Chapter 1

The journey from separation to reunion had not been totally smooth but the destination was never in doubt and three months after Alan and Celia made their vows, Caroline and Kate did likewise. With a smile on her face the registrar looked at the two woman as they stood with hands joined and gaze fused.

"Caroline and Kate have given their consent and made their marriage vows to each other. They've declared their marriage by the joining of hands and the giving and receiving of rings. I now pronounce you spouses for life. Congratulations!"

Kate and Caroline shared a kiss, then Caroline smiled and Kate almost giggled, as William initiated applause. The love between Caroline and Kate was palpable and there was not a guest present who did not feel touched and privileged to have witnessed the start of their life as a married couple.

Within a short while of the guests being back at 46 Conway Drive, the small buffet lunch was being enjoyed and, aided and abetted somewhat by some fine champagne, conversation and laughter were in plentiful supply. Caroline was acutely aware that many of the guests would be wondering about Celia's absence but she was able to divert much of their questioning by playing the attentive host and never staying too long with any one individual or grouping. She felt that she owed it to some to be very direct and in a few words told them of the real reason for Celia's absence. Caroline was pleased to see that Lawrence had put in a belated appearance but she avoided any direct contact with him, having discussed her feelings with Kate in the short car ride back to the house.

"The little shit, how dare he do this? It will, of course, be my mother who has been influential in his decision, encouraging him to stay away. I told her that she and I could stop pretending that we had any form of relationship if she did not make an appearance. She'll have wanted to have an ally and as Alan patently wasn't playing ball, she'd have leapt at the opportunity to drag Lawrence into her camp. However, he's not going to get away with this either. He's old enough to know that his actions were hurtful and wrong."

"Caroline, as much as I know this is difficult for you, please try to stay focused on the day being our day. A day of celebration and happiness. That's what matters." Kate the peacemaker, unwavering in support for her wife while determined not to allow anyone to spoil the day that was beyond important to both of them.

"You are right, Kate but I am pig sick of her homophobia and I firmly believe that her actions display some racism too. I won't have it. I think I have done more than my share of conciliation with her. I don't think that I told you that she said any baby we had would know colours soon enough with one white and one black mother?"

"You didn't tell me that she said that. When was that?"

Kate appeared outwardly calm but feelings of hurt bubbled up within. Of all the negative traits that she knew Celia to possess, this was not one that she had considered to be part of Celia's repertoire. Kate had endured months of negatively from Celia, both snide comments and direct antagonism, and throughout all of that time Kate had been able to maintain an outwardly calm and placid demeanour.

While she had railed at Caroline for her inability to acknowledge their love and seethed internally even more frequently, Kate's character was essentially respectful in her response to others. This was particularly applicable to Kate's attitude to her elders. This was a true reflection of her nature and nurture. Kate was also aware that she had felt it appropriate to leave Caroline to challenge her mother's various 'isms'. This was a more complicated thought process and there was no doubt that part of Kate's philosophy was a slight fear in the past that although Caroline might criticise her mother, she may not have taken kindly to Kate or anyone else doing so. But this revelation from Caroline that Celia's actions and words may have had some racial motivation was earth-shattering and Kate began to consider how she might deal with this negativity for once and for all. The long and the short of it was that at that moment Kate considered Celia to have renounced any right to be treated with respect. Kate's brain was in over-drive and she had to re-focus quickly to avoid showing her feelings.

"Actually it wasn't her who told me. She told Alan, then he told Gillian and you know full well that she can't keep anything to herself. I could hear her smile as she told me. Stirring it up but not making it up. I know the sound of my mother's observations when I hear them. She'd have thought she was being witty and funny. I've had it Kate. Enough."

"I understand your anger and upset but please let's not let her take any more from the day. Please? You'll have time to deal with their actions but let's keep this day a day for celebration. If they've decided that they do not want to share in our joy, then we should concentrate on those who do." Kate playing the mediator while inwardly determining that she would make Celia account for her words and actions.

So it was with her wife's support that Caroline was able to concentrate on the real purpose of the party and enjoy the company of those who wanted to be there and share their joy, rather than spoil the occasion by concentrating on the two who had chosen not to participate in their celebrations. Despite their delight in the day, neither Kate nor Caroline was very sorry when the last of the guests left the house and they were left with just William, Lawrence and Angus. The latter two had long since crashed out - having been allowed to have champagne for the first time and Lawrence particularly had drunk more than an appropriate amount. William had gone to bed at the same time having given the younger boys strict instructions not to indulge in any drunken or rowdy behaviour.

As they closed the front door for the last time Kate held Caroline's hand to lead her upstairs but they had not gone far along the hallway when Caroline seized the opportunity to kiss her wife. Kate was more than ready for Caroline's approach and the hall wall came into its own as a leaning post for the two tired yet amorous women, as the kiss developed. Kate knew her lover well, though, and was not surprised that despite the very obvious interest of both of them to bring this demonstration of their love to its natural conclusion, Caroline did not depart from her nightly routine of heading towards the kitchen to set the dishwasher in motion. Kate headed upstairs with a final glance at Caroline and a wish that she would soon follow her.

So it was that Caroline was putting the finishing touches to the kitchen cleaning when she was aware that she was not alone.

"Hello." It was Celia.

"Oh, have I not locked up?"

"Are you speaking to me?"

"Have I got anything to say to you?"

"How did it go?" Celia's voice was almost childlike.

"It, um, well it doesn't really matter how it went." Terse. Disinterested in communication.

"Don't be like that." The light beginning to dawn for Celia that possibly this time she had taken a step too far.

"What do you want?" Caroline continued to express in her words and tone that Celia had, indeed, made an error of judgement.

"Just to say that I hope that it went off alright. I wish you both well. I do. It's just with Alan and all that business going on, I found it difficult."

Caroline was not intending to allow Celia to gloss over the consequences of her actions or get away with such a lame excuse and Caroline's voice was harsh and loud, the volume increasing with every sentence she spat out. There was no room for doubt. Celia had been subject to Caroline's sarcasm and criticism before, most notably when her interference has resulted in the first break up between Kate and Caroline. However this had opened up a more serious chasm between Celia and her daughter.

"Everyone asked where you were! Ha! They wanted to meet you. My colleagues, my friends from Oxford. A few even wanted to pop round to say hello but we didn't know what sort of reception they would get." Her anger and contempt obvious in every bellowed word.

"They should have done." Celia was still hoping against hope that her conciliatory words would begin to show benefit. "What did you say to them?"

"The truth. That you are rather narrow minded and that you didn't want to be part of what's going on." Caroline placed her hands on her hips as she spoke. She was an imposing figure in her heels even as a friend. As a foe she was daunting.

"Why did you say that? You could have said that I was ill. What did they say?"

"What do you expect people to say when they hear that my mother is a bigoted old woman who puts her opinions and prejudice before her daughter's happiness. Why should I lie and say that you were ill? That wasn't, isn't, the truth. You didn't deserve my support. I told you earlier today that you could forget that we had any form of relationship if you did not attend the wedding. They were not idle words. They were not a threat. That's what I felt then and you should be under no illusion that I MEANT EVERY WORD." Caroline almost screamed the last three words, as the years of hurt flowed from within.

Upstairs Kate was about to get undressed when she realised that she had forgotten to ask Caroline to bring her up a glass of water. As she walked out of the bedroom she heard Caroline's raised voice arguing with Celia. Kate was proud that she had always managed to hold her tongue and be respectful to Celia. After all, this was part of her Nigerian upbringing which said that elders were supposed to be treated with reverence at all times and also that Celia's attitude should be left for Caroline to deal with. But with hearing Celia arguing with Caroline on their wedding night was the straw that broke the camel's back.

"Sod tradition and culture," thought Kate."I've had enough of this bloody woman and her poison."

She left the room with the intention of storming downstairs to confront Celia once and for all but she was stalled by the sound of Lawrence and Angus being sick in their room. She walked to Lawrence's door to listen.

"I've had enough of you too. God give me strength!" thought Kate out loud. "I am not dealing with his shit as well." This made Kate even angrier as she recalled that Lawrence had also failed to attend the wedding. 'I will give him a piece of my mind later,' she thought. This annoyance had been building for months while she soaked up the range of negative attitude from both Celia and Lawrence.

"I have put up with their indifference, racism, arrogance, and intolerance. This is my wedding night. I have had enough." She said aloud through gritted teeth.

Kate steamed down the stairs. She was still muttering under her breath until she entered the kitchen when she calmly spoke to Caroline. "Lawrence and Angus appear to be throwing up in their room. I would deal with it but I don't think I can face it. Plus I need a glass of water." All said while Kate focused on Caroline, ignoring Celia.

Caroline took a deep breath, rolled her eyes and threw the cleaning cloth into the sink.

"Oh fucking hell. First this, now that. This is meant to be our wedding night." She briefly touched Kate's elbow lovingly to reassure her as she walked by, her heels clicking noisily out of the kitchen leaving an embarrassed Celia looking pleadingly at Kate.

"Hello Kate. I was just saying to Caroline that I was sorry that I couldn't come but I hope the day went well. Of course Alan is not happy and has gone to Halifax. We've fallen out. Again." Celia looked at Kate and saw the same indifference that she had read in Caroline's face earlier but this time there was something else too. "Are you ok, love? You get your glass of water."

Kate filled the glass at the sink and turned towards Celia with her eyes closed, still not believing the audacity of the woman. She took a sip of the cool, refreshing water before slamming the glass down on the worktop. Having turned fully towards Celia, Kate focused her dark, piercing eyes on her and so acknowledged her presence for the first time.

"Celia. It's my wedding day. MY wedding day. To YOUR daughter. Do you really think that I give a fig about whether Alan is talking to you or not." Kate shot a look at Celia that would have felled a horse.

"Caroline and I have been together off and on for over a year. Over that year you have ridiculed me, treated me with contempt, and made reference to my race, my heritage. You have accused me of being only interested in Caroline to further my career. You have questioned our ability as a same sex couple to raise any future child. Yes, OUR child. And to cap it all, you have been instrumental in Lawrence's failure to attend his mother's wedding. What sort of example is that for a grandmother, a heterosexual one at that?"

Throughout the above tirade Celia stood transfixed, open-mouthed and speechless at the timid Kate that she thought she knew speaking to her with such venom. Before Celia had a chance to respond Kate continued further.

"You know what?" Kate said as she advanced towards Celia, "I am glad you didn't attend the wedding. I couldn't have stood to see your hypocritical face mingling with people who genuinely love us and wish us the best."

She took yet another step towards Celia, pointing her finger and emphasising her every word. "MY mother would have given anything to share our happy day but logistics, and only logistics, meant that she couldn't. You on the other hand were quite happy to sit sulking, thinking only of your sorry self, whilst yet again ruining an important day for your only child." Kate's stabbed at Celia, punctuating her every word with the movement of her finger.

"Just like you did at her graduation. Yes, Caroline has told me all about everything, Celia. You have the cheek to say that our child would suffer through having same-sex parents but I would rather MY child not be around a poisonous, resentful, hurtful witch like you. If you are meant to be a good example of heterosexual parenting, I rest my case. My argument is won." Kate spat the words out like darts, which were destined to hit the intended target.

Celia looked at Kate with disbelief. Never in a million years did she think that Kate would say what she did, how she did. She blinked back the tears as Kate's words stung. Kate noticed that Celia was hurting but she really didn't care anymore. She remembered all the painful conversations with a tearful Caroline, due to Celia's racism and homophobia. She thought again of her first meeting with Celia and Alan, a meal where Celia told Caroline that the simple touch of their hands had made Celia feel sick. This drove her on.

"You've made it clear by your actions today that you have no respect for the feelings and wishes of others, and so why should WE show any respect for your feelings? I don't blame Alan. You have not come here tonight to see how we are or to find out about our day. As is usual, you have only your own interest at the centre of any of your actions. You've come here for sympathy and you are going to leave very disappointed. Our cupboard is bare of that commodity." Celia gasped and put her hands to her chest. "Please close the door on your way out," Kate concluded as she picked the glass up, walked across the kitchen and shut the light out as she left the room.

Celia stood for some time in the gloom, sobbing and bereft, before cutting a very pathetic figure shuffling back alone to her 'little flat'.