Author's note: While waiting for season 4, I've decided to make my first attempt at writing. I've got this idea of what I would like to see happen with/for Caroline this coming season. Here's that idea, in my feeble attempts to write down the show playing on loop in my head….. (Comments welcome and much appreciated!)
Chapter 1: Saturday, in the park
"Caroline love, where are you."
"We're in the loo, washing up, be out in a minute mum."
Celia notices the empty dishes on the table and begins clearing them as she waits. She smiles as she picks up Flora's Octonauts plate and spoon. Over the last few years she has fallen madly in love with the sweet little girl, who is full of energy and good cheer. She blushes a little when she thinks back on how apprehensive she was about her in the beginning. Of course she had jumped right in to help Caroline care for her, as much as she could, since Kate died but it had gone unspoken, though not unrecognized, that Celia still had reservations at the time. As Flora grew, Celia become more enamored of the beautiful and lively little person she was becoming until one day she came to the realization that all those reservations had vanished and been replaced with love, and that she had finally, fully accepted Caroline and Flora as they were. This realization was also aided, of course, by Alan's genuine affection for the child, along with his gentle prodding for Celia to expand her thinking. The conversation she and Caroline had shared about her change of heart some 2 years ago had been the most open, honest and loving conversation the two had ever had. Celia smiled again to herself as she recalled it, and the blush quickly faded as her heart warmed with the memory.
"Gan, Gan, Gan!" Flora came barreling in with a squeal. She ran to Celia and grabbed both her legs into a bear hug, almost tripping her in the process.
"Up, Up." Flora reaches her arms over her head wriggling her fingers to Celia. Celia deposits the dirty dishes in the sink before scooping Flora up into a full twirling hug, planting kisses all over her cheeks, both of them giggling as she does it. Caroline watches their exchange with a smile and marvels to herself at how far her mother has come.
"Hello my little petal! How are you and what do you and mummy have planned for the day?" Celia crosses to the table and takes a seat with Flora bouncing in her lap.
"We are going to the park. Gan come too!" She chirps as she claps her hands excitedly.
"I wish I could love, but GranAlan and I have to pop over to see Aunt Gillian. Maybe we can go another time." She sets Flora down with a kiss and watches her as she runs off to her box of toys in the den. The distracted mind of a toddler, she thinks with amusement.
"Hello love, I'm afraid I've got to be off. Alan is waiting with the car. Gillian wants us there for lunch, but we've to stop off and pick up Raff, Ellie and Calamity at the tube station. We should be back Monday aft, so you two have a nice weekend." She gives Caroline a hug and quick kiss on the cheek.
"Alright mum, be careful and let me know you arrived safely. Tell Gillian and her lot Hello and send our love." She follows Celia to the door and waves to Alan, who's already waiting in the car. "And hug Alan for us!"
She returns to the den where Flora is playing and watches her for a few moments. She looks so much like Kate, with her beautiful skin, soft curls and bright brown eyes. Her demeanor was all her mother's as well; smart, rarely fussy, outgoing and already, an expert talker. The memory of Kate makes her smile. It had been just over 3 years now, but she still caught herself thinking of her late wife often. The pain and tears that had usually accompanied those thoughts had more recently been replaced with happy memories and smiles; a welcome relief to Caroline, and those around her. She missed Kate deeply, but was happy to find she had finally, it appears, passed from grief into the next stage of healing.
"Alright sweetheart, shall we go to the park?" the happy child responding with a jump and shriek of approval.
Caroline leisurely wheels the pram across the park lawn, enjoying the warm sun on her face. She's grateful the morning is so beautiful and warm and delights in breathing in the fresh air, wondering to herself why she's never brought Flora here before. They always had weekends to themselves now that Greg had a girlfriend in Manchester, but they tended to stay home and spend time in the garden, or sometimes they'd pop over to Halifax to see Gillian and Robbie. Just two more weeks until summer hols and then we can enjoy more park days like this, she thought. They arrive at the sandbox and Caroline sets to releasing Flora from her confinement in the pram, which is quite a task as Flora won't stop wiggling. Once free, Flora runs straight for the sand, screaming with delight the whole way there. Caroline laughs as she gathers the toy pail and shovels from the play bag and follows her into the box, leaving her black sandals along the perimeter before stepping in. They sit contentedly playing and building sand castles together for about half an hour until another little girl, a bit older than Flora, comes running up to greet them.
"Hiya, I'm Emma, I'm five. Can I play with you? What's your name?" She's a cute little bubble of energy, with auburn hair and an adorable Irish accent. She speaks in a rush of excitement as she plops down beside them.
"Hello Emma, I'm Caroline and this is Flora. Flora would love to play with you." She hands her shovel to Emma and watches in amusement as the two begin talking and happily digging in the sand.
"I'm sorry, she's a bit friendly, and she loves playing with the smaller ones." Caroline looks up at the woman that has approached. She's wearing cropped jeans and a pale pink and white striped shirt that buttons half down the chest, with brown sandals. Beautiful dark wavy hair flows to just above her shoulders and jade eyes and a kind smile greet Caroline's gaze. Caroline stands and dusts the sand off her black cropped pants, feeling a bit embarrassed at her slightly disheveled appearance, but not letting that through in her voice.
"Oh, it's no problem. I'm glad to see them getting on so well. Flora doesn't get to spend much time around other children. I'm Caroline, by the way," she says in her cordial head teacher voice as she wipes a sandy hand on her bum before extending it to the other woman.
"Fiona. It's nice to meet you." She takes the extended hand into a firm, but friendly shake, flashing a wide smile. She speaks with an accent as well, but smoother, with an almost sensual quality.
"Emma will have her occupied for hours if you let her. Would you like to sit on the bench over there? It might keep your bum a bit cleaner." She says it with a laugh, putting a slightly embarrassed Caroline at ease. Caroline dusts off her feet and puts on her sandals before they make their way to the bench and sit.
"Is she your daughter? She's quite beautiful," the hint of judgment that usually accompanies that statement absent, much to Caroline's surprise, and relief.
"Yes, she is and thank you. Is Emma your daughter as well?"
"Granddaughter. I keep her during the week while my daughter and her husband work. They're on their anniversary holiday now so it's just me and her for the next week." Her tone is amiable and relaxed.
"She's quite lovely too, her hair is beautiful."
"Yes, she gets that from her father. All the women in our clan are near raven, I'm afraid," gesturing to her own dark mane with a smile.
"Oh, I think raven is quite lovely." Fiona smiles and they sit quietly for a while watching the two girls play.
"It's such a beautiful morning, I can't believe how warm it is." Caroline has a strong dislike for idle pleasantries, but she's at a loss for what to say next. She's never been good at social skills, despite all of Kate's good intentions to break those habits, but Fiona seems very pleasant and she doesn't want to be rude.
"Indeed, it is. How old did you say your daughter is? She seems a bit younger than Emma?"
"She just turned 3 in March. She's quite smart for her age, and she loves to talk." The two women laugh and share a knowing look. Their pleasantries are interrupted when Emma and Flora come walking up, hand in hand, the smaller girl rubbing her eyes with a yawn.
"Oh, it looks like someone is ready for a mid-morning nap, aren't we love." Flora nods, holding up her arms toward her mother.
"Well, I guess that's our cue. It was lovely to meet you Fiona and thank you Emma for playing so sweetly with Flora. Perhaps we will see you here another day." She stands and picks up Flora, who immediately lays her head on her mother's shoulder and is asleep within seconds.
"Wow, she's out already! Oh here, let me help you get the pram sorted. Emma love, will you collect Flora's toys from the sand and bring them to Caroline to put away." Fiona fetches the pram and wheels it to Caroline, moving the buckles out of the way as Caroline gently places Flora in the seat, trying not to wake her.
"Thank you and it really was a pleasure to meet you. Maybe we'll see you both again, I'm sure Flora would love that." She gives the pail and shovels a dusting before placing them in the play bag. Then she sets to buckling Flora in and pulls down the cover to keep the sun from her eyes. Flora shifts and sighs in her seat, but continues to slumber.
"Oh the pleasure was mine, Caroline and we're here most days. I live just round the corner and Emma loves this park and I quite enjoy the fresh air. I'm sure we'll see you again sometime." She and Emma wave as Caroline sets off across the park lawn toward the street.
Well, that was a lovely morning, Caroline reflects to herself as she makes the 10 minute walk back to her home. She was glad to see Flora having such fun and vows to herself to have more mornings like this. Since losing Kate, Caroline always felt a responsibility to take Flora to do all the things Kate would have liked to do. These last few years had been emotionally difficult for Caroline and with Flora being so small she hadn't lived up to that promise. Now that Flora was more mobile, William and Lawrence were at university and the cloud of grief was slowly lifting, she finally felt ready to get out and be more social. With summer hols coming and Greg going back to Manchester for the break to stay with his girlfriend, they would soon be two ladies of leisure and free to spend as many days at the park as they pleased.
Perhaps they would even head back there tomorrow.