My sincere apologies to all the dancing aficionados - my terminology is made up!

Ora and Ace - The Dancers

Caroline sat on the bench at the side of the practise room staring at her Ipad as she tried to take in the timetabling spreadsheet in front of her. Today she had drawn what she felt was the short straw, bringing Grace to her ballet lesson after school. Actually there wasn't even a straw to draw as Kate had rightly said, when Caroline moaned about having to go; "Well my darling when you can teach piano, we'll swap!" She had the less stressful job, in Caroline's world at least, of giving the girls piano lessons at home.

The other parents sat fixed on their children's every move, 'ooing and aahing' at every turn and point of the toe (in the right direction of course). "Aren't they lovely; so talented." One mother had gushed at Caroline. "What? Oh yes sorry, they're delightful." and with that had turned back to her work; as yet she didn't see Grace as Dame Margot Fonteyn. The constant 'one two three, one two three, was starting to grate, as she'd had a rather stressful day.

Grace was loving her ballet lessons and doing quite well. She was now grade two and so they had purchased the regulation tutu and ballet shoes for her. On the other hand, Flora was losing interest and had not progressed, hence the now separate lessons. Caroline had already sown the seeds of perhaps allowing Flora to stop coming; not something Kate was keen on. "We mustn't let them give up too easily Caroline, if in another couple of months she really doesn't like it then we'll talk to her about stopping." Caroline sighed, accepting she would soldier on with her two afternoons a week. She sometimes reflected on how much negotiation had to go on when there were two mummies. John always had his head firmly in his writing and she had made most of the decisions about the boys.

Forty minutes later mother and daughter were on their way home. "Mama, did you see me do my special turn around, away from the bar, Julie said I was very good."

"Er yes sweetheart, you were very good today, I'm proud of you."

"Mama, why weren't you watching me all the time like Molly's mum, I kept looking at you but you didn't see me much."

"Oh darling, I'm sorry, I had some work to do, you know Mama has a very busy job, I've tried to explain that before haven't I?"

"Yes, but Mummy always watches when she comes." Caroline could see just a slight bottom lip tremble as she looked sideways. She felt her heart melt but there was little she could do; she had to keep on top of her work; especially as Kate rightly expected her to have family time at weekends.

"You look very pretty in your tutu Grace; the pink colour suits you." A feeble attempt at encouragement; the child was right; she had been very distracted today.

The car pulled up outside the house and Flora and Kate came out to meet them. The girls ran inside to their room, Kate helped Caroline carry in all the stuff. "You look a bit worn out." "Yes I've had a stressful day, just too many meetings, it's getting worse Kate."

They put their stuff away and Kate insisted Caroline sit down and relax for a while, she poured them a glass of wine and carried it over.

"I felt so bad driving home; Grace asked me why I don't watch her when she's in ballet class like the other parents do. It really upset me because she's right. I sit there trying to get my work done, with the bloody one two three thingy going non-stop."

Kate threw her head back and laughed at this vision. She could imagine all the huffing and sighing that would be going on; her wife was known to have low tolerance for things that irritated her.

"When can we have the discussion with Flora about finishing? She really doesn't enjoy it Kate."

"Not to mention that you would get out of taking her! I'm not that daft, this is about you not Flora."

Caroline sighed yet again. "Oh I forgot to give you this; it's from Julie the teacher."

Kate opened the letter and it was to tell all the parents that the dance school would be putting on a little concert in four weeks time and all the children would be encouraged to participate, no matter what grade they were. She passed it to Caroline when she'd finished, and waited for the inevitable dummy spit she knew was coming.

"God, this says that there will be two extra practises each week until the concert!" Kate smiled and nodded. "I can't do it darling! Not unless you want me to have a nervous breakdown."

"Don't worry we'll sort something out. I can see you're getting over stressed and I don't want that; it's bad enough all the extra stuff coming up at school."

A few moments later Grace came out and asked Kate to play the piano. "Mummy could you play my favourite piece, you know, sugar plum, so that I can show you what I did today?"

Kate got up and went to the piano and started to play. Grace pointed and turned with great skill for a five year old. Then Flora came along and said she would help Ace to practise. "One to three point Ace; one to three turn Ace."

After clapping rather artificially, Caroline excused herself and went upstairs on the pretext of getting changed. Kate's eyes followed her with a mixture of humour and compassion.

Later, after the girls were in bed, their two mums lounged on the sofa together; Kate massaged Caroline's temples until she could feel the tension ease. While she was concerned about the pressure on her wife, secretly she adored the vulnerable side only she got to see; she knew she was the only person who could make it all better, and loving Caroline's tension away was a magical feeling and something she cherished.

"Are we going to let the girls go into this concert?" Caroline asked.

"Of course, especially Grace, we can't let her feel left out darling. I'm not sure about Flora; we'll have to see if she's interested."

Caroline had done some mental scheming and come up with the idea that it Flora were allowed to leave the dance school soon, she wouldn't need to take her to the special practises for her grade; this alone would save her from half a fate worse than watching Lawrence's rugby practise for five years.

"I think now is the right time to ask Flora before they start wanting her to get involved in the concert." Kate smiled, she knew her wife well enough to know that she was indeed scheming; but it wouldn't work as there was something she as yet didn't know.

Next day after school they sat the girls down. "Girls, did Julie tell you about the concert she's planning for next month?"

Grace enthusiastically responded, "Yes Mummy, I'm going to be a swan."

Kate enthused about this while Caroline smiled somewhat benignly.

"Mummy I don't want to be in the ballet concert;"came the considered reply from Flora. Caroline's face lit up and before Kate could get a word in; "That's alright darling, mummy and I are fine if you want to stop going to the dance school."

"No mama, I want to go to the other dance."

"What other dance?" As far as Caroline knew, they attended a ballet school.

"Caroline the school has other forms of dance and movement classes. Flora is talking about the modern dance class which she's tried out and loves. I didn't have the heart to tell you yet."

Caroline could feel the wind being punched out of her now flagging sails. "Please tell me these classes run on the same days as ballet."

"'I'm afraid not my love, different afternoons, same teacher you see." Kate explained with some compassion in her voice. "But I've already had an idea to help you out. I'm going to ask Granny if she will go and watch either Grace or Flora on their days. You can drop them and Granny can take over."

The twins both stopped in their tracks when they heard this. They looked at each other, obviously deciding who was going to break the bad news; Flora drew the short straw. "No Mummy we want Mama to take us not Granny."

"Why sweetheart? Granny would love to watch you and it will give Mama a chance to finish her work at school and then come home and spend time with you."

"No Mummy," Grace chipped in. "I want Mama to take me. I like her being there."

Poor Caroline was filled with a mixture of love and sentimentality at their obvious attachment to her; on the other hand all she could envisage was hours more of the dreaded counting, and God knows what in the modern dance class. Taking a deep breath and putting her children first, she agreed she would carry on but bargained with them that after the concert they would have to let Granny do some of the days. Five year olds are not adept at seeing far into the future and so they readily agreed to her compromise.

Later as they lay in bed, Kate turned to Caroline; "Do you ever wish we'd decided not to have any children? Or should I say, I'd decided not to?"

"My God, Kate how could you ask me that? I love them to bits; I couldn't imagine not having them."

"I suppose I'm noticing how tired you're getting these days, I worry about you." She gently kissed her wife. Caroline responded by curling around her; "We'll be OK. The kids come first and if things get too much for me I'll just change jobs. You taught me that five and a half years ago, remember? We've both made hard choices in the past. Nothing is more important than us and now our children; certainly not my job."

It was a week out from the concert. Both women had stoically pressed on with the extra demands of the preparation; it was worth it to see the excitement and joy in the twins. The swan piece was coming on very well and now Flora was a lion in a short segment from the Lion King. Kate had been seconded to do some piano playing for the extra practises and so Caroline had been spared some of the dance studio torture. The 'one two three' had paled into insignificance beside the continuous repetition of the song Hakuna Matata.

Costumes were made; Caroline had asked one of the Visual Arts staff and some senior students at school if they would mind helping with the stage props etc. The reward was tickets to come and see the twins perform; quite an intrusion into their otherwise private life. She found herself actually getting a little bit excited about it all; it was the girls' first foray into public performance and she was so proud of their beautiful daughters. The Greenwoods were coming, Granny and Grandad and Bebly, Caroline's faithful and long suffering secretary who was now a firm family friend.

Sunday afternoon arrived and everyone was at the little theatre where they were to perform. Unfortunately the usual pianist had been taken ill and Kate had to play for the whole thing. Caroline was seated up near the front with their guests.

The first piece performed was by the very small children. They were so cute as they strutted about the stage as baby animals and danced to the tunes of nursery rhymes. Caroline was amazed to see dozens of parents up in the aisles with cameras, some even with large video equipment. 'Damn' she said to herself, 'it never dawned on me to bring the camera'. She foraged about in her handbag and retrieved her phone; at least she could look like she was taking a few pictures.

Next up was Grace's troupe. As they filed onto the stage; she could see Grace staring out into the audience, the lights in her face, suddenly she heard, "Mama are you there, I can't see you?" People turned and look at Caroline expectantly. Blushing like mad at the public attention, she called out "Yes darling I'm here." Her little one beamed and waved. Never having seen her perform without all the various prompting that went on at practise, she was pleasantly surprised at how well it went and how her heart filled, along with her eyes. 'That's my little girl'.

Flora filed on to the stage with her pride of lions. Their costumes were delightful and they danced and sang to perfection. Caroline could hear Kate's beautiful voice gently coaxing them through the song. She made a mental note to thank the staff and students who'd helped, at the next school assembly. Emboldened by the other parents she had got up out of her seat and taken some video footage of both girls as they danced around; she even sneaked some pictures of her gorgeous Kate playing the piano.

After the performance all the parents and guests milled around for afternoon tea. Several of them came up and thanked Caroline and Kate for their support with costumes and music. Caroline answered for them both. "Oh it's no problem, we'd do anything to encourage our children in these activities wouldn't we; they're so talented, it's a joy to watch them."Kate was rightly gobsmacked; she stared at her as she bluffed her way through all the conversations; when there was a lull in the adulation; she sidled up to Caroline, "sometimes my darling I just want to slap you!"

"Please feel free; later."