The Morning After The Night Before

Caroline blinked sleepily. The sun creeping through the bedroom curtains dazzled her bleary eyes. She rubbed at her eyelids, stretching her elbows up to her pillow, and yawned.

She heard voices. Wait… someone was yelling downstairs.

"Ugh" she grumbled as her hands flew down and slapped the duvet either side of her, sitting upright as she did so.

With a quick look down she noticed she was alone. "Kate?" She racked her brain trying to remember what happened last night. She had slept very deeply it would seem, unusual for her recently. Her memory of the previous evening was muddled. She shook her head slightly, as if it might dislodge some recollection, and rubbed her palm over the unoccupied duvet beside her.

The shouting intensified. "John", she muttered as her attention was brought back to whatever was occurring downstairs. The furrow of her frown was deep, she did not appreciate being woken up like this. Where was Kate? And what the hell was John playing at? They'd had many arguments but had agreed to keep it out of sight of the boys. Still somehow he pushed every one of William's buttons without effort, and hers if she was honest. It was just like him to go back on his word. Time for scary Dr. Elliott to take control of her rowdy classroom again. Would she ever get a day off, she wondered.

She snatched her robe, swinging it wildly around her, arms shooting forward as it covered her mismatched t-shirt and pyjama bottoms. It billowed behind her as she stormed out towards the stairs, noticing now the raised voice wasn't John or William.

"Laurence?" she whispered to herself. It couldn't be. He rarely argued with anyone except for William. He never could take the teasing, as much as he could dish it out.

As she swept quickly but quietly down the carpeted stairs, her bare feet silencing her brisk footsteps, she realised the shouting in fact didn't sound as angry as it had appeared upon first waking. Still she hurried, not slowing her pace. With curiosity overtaking anger,

she swung from the corridor into the sitting room doorway, messy blonde hair in her eyes, to see Laurence wrestling a Wii controller in front of the TV… accompanied by Kate!

She sighed with relief as she spied them jostling each other, shoulders bumping and nudging as they knelt animatedly on the sitting room floor. Vying for Mario Kart pole position it would seem.

"You're cheating!" yelled Laurence loudly. "You suck at driving more like" teased Kate.

"Oi, stop that. That's not fair"

"Have another bomb!" giggled Kate.

Laurence threw his hands in the air, "Aaarrrgghhh!"

"Y'know, if you collect more coins you get more bombs to use" instructed Kate.

"I know THAT!" snapped Laurence. Kate chuckled as he bounced up and down on his knees, willing the kart to stop spinning and catch her up. "I'll get more bombs and then I'll blow YOU up!" Laurence bellowed. Getting schooled at his own game didn't appear to be fun for him but it was highly amusing to watch.

With arms folded, her tall figure now resting silently against the door frame, Caroline smiled.

Glancing down at the floor, savouring the good natured competition of her youngest son and her girlfriend, her heart swelled and her frown melted away. She chewed her lip. How different things had become. She didn't mind being woken up like this.

Kate had noticed the shadow appear by the door moments earlier but didn't turn around. As she skilfully passed the finish line, she dropped the controller on the carpet and held her hands up. "I win, I win." She squealed, performing a little dance that only seemed to infuriate Laurence further.

"I'll get you next time, McKenzie." Laurence grinned. He was used to being cheeky to his mother, not directly but he knew when to push it with others and when to keep a lid on it in her presence. He'd tested the water with Kate on a couple of occasions, and to his utter joy she gave as good as she got.

"That's MISS McKenzie to you, cheeky." Kate winked at the boy.

"Well, I bet if we race again I'll beat you."

"Ooh, a rematch", smiled Kate, nodding in agreement, "another time, yeah?"

"Cool." Laurence jumped up and headed out the door. "Morning, Mum", he said calmly as he passed her in the doorway.

"Morning, love."

As Kate tidied the controllers away inside the TV cabinet Caroline stepped inside the sitting room and, with a quick glance back towards Laurence's retreating figure, closed the door.

Kate stood, looking slightly embarrassed, by the couch. "Hi."

"Hi," replied Caroline softly. With a tilt of her head and a smile that lit up her bright blue eyes she added "you're here." Kate was adorable, arms by her side, fidgeting with the hem of her cardigan with one hand. Did she expect Caroline to scold her?

"I'm here".

"I wasn't sure…" Caroline's voice trailed off as she looked down at the floor again. She was beautiful, thought Kate, though she didn't know it. Those self-conscious glances, the low self esteem that she tried so desperately to cover up, only made Caroline more attractive.

"I'm sorry about the noise," interrupted Kate before Caroline could finish her thought. What did she think? She wasn't even sure now. That Kate had regretted staying over and left before she woke? That Kate no longer wanted her? That she'd dreamt their wonderful night together and Kate was still mad? That she'd been a disappointment in the bedroom? She gulped, the guilt of her thoughts causing a lump in her throat. "We tried to be quiet, but Laurence is very excitable, as you know, and well… we were having fun and I guess we forgot you were still sleeping."

"I thought…" Caroline shook her head, feeling very silly "I don't know what I thought." She sighed as a huge grin spread across her face. Now looking directly at Kate, her skin radiant in the glow coming from the window, she was lost for words.

"Would you like some breakfast?" Kate recognised the older woman was feeling embarrassed. It wasn't something she was terribly familiar with. Caroline was unshakeable at the best (or worst) of times and had a better poker face than any person Kate had ever met.

As she moved towards Caroline hoping to quiet her blushes, she held out her hand, willing her lover to take it.

Caroline didn't hesitate. She gently slid her hand into the younger woman's clasp, entwining their fingers together, and the two walked slowly, still engrossed in each other's eyes, to the kitchen.

"Since when do you play video games?" enquired Caroline, raising an eyebrow for amused emphasis as they entered the kitchen and moved around the centre island towards the coffee machine.

"Why, Dr. Elliott… I do believe you just asked me a personal question!" laughed Kate as she deftly worked the appliance.

Startled at Kate's quick retort Caroline gasped before reaching for the other woman, pinching and tickling fingers at her waist. Kate wriggled and giggled for a moment before pulling away, intent on getting them their caffeine fix sooner rather than later.

Resting back against the counter Caroline watched Kate intently, "Funny girl."

"My dad," stated Kate, matter-of-factly. "Long story, but I'll tell you sometime."

"Oh, okay," replied Caroline sombrely, keenly aware she had accidently stumbled onto a sensitive subject.

"Right now, we have a potentially beautiful day ahead of us, and we can do whatever you want." Caroline glanced at the kitchen clock. Quarter past ten. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had a lie in, let alone slept so soundly. The comfort she felt next to Kate compared to John was astounding. Had she felt this sooner she wouldn't have fought so hard to keep Kate at bay. How wonderful this woman was; taking on her family, her boys, her mother! Kate never let whatever personal struggles she had diminish her cheery outlook and generosity. Caroline wished she were more like Kate. Her own bitter pomposity was never something she'd felt particularly proud of.

"Just having you here makes me immensely happy." Caroline smiled and inhaled deeply as Kate turned to look at her. The younger woman deposited two steaming mugs on the counter and leant in for a kiss, encouraged by Caroline's continued show of emotion. Last night had been a turning point for Caroline, she realised; a huge step that Kate wouldn't take lightly.

Kate's gentle touch, the feel of her lips, the closeness of her body made Caroline's stomach do a back flip. Her breath was audible as she exhaled, sneaking closer to Kate's ear. "You have no idea the effect you have on me."

Lingering, sweet kisses were exchanged as Kate's fingers stroked Caroline's fair cheek. Kate basked in the beauty of Caroline's gorgeous blue eyes, as, after a long pause, she sighed with satisfaction. The balance of want in this relationship was coming to equilibrium and nothing pleased her more. Was she dreaming? Gone was that familiar feeling of anxiety she had gotten so used to; the butterflies that made her nauseous. She had so nearly given up on this magnificent, glorious woman.

She whispered with a wry smile, as Caroline wrapped her arms around her neck and hugged her tightly, "Oh… finally."