Gracie Yang (trouble with Amanda Tanner)

Dara, still suffering the effects of the shock of her discovery, still trying to recuperate from an orgasm, wearily looked at her phone. Why was Gracie Yang calling her? It's not like they were besties or anything. Dara was tempted to ignore the call, but something made her pick up.

“Hey Gracie! What's up?”

“Hey Dara,” Dara could sense the urgency and panic in her neighbor's voice immediately. “I didn't know who else to call. You're the only one I could think of. It's not good. I don't know what to do. She's a mess!” The nonsense rambling continued until Dara was able to interject.

“Gracie! Calm down! Who are you talking about? Who's messed up?”

“Amanda!” Gracie was able to respond, sounding as if she was about to cry, heavy breathing heard over the phone.

Dara raised her eyebrows, quizzically concerned. Here once again, despite having an occasional tea and gossip session together, it wasn't like they were friends. Yeah they were neighbors, but they were never really involved in each others' affairs. However, having just shared tea together the day before, and her curiosity being piqued, Dara found it within herself to be drawn into the situation.

“What's going on with Amanda? How can I help?”

“Just meet me out front of her place. Maybe you can talk to her? She's just lost it”

Dara really felt off guard, not expecting anyone to call her for crisis intervention. She was puzzled, but felt obliged to help, especially if Gracie was now like, really like, being like, a friend.

“Like yeah, I s'pose. Like, gimme a few.” A nervous giggle escaped. “I totally, like, just got outta da tub, See ya in few.”

It was Gracie's turn for her eyebrows to raise in question. “Dara? Are you alright?”

“Totally bestie. Two secs.” Dara hung up abruptly. The desperation in Gracie's voice pushed Dara to quickly and hastily throw on some clothes and see what was going on. A pair of running shorts and a tee shirt were the first things she had placed her hands on that were available. Not bothering with any undergarments, she slid the blue shorts up her long legs and pulled them over her rounded ass to her hips. The simple white tee, thanks to her large breasts, only came down to just above her navel, leaving a small bit of flesh exposed between the two garments. She slipped her feet into a pair of flip flops and headed into the afternoon sun.

The Tanner household was two houses down on the right. Peering in that direction, she spotted Gracie pacing back and forth on the sidewalk, apparently waiting impatiently for Dara to arrive. Dara walked down the driveway, taking a moment to look toward the house that separated the two, mildly relieved that Colin was not home, but looking towards the windows nonetheless. For some odd reason, Dara was troubled with the notion that Colin was not at home. Despite the relief, she felt as if there was a void, an unfilled hole that desperately needed to be filled! She shrugged, turned towards Gracie, waved, and began moving in her direction.

Gracie was quick to acknowledge and began walking towards Dara, determined to meet her halfway. Gracie greeted Dara with her customary cursory hug and air kisses to each cheek. “Thanks for coming,” Gracie exhaled as she stepped back and took assessment of Dara. Gracie crooked her head and gave an awkward stare. “Never seen you dressed so … um … casually … before.”

Dara wasn't sure if it was a statement or a question. She felt compelled to give some kind of reply. “Well, like you totally caught me getting outta the tub. Then you, like, sounded totally upset, so I just threw stuff on to see what's up!” Not wanting to address herself any more than necessary, Dara pushed the conversation back to her reason for being there. “So what's going on with our girl?”

Gracie was quite conflicted with everything going on. First off, her friend Amanda was distraught about something, causing her to seemingly go off the rails. Now, her other friend Dara, was acting very strangely. It was more than the overly revealing clothing she was wearing. There was something in the way she was acting. She couldn't put her finger on it, but Dara was definitely not acting like the neighborly friend she had come to know. “I really don't know. It's like she flipped her lid or something. Maybe even a stroke, I dunno. I was hoping we could talk and figure it out.”

“Sure! Let's go.” Dara led the charge up onto the porch, confidently ringing the doorbell, followed by a firm set of knocks upon the door.

There was no answer, and no sound from the other side. “She wouldn't answer for me either,” Gracie proclaimed with a sense of futility. Dara was just about to knock a second time, when the two heard a series of 'clicks' come from behind the door. A few more seconds passed and the heavy door creaked as it began to open. It finally gave way, revealing Amanda Tanner standing in the doorway.

Dara and Gracie gasped as their friend appeared, holding a half empty bottle of scotch in one hand, and a glass half-filled in the other. Amanda looked as if she'd been up all night on some kind of drinking binge. Her bloodshot eyes, the heavy bags underneath clearly signaled the lack of sleep. Her previously well-coiffed updo was now draped in unkempt fashion over her shoulders and covering half her face. The lack of any make-up was most likely due to the abundant tears already having been shed. But what was most strikingly shocking to the women outside, was the sheer, see-through black kimono that Amanda was wearing, clearly revealing the black lace panties and bra that she wore beneath.

“Hey girlssh! Cum on in!” Amanda turned abruptly and walked back into her house, leaving the two women staring at her ass swaying seductively beneath the see-through garment, swishing from side to side with each step she took.

Dara quickly accepted the invitation and began to follow, halted momentarily by Gracie, who now tugged on her arm. “Maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe we shouldn't ...” Gracie was having second thoughts about intruding on what was obviously an overly-sensitive topic, causing her neighbor to go on an alcoholic binge.

“Nonsense,” Dara whispered back, now dragging Gracie in tow. “This was your idea!”

The duo followed Amanda to her living room, where Amanda waved the bottle towards the sofa. “Hava sssheat bisshesss. Park yer asses.” She fetched two glasses, plopped them on the coffee table in front of the girls and poured about three fingers into each glass. She plopped her own ass into a nearby chair and raised her glass in the air, waiting for her guests to do the same.

Gracie hesitated again. This isn't what she had intended. She was just trying to be a friendly neighbor, but this was becoming increasingly uncomfortable for her. Gracie finally jumped into action when Dara jabbed her in the ribs with an elbow. She joined the other two as each sipped the aged scotch, letting it sear the insides of their throats.

“Amanda. We're worried about you!” Gracie struggled to find the words she really wanted to say. “This is unlike you, and whatever is happening, maybe we can help?”