Saturday morning had been a blur of emotions for Caroline and Lawrence, it wasn't often that her little boy appeared needing the reassurance only his mum could give, but when he did appear it was always a kid gloves situation and his demand for food announced that the teen was placated for now. Kate and Caroline busied themselves making a lunch of toasted sandwiches and salad for themselves and Lawrence, when Caroline's phone rang. Kate paused and looked at her knowingly. "It's John" Caroline could feel her temper rise as she prepared to answer it, but the wind was blasted out of her sails as Kate took the phone out of her hand. "Hello" Kate said cheerfully, Caroline could only hear Kate's side of the conversation, but knew her ex husband would be squirming on the other end of the line. "Caroline is busy at the moment John, how can I help" Kate was in full teacher mode and Caroline couldn't help the smile that took over her face. " no Lawrence is not here, As it's Saturday I assume he's at rugby and that you will be collecting him" Caroline could visualise the panic on Johns face, stumbling over his words as he desperately tried to find a way out of his mess. " right oh John I'll let Caroline know that Lawrence might be a bit late" As Kate hung up the phone Lawrence appears at the kitchen door after hearing his name and hoping his lunch was ready. Caroline smiled and shook her head at her wife "oh you are good" she laughed and Stole a quick kiss as she took her mobile back. "Did I hear my name mentioned?" Lawrence asked, making his way to the fridge. As Kate started to explain that it would do John good to worry about forgetting him for a bit his mobile blasted out some rock track, he looked down at the caller id but didn't answer it, he handed it to his mum "it's dad" Kate shook her head as Caroline thought about answering "let it ring out, turn it off and let's have a nice lunch together, you can put him out of his misery after". Caroline handed the phone back to Lawrence and they both turned theirs off, Kate had the forethought to take the land line out of action for a bit too.
Lunch was quite a nice affair for once , Lawrence actually engaged in conversation and told them how he'd scored two try's in that mornings match and how Mr Harper wanted him to try out for the senior team next season. It was as if they were a normal happy family. Kate rose from the table to start clearing the plates "oh no you don't missus, you go and put your feet up" Caroline instructed her wife "Lawrence and I will clean up, won't we!" Lawrence was almost out of the door, Kate smiled at him as he about turned and took the plates from his mother. Kate did as she was told and went to put her feet up in the living room, no doubt she would be up and pacing with heartburn with the amount of cheese she'd eaten st lunch "What do you reckon dad is going to do?" Lawrence couldn't help but worry about John, even is he was a useless Pratt. "I'm sure he'll be on his way here with an apology soon, and if he's not then that's up to him." With that Caroline heard the crunch of tyres on the drive way, "see" she looked at Lawrence and saw that disappointment in his eyes again "I'll be in my room" Lawrence skulked off leaving Caroline to sort things out. As she walked down the hall way Kate called to her "Caroline, you'd better come and see this" she drifted into the living room, Kate was stood looking out of the window at John. He was pacing up and down rehearsing what he was going to say. The two women looked at each other in amusement. "I suppose I'd better put him out of his misery" Caroline laughed and went to the door. She stood watching him for another minute before John realised she was there. He looked a little on edge "ah Caroline um the thing ... Oh you look lovely, blue always was your colour, new top" he stumbled "get to the point John, I've got a lot on" Caroline was business like. "Right. Yes of course, new baby on the way." "John" " right yes, so you see, did Kate say I'd called? "She mentioned it yes" "right so. Yes, well. Umm I've lost Lawrence! There I've said it" John lowered his head braced for impact. Caroline just shook her head at him "you're an idiot, you really are" the look of shock on Johns face was priceless. "one thing our son asks of you, one! and you screw it up every time" "it was difficult Caroline" John whined, " you mean you were hungover, or pissed and forgot him, again!" Caroline's voice was low and calm, she was desperately trying to keep her cool, she knew John would be more terrified waiting for the blow. " so, um, Lawrence, is he here?" John walked up the steps to the door, but Caroline blocked his path. "He is, and he doesn't want to see you" John started to get in his high horse "well that's just you and her poisoning him with unjust words" " no John that's him, stomping upstairs, slamming his door and crying his heart out, because his dad, the person he idolises the most, has let him down again and again, and this time" Caroline punctuated her words by poking John in the chest. "You've blown it. He's had enough"
John tried to push past Caroline shouting "Lawrence! Lawrence! this mad bitch won't let daddy see you!" Kate stood in the hall watching the scene play out, Caroline with her hand on Johns chest blocking him from entering the house, whilst John hurled abuse in her face. She was surprised how calm Caroline was, or maybe it was her hormones but she really wanted to punch him in the face. As she walked forwards to Caroline's defence, they heard the thundering noise of angry teenager coming down the stairs. Lawrence flew past Kate and moved his mother out of the door way. "Ah Lawrence m'boy" John opened his arms, but Lawrence being bigger than him now, towered over him and pushed him towards his car, "just piss off, you are useless and I can't be arsed with you, and if you EVER speak about MY mother like that again I will smack you into next week, you prick" Lawrence bundled John into his car walked up the steps and slammed the front door for the second time that day. Caroline and Kate stood in a state of shock in the hallway, neither quite knew what to say. Lawrence just looked at them both and lowered his gaze, so much like his mother "sorry. For everything, I'm going to play Xbox call me for dinner" and he was off.
The two women sat quietly in the living room, neither one really sure what to say about that afternoons events. Kate snuggled as close to Caroline as the bump would allow. "I can't believe that he's finally stood up to his dad" Caroline was in. State of shock, Lawrence was always his daddy's boy. Kate watched her wife try and make sense of it all. "It's hard when your parents divorce Caroline, I was 18 when mine separated and that was difficult enough, he's been trying to hold on to what he saw as normality and maybe with life with John bring so erratic and with us being more dependable, he finally gets it" Caroline realised that she'd never really asked Kate about her parent divorce, she knew her dad had remarried and her mum moved back to New York, but that was about it. "What happened? With your parents I mean? You've never really told me" Kate just shrugged, "I dunno really, I suppose when I went off to uni they realised that they were not really suited, Mum threw herself into her work more and dad met someone else, I've never really asked about the details. I mean it was hard on me, dad started a new family and mum was the other side of the Atlantic, I was really alone for a while; but then I was with Richard and I suppose he distracted me from dwelling on it" Kate shifted uncomfortably on the sofa as she spoke, "you ok? Caroline asked looking concerned " yeah I'm fine, my back is just a bit stiff and sore is all, I might go and have a bath, then you can massage it better for me" Caroline broke into a seductive smile " I like the sound of this plan" Kate laughed, she felt like a balloon about to burst, but Caroline still found her attractive and she was insatiable. "You might have to hire a winch to Get me out of the bath, or even off this sofa" both giggling Caroline being helpful gently pushed her wife to a standing position. "Well at least I'm on hand to help, when I was having Lawrence I got stuck in a deckchair at mums and had to get William to get my dad to prise me out of the bloody thing" Kate laughed loudly whilst trying to look sympathetic, " how long were you stuck?" "about half an hour, in the end I gave up and sent a very confused three year old to get help" Kate had lost the battle against her laughter and was now holding the bump and trying not to pee herself "it's not funny Kate, I was massive with Lawrence" Caroline tried to look serious, but failed "I should have known he was always going to have his head in the fridge then" Caroline laughed " oh Caroline stop I don't think my bladder can take it. " come on let's get you stuck in that bath" Caroline took her wife's hand and led her upstairs determined to help her relax.