Laura was lying in her backyard, sunning herself on a lounge
chair beside her swimming pool. The red bikini she wore barely
concealed her toned, attractive, fifty-year-old body. She usually found
lying out there very relaxing, especially after an exhausting workout
like the one she had just put herself through in the pool. Today,
however, she was unable to relax.
Nervously, Laura glanced at her watch. She knew that any
minute her neighbor Yvonne would be visiting. Yvonne was the last
person Laura wanted to see today.
In some ways, Laura and Yvonne were opposites. While Yvonne
was assertive almost to the point of aggressiveness, Laura tended to be
quiet and somewhat shy. Yvonne craved the spotlight and seemed to thrive
on drama and confrontation. Laura did not like to be the center of
attention and avoided confrontation. Yvonne was proud of her body and
loved to dress to show it off. Laura worked hard to maintain her toned
and attractive figure but dressed modestly, not liking to show it off.
Despite these differences, Laura and Yvonne had always been best friends.
Things had started to change about a year ago, when they had
both gotten divorced within a few months of each other. Upon reentering
the dating scene they had discovered that did share one thing in common -
their taste in men. This, coupled with the relative scarcity of
eligible single men in the rather small social circle within which the
two women moved, perhaps made it almost inevitable that they would find
themselves competing with each other for the romantic attentions of
the available men.
Yvonne tended to win this type of competition. This was due
partly to her naturally more outgoing nature. Her tendency to wear
revealing clothing which showed off her attractive body did not hurt
either. Yvonne also had an almost uncanny ability to say or do just
the right thing to embarrass and intimidate Laura. Often when they
both had their eyes on the same man Yvonne would make a seemingly
innocent remark which would make Laura so self-conscious she did not
even try to compete with her.
Laura heard Yvonne’s back door open. Yvonne was on her way.
Laura knew that Yvonne would want to lie around in her bikini and gloat
about her latest triumph. Hurriedly, Laura put down the drink she was
sipping and lay back, pretending to be asleep.
Laura listened intently to Yvonne’s footsteps as she came up
the walk, then crossed the backyard to where Laura lay. When Yvonne spoke
to her Laura did not answer. However Yvonne did not go away as Laura
had hoped. Laura, peering out through slit eyes behind her sunglasses,
watched as Yvonne kicked off her shoes and stripped down to a revealing
black bikini. Next, Yvonne picked up a piece of ice from Laura’s drink.
Grinning mischievously she moved as if to drop the ice on Laura's
tanned stomach.
Laura tried to hold still but at the last second she flinched.
Yvonne laughed. "I knew you weren't really asleep," she said.
Yvonne sat down on a lounge chair next to Laura and starting rubbing
lotion on her body while saying "I hope you aren't still upset about
what happened at the party last night."
"Why should I be upset?" Laura asked sarcastically. "You only flirted
shamelessly all night with the first man I've gone out with in months and then
went home with him."
"Can I help it if men prefer me to an older woman like you?"
Yvonne replied.
"Older? You know we're the same age."
"Oh yeah, I keep forgetting. Maybe it's because I look so much
younger and sexier than you."
This remark, though untrue, had the desired effect. Laura turned
away from Yvonne sulkily.
Yvonne got up and walked over to Laura. Placing her hand on
Laura's shoulder she said to Laura, "Did I really hurt your feelings?
I didn't mean to."
Laura turned to face Yvonne. The smug grin on Yvonne's face
told her that Yvonne definitely did want to hurt her feelings. For Laura,
this was the last straw.
Laura stood up and pushed Yvonne away. "I am sick and tired of
your little games, Yvonne," she said.
Yvonne pushed back harder. "Don't you dare lay your hands on me,
Laura."
"I'm not afraid of you," Laura replied, shoving Yvonne so hard
that she fell to the ground.
Yvonne stood back up. "What are we doing? We shouldn't be at
each other's throats like this. Why don't we hug and make up?" Yvonne
held out her arms.
Laura replied, "You're right," and started to join Yvonne in
a quick friendly embrace. Suddenly Yvonne formed her right hand into
a fist and jammed it right into Laura's belly. Although Laura's abs
were conditioned from years of intense workouts in the gym, so that
the punch did not hurt her badly, she was surprised and was not able
to react immediately. Yvonne landed a few more blows to Laura's stomach.
Laura resisted the impulse to double over. She tried to move
away from Yvonne but Yvonne hooked her right leg behind Laura,tripping
her. Yvonne kicked her fallen opponent a seven or eight times in the
side before Laura managed to catch Yvonne’s leg and pull her off balance.
Yvonne fell but landed right on top of Laura. Laura felt the breath
knocked out of her but she was still able to wrap her arms around
Yvonne, grasping her in a bear hug.
Laura twisted her body and her opponent's so that she was on
top. Yvonne did likewise, so that she was now on top. The two rolled
around like this for a few minutes. Each would gain the upper hand
only to lose it again a few moments later.
Laura was physically a match for Yvonne but in the end she
could not overcome Yvonne's initial advantage. Yvonne pinned Laura's
arms to her side. Laura was helpless.
"Do you want me to let you up?" Yvonne asked.
"Yes, please" Laura answered.
"Okay then, just tell me who's sexier, me or you."
Laura knew the answer she must give. "You are."
Yvonne got up but not before removing Laura's bikini top. "I
might as well take this. You really don't have the body to wear a
bikini," she lied. "This will look much better on me."
Yvonne walked away laughing.
