The final Chapter – All kind of new and soft.

Caroline woke to find Kate sitting in the armchair looking out on to the garden, obviously deep in thought.

"Good morning."

"Hello sleepyhead."

"How long have you been up?"

"About half an hour; I woke up feeling great, all kind of new and soft."

Caroline held her arm out for Kate to come back to bed which she did in a heartbeat. After a long good morning kiss, they lay side by side, fingers entwined.

"What would you like to do today Kate? We've got a late check out until noon."

"I wouldn't mind a stroll into the village later and then we could suss out a nice pub to have lunch before we head for home. That would be after some breakfast of course; I'm starving, you wore me out yesterday you old smoocher you;" licking Caroline's ear and making her squeal.

"Ok, so we'll have a quick shower now and then have some breakfast."

Yet again, Richard was within sight as they were led to a table for breakfast. He was alone and had obviously been hanging around; Caroline suspected, waiting for Kate. Before they could get up and face the breakfast buffet, he walked over; he looked pale and tense.

"Kate, I wonder if I might have a moment?" Caroline turned and made for the food. She would just have to trust Kate to handle this.

"Where's your wife Richard? Where's Sally?"

"Oh she's gone back to London this morning on the early train. I'm in York for the next three days at a court hearing and that's why we made a weekend of it."

"I see. Well Caroline and I are just about to have breakfast, can it wait? In fact is it really necessary?"

"I'm struggling Kate, seeing you has turned me inside out; I'm at a loss to understand why."

"I'm sorry Richard, but I don't really see what I can do to make you feel any better. I think you must know that I'll need a bit of time to process what you told me; but Caroline will help me through all that. My first priority now is our baby and all that that entails"

"Please, say you'll have coffee with me when you've finished your breakfast."

"I'll see."

Caroline returned from the buffet and Kate went to get hers. She found herself staring at Richard who sat with his head in his hands. 'What the hell is going on here'? She muttered to herself.

When Kate returned they began to eat their breakfast. Kate rapidly demolished hers. "God that was good" wiping her lips on her white starched napkin; it's full on eating for two at the moment."

"Why are you avoiding telling me what's going on; you must know that I'm waiting to find out?"

Kate shook her head; "he wants ten minutes of my time;" raising her fingers to make parenthesis.

"What for?"

"He just said he's struggling. His wife's gone back to London; he's got three days of court in York; that's why they were here for the weekend."

"So, are you going to talk with him?"

"Yes, I think I will. I need to reiterate everything you said to him yesterday so that he knows we're on the same page and you're not somehow 'taking me over'. My independence was one of our bones of contention Caroline; but that's a conversation for another day."

Finishing their breakfast, Caroline stood up, she kissed Kate on the cheek, "I'll wait for you upstairs."

Kate nodded and squeezed her hand,"I won't be long darling."

Once Richard noticed Caroline leave, he walked over to the table and sat down in front of Kate. "Now, would you like another cup of coffee?"

"Richard, you're doing it again!"

"What?"

"Making assumptions, controlling me; I said I would see how I felt about talking to you; I assumed you'd wait until I made a move. But as usual, you've decided that I will talk to you and plonked yourself down."

"Kate, Kate, I'm sorry. I suppose I'm just really wanting you to myself for half an hour."

"Ten minutes is what you asked for; ten minutes is the maximum, Caroline and I have plans for this morning. Now let's get on with what you want to say; but before you do Richard, it might be helpful for you to know that Caroline told me exactly what you'd both said and she was one hundred percent right about how I feel."

"Kate, you're so beautiful and now that you're pregnant, positively glowing. I'm heartbroken that we never got to do this together and that I lost you. I've been ticking along nicely and I'm happily married to Sally; except for the baby thing that is; but seeing you this weekend has sent me spiralling back to our good times together. We were good Kate when all was going well, weren't we?"

"Would it surprise you to know that Caroline's ex husband uses exactly the same phrases to her? We were good together; we used to get a lot of things right?" Richard looked sheepish. "Well, I erm"

"No Richard, this is so inappropriate. I am re-married now; I'm Caroline's wife. We are very much in love; more than either of us has ever felt before. Just try to get that. It will make things much easier for you. I'm sorry to say this but I don't think of you much. Sometimes something might trigger a memory, but on the whole I don't go there. It's different for Caroline; she has no choice because of the boys. But he's a pain in the neck and we have as little to do with him as possible."

"Couldn't we be friends Kate; I'd love to hear about the baby and know all is well."

"No Richard, I'm sorry, this chance meeting has been just that; an unexpected chance. It has no future. Thank you for telling me what you did, but that's all academic now." She swept her hand across her tummy. "I'm going to go; Caroline is waiting for me and with our busy lives soon to be made even busier; these couple of days are precious. I wish you and Sally all the best Richard and I hope you find a way to have a family, as Caroline and I did."

With that Kate left the table and walked away; her ex-husband stunned at the new and assertive woman his ex-wife had become.

She walked in to their bedroom and found Caroline sitting in the armchair with a book. She looked up and over the top of her glasses, "Well how did it go?"

"Great for me, for us, not so good for him I suspect."

"Oh I see, so he got a taste of the bold and forthright Kate Mckenzie did he then?"

"Yep and boy do I feel good about that."

"Yes well I've been on the end of it so I do have a little spec of sympathy." Laughing as she said it. "Come here you." Kate walked over and Caroline eased her down onto her lap with her legs hanging over the arms. She snuggled in to her wife like a baby into its mother. Caroline kissed her forehead, then her nose and ended it with a searing kiss that reached deep into both of them.

"Shall we go for our walk to the village now?" Kate whispered.

"I can think of something better to do with the last two hours we have this room." Slipping her hand under Kate's sweater; feeling her stir as she cupped her breast.

"Well we can always take a punt on the pub I suppose." as she felt Caroline undo her bra, lift her sweater and nuzzle in; "I won't be able to do this soon, I'll have to share you with our little one."

"Yes you will and so we'd better make the most of it."

Twelve o'clock check out came faster than they would have liked, and two very flushed, beaming women fronted the check-out clerk.

"I hope you've had a pleasant stay ladies; thank you for choosing us. I believe it was your honeymoon?"

"Yes, a little mini one. Now back to reality." Caroline found herself saying.

Kate could feel a slight flutter in her stomach as they walked out of the doors with their luggage; she half expected Richard to step out from behind a bush; relieved, as they reached the car. A moment later the desk clerk came rushing out and breathlessly said; "Sorry Mrs McKenzie, Er Mrs McKenzie –Dawson, Mr Cox asked me if I would give you this before you left." He held out an envelope with 'Kate' written on the front.

"Thank you, but no thank you. Would you mind putting it in the bin when you get back to your desk? Or if you prefer, giving it back to him."

"Oh well, yes of course if that's what you would like me to do. What will I say if Mr Cox asks me, this evening, if you got it?"

"You have my permission to tell him exactly what just happened." Kate smiled sweetly at him and hoisted herself into the Jeep. "Let's go home Caroline, via the pub that is; I'm starving."