Chapter 7
With a slightly unsteady hand, Caroline removed the ring from its plush case and slipped it onto Kate's slender finger. As Caroline gently held Kate's hand in her own, she admired how beautiful the platinum band with the single diamond appeared against Kate's dark skin. Kate put her other hand under Caroline's chin and rested her forehead against her partner's.
"I love you so very much," she whispered before drawing their mouths together in an enthralling kiss.
"Oh! Gross! Are you two at it again?" Lawrence complained loudly, full of teenage disgust, as he stood in the doorway to the living room.
The two women jumped apart in surprise at the sound of the voice and looked over to see Lawrence standing there with a broad smile on his face.
"Why don't you two get a room…or go upstairs? Seriously!"
"Oh, now the prodigal son turns up," Caroline chided good-humouredly. "We don't see him for days and now, when we want some privacy to celebrate, he puts in an appearance. Great timing, Lawrence."
"I thought you were staying at Angus' place until tomorrow," Kate added.
"I was but …it doesn't matter…I changed my mind," Lawrence replied without further explanation and then attempted to change the topic. "So, what are you celebrating?"
Caroline looked at her son a little shyly. "I've just asked Kate to marry me and she's said…..well, she hasn't exactly said 'yes' but I'm presuming it's a 'yes' from her reaction," Caroline explained as she looked questioningly at Kate.
"Of course it's a 'yes'. Do you think I'd turn down a ring like this?" Kate laughed teasingly.
She held her hand up, wiggling her fingers as she flashed Lawrence the ring. Lawrence came further into the room to take a closer look then let out a low whistle.
"Nice one, mum," he complimented.
Caroline shot him a radiant smile, her face beaming with joy.
Much to both Caroline and Kate's surprise and pleasure, Lawrence bent over and gave each of them a kiss on the cheek and a heartfelt congratulations but before they could accuse him of being 'sweet' he added, "It's about time you two got married…it's a bit embarrassing having you both just 'shacking up' together like a couple of old hippies from the sixties."
"The cheek of it," Caroline scoffed but nothing could wipe the smile from her face.
"When's the wedding?" Lawrence asked. "Do I get to break out the kilt again?"
"We haven't quite got that far. Actually, we didn't even get past the first celebratory snog when you inconveniently walked in," Kate complained, giving Lawrence back some of his own.
"Well, this boy knows when he's not wanted," Lawrence replied feigning insult and then added quietly, "All jokes aside, I really am happy for you both. It's fantastic news." Then he turned to leave the room, heading towards the kitchen.
"There are some leftovers in a dish in the fridge if you're hungry," Kate called after him.
"Cool…I'm starved." Before he finally departed, he turned and asked, "Where's my little sister?"
"Your granny and Alan are babysitting her tonight because Kate and I thought we'd like a night alone to…"
Before Caroline could say anymore, Lawrence stopped her from continuing. "Too much information, mum" and then put his hands over his ears and left the room singing loudly, " La la la la la" to himself to block out the chance of hearing any more of the gruesome details.
Caroline watched her son leave the room marvelling at the young man he'd become in seemingly the blink of an eye. During the year after the fire when they were all living together in Kate's cottage, Caroline and Lawrence's relationship seemed to turn a corner. After being mucked about and 'stood up' on several occasions by John, Lawrence was finally able to see his father for the self-centred fool that he was and no longer blamed his mother for the break-up of the family.
Whether it was because they were living in more confined quarters or perhaps just because Lawrence was maturing and was no longer the silly fifteen year old, Caroline and Lawrence had managed to have several heart to heart conversations…something they had found difficult in the past. Some of these conversations were initiated by Caroline, others by Lawrence, but all had been open and honest, if not heart-wrenching at times. Lawrence revealed to his mother how he actually did love his brother, William, despite the cruel barbs they often flung at each other and how, at times, he missed him terribly now that he'd gone off to Oxford. He also told her of the times when he had been quite severely teased by some of the idiots at school because his mother was the head teacher and a 'dyke'. At first he'd felt angry with Caroline for putting him through all that ….
"Why couldn't she just forgive his dad and let things go back to normal?" he had wondered.
Then it had slowly dawned on him, as he saw the happiness that his mum and Kate together brought to their home and the determination they had to tough things out, that it was the idiots at school who had the problem, not him, not Kate and his mum.
Caroline had shared with Lawrence her own disappointment and sense of failure she felt when John had left her to be with Judith. Then when Lawrence had asked about Kate, she also tried to explain her initial attraction to her but found that words often failed her when trying to describe the intensity of what had happened when they met and then the incredible sense of loss she experienced when Kate had left her and how she was determined now to make the most of the chance she had been given with the one person she truly loved in the full romantic sense of the word.
Through these talks Lawrence seemed to come to more fully understand the depth of Kate and Caroline's relationship and accept the idea that love is love, no matter whether it is between a man and a woman, two men or two women. Whereas previously Caroline had been worried that Lawrence had picked up some of her mother's prejudices and attitudes, she now realised that he had probably just needed more time to adjust and understand the situation. With his maturity had come this understanding and acceptance of his mother's sexuality and Caroline was in no doubt that he would now defend her to the hilt if necessary.
It also had to be said that as time went on, Celia too, became more accepting of her daughter's 'lifestyle', the arrival of Caitlyn, the granddaughter she adored and loved to fuss over, as well as guidance from Alan playing no small part in this. Gone were the occasional abrasive comments and looks aimed at them, although Kate was still wary of Celia at times around certain topics as she still liked to say exactly what was on her mind now and again.
Alone again finally, the two women picked up where they had left off when they were interrupted as Kate cupped Caroline's face in her hands and brought their lips together once more for what became a long and smouldering kiss. Caroline felt every cell in her body ignite with want and passion for her partner.
"Why don't we do as the boy said and go upstairs before we get 'busted' again," Caroline suggested, "besides, I have an urgent need to get you naked."
oooOooo
Out of habit, both Caroline and Kate had woken early the next morning but without their one year old there to demand attention, they decided to indulge in the luxury of a lie in. Kate had propped herself up on her pillow beside Caroline who had rolled onto her side so she could see her partner's lovely face and slung her arm loosely across Kate's stomach.
"Tomorrow's Monday…." Kate began.
"Yes, it is," Caroline agreed, "and…?"
"And we are going to work."
Caroline looked at Kate quizzically. "Yes….and your point is?"
"People are going to notice the ring aren't they," Kate explained more fully, "so I'm wondering….how do you want to handle this? Do you want to make a big announcement or do we just answer the question as we're asked?"
Caroline tossed the problem over in her head for a bit and then decided.
"I don't want to make an announcement as such…. unless you think it would be best …. after all, you're the one they're going to ask because you're the one wearing the ring...and they're too afraid to ask me...It's not a big deal…well, it is for us, of course, but I don't particularly want a fuss made of it."
"No…I don't want a big fuss either and I'm sure once I tell a couple of people, word will spread like wildfire anyway."
"We have a staff meeting on Wednesday afternoon where we can make a general announcement then if we have to," Caroline added.
With that decision made, the two women spent a few more intimate moments together before relinquishing their lazy start to the day and getting out of bed.
"I should go and relieve Celia and Alan of their babysitting duties so they can get back to the peace and quiet of their bungalow," Kate said as she quickly dressed, ready to head downstairs.
"Wait for me…" Caroline replied, dressing as well, "I want to be there when mum sees the ring so I can tell her what's happening."
Both women made their way downstairs and around to the little flat. As they knocked on the glass door they could see Caitlyn sitting on Alan's lap, smiling and laughing as he made ridiculous faces to entertain her. Alan looked up when he heard the tapping on the glass but it was Celia who opened the door to them.
"Morning mum…Alan. We've come to relieve you of our daughter," Caroline said cheerily, "I hope she wasn't any trouble."
Kate went over to Caitlyn.
"Morning Alan," she said quietly as she lifted her daughter from his lap. "Morning my sweetheart," she then addressed to her daughter as she gave her a morning hug and kiss on the forehead. "Thank you both for coming over and babysitting. It was much appreciated."
"Oh, it's a pleasure, love," Alan replied. "Any time. She's been fabulous."
"That's because she has probably been spoiled rotten," Caroline added with a knowing smile.
"Well…maybe just a little," Celia confessed. "Did you two have a nice evening?"
The two women looked at each other before Caroline answered. "Yes, we did actually…in the end."
Celia gave them a perplexed look.
"In the end?"
"It started off a bit….it doesn't matter really…what does matter is that we're getting married…I asked Kate to marry me and she said 'yes' so we're getting married."
Celia looked from one woman to the other, her expression neutral, then she folded her arms across her chest and dropped her eyes for a moment.
"Here we go," thought Caroline to herself.
Alan waited nervously in the background, unsure as to how his wife would react to that bit of news.
"When are you planning to have the wedding?" Celia asked unnervingly quietly.
"We haven't actually had a chance to discuss all…any of the details yet but as soon as we can get organised is my way of thinking," Caroline replied, looking towards Kate for reassurance.
Celia moved in close to both Caroline and Kate who were now standing side by side and reached for a hand from each.
"I know that in the past I haven't been as supportive of your relationship as I should have been…I wouldn't have made a good PFLAG member…" Celia smiled at them both, "but that is all well in the past now so I am being very sincere when I say 'congratulations' and that I am truly happy for you."
Celia gave their hands a squeeze and reached up and kissed each stunned woman on the cheek. Alan followed up with a kiss also.
"Hell…if he ever decides to shoot through on me," Celia continued, nodding her head towards Alan, "I might just take up with a lovely older lady myself."
"Oh mum! Stop there! Now you're frightening me," Caroline laughed.
"Oi…I'm not going anywhere…you're stuck with me," Alan added firmly but with a chuckle. "How many times do I have to marry you to convince you of that?"
"Mum...can I ask...just out of curiosity...how do you know about PFLAG?" Caroline inquired tentatively.
Celia explained, "I've been on the internet looking up stuff."
Kate hid an amused grin behind her hand as Alan gave her a knowing wink. It amused and entertained Celia greatly to wind Caroline up but sometimes it just wasn't a challenge.
"What 'stuff' have you been looking up exactly?" Caroline dared to ask and then thought better of it. "No...on second thought, don't tell me. I really don't want to know."
Caroline shook her head in befuddlement. Her mother never ceased to surprise and amaze her.
"I guess it's too early to crack open a bottle of champagne and have a celebratory drink?" Celia asked. Then she caught sight of the flash of silver on Kate's finger."Is that the ring?"
Kate nodded and held her hand up so Celia could fully inspect it.
"Oh it's beautiful…one thing I can always say about our Caroline is that she has good taste." Then, to Kate's surprise, Celia gave her a look that seemed to say that it wasn't just the ring she was talking about.
"Thanks, mum….are you two heading off straight away or do you want to stay for some breakfast?"
"No, we'll be heading off, love…thanks anyway…we've stuff to do," Celia answered.
Caroline put her arms around her mother and gave her a loving hug. "Thanks for coming over and babysitting and thanks for….well, you know…just being you."
Caroline and Kate with Caitlyn resting on her hip, walked Celia and Alan to their car and waved them off then went inside for some breakfast.
"That didn't go too badly," Kate stated with relief.
"No…it was good. She's come a long way."
"I think we all have," Kate replied simply.