Caroline awoke from a long restful sleep to find Kate returning from the en suite bathroom looking very tired.
"Kate? Have you been up all night again?"
The tears told Caroline she was right and she took Kate in her arms for a well needed cuddle.
"You should have woke me. I could have rubbed your back, sweetheart."
Kate shook her head and pulled her fiancée closer. "There's no point both of us being worn out. Besides you're so busy at work a bomb wouldn't have woken you."
Caroline smiled and pulled away to look Kate in the eyes. She lifted Kate's hair from her face so make sure she could see her eyes.
"Kate I'd like you to take the day off and get some rest. I don't want to force you but I'm really worried. Will you at least take this morning off?"
Kate began shaking her head before crying again.
"Kate please? You're not in any fit state to be on your feet dealing with hormonal teenagers."
Kate pulled away and looked her girlfriend in her eyes. She nodded to Caroline agreeing to take the morning off.
"Thank you Caroline. I love you so much. I don't want to cause you more problems at work."
"Kate. You're not a problem. We have things in place to cover you. It's simply a phone call. I realise you want to make sure the kids are supported as they approach their exams but when baby arrives you'll be off anyway."
Kate smiled and Caroline got up helping her lover back into bed.
As Caroline drove to work she called her secretary to arrange a meeting with her HR Manager before she started on the main business of the day. She finished the call and sighed at the long day ahead with back to back meetings.
Lawrence could see his mum stressing. Everyone else saw calm and collected but he knew her better than most.
"Are you alright mum? You sound stressed out."
Caroline smiled at her youngest. "I'm fine. Just worried about Kate."
"Is she okay? I think I heard her walking on the landing in the night."
Caroline smiled at her beautiful son.
"I think the baby is just restless and keeping her awake. Are you okay? Did she wake you?"
"No. I popped to the toilet and heard her when I got back into bed."
Caroline found her mind wandering off in her fourth meeting of the day. It was with the board of Governors and concerned the budget for the planned new swimming pool and sports hall.
Gavin had noticed his Head was not as switched on as usual. He watched Caroline bow her head and use her fingers to massage her temples. As chair of the meeting he called a break for a leg stretch.
Gavin followed Caroline out the conference room to enquire about her wellbeing.
"Caroline. Have you got 5 minutes?"
"Yeah sure Gavin. What's the problem?"
"I'm worried about you Caroline. You look worn out."
"Thank you Gavin but I'm fine really."
"Mmmm. I've got 3 kids Caroline so I know what you're both going through. The baby must be due anytime soon. Is Kate pacing during the night?"
Caroline laughed. "Yeah. She is pacing around most nights now."
Gavin looked at his friend and stroked her arm giving support and comfort.
"Caroline please tell me you'll be taking some paternity leave? I don't need to tell you having had two kids yourself you can't get the time back. They grow up so fast."
Caroline sighed heavily. She nodded in response to the comfort of a colleague and dear friend.
"You know me too well. I forced Kate to take the day off this morning. She wasn't keen but relented."
"What about you and your health?"
"I plan to take two weeks off to be with Kate. I've spoken with Graham and we've got things covered. But thank you for enquiring. It means a lot."
Kate woke with a start and a sharp pain causing her to cry out. She held her breath holding herself to try to calm her nerves. As the pain passed she knew exactly what it was.
She remained in bed waiting for a the next one so she could time them and found herself drifting off asleep again.
She awoke again with a sharp pain and checking the clock she saw it was 20 minutes since her last one.
Waiting until the pain subsided she managed to shuffle herself to the edge of the bed sitting upright. She walked into the bathroom and ran the warm water.
She picked up her mobile to text Caroline with the news her contractions had started. Before finishing her message she turned the taps off on the bath.
She sent the text and undressed, climbing into the warm soothing water, sighing in ecstasy. Keeping an eye on the time she felt the next one come about 12 minutes after the last one. She was shocked at how quickly it had come.
She allowed the pain to subside and went to text Caroline an update just as another contraction hit her, causing her to drop her mobile into the bath water.
Kate screamed out in pain. "Shiiiiiiiit!"
John was busy typing up his manuscript on his laptop in the sitting room. His concentration was interrupted by a scream. His exchange over breakfast with Caroline was the usual, short and sharp. He wasn't aware Kate had taken the day off.
In the throes of writing a sex scene he put it down to his vivid imagination playing tricks on him. He carried on with his task fully focused on his deadline in a weeks time. He was enthusiastic about the new story of the successful urban business woman, two kids, new lover and her wandering husband!
Another loud noise once again stopped him mid flow. He reluctantly left his joy taking his mug of tea, to check the house hoping and preying Celia wasn't on the warpath. As he passed the bottom of the stairs he heard a loud bang come from the upstairs bathroom.
He called up the stairs this time knowing he wasn't hearing things. He checked the drive and saw Caroline's car gone and Kate's there as usual. Celia and Alan's car was gone.
he mumbled out loud. "What the devil ...," only to be interrupted with someone screaming shit. He knew exactly who it was.
"Christ on a bike."
He shot upstairs to find Kate on the bedroom floor looking like her waters had broke.
"Bugger! Kate? Have you rang an ambulance?"
When Kate didn't answer him he used his mobile to ring Caroline.
Gavin reconvened the meeting with Caroline nursing a cup of Beverley's finest.
She felt her phone vibrating in her pocket and checked the ID. She hit the decline button not wishing to speak with her prat of an ex-husband. She then saw the text from Kate.
"Bugger!"
Not realising she had verbalised her thoughts the table went quiet. Caroline smiled awkwardly. "Sorry."
Caroline once again left the conference room and tried to call Kate's mobile. She was puzzled at the phone being switched off. It wasn't like Kate. She quickly tasked Beverley with ringing her home to get hold of Kate asking her to put it through to the Conference room when she did.
Caroline returned to the meeting taking her spot next to Gavin once again. Gavin gave her a puzzled look and Caroline shook her head.
Caroline felt her mobile buzzing and thinking it was Kate she took got up to take the call before realising it was John once again. She declined the call and re-took her seat at the table.
John was having no look with Caroline so rang for an ambulance instead. Kate's latest contraction had just finished. He grabbed some covers from the bed and gave them to Kate to help her cover her modesty.
"Yes hello. Ambulance please. It's my wife's girlfriend. She's having a baby. Well, not my wife now technically..."
At that point the house phone began to ring distracting John from his task.
"Sorry? No no no. It's my ex-wife's girlfriend. Their baby is on the way she's having contractions and I think her waters have broke."
Kate screamed out once again as another contraction hit her.
John gave the Ambulance control details of the address and again tried to contact his ex-wife. Failing on her mobile he tried Beverley's direct line to find it engaged.
Caroline was in the process of detailing the planned exam dates for the following year eager to ensure any planned building works did not clash. She was interrupted by the shrill of the conference room phone.
"Sorry I have to take this."
Caroline noted the looks of distain she received from some of the board members.
Beverley updated Caroline that she wasn't receiving any answer from her home number. Caroline finished her call with Beverley then tried the direct number herself.
Caroline was shocked when John answered and cried out at John's news.
She jumped up from her seat. She apologised to the board explaining she had to leave urgently.
"My fiancée is having our baby!"
Some of the board members looked at the back of Caroline hurrying out the room then turned to Gavin with puzzled expressions. Gavin smiled awkwardly at his team.