Come and have breakfast.'
3
Over the meal we learned she was an academic, a biologist, expert in statistics, working from home. Never married, no family or attachments, and, she asserted, acting entirely out of character now, being until now acutely shy, shrinking from personal relationships.
Eventually Dulcinda said, 'So, now we're not a couple but a threesome.'
She blushed again, hesitated and said, 'I've never been with a...'
'Lesbian?' I asked. 'But you're ready to try it?'
'This virus has made me think it's time to take risks.'
'You might enjoy it,' I said, 'Though the threesome might not be what you expect.'
She was puzzled but said, 'Please, I'm ready. I need...'
Dulcinda began to clear the table and as I stacked the dishwasher, I asked, 'Woman to woman, are you a virgin?'
'Not quite,' she said, laughed, and began to relax.
'Time for the guided tour,' I said, and she stood and followed us into the sitting-room.
We sat her in the armchair, opposite us on the settee. Dulcinda said, 'Would you like to tell us more, or shall we wait till you feel ready?'
'I should tell you now. You might want to prick the bubble after that.'
'No, Sylvia,' I said, 'Whatever you say you're safe inside.'
'Yes, I feel safe, and I know I'm ready. No, more. I'm...desperate.'
'We know,' I said. 'I've known since you moved into the street.'
'Is it that obvious?'
'Only to someone who understands. Your body, your nerves, your whole being is crying out for release, for fulfilment.'
'I didn't understand for so long. I couldn't admit it...'
Dulcinda said, 'Until the lockdown prevented all possibilities.'
'I did have a sort of affair, with a man, about five years ago. I was a virgin till then. Not living together. He just came over when he wanted sex, and I didn't realise he wasn't interested in what I might want for some time.. From reading and the internet I knew what he wanted wasn't the usual sort of intercourse.'
She blushed again, and I said, 'You're not used to talking about it. You don't have to.'
'Yes, I do, because you need to know, and it'll help me....be with you. But I'm not used to the words. Of course, I know all the terminology, but I've never used the...slang.'
'We know both,' I said, 'So use whatever language you're comfortable with.'
'Well, you see, he didn't want me to take off my underwear. He said my breasts were saggy and baggy, so I had to keep my bra on. Though sometimes he liked to put his penis into it, between.'
'Well,' Dulcinda said, 'That's a new one. In the cleavage, yes, but in the bra. Well!'
'We'll have to try that,' I said. 'You might like it.'
Sylvia was puzzled again. 'But if you're...lesbians, how could you...?'
'Later,' Dulcinda said. 'Did he come in your bra?'
'Did he ejaculate? Yes, and he liked me to push my breasts together at orgasm, though he didn't put it like that.'
'If that's all he did, you were still a virgin,' I suggested.
'Well, no. He liked to penetrate me and then withdraw and ejaculate in my pants. When we were facing each other.'
'He never ejaculated, came, inside you?' Dulcinda asked.