Reality Bites
Long delay, ran out of inspiration. We've moved on and into a new reality, not always funny and fuzzy, sometimes challenging.
"Mummy, when Ace and me go to school, will we be in the same class?"
"Grace and I darling, now that you are four and a half you must learn to say things properly, and I think when you go to school; you should call Grace by her full name, don't you?"
"No, she's my Ace mummy."
"Yes well she'll always be our Ace, but she may find at school that people will want to call her by her real name, just like they'll call you Flora, not Ora."
Going to school was only a couple of months away now. It had taken an age and lots of long conversations between Caroline and Kate, to decide which school to send them to. Caroline was keen for them to go to Sulgrave Preparatory, which would ensure a place for them in High School. Kate on the other hand wanted them to go to the local Primary School with all the other village children. The two women had forged some lovely friendships in the community and they felt accepted and their girls were always being invited to 'play dates' with the other families. Another reason Kate didn't want the girls at Sulgrave while they were very young, was that she hoped at least Caroline, if not both of them, would have moved on by the time they were ready for senior school.
In the end, Kate had won out and they were going to the village school. Celia and Alan were still mobile enough to pick them up in the afternoon and look after them until one or other mother got home, or long day care if Granny and Grandad were not there.
Later that evening, the family were sitting around after dinner when Flora looked seriously at Caroline and said, "Mama, will Ace and me be in the same class at school?"
Kate looked at Caroline with some concern. Caroline responded by holding Flora, "I don't know darling, they may put you in a different class to start with." With that, Flora's eyes began to fill with tears. The two women looked at each other. They hadn't realised that this could potentially be a big worry for the girls, who had never been separated.
"It will be nice Flora, you'll both make some new friends and then you'll have lots of stories to tell each other after school." Kate said, hoping to make her feel better. Looking at Grace she said, "What about you Grace? "
"I'm staying with Ora Mummy; it will be alright won't it?"
Caroline changed the subject and decided to read them a story to take their minds off the issue; then they shuffled the girls off to bed and snuggled up on the lounge together.
"Caroline, I think we might be going to have a problem here when the girls are separated. Remember Kylie, the teacher we met at the interview, said it was policy to separate twins so as to give them some new social skills."
"Mm, I didn't realise Flora had already started to worry about it. I suppose they've always been with each other. Remember how Grace fretted when Flora was in hospital overnight with that high fever? She cried so much at bed time I had to bring her in with me."
Kate turned the television on and Caroline picked up her book. Ten minutes later they were both asleep. The rigours of having two small children had hit home lately. In a few months Caroline would celebrate her fiftieth birthday and she was beginning to feel it; not to mention the onset of menopause. One night recently, Kate had begun to make love to her and after trying all the usual things, Caroline had just said; "Nothing's happening." They were both shocked and Caroline had made a decision there and then to see her GP – not making love or losing her libido was not an option. God they'd only been married a few years and she still found her wife the most attractive human being on the earth.
The doctor had been very understanding. Blood tests had indeed shown that she was in menopause. However they had also discussed the fact that two small children would be enough to wear out any parents. They had come up with a plan to make life easier and help her through this initial bad patch. Kate was her usual gentle, understanding self and had comforted Caroline and assured her that they would be OK.
A few days later Caroline had been having a cup of tea with her mother, "Mum, what age did you start menopause?"
"Oh, I don't really remember love. I suppose about your age. Why?"
"Well I think I've started. I feel tired a lot, and I'm having hot flushes in bed; and you know our err love life is a bit messed up." She couldn't believe she'd actually just said that!
"Well you'd expect that to be fading now. I wasn't interested in your father at your age. If it did happen I used to just lay back and think of mother England. Anyway he was off shagging anything that moved so I was spared the torture most of the time."
"Mum, that's not my life; I'm more in love with Kate now than when I married her! God, I hope it won't ever 'fade'."
Celia just shook her head and said no more. Caroline quickly changed the subject.
As the weeks passed, Caroline felt herself getting better. The medication had kicked in and she was following doctor's orders and getting more sleep, exercise and having a better diet. Kate was relieved and felt she was getting her lover back. They enjoyed making love so much. It was such a special and reverent time for them; it brought them so close and made them feel complete.
Caroline finished clearing the last of the Sunday lunch dishes. Granny and Grandad had joined them, and Kate was helping the girls into their new school uniform to show them off. Flora shouted "Are you ready Granny and Grandpa?" They both shouted yes. The girls then paraded in looking so cute and smart and twirling round to show themselves off.
"My word, don't you two look special?" Alan said.
As Caroline looked at them, she felt her heart swell with pride. They were such beautiful children both in looks and temperament. However she also drew in breath when she realised that, in uniform, it was almost impossible to tell them apart; poor teachers. Grace had always been a little smaller, but in the last few months she had shot up and was now the same height and weight as Flora.
The girls were very excited as they pulled out the gear they had in their backpacks, to show their grandparents. All the pencils, pens, colouring pens and believe it or not, their Ipad. How different it was now. They would be using their tablets as of day one. Caroline had always kept their exposure to electronics to a minimum, but as Kate had said, "Darling, these things are a fact of life now, better they learn to use them properly."
Greg had been very apologetic about not being there for their first day. Issy had only a few days before, given birth to their first child, Ben, and he was more than occupied looking after them both. Kate and Caroline were so excited by their news and couldn't wait to go to Manchester to see them and introduce the girls to their baby brother and explain to them how their family all fitted together. So far, apart from the odd night at their own home with their Daddy and Issy, the girls had never had time away from their mothers, with Greg. It just felt a step too far under the circumstances. Greg, true to his word, was fine about it.
Today was the big day; both the women had taken the first hour of work off so that they could take the girls to school. The conversation about being together in class had not come up again and they were both hoping it would be alright. They arrived and went into the hall with all the other new children and parents. The twins recognised some of their friends and waved to them. However both girls then held hands tightly and had their mother's hand in the other. They weren't moving an inch. The Principal welcomed everyone and gave a little speech and introduced the two kindergarten teachers; who also spoke briefly to the children.
Out came the rolls and the children's names were called out one by one and they lined up in front of their teacher. "Flora McKenzie-Dawson, over here with Ms Willis; and Grace McKenzie-Dawson with Ms Barker." Caroline started to usher Flora to her line but she refused to let go of Grace. They both stubbornly refused to let go of each other or move from the spot. Kate knelt down and tried to gently reason with them; it wasn't working. Seeing what was happening, Ms Willis came over and whispered to Kate, "it's probably better if you and Caroline kiss them and leave. We can sort it out, we're used to this."
Caroline and Kate both cuddled the girls, who by now were very tearful, as were their mothers. They turned to walk away and before they had taken three steps, "Mummy, Mama, no." Kylie (Ms Willis) nodded for them to keep walking. Every step was excruciating as their crying got louder and more intense. The women got into their car and just sat. "God, I can't remember it being this hard with the boys, either for them or me." Kate was too choked up to speak.
Eventually they drove off. Arriving at school, they agreed that Kate would ring at lunch to check on them. About half an hour later, Beverley put a call through to Caroline. "It's the twins' school."
"Hello, Caroline McKenzie here." "Caroline, this is Shirley from the school office. The twins are not settling well and the teachers have decided that they should only do half a day today. Could you arrange for someone to pick them up at twelve?"
"Are they in separate rooms?" Caroline enquired. "Yes they are but they're not joining in and have had several bouts of crying. If it helps, there are about four other children who will only last half a day too." Shirley chuckled as she said this. It did indeed help to hear that.
"Ok, I'll ring my mother, she lives in the village and she can come and pick them up at twelve."
At half past four, Kate and Caroline arrived at the cottage to pick up the girls. They were both asleep on the sofa.
"They're exhausted. We gave them some lunch, and put on a little movie for them, but they both fell asleep watching it and they've been out to it ever since." Celia reported. "I think it was all too hard for them; poor little chickens."
Kate walked over to the sofa and stroked both of them until they woke up. "Grace looked bleary eyed and started to cry," Mummy, they took Ora away."
"I know darling. How about we go home and then you can both tell us all about it."
After getting the girls changed, they all cuddled up together on the lounge. Kate and Caroline tried to explain to them that this was hard for all the other children too and it would get better. "I'll be alright tomorrow Mama, I'll stay with Ora and we won't cry." Grace explained, as if it were the most logical solution (which it actually was).
The next morning, Kate went straight to school and Caroline took the girls. She and Kate had come up with what they thought was a happy medium and Caroline wanted to present it to the staff.
"Kylie, could I have a word please. Kate and I think we might have come up with a solution. The girls were so wrung out last night; it seems it's a bit too drastic to completely separate them straight away. How about you let them get used to coming to school first and then take them separately for an hour a day and slowly build it up until they are used to being apart?"
"That could be a good plan Caroline, it's not what we like to do, but you're right, they were distraught yesterday. However, if they are to spend time together, we have to ask if you are OK with them having a name tag on? We are struggling to tell them apart. Yesterday, they led us a merry dance. Once they realised what was happening, every time we called out one of their names, they both answered!"
Caroline couldn't stop herself from laughing. The cheeky monkeys she thought, but full marks for sticking to their guns; something they definitely got from Kate!
"No I don't mind, as long as the other kids wear them for a few days too. That way they won't feel they are being singled out."
Kylie took both girls and explained that they would spend the first hour with her and then they would both go to Ms Barker's class.
The girls beamed at her and turning to Caroline blew her a kiss. "Bye Mama." And walked off hand in hand and happy.
Caroline shook her head and she too left smiling. After she got into the car, she sent a text to Kate to tell her all was OK. At lunchtime, Kate came up to her office and Caroline explained what had happened.
"These two are going to be a force to be reckoned with, Dr McKenzie."
"I think they are, Mrs McKenzie."
Caroline came round her desk and shut the door. She took Kate in her arms and said "Do you remember the first time we kissed in this office?"
"It was mad, snogging in here," Kate said laughing.
"It was more than a snog, pal, I had my hand inside your bra!"
Kate felt a warm hand slip inside her bra and Caroline caress her gently. It took her breath away as always. "Later," she whispered, " I've got 9F."
