Part 7

Throughout this story I have had no problem admitting the inspiration wasn't there. Usually when I wrote fanfic it was because I needed a break from other writing. But then it would not flow and people kept asking for updates and I could not provide. A reader has said maybe we need to see what SW comes up with and I agree. It will allow new life into things. However, I did not want to leave things unfinished to provided a quick ending. I personally cannot wait for the new LTIH to arrive but in the mean time would love to hear what you folks as readers and viewers would like to happen. Call me curious. I am interested in the ideas of readers and I think we are all a little frustrated that a television update has taken so long - who knows what we will do when it's all over, bask in a happy ending I hope. Thanks again for your support everyone. It means a lot!

Ariana steeled herself as she watched her daughter, applying make up in the living room mirror. It was time to be a concerned and interfering mother, something that she had always prided herself on not being and had sworn would never be but in this instance she could not hold back, selfish as that might appear.

'Sweetheart,' she said. 'Can I talk to you for a moment?'

'Sure,' Joss smiled at their reflections in the glass. 'You look a bit tense.'

'Yes, a little,' Ariana said. 'I've been having some concerns so I'm going to be really honest with you.'

Joss turned slightly and frowned. 'OK,' she said slowly. 'Why am I having flashbacks to the time I raided the vodka cabinet when I was sixteen?'

Ariana smiled reflectively and tried to remember the words she had spun together while standing at the kitchen sink earlier. 'I wanted to tell you that I accidentally saw the messages between you and your friend Macy that you left open on my computer.'

Joss's hand stopped mid-air as she plunged the mascara wand into the tube.

'Oh.'

'And I'm concerned darling because I don't want anybody to get hurt, least of all you but there seem to be a number of people in this situation that could end up feeling more than a little bruised.'

'Oh mum, it's just a bit of fun,' Joss put her make up down and went to her mother. 'You worry far too much.'

'The thing is,' Ariana chose her words carefully. 'I think you think it's all a bit of fun but I don't know if Caroline thinks that and I don't know about this woman that you were messaging but I doubt she would be happy if she knew you were having fun with another woman.'

'How would you know what Caroline thinks?' there was no mistaking the acerbic tone in Joss's voice.

'I suppose I don't,' Ariana admitted. 'But I think that women of our age are perhaps looking for something different to a woman of your age.'

'Mum!' Joss was annoyed. 'I don't need love life advice from you.'

'I know that and perhaps I am being clumsy with my words but…'

'Are you worried that you and Caroline might not be able to be friends if I go on a date with her?'

Ariana sighed. 'It's not just that.'

'Then what?'

The silence in the room was loud as the two women looked at each other but eventually Ariana shook her head and began to walk away.

'Forget that I said anything, you're right, it's your life and you know what you're doing.'

'When you say things like that I know that you think that I don't!' Joss said angrily.

'No, that's not correct,' Ariana walked to the kitchen and paused at the door. 'I let my own feelings get in the way of things. You go and enjoy yourself.'

Without waiting for a response she went into her bedroom and closed the door. She had only been lying on the bed for a second when Joss burst into the room.

'What do you mean your own feelings?' she asked shakily.

'Nothing,' Ariana said quickly.

'Mum,' Joss's tone had softened. 'Do you have feelings for Caroline?'

The laugh that came from Ariana's throat was meant to sound scornful but was too shrill.

'Mum! Do you?' Joss frowned.

Ariana sighed wearily. 'I like her a great deal, yes.'

'Why didn't you say anything to me?'

Ariana had expected her daughter to be angry but she looked hurt.

'Because you seemed to really like her,' Ariana reached for her daughter who came willingly. 'But then I doubted your motives when I saw those messages to Macy and I shouldn't have.'

It was Joss's turn to sigh. 'No mum,' she said. 'You're right, Macy and I have been sort of seeing each other but then I met Caroline and got caught up in the idea of seeing someone older, she's wonderful and I had 'dating a cougar' on my bucket list,' Joss half smiled. 'I don't seem to be able to commit to anyone and Macy seemed to understand that but then she wanted more and I got scared and,' she put her head in her hands. 'I do what I always do and act like an idiot.'

'I'm not really sure that Caroline is the cougar type,' Ariana raised her eyebrows doubtfully. 'I think she's more the sort to sit at home with a glass of wine and read a book than frequent clubs looking for younger women to seduce.'

Joss stuck her tongue into her cheek thoughtfully then nodded. 'Perhaps,' she said but it was obvious that she agreed with her mother.

'And you're not an idiot,' Ariana squeezed her daughter's hands. 'And if you don't want to settle down then you have to be up front but there's no reason that you should settle down at your age. Live happily as long as you can, I say.'

Joss laughed. 'That's more like you, mother,' Joss teased. 'Tell me, do you think Caroline likes you?'

Ariana shifted uncomfortably.

How could she tell her daughter the truth? Guilty feelings washed through her veins.

'I'm going to take the strained silence as an affirmative.'

'We might have talked about it a little,' Ariana confessed.

Joss looked confused. 'Then why did she agree to go on a date with me?'

After a long pause Ariana said, 'you're very difficult to say no to.'

'Hmm,' Joss rolled her eyes. 'Well that I know but what do we do now?'

000

'OK, Caroline, you can do this. You've told every member of the Board of Governors to bugger off on enough occasions to be able to handle this,' the blonde checked her reflection in her compact mirror. 'You just go in there and tell her the truth. You should have been honest up front, you like her mother and were out of your mind with tiredness and some kind of spite when you agreed to this date.'

Two deep breaths later she blew out her cheeks and climbed out of her car.

On the short walk to the restaurant she practiced her speech in her head.

'Joss, you're very lovely but there's no spark there. It's your mother that kindles my fire.'

That sounds utterly shit.

'Joss, you're very lovely but I think that I should be honest with you and say that I am attracted to your mother.'

Slightly better.

If she threw in an apology with as much feeling and regret as she honestly felt then that would be fine, in her opinion. Joss might be upset but at least Caroline would have been truthful and that was important to her.

As she approached the entrance to the restaurant a voice called her name.

She stopped and turned and then a smile crept across her features.

'Hi,' Caroline said. 'You look nice.'

'Thank you, so do you,' Ariana smiled shyly.

'Is Joss not coming?' Caroline asked, glancing behind Ariana, expecting to see Joss following.

'Well,' Ariana took Caroline's hand and led her to a nearby bench. 'We had a talk about some things,' she said and pulled Caroline down gently to sit beside her. 'A lot of things actually and I hope you don't mind but she thought that you might be happier if I came on your dinner date instead of her.'

Caroline nodded slowly. 'And you're happy with that?'

'I am if you are.'

'You know that I am,' Caroline said softly. 'I had a speech all prepared to tell Joss the truth.'

'The truth?'

'That you're the woman that I am most attracted to. The only woman in a very long time,' Caroline looked deeply into Ariana's eyes. 'That's the truth.'

Ariana allowed herself to smile, a real beautiful smile that sent warmth through Caroline's chest.

'So, shall we go on our first date?' the blonde stood up and swung her handbag over her shoulder and held out her other hand to Ariana who took it without hesitation.

'I can't wait.'