Caroline woke late on Saturday morning, still unsure about what to do with regards to Kate. Forcing herself out of bed, she pulled on her dressing gown, made her way downstairs and found William reading in the kitchen, also in his pyjamas.

He looked up from his iPad when he heard her. "Morning Mum. There's tea in the pot over there. And yesterday's TES."

"You darling boy," she poured herself a mug and pulled up a seat next to him at the island. As he read, she leafed through the magazine but took none of it in. "Did you sleep well?"

William shrugged. "Not bad. You?"

"Eh. The less said the better. Do you have plans for today?"

"A few of us in my biology class were going to get together and go through some things today. I think it's at James' house, so I was just going to walk over in a bit. I'll be back before dinner. Are you doing anything?"

"Nothing important," she sighed, "there's some applications to go over, and if the weather holds, I might do some gardening."

William put the iPad down and turned to her. "Mum, are you sure you're all right? I mean, this study thing isn't important. I can stay here if you'd like the company."

She was touched, but certianly didn't want to be one more thing for her son to worry about. "No, no; I'll be fine. You go. I'll be in when you get back. Is there anything you fancy for dinner?"

"Anything's fine. Thanks Mum."

As William made his way upstairs to sort out his textbooks and notes, Caroline realised that the next few hours were going to be very important. She had to call Kate. She'd promised she would and, regardless of who might end up embarrassed or confused or hurt, Caroline swore that she wasn't going to lie to anyone. And, she thought as she tidied up the kitchen from breakfast, she didn't want to repeat her mistakes.

She cast her mind back to her first year at university. Excited to be away from home for the first time, delighted beyond words to be in a place that celebrated intellect, rather than stifled it. She was still an oddball; the only girl in her year at Brasenose to study chemistry, her Northern accent and turns of phrase marking her as an outsider, and she found making friends as difficult as she had back home in Yorkshire. The vast libraries of Oxford gave her answers to questions she'd had since puberty; hiding away at a desk in the far corner of the Radcliffe Camera, she perused books about human sexuality that she'd surreptitiously taken from the psychology section, slipped in alongside her biochemistry texts.

She had been relieved when, during her first year's final term, she found a kindred spirit in a girl who lived on her staircase, and the two had become close. The sense of being alone that she'd felt for as long as she could remember gradually lifted. And after a few weeks of late-night studying, the two swapping ideas in the low light of Caroline's room, relating to each other emotionally and intellectually, she was ready to confess how she felt. The following weeks were glorious, filled with sweet kisses and afternoon walks around Port Meadow, shyly holding hands if there was nobody else about. The idea of being separated for three months over the summer vacation was painful, so Caroline put her heart and soul into a letter. Hands trembling, she handed it over as they kissed goodbye, Caroline's father in the room next door, moving her boxed possessions downstairs to be loaded into the car.

That was the last time they'd kissed. Caroline received several letters over the course of that summer, but after her mother's reaction, couldn't bring herself to open them. The college room ballot meant that they were at opposite ends of the college in second year, so after Caroline had broken the news in September when they were both back, they would only ever occasionally pass each other in corridors, or catch one another's eyes for short, painful moments across the dining hall.

And then, a few years later, John entered her life. He was a friend of one of the staff she shared accommodation with during her PhD, a graduate in creative writing from LSE. Caroline's aloof demeanour and intimidating intelligence usually kept people - especially interested men - at bay, but he pursued her for several months and eventually, exhausted, she gave in.

Leaving the kitchen to find her mobile, Caroline tried to leave the long-buried past and refocus on the current situation. She could do this. It felt like it was about three decades too late, but she could do it.

Kate picked up her phone after two rings. "Hello?"

"Kate, hi. I've been thinking..."

"Yes?"

"We should talk in person. Can you come over again? Or I could go to yours?"

"I can be at yours for... eleven? Is that all right?"

"Yes, that's fine," Caroline said, fighting to keep nervousness out of her tone. "See you then."

"See you."

After showering, dressing and then pacing around the kitchen for a good 20 minutes, Caroline heard Kate's Fiat pull up onto the driveway. She opened the front door before Kate knocked.

Caroline hoped she didn't look as manic as she felt. "Hi."

"Caroline, are you all right? You sounded a bit weird on the phone."

"I'm fine. Well, I've not slept much, but I'm fine. I wanted to talk to you about what you said on Friday."

"Oh, right."

"Would you like come though? Can I get you some tea?"

"No tea, thanks," Kate said, clearly nervous.

"Right." Caroline said, sitting opposite Kate in the kitchen, exactly where they had sat the last time Kate had visited. "Well, as I'm sure you can understand, what you said to me at school yesterday made me think about things. About us."

Everything about Kate's posture and tone was carefully measured. "Okay."

"And... it wasn't just what you said on Friday that made me think about it. I assume you've noticed it, felt it, as well. Whatever this is."

"Yes, I have."

"It's... It's been preoccupying my thoughts for a while now. At first it was a useful distraction from bloody John, but it's more than that, isn't it?"

Kate nodded, leaning forward. "It could be."

Caroline wrung her hands. "But from here, I mean, what would we-"

Kate, apparently no longer content to sit back and just react to Caroline and her nerves and pride and bossiness, simply leaned over, took Caroline's face gently in her hands, and kissed her.

For the first time since John left – and probably a long time before that – Caroline's mind stopped worrying about a hundred different things and just slowed down. The worries of the everyday, the hurt and betrayal, fell to the wayside, and Caroline's brain focused just enough to fully appreciate what was happening here, now. The softness of Kate's mouth became the only thing to be concerned about, the assurance of her hands comforting enough to just let go of everything else. Even the fact that she was kissing a woman, something she had never expected to happen again, wasn't a coherent thought until after Kate pulled back, breaking the kiss but still holding Caroline close.

"Are you all right?" Kate asked softly.

"I-I think so."

"Was that all right?"

Caroline considered for a moment. "Yes. It was."

"I've..." Kate looked bashful, "I've wanted to do that for quite a long time."

Caroline cast her eyes down so Kate might not see her so vulnerable. "I think I've wanted you to."

"I don't want you to think I'm taking advantage-"

"No." Caroline interrupted, shaking her head sternly. "I do not think that."

"Okay then."

Caroline took a deep breath. "You said before that being attracted to women was something you kept from me. Before we go any further, I want you to know that, for me, it's something I've kept from everyone. For a very long time."

"I see."

"Is- will that be a problem?"

"We don't have to sort everything out now, Caroline. We'll take this slowly, as slowly as you need."

"You're very good to me."

Kate affectionately ran her fingers through blonde hair. "I know."

"What do we do now?"

"Well... if it's still going, I'll have that tea."