Chapter 10
As the school year was drawing to a close and the summer holidays were rapidly approaching, Caroline's work life became progressively more hectic as the urgency for deadlines to be met and decisions to be finalised increased and then there were preparations for the new school year to be put into place. Her days were generally long and the pace frantic. However, Kate had managed to elicit a promise from her partner that today she would make every effort to be home by 6pm arguing that Caroline could work twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week and she still wouldn't get everything done so it wouldn't matter if she packed up and came home a little earlier on just the one occasion and, besides, it was a Friday…no one would be expecting her to work back late on a Friday. As an extra enticement, Kate happened to mention that she would also be cooking one of Caroline's favourite meals.
True to her word, Kate heard Caroline's jeep pull into the drive a quarter of an hour before six o'clock and then the familiar tapping of her heels on the parquet floor in the entranceway as she hung up her coat and strode down the hallway. First to greet her was their daughter, Caitlyn. The sight of the toddler waddling towards her as fast as her little legs would take her, her tiny arms outstretched and a broad smile on her face always managed to wipe away, in a single stroke, the stress of Caroline's day. Caroline picked her up in her arms and hugged her as Caitlyn planted a wet, enthusiastic kiss on her mother's cheek.
"Hello, sweetheart. Where's Kate?" Caroline asked as she brushed her fingers through the child's soft hair in a vain attempt to tame the unruly, brown curls.
Caitlyn pointed a tiny finger towards the kitchen so that was the direction that Caroline headed in. She found Kate doing a final check on the roast lamb in the oven. As Kate straightened up, Caroline leaned over and kissed her cheek.
"Hello, sweetheart," Caitlyn mimicked making both of her mothers’ laugh.
Kate returned the greeting.
"Dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes if you want to get changed," Kate announced, "and can you let Lawrence know too on your way up? He's in his room."
"Sure," Caroline replied as she left the kitchen and then, with Caitlyn still in her arms, she took off upstairs to change into something more casual.
On her way to her room she knocked on Lawrence's door and then poked her head in. Her son was lying on his bed flicking through a sports magazine. Seeing her big brother, Caitlyn wriggled free from Caroline's arms and went over to Lawrence's bedside and gave him a sloppy kiss on the forehead.
"Hello, sweetheart," she repeated, again drawing laughter from both Lawrence and Caroline.
"Hello, Bug," Lawrence replied, "do you want to see some pictures of England's greatest rugby players?"
Lawrence lifted his sister onto the bed so they could share the magazine. As she stepped out of the room, Caroline chuckled to herself as she heard Lawrence explaining to Caitlyn, "that's Chris Robshaw…he plays for England…."
Once Caroline came back downstairs, she offered to help Kate with the meal but was unceremoniously shooed away from the kitchen with assurances that Kate had everything well and truly under control.
"Go and relax" were the instructions she was given so Caroline poured herself a glass of wine then went and joined Lawrence and Caitlyn who had migrated to the living room where Lawrence was watching TV and Caitlyn was playing with her toys.
oooOooo
"That was a fabulous roast dinner, Kate," Caroline said appreciatively as she pushed aside her now empty dinner plate, "certainly worth coming home for. Thank you."
Kate gave her a brief, acknowledging smile.
Noticing that Kate had barely spoken a dozen words during the meal, Caroline asked, "Are you okay? You've been very quiet over dinner."
Kate looked at Caroline a little nervously.
"What's wrong?" Caroline persisted.
Kate fiddled anxiously with her cutlery as she contemplated what to say and the possible reactions she may have to deal with.
"I've done something," Kate began, "and it's probably something I should have discussed with you first but you've been so busy and preoccupied with work….well, I didn't want to burden you with even more to think about…so I just went ahead and did it….I'm hoping you'll be okay with it…if you're not we can…"
Caroline held up her hand signalling for Kate to stop her rambling.
"Just tell me what you did," Caroline said apprehensively.
Kate took a deep breath before answering.
"I've booked a seaside cottage at St Ives for us…all of us…you, me, Caitlyn, Lawrence and even William and Roxy if they want to join us….for three weeks for the holidays," Kate blurted out.
Caroline sat back and was, at first, a little astounded. She wasn't familiar with this kind of spontaneity…she was used to being the one in charge of the planning and meticulously organising things such as family holidays but then, as she thought for a moment longer, she realised what a fantastic idea it was. Meanwhile, for the seconds Caroline pondered, Kate sat there desperately trying to read her partner's thoughts and reaction.
Suddenly Caroline shattered the tension as she broke out into gentle laughter and reached across the table for Kate's hand which she squeezed lovingly.
"That is such a fabulous idea….I'm looking forward to it already," Caroline declared happily, much to Kate's relief.
Not realising she had been holding her breath, Kate began breathing again.
Lawrence, who had been listening in but not contributing to the conversation, then asked, "Do I have to go? I was hoping to stay in Harrogate for the holidays."
Caroline turned abruptly and looked at him in disbelief. Lawrence had always loved to go away on family trips, especially to St Ives. Why wouldn't he possibly want to join them?
Just as Caroline was about to chastise her son, Kate, who sensed what …or rather 'who' the problem might be, added, "Well, when I say it's a 'cottage', it's actually quite large so there would be enough room, Lawrence, if you wanted to invite a friend so you'd have some company."
Lawrence's face instantly lit up.
"Really?" he asked as he looked from Kate to his mum.
Caroline nodded in agreement as she caught onto Kate's line of thinking.
"Cool….I'll call Robert and see if he wants to come," Lawrence replied with renewed enthusiasm as he dashed out of the room in search of his phone.
From across the table, Caroline gave Kate a knowing smile but raised a questioning eyebrow.
"What?" Kate asked.
"Nothing really….I was just wondering how you got to be such a great mother to my son?" Caroline laughed, "and thank you…you really are marvellous."
Kate reached out and took both of Caroline's hands in her own and placed several soft kisses on her partner's fingertips while her eyes delved into Caroline's.
"To show your appreciation…."
Kate stopped speaking so she could lightly tease Caroline's palms with the tip of her tongue.
"You could…"
She then trailed kisses down the fair skin on the inside of each of Caroline's wrists. Caroline's eyes lit up in anticipation.
"…..collect up the dishes and put them in the dishwasher for me," Kate finished with a mischievous laugh.
Disappointed, Caroline quickly withdrew her hands in mock annoyance at being toyed with, giving Kate's arm a playful slap as she did so. She then pushed her chair back, stood and started scrapping and collecting plates and cutlery ready to be taken to the kitchen.
Kate joined Caroline in the kitchen as she loaded the dirty dishes and other miscellaneous cooking utensils into the dishwasher.
"Are you sure you don't mind that I went ahead and booked us a holiday?" Kate asked uncertainly. "I can cancel it if you don't…"
Suddenly Kate found herself unable to say anymore as Caroline had enveloped her mouth with her own in a deep, silencing kiss which played out for several minutes. Once their lips eventually parted, Caroline was able to reply.
"I absolutely love the idea of a three week holiday in St Ives with you and Caitlyn, Lawrence and possibly William and Roxy," Caroline said in all sincerity, "….now, at least pour me a glass of wine while I finish stacking all these dishes."
oooOooo
Caroline's car was fit to burst as all of the luggage was packed into it on the Sunday night in preparation for an early start on the Monday morning. Not one more item could possibly be shoved in.
By 8:00am they were on the road. Caroline took the first driving shift while Kate sat in the passenger seat beside her. In the back seat, Caitlyn had been secured into her car capsule and beside her sat Lawrence and his friend, Robert.
The first hour of driving was covered in relative silence. Lawrence and Robert had their earphones in and were listening to music and playing games on their ipad while the steady rhythm of the car had lulled Caitlyn back to sleep. Kate relaxed in the passenger seat with one hand resting comfortably on Caroline's thigh. As Caroline glanced over at her partner, she noticed the faraway expression on her face.
"A penny for your thoughts," Caroline said quietly.
Her daydreaming interrupted but not unpleasantly, Kate turned to Caroline and asked, "What kind of wedding do you want?"
It was Caroline's turn to be thoughtful. She hadn't actually given the details of their wedding much thought…she'd been too busy lately…all she knew was that she wanted to marry her beautiful, kind, generous partner …and soon.
"I haven't really had time to consider the details of the wedding to be honest. Everything has been so hectic," Caroline confessed, "but I don't think I want anything too ostentatious …I think I'd prefer something small and intimate….not too formal….unless, of course, you want a formal wedding."
"No…definitely not…small and intimate sounds perfect…but I don't want it in a church…somewhere outdoors … a garden perhaps…would be lovely," Kate replied wistfully.
"Mm mm…." was Caroline's only reply as she pondered the matter further.
Both women went off again into their own thoughts as they each contemplated what sort of wedding they might have until Kate finally inquired, "Have you told William that we're getting married yet?"
"I was going to when I rang to invite him to join us in St Ives but when he said that he and Roxy would definitely come down I changed my mind…I thought we could surprise them with the news in person," Caroline explained.
"Lawrence hasn't already told him?"
"I asked him not to," Caroline said. "I explained that I wanted to be the one to break the news."
At the halfway mark, Caroline pulled over into a roadhouse to allow everyone to stretch their legs, visit the bathroom, have some lunch and see to Caitlyn's needs. Almost an hour later, they set off again with Kate in the driver's seat. Caroline provided sporadic banter as they drove along the road that wound through ever more scenic countryside as they approached England's west coast and St Ives.
It was late in the afternoon when the black jeep finally pulled into the drive of what was to be their abode for the next three weeks. Kate was right, Caroline observed…it wasn't exactly a 'cottage'…it was a rather large house with two storeys plus an attic space. Although quite modern in comparison to the traditional style homes around it, it was certainly within keeping of its surrounds with the familiar use of stone work on the first level. Large areas of glass took advantage of the spectacular view of the sea only a short walk away.
Kate unlocked the front door and as they entered they could see that the inside was both spacious and comfortable ensuring that they wouldn't be living in each other's pockets. Both Lawrence and Robert were impressed with the new, very large screen TV so their needs had been met.
With everyone pitching in, all the luggage was unpacked from the car and put away in the appropriate room in quick time. Kate and Caroline took the main bedroom upstairs with Caitlyn's things put in the smaller bedroom next to it. Lawrence and Robert commandeered the larger of the two bedrooms downstairs with its twin beds, leaving the spare room for William and Roxy.
oooOooo
After taking a couple of days to get used to the idea that virtually each hour of every day was theirs to do with as they liked, Caroline and Kate were finally able to fully relax and enjoy the things they usually didn't have time for. They got to do the things they loved with the people they loved.
They soon found themselves following a very relaxed and undemanding routine which invariably started with all of them sitting down to a full breakfast then Lawrence and Robert disappearing for a good part of the day to do various activities leaving Kate, Caroline and Caitlyn to amuse themselves. As part of their daily routine, Caroline and Kate very quickly established the pleasurable habit of taking Caitlyn for a leisurely stroll in the cool of the evenings, just before dinner. It was a comfortable distance in one direction to the seafront where they could walk along the path that looked out over the translucent, turquoise waters that lapped lazily onto the beach and where
dozens of fishing boats bobbed hypnotically to the rhythm of the sea like so many corks. If they chose to head off in the opposite direction along the ancient, cobbled streets they soon found themselves amidst quaint shops and fashionable cafés which had arisen within the old fishing village to serve the every need of any tourist.
After a shout to Lawrence and Robert, who had decided to spend the evening watching movies, to let them know that they were on their way, Kate and Caroline, with Caitlyn in tow, headed out the door. Tonight they had chosen the peacefulness of the sea. However, before they were more than halfway down the street, Caroline realised she had left her phone back at the house.
"Kate, can you wait here a moment?" Caroline asked, "I've left my phone behind."
"Do you really need it?" Kate replied, disappointed that their progress had been stalled and that Caroline couldn't manage without her phone.
"I like to have it in case of an emergency," Caroline pleaded, "I won't take long."
Seeing the sense in this, Kate conceded. "Caitlyn and I will meet you down at the park bench at the shore."
Caroline turned and quickly took off back to the house, reaching the front steps several minutes later and a little out of breath. She pushed open the door and dashed into the kitchen to where her phone was on its charger. As she was about to grab it she was stopped in her tracks, stunned by the unexpected sight before her. Caroline stood stock still, her eyes opened wide and her jaw slack with surprise. From where she was she could see into the living room. There, Lawrence and Robert stood wrapped in one another's arms, engaged in an all-consuming kiss, blissfully unaware of her presence.
Caroline's brain, along with all the other parts of her body froze. She was momentarily unsure as to what to do. Did she try to quietly sneak out of the house, pretend that she didn't see them and save them the embarrassment of having to explain or did she let them know she was there and had seen the kiss? The old Caroline probably would have gone with the former but the new, more sexually au fait Caroline decided to choose the latter.
Caroline did that 'loud, clearing the throat' thing that people do when they want your attention. On hearing it, both boys instantly jumped apart. Thinking they were alone, they were shocked to see Caroline standing there with a knowing smile on her face.
"Mum!" Lawrence yelped in astonishment, "I thought you'd gone off for a walk with Kate."
"Obviously," Caroline replied, her voice tainted with amusement, "and while the cats are away the mice decided to play."
Suddenly both Lawrence and Robert found something very interesting on the floor to take their attention, their faces scarlet with embarrassment.
"So you saw all of that?" Lawrence asked coyly.
Caroline nodded.
"I guess the cat's out of the bag then?"
"Or the boys are out of the closet," Robert added, not quite as uncomfortable with the situation as Lawrence.
Lawrence shot his boyfriend a look that clearly told him to be quiet and let him deal with his mother. Robert went back to looking at the floor.
Caroline then gave both boys a warm smile but said nothing.
"Are you okay, mum?" Lawrence asked. "Are you shocked? Upset?"
"I wasn't expecting it quite so soon so yes….I am a bit shocked…but not entirely surprised," Caroline answered, "Kate and I did sort of wonder… and I'm definitely not upset."
"Really?"
Caroline nodded again not entirely trusting her voice as she filled with emotion, happy that her son had found someone special. She then went up to Lawrence and gave him a reassuring hug.
"We'll talk about it later, if you like. Kate's waiting for me. She'll be wondering what's happened," Caroline explained. "I love you."
With another brief hug and a quick kiss on her son's cheek, Caroline raced back out the door, remembering at the last instant to grab her phone.