“Grab a seat Helen,” she pointed to the spare seat beside Eva. “And woman, it's three in the afternoon, normal people have been up for hours.”
Eva tsked. “Normal people weren't singing in a club until the wee small hours,” she scoffed, taking the hat off and putting it back onto the table. “You gonna come hear me sing?” She asked looking between the two women.
Helen leaned forward over the table. “I'd love that, can we?” she asked Lily expectantly.
Lily nodded as the kettle started to whistle, “Sure. We can go tonight.”
Helen gave her a satisfied nod and smile then settled back into her seat as Eva started to pepper her with questions.
***
An hour passed where they shared histories. Helen learnt that Eva had come from Houston to New York to pursue her musical career and in turn she'd shared her stories of Hollywood and air racing before Eva announced that she should go try and get a bit more sleep, otherwise she'd be nodding off during her spot later. As she left the room, leaving them alone Helen rose and circled her arms around Lily's neck.
“I thought you said she was gnarly?” she asked nuzzling into Lily's neck.
“She was on her best behavior there, no one wants to get on the wrong side of Eva, believe me,” Lily laughed, enjoying the sensation of Helen's lips nibbling her neck.
“So a classical violinist and a jazz singer, under one roof?” Helen remarked pulling away to look into Lily's eyes. “How does that work?”
Lily gave a small laugh. “I have an eclectic taste in music and wasn't asking too much rent,” she replied, skirting the reasons why Eva had moved into her apartment.
Helen smiled and leaned in to whisper into Lily's ear. “There is one room that I haven't seen yet,” she purred seductively.
Lily felt her stomach flip as she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth.
“That was remiss of me, let me rectify that right now,” she said grabbing Helen's hand and pulling her towards her bedroom.
They stripped their uniforms off with less precision than they had dressed, quickly discarding the symbols of their hard work at Avenger Field for the desire to feel each other. Their lips roamed freely, exploring each newly exposed piece of skin as they made their way towards the plump bed that dominated the room.
Kissing her way down Lily's neck, Helen allowed her tongue to play lazily with Lily's nipple. It had been far too long since she had been able to revel in Lily's body and she had craved the taste and feel of it, living still in close quarters in the bay she'd had to resign herself to looking surreptitiously at her lover's body as she dressed in the morning or got ready for bed in the evening. The curves that she longed to caress tantalizingly out of reach. Apart from the night when Lily had quietly slipped into her bed, the two women had not been together since Atlanta and both were taut with desire.
Lily groaned as her breast was teased, she brought her hands to Helen's head raking her fingers through soft blonde curls, watching intently as Helen savored taunting her. Lily closed her eyes as Helen trailed kisses down her firm stomach her muscles twitching in response. Lily bucked her hips involuntarily as she felt Helen's lips ghost across her arousal, hot breath teasing as she waited hovering on the edge of ecstasy before moaning loudly as Helen finally took her into her mouth. Helen lost herself in every twitch, gasp, and moan that she elicited from Lily, each one increasing her own need for release. Lily gripped Helen's shoulders holding her in place as she felt her body tense, every muscle in her body screamed in response to Helen, finally with a loud moan the tension disappeared leaving her feeling a warm haze, her deep brown eyes watched from under hooded lids as Helen crawled back up her body.
“I like this room,” Helen said smiling.
***
They had fallen asleep wrapped in each other’s bodies, a sheet carelessly thrown across their nakedness. Eva opened the door to Lily's bedroom her eyebrows raised slightly at the sight of Lily asleep with Helen wound tightly against her back.
“You two planning on getting up and coming with me to the club or are you gonna lay there naked all night?” she asked loudly.
Helen sprang awake clutching at the sheet in a panic.
“Now, now,” Eva waved her hand. “Ain't no business of mine what you two get up to, besides you live long enough in Greenwich you see it all, men with men, women with women. Just be careful if you go into them queer clubs, the police have been harassing them a lot lately. Damn shame if you ask me, people just trying to find love and gettin’ beat up for it.” She shook her head slightly stopping her rambling, “Anyways, you comin’?”
Lily lifted her head from the pillow and looked sleepily at her friend, “We're coming.”
Eva gave her a brisk nod and left them closing the door as she left.
Helen let out a long breath that she had been holding since Eva came in, Lily laughed, “Relax, like she said, in Greenwich you see it all.” Lily got out of the bed and pulled a robe from her wardrobe, “I'll go get the cases from the hall.”
Forty minutes later Lily was looking into the mirror as she swept her dark red lipstick across her lips, she touched the red flower pinned into her dark locks and stood back to appraise her outfit, she gave herself a small nod of encouragement at her black polka dot dress. It felt positively decadent to have all of her wardrobe at her disposal after the previous months of frugal living. She picked up her red purse to match her shoes and beaded necklace and stepped out into the hallway and into her living room.
A few moments later Helen came out of the bathroom and entered the room, she hovered nervously in the doorway, her fingers worrying the seam of her dark blue halter swing dress.
Lily's breath hitched and she smiled broadly, “You look amazing.” As she appraised Helen she whispered absently, “I've never seen you in that dress before.”
“You like?” Helen asked giving a small twirl the material swishing around her thighs.
“I like you whether you're in your zoot suit, leathers or a bed sheet,” Lily said appreciatively, moving across to take Helen into her arms. “I
really
like it when you're not wearing anything though.”
“I'm goin’, whether you two are comin’ or not!” Eva shouted from the front door.
Lily rolled her eyes and slipped her hand into Helen's. “Wait. We're coming,” she yelled in response grabbing coats for them both as she pulled Helen along behind her.
***
They followed Eva through the backdoor and into the nightclub.
“I thought we were going to a jazz club?” Helen asked weaving her way past the assortment of musicians gathered in the hallway, trying to keep up with Eva and Lily's fast pace.
“We are, but most of us play a set at one of the supper clubs first before doing the fun stuff,” Lily replied over her shoulder.
At the thought of when the night might end, Helen almost rued not sleeping more when she’d had the chance… almost.
Eva grabbed a young bus boy in passing, “I need a table up front for my guests.” She pointed at Lily and Helen. “Go tell Jacob,” she barked.
The boy nodded quickly, a fearful look on his face as he scurried off to do Eva's bidding. The small woman gave Lily a quick wave as she slipped through a door to get ready.
Lily chuckled to herself; she had forgotten quite how intimidating Eva could be when you didn't know her properly. She turned to speak to Helen as they waited on the bus boy returning, as she turned her eye caught sight of a tall man walking towards her wearing a tuxedo and carrying a shining brass trumpet in his hand, a large grin on his face, she yelled in excitement, “Eli!”
Helen watched in confusion initially thinking that the smile on Lily's face was directed at her. Then realizing the brown eyes were looking over her shoulder, she turned her head slightly just as a man brushed past her and enveloped Lily into a bear hug spinning her around. He plonked her back down and held her at arm’s length to inspect her.
“Mmmmm,” he murmured appreciatively.
His voice was so deep that Lily could feel the vibration in her chest when he spoke.
“Altitude does wonders for you,” he grinned.
Helen felt a surge of jealousy rise in her as the dark skinned man continued to make noises of approval while he twirled Lily around. Lily laughed at Eli as he spun her once more, her gaze catching the darkened look on Helen's face; she felt a flood of warmth diffuse through her at the possessive look that Helen was failing to disguise as she took in the scene in front of her.
“Eli,” Lily sang. “This is Helen Richmond.”
She held her hand out indicating the women standing observing Eli cautiously.
Eli turned, seeing the blonde for the first time. “This is Helen?” he remarked looking back at Lily, small dimples appeared as he smiled, turning back to Helen his smile broadened. “Well hello Hollywood! She didn't do you justice in her letters,” he remarked. “She said you were pretty, but shit girl, she's beautiful,” he laughed playfully pushing Lily. He held out his hand to Helen, “It is my sincere pleasure to finally make your acquaintance and thank you for looking after our girl here while she was down in the Deep South.”
Helen smiled as she shook his hand, unsure what exactly Lily had written about her in her letters home.
“Did you read my letters to Eva?” Lily exclaimed in mock horror.
“Only way I find things out,” Eli said smoothly. He held his hands out from his body with a look of wide-eyed innocence on his face, the light from the hallway catching the trumpet in his hand.
“Helen, this is Eli. He's Eva's beau,” Lily laughed slightly at the introduction.
“Fiancé,” Eli corrected.
“What? She said yes finally? she never mentioned it,” Lily said surprised.
Eli shook his head, “Not exactly, but I'm working on it. You coming to the club later?” he asked as other tuxedoed musicians started to bundle him towards a door. “I'll see you there,” he called over their heads before turning and moving with the wave of black jackets.
“See you there,” Lily yelled in response as Eli disappeared.
Helen gave Lily a quizzical look. Lily sighed wondering how to describe the complicated nature of her friend’s relationship, “He and Eva have been together for years, he wants to get married, she doesn't and every six months or so he forgets this and asks her.” She shook her head as she thought about the couple, “She says no, and then breaks it off with him for a few weeks, kinda’ like smacking a puppy’s nose.” Lily directed Helen towards the busboy, who had returned and was waiting on them, “Then they get back together, it's a dance they do, I've known them three years and have seen it happen enough times.”
Pursing her lips thoughtfully Helen frowned. “Why doesn't she want to marry him?” she asked.
Giving a shrug Lily laughed, opening her eyes wide, “’Cause she's Eva!” They followed the boy through a door leading to the club. “I know she loves him because she was devastated when he went to sign up, and relieved when they found something wrong with his heart or something, I can’t quite remember now,” Lily shrugged. “Plus she says that a mouth that plays the trumpet in the way his does, has to have spoken to the devil himself,” she grinned as they were led to a table with a prime view of the stage as the band struck up a lively swing number. The boy offered to check their coats. As Lily shrugged off her fur, Helen licked her lips as Lily's curves reappeared from the depths of her coat.
Lily smiled as she recognized the lusty look that Helen had just given her. The blonde smiled guiltily as she slipped her own borrowed coat off, realizing that Lily has caught her ogling. Sitting down they ordered their drinks and looked towards the stage. Finding the brass section Helen spotted Eli playing, his trumpet swaying with the music. He was a handsome man, however, the danger that Helen could see, was that he knew it. She leaned across towards Lily as their drinks were placed in front of them.
“So what did you tell Eva about?” she asked, lifting the wine glass to her lips and taking a delicate sip.
Lily dragged her eyes from the stage, still bobbing her head in time with the music. “Nothing exciting, I left out the details on how I thought I was going mad with desire for you,” she smiled affectionately,
“Mad with desire? Really! We should explore that in more detail I think later,” Helen purred as she let her hand drop from the table onto Lily's lap. Lily could feel the heat from Helen's hand through the thin silky rayon dress she was wearing, her touch almost burning into Lily's leg.
“If you don't move your hand, the whole club will get to see just how mad,” Lily said ominously out of the side of her mouth. Helen was about to reply when the bandleader introduced Eva onto the floor.
They ate a light supper as they listened as Eva belt out song after song; Helen thought it almost impossible that such a large voice could come from such a small frame. The tempo dropped, Eva stood at the microphone, her eyes closed as she nodded in time with the intro to the song. Slowly opening her eyes she lifted her head up and leaned into the microphone, her fingers clicking at her side and her voice filled the room.
Eli's trumpet balanced out against her voice, playing a response to the tune crooned by the small woman. Her rich voice sounded like it was coating the lyrics with honey as she sang.
Eli sat back down and the saxophonist stood up taking up the mantle of supporting Eva's voice.
They clapped as Eva took a step back from the microphone and accepted the applause before stepping out of the spotlight, grinning towards Lily and Helen as she left. They took Eva's cue and rose from their seats, as they left the table they had to squeeze past the cigarette girl with her tray, selling a packet of cigarettes to the table next to them.
Collecting their coats, they stepped out into the night, the chill almost ripping their breaths from them. Five minutes later Eva joined them and putting her fingers in her mouth whistled a passing cab to take them to the center of the jazz scene in New York; 52
nd
Street.
The neon lights shone brightly, stark against the dark of the night, as they parked outside the club. Following Eva, they entered the club, which had a distinctly more relaxed atmosphere than the supper club they had come from. After checking their coats in they walked into the dark club and found a table, Eva joined them clicking her fingers in the air for the drinks waiter.