Chapter 14
Kate propped an unsteady Caroline against the wall beside the front door as she searched in her bag for the key to the seaside cottage they had rented for their stay in St Ives…a search that had to almost immediately be abandoned as Caroline began to list heavily to one side and was in danger of falling over into the rose garden.
"Caroline, I think you've had too much to drink," Kate laughed stating the blindingly obvious as she once again propped Caroline in a more upright position.
"Can I tell you a secret?" Caroline said smiling right back at Kate. "I'd had too much to drink two champagnes ago …but I'm alright now."
"Oh, you are not," Kate declared, amused at her partner's drunken antics, "your speech is slurred, you can't walk or stand up straight and you're wearing hibiscus flowers in your hair."
Caroline put her hands to her head and plucked a large, red hibiscus flower from behind each ear.
"How did they get there?" Caroline asked totally puzzled.
Kate looked at her with surprise. "You don't remember?...You took them out of the vase on the table and put them there while you were entertaining us all with your rendition of 'Dancing Queen'."
"As in Abba?"
"Yes, Abba," Kate replied unable to keep the amusement out of her voice at the image of Caroline in the full throes of that particular song.
Caroline closed her eyes to try and recall what she'd done….it had only been a matter of a couple of hours ago…but she remembered nothing and closing her eyes only served to make everything spin and her stomach feel nauseous.
Kate finally found the keys in the bottom of her bag and unlocked the door. She then put her arm around her girlfriend's waist and guided her inside the cottage.
"I don't know any Abba songs," Caroline continued as Kate took her through to the kitchen.
"Oh, you do, Caroline. Dancing Queen….Waterloo….Fernando. Need I go on? And there are plenty of witnesses to back me up…Celia, my mum, Muriel, Gillian, Ellie, the restaurant staff…."
Caroline blushed at the thought of it. Dr Caroline Elliot wasn't used to being so totally uninhibited like that but she was feeling very happy….elated even…and they had been celebrating.
"Okay. Okay, but I must be having a memory relapse because I can't recall any of it…and besides…..why shouldn't I let loose occasionally?" Caroline said as she defended herself. "It isn't everyday a girl is about to get married to the absolute love of her life."
It was the night before their wedding and they'd been at their "Girls' Night Out" where Caroline had indeed let loose giving Kate enough ammunition for several solid months of ragging.
"Just as well one of us is still breast-feeding and managed to remain sober," Kate teased then added, "I think I should take you to bed."
"I think you should take me to bed too," Caroline replied and gave Kate a suggestive wink.
"You won't be much good to me tonight…not in this state…which is quite unfortunate seeing as Alan, Lawrence and Robert are babysitting Caitlyn for the night and we are alone."
Kate took Caroline's hand and led her to the bedroom where she began to undress her intoxicated girlfriend. Caroline kicked off her high heels and co-operated fully as Kate removed first her jacket and then her blouse. She felt Kate's arms wrap around her, her hands unclasp her bra and remove it, her fingers brushing lightly...deliberately… against her breasts as she did so. Kate's hands then slid slowly down over the fair skin of Caroline's stomach and her fingers undid the button and then the zip of her trousers which then slipped easily from her hips and pooled around her feet. Caroline stepped out of them and towards Kate, feeling less intoxicated by the champagne she'd had and more intoxicated by her partner with every second. She cradled Kate's face in her hands and kissed her ever so deeply…a kiss that they managed to maintain even as they overbalanced and toppled together onto the bed.
As their lips finally parted, Kate excused herself for one moment and went to the bathroom. When she returned she found Caroline curled up on her side, her eyes shut tight and there was a faint sound of snoring coming from her direction. She was sound asleep.
Kate undressed, turned off the light and slipped into the bed to join her. She threw some covers over them both, sidled up beside her partner and lightly kissed her bare shoulder. "Good night my Dancing Queen," she whispered.
oooOooo
The next morning, as Caroline sat on a stool in the kitchenette nursing a mug of coffee and attempting to eat a piece of toast which her stomach was reluctant to allow her to digest, there was a knock at the front door which was quickly followed by the sound of the cheery voices of Celia and Kate's mum. Alan wasn't far behind, holding Caitlyn. Seeing her mum, Caitlyn wriggled free of Alan's arms and tottered up to Caroline who picked her up and gave her a loving hug and a kiss 'good morning.'
"Hello, love," Celia said in a voice just a little too full of pep and verve for Caroline's liking. "How is our Dancing Queen this morning? We thought we'd pop over and see how you pulled up."
Caroline groaned. She could tell the Dancing Queen thing wasn't going to die a quick death.
"I'm fine, thank you," Caroline replied trying to sound perky but missing the mark by quite a ways.
"Is Kate about?" Ruth inquired as she leaned over to give Caroline a sympathetic greeting on the cheek.
Caroline looked at her a little sheepishly.
"She's gone off down the chemist to get me something to kill this headache…she shouldn't be too much longer."
"Will you be right for your wedding this evening," Celia asked as she gave Alan and Ruth a conspiratorial smirk, "or do we need to cancel it seeing that one of the brides is hung-over and the other is probably having second thoughts?"
"Oh your grandma is so funny, isn't she," Caroline said sarcastically to Caitlyn who was sitting contentedly on her lap.
"She always loses her sense of humour when she's hung-over," Celia whispered matter-of-factly to Alan but loud enough for Caroline to hear.
Caroline opened her mouth to give a defensive response but realised at the last moment that she was being baited and shot her mother a tacit look instead.
At that moment Kate returned from the chemist and walked in the door. Caitlyn immediately slid off Caroline's lap and made a beeline for her. Kate picked her up and swung her around gently in her arms as she kissed her soft, baby cheeks.
"Your mummies have missed you," Kate told her daughter.
"Married?" Caitlyn asked in her innocent tone making her mother smile broadly.
"Not yet, love. This evening," Kate replied giving her another kiss.
"Do you still want such a drunken pillock for a wife?" Celia joked. "It's not too late to pull out."
Kate laughed at Celia's light-hearted ribbing.
She then walked over to Caroline and put the bottle of tablets and a glass of water in front of her as she answered, "I think I'll risk it."
"If you're all going to make fun of me can you not go somewhere else and do it?" an exasperated Caroline exclaimed. She was in no mood to be the constant butt of their jokes.
"I guess we could," Celia replied, "we're off to get some breakfast. By the way, have you seen William and Roxy this morning?"
"Not yet," Caroline replied a little more calmly and grateful for a change of topic, "they may not have arrived yet."
While Caroline and Kate were still standing outside watching as the red Lexus drove off down the road, another vehicle pulled up from the opposite direction. To Caroline and Kate's enormous pleasure William and his long-time girlfriend, Roxy, had arrived. It had been absolutely ages since they had seen each other and there were enthusiastic hugs all round before Kate invited the couple inside.
Caroline asked, "Do you want to stay for breakfast?"
"No, thanks mum. We've only just arrived and we haven't even booked into our hotel yet but we wanted to come and see you and Kate first," William explained.
Caroline gave her son another huge hug.
"Are you ready for your big evening?" Roxy asked.
"We will be," Kate threw in, "as soon as Caroline's hang-over goes away."
William's face lit up with amusement.
"Mum!"
"I'm fine…it's all good," Caroline replied with a cursory wave of her hand as she attempted to brush away the subject.
"Did you know your mum was a big Abba fan, William?" Kate continued, her smile letting William and Roxy in on the joke.
"I'm not…." Caroline started to explain but stopped there. Her only defense was that she was drunk and she didn't want to bring that up. Instead she shot Kate a withering glance and attempted to redirect the conversation.
"So you probably haven't caught up with Lawrence and Robert yet, this morning?" Caroline asked.
William shook his mop of tight red curls.
"As I said, we've only just arrived." William paused for a moment then asked, "Who's this Robert that I keep hearing about? Is he a friend from school? What happened to Angus?"
"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Caroline said as she indicated with a nod towards the door.
As if on cue, William turned to see Lawrence, and close behind him, Robert, walking towards them.
"Ask me what?" Lawrence inquired at hearing his name mentioned.
Before William had a chance to say anything, Caroline butted in.
"William wants to know about you and Robert."
Caroline smiled innocently at her two sons, fully aware that she had put them both on the spot but knowing that she had given Lawrence an opportunity to say what inevitably needed to be said.
Caroline then picked up Caitlyn and said to Kate, "Let's go for a walk down the beach."
Lawrence felt his face redden with embarrassment as he remembered all the times he had mercilessly taunted William about being gay and was forever calling him a 'poof'.
Taking a deep, calming breath, Lawrence reached out for his boyfriend's hand and held it firmly.
"Robert, this is my brother, William, otherwise known as 'Beano Boy' and this is his girlfriend, Roxy."
The tall, handsome Robert reached out to shake hands.
"William, Roxy, this is my boyfriend…my partner…Robert."
William and Roxy each gave Robert's hand a friendly shake. If they were shocked or surprised they hid it well.
Lawrence looked at his brother in anticipation and said, "Go on, Will, you know you want to say it."
Against all expectation, William said nothing. Instead, he drew Lawrence into a brotherly hug and held him firmly for a moment or two. However, as he was about to release him, William jokingly whispered in Lawrence's ear, "Poof."
As Kate and Caroline paddled with their daughter on the water's edge they were suddenly besieged by Caroline's sons and their respective partners. Caroline didn't ask but could tell that the matter-at-hand had been satisfactorily sorted.
They stood around chatting idly for a short time until Caroline offered to make pancakes for breakfast. William and Roxy reluctantly declined the offer and headed off to find their hotel. Lawrence and Robert, however, were enthusiastic takers.
oooOooo
The fullest of moons hung as a giant golden orb high in the night sky spreading its muted light over the elegant gathering below, helped by a subtle scattering of lanterns to gently illuminate the surrounds where the family and guests stood on the grassy knoll overlooking the beach and the tranquil sea of St Ives.
The graceful figures of Caroline Elliot and Kate McKenzie, draped in flowing outfits of midnight blue and ivory, stood facing one another under the spreading branches of the ancient tree. They were surrounded by an intimate circle of family and a rather impressive congregation of friends and colleagues from Sulgrave Heath Independent School.
While only immediate family were invited to a celebratory dinner afterwards, an open invitation had gone out to friends and those who worked at Sulgrave Heath to attend the ceremony if they wished to and could make the journey.
The celebrant politely hushed the small crowd indicating that the ceremony was to start. As silence descended and all the attention became focussed on the bridal couple, the woman began.
"First of all, on behalf of Kate and Caroline I would like to thank all of you for coming to share with them their special day. We are gathered here this evening at this most beautiful of places to witness and celebrate the joining together of these two woman in the sanctity of marriage, a testimony to the fact that in love, as in everything else, we are all equal….no one person being more or less deserving of happiness, love and companionship than another."
The celebrant then gave Caroline and Kate a subtle nod. Kate's rich, brown eyes met with the sapphire blue of Caroline's as Kate took her partner's hands in her own and began speaking, keeping her attention firmly focussed on Caroline's face.
Although Caroline had run this scene through her head at least a hundred times before, nothing had prepared her for the overwhelming joy and profound love that struck her as she listened to Kate say her vows. Despite the presence of a large group of family and friends, the moment felt intensely personal and private to Caroline as if it was only Kate and herself standing there under the gnarled tree dappled by the moonlight.
"I, Kate McKenzie, take you, Caroline Elliot, to be my lifelong partner."
Kate stopped there long enough to flash Caroline a radiant smile. Caroline thought her heart would burst.
Kate continued. "….For better or for worse….richer or poorer….sickness and in health…."
Caroline took in all of these words as Kate said them.
"We've been through all of that already…better and worse, richer and poorer, sickness and health….and we've come out stronger….we can do this,' Caroline thought to herself.
Kate then released Caroline's eyes from her gaze as she turned to Lawrence for the ring, one of a pair of platinum bands that matched their engagement rings. She then lifted Caroline's left hand and ceremoniously slipped the ring onto her finger.
"I give you this ring as a sign of our marriage. With my body I honour you. All that I am I give to you. All that I have I share with you."
Kate then brought Caroline's hand to her lips and placed a single, tender kiss on the back of it.
It was Caroline's turn to speak. She dropped her head and took a moment to settle her stampeding emotions so the words would come out properly and convey to Kate the enormity of her feelings for her.
She then cradled Kate's face in her hands and brought their eyes into a direct line as she began. "I, Caroline Elliot, take you, Kate McKenzie to be my lifelong partner…."
As Caroline spoke she poured her heart and soul into the words and promises hoping that they would express and Kate would perceive their depth and honesty.
An earnest William then passed his mother the ring. Caroline took Kate's hand and placed the ring on her partner's slender finger.
"…..All that I am I give to you. All that I have I share with you."
Both women peered at each other with delighted smiles, embraced and kissed tenderly….not the deep, passionate kisses that each secretly wanted to give and receive….that would wait until later.
As they let the world enter back into their blissful bubble, they could hear the enthusiastic applause and cheering of their guests and see the happy faces of those who had shared with them and witnessed this beautiful occasion.
With the official part of the evening over, Kate and Caroline together made an effort to thank each of their friends and guests for coming and gratefully received the congratulations and compliments until, eventually, the group had dwindled down to just the immediate family who were more than keen to continue the celebrations further at a local restaurant with the newly-married couple.
In a moment of quiet, Lawrence, who held Caitlyn by the hand, came up and stood beside Caroline and Kate. It was the first time since the evening had begun that they'd seen their daughter. Kate reached down and picked her up in her arms and complimented her on how well she had behaved. Caroline ran her fingers through Caitlyn's erratic curls and kissed her cheek.
Caitlyn looked at Caroline with her dark, brown eyes, disarmingly like Kate's, and asked, "Married?"
Caroline put her arm possessively around Kate as she smiled at her daughter and replied, "Yes, sweetheart….your mummies are married."