Chapter Ten

Yes I admit it - I'm a hopeless romantic. Enjoy. Thanks for all your lovely comments. I'm enjoying writing this so much.

Life was really buzzing this morning. Caroline and Kate had found a lovely new barn conversion near Bramwell village; half way between Halifax and Harrogate. As luck would have it, there was a small terraced cottage that Celia and Alan had fallen in love with and it would only be a ten minute walk between the two homes. Gillian would be a fifteen minute drive away. It all fitted together really well. Lawrence wasn't overly keen as it was out of town, but they had promised him as soon as he turned 17 and passed his driving test, they would let him use Kate's small car.

Caroline had tried to persuade Kate to keep her cottage and rent it out but Kate was adamant that as Caroline had sold her home, she would sell hers; it was an act of trust and all part of her desire for a completely new start. Besides it would all help with their somewhat large mortgage.

Alan and Celia had moved a couple of week previous as the new owner had moved into Conway Drive. Today it was Caroline and Kate. Gillian and her crew were on hand at the new house and the two women plus Lawrence, William and Roxy were at Kate's finishing the final packing and the cleaning. No-one was allowing Kate to do anything heavy and so she busied herself putting food and fragile things to go in the car. Her heart was on fire with the excitement and the joy of it all, she was at last totally happy. Her magnificent Caroline; about to be someone's mum; and two step sons that she was growing to love more with each passing day; she couldn't ask for more; or could she? She was waiting for the right moment to ask Caroline to marry her; but not just yet; she knew the moment she wanted and would wait patiently.

The removal van eventually pulled away and the young ones left in Kate's car to follow it. They made one last inspection of everything and then Caroline picked up the car keys.

"Wait, darling, come here." Kate pulled her into her arms.

"I have loved living in this cottage. It's been a place of healing and love; I came here after Richard and then I met you and it became our sanctuary, the place we could fall in love safely. Issy came and went and left me healed and ready to fall in love with you all over again." She kissed Caroline deeply and with every ounce of passion and tenderness she had. "Tonight we start a new chapter, our new home, new family and a love affair that will never diminish and never end."

Through her tears Caroline could manage only the word, "Never".

Everyone was busy arranging furniture and unpacking boxes. Caroline was very grateful that Gillian and her lot were there to help as within a couple of hours the place was very nearly finished. A pizza van pulled up and delivered a late lunch which everyone tucked into.

Gillian clapped and quietened everyone. "Right you two, who's carrying who over the threshold?" Both Caroline and Kate burst out laughing, Kate with a hint of a blush; she was still not used to all the public involvement in their life.

"Well, I'm at a distinct disadvantage as, if I have to carry Kate, I'm actually carrying three!"

"It's OK mum, Lawrence and I have it in hand." The two boys made a chair with their arms and carried Kate in first and then their mother. Once inside, they all clapped and cheered and Raff popped the cork on a bottle of champagne. It was a magic moment.

The house was perfect for them. It had a lovely kitchen which Kate was grateful for as Caroline and her kitchen were joined at the hip. The living area was a huge open space, ideal for little ones who would be running around. At one end of the house there were three large bedrooms and bathroom and at the other end a mezzanine floor with the master bedroom, en-suite and a parent's retreat which would serve as the nursery. On one of their visits alone, Caroline had got Kate to go into their bedroom and pretend to cry in pleasure and she had listened from the nearest downstairs bedroom, laughing hysterically; not a sound with the door closed. They were safe!

As darkness fell, just their own immediate family were left. Caroline had made a casserole the previous day and they had enjoyed their meal and cleaned up. The boys had set up the television and were lounging with Roxy watching a movie. The two women climbed upstairs and settled down on their own lounge which they had set up in the retreat.

"God just think darling in a few weeks we'll be sitting on here nursing two babies." Caroline sighed as she put her arm around Kate.

"We sure will. But tonight is for us, not babies. C'mon let's go and have a shower and go to bed. If I'm to ravish you it will have to be soon as I am wilting fast." Kate got up and pulled Caroline into the bathroom. "Wait a second." Caroline left the room and walked out on to the staircase. "Kids, we're off to bed; hope you all sleep well." "OK Ma, sleep well yourselves." William looked up at his mother and winked.

When she returned to the bathroom Kate was naked and starting to run the water. Caroline was again enthralled by her natural beauty; she often wondered if pregnancy had made her as luscious and desirable as it had her glorious Kate. She undressed and stepped into the shower. The water felt good and she could sense herself relaxing. Kate was gently washing her, kissing each area as she moved across her body. "I love you so much Caroline, thank you for all of this." Caroline groaned as her lover's hands excited her. She returned the pleasure, washing Kate and leaning into her pregnant belly kissing it and telling her babies how excited she was waiting for them. Soon they lay together ready to christen their new bed. They had decided that Caroline's old bed needed to go. It was the last vestige of John in their home , except for the one wonderful thing he gave her, their sons.

Soon they were lost in each other. It was all about giving; letting go; feeling safe; feeling forever. Caroline hoped to God their experiment with noise had worked as Kate called her name over and over. They lay back waiting for their bodies to come down from the amazing heights they had brought each other to. Caroline reached across the space and entwined her fingers with Kate's; they fell asleep quickly, a deep and contented sleep.

Christmas came around before they knew it. Kate had resigned from school as she was now into count down. The staff had been marvellous in their support for both of them and made them promise to bring the babies in as soon as they could.

They had offered to have Christmas at their place and all the Greenwoods were coming.

They both went to see Kate's dad, the day before Christmas Eve. They had asked if it would be possible to bring him home for Christmas Day but the nursing home had advised against it, he would be too confused in a new environment. They picked up some of his favourite sweets and bought him a new pullover.

They sat in front of him. The nurse had put his new sweater on and he was hoeing into his sweets. They never tried to explain who Caroline was and he had never asked.

He looked up at his daughter, "Katherine, why are so late home from school? I've been worried."

"It's OK Dad, I'm here now. Do you know you are going to be a grandfather?"

"Am I?" "Yes Dad, two of them. We are having twins." She took her father's hand and placed it on her stomach. "Can you feel them?"

"Oh yes; will they be coming to live with us?"

Kate's eyes filled with tears. She had been such a daddy's girl and it was hard to lose him this way. "We'll see. We might not all fit."

Caroline put her arm around Kate's shoulder as a gesture of comfort. She had lost her own father to dementia but she had never been that close to him and the loss was more of a relief in the end.

They both kissed Douglas and wished him a happy Christmas, Kate promising to come back soon.

Christmas Day was busy and noisy and wonderful. Everyone was relaxed and they all pitched in to help with the lunch and clearing up. Calamity entertained them all laughing and running around when William came in dressed as Father Christmas.

Caroline leaned into Kate, "You know we've now got another seven or eight years of this to come, Santa and all the trappings!" Kate nodded, "You're in your element, don't deny it."

As Caroline watched her boys she did feel just a twinge of sadness that their father was such a loose canon that they were unable to even conceive of asking him to join them for Christmas. She couldn't risk him upsetting Kate. However the boys were going to spend part of Boxing Day with him. William had recommended that Roxy stay with Caroline and Kate as he too couldn't trust the situation.

When half the family were dozing and the other half engrossed in electronics, Kate and Caroline pulled Gillian to one side.

"We've got a proposition for you. Would you be interested in helping Kate, like as a paid nanny when the babies are born? Now that we live closer we thought you might like to take it on instead of some of your supermarket shifts. Of course we would pay you the going rate." Caroline explained.

"Oh wow, well I'd have to think about it. It sounds good. You wouldn't want me to live in would you?"

Kate responded quick smart; "Oh no of course not. We can manage the evenings and nights but it would be good to have you here for a few hours some days. It would be an extra bonus for them to have their aunty involved."

Gillian became uncharacteristically coy; she smiled; "God I never thought about it like that, yes I will be their aunty won't I? Blimey, I've gone from no nieces or nephews to four in the space of two years! I'll give it a bit of thought and get back to you."

Caroline offered some encouragement, "Mum and Alan are only 10 mins walk away and they said they would be willing help out when they could."

Later in the evening there were two Skype calls, one from Ginika, Kate's mum, and one from Issy. Kate insisted that Caroline sit in on them. Both of them were interested in the house and how the pregnancy was going. Ginika told them that she had put the University on notice that she would be leaving the moment she got the call that Kate was in labour.

Issy seemed relaxed and happy to talk to Caroline as well as her lovely Katie. Her life was very busy but she said she was finding time to prioritise what she wanted. She asked if she could come and see them when the babies arrived and they both welcomed her warmly.

"Thank you Caroline that would have meant a lot to Issy."

"About time I grew up. It will be great to see her."

A week later, Gillian rang and said she's love to do it and could manage three days a week. This was perfect for them. Kate felt she could manage the other two with a bit of help from the oldies.

Caroline threw her pen on to her desk and held her head in her hands; she was finding it harder and harder to concentrate at work. Kate had reached thirty six weeks and James Fisher had put them on notice to be prepared any time. She was constantly on edge, checking her phone every ten minutes, phoning home to check on Kate.

The nursery was now almost ready, they had spent many weekends shopping for two of everything. Kate was getting more exhausted as the weeks went by, she was very big now and just getting around the house was uncomfortable.

Gillian was on notice that she may be needed soon and she was getting very excited about the prospect of helping. She loved babies and had been fantastic with Calamity. It gave Caroline a lot of solace to know that when she went back to work, Gillian would be there with Kate.

That evening as they were cleaning up after dinner, Lawrence came out of his bedroom with is phone.

"Ma, popsicle's on the phone and he's asking if he can talk to you."

"Ask him what he wants, I want to help Kate get to bed, I haven't really got time for this."

Lawrence went back to his phone and reported what his mother had just said.

"He says he really wants to speak to you and he won't tell me what's wrong."

Caroline took the phone, motioning for Kate to go ahead and she would be upstairs in a moment.

"John, what's the matter, this isn't a good time."

"Caroline I didn't know who else to talk to. I've been at the hospital all day. Judith lost the baby. It died in the womb and she had to deliver it. It was awful. So upsetting."

There was a long pause. "John I'm so sorry to hear that. Are you both alright?"

"I just feel so sad. Judith's sister came up from the south and has taken her back home with her."

Again there was an awkward pause. "I was wondering if I could come round Caroline."

"John, as much as I would like to offer you some support, I'm afraid it's not possible right now. Kate is very heavily pregnant and I can't subject her to this kind of conversation. She's already very worked up about the delivery. I have to put her first John. She could go into labour any minute."

"What will I do Caroline?" his voice was genuinely full of heartache.

"Why don't you ring Gillian? She might have time to talk to you."

"She told me a while ago to stop calling her and keep away from the farm. I don't think she'd let me."

"Then I don't know John. You have friends from University could you ring them?"

"I don't know, I'll try I suppose." He waited. The response he was waiting for did not come. Caroline was not going to give in. He had really blown it. No-one seemed to want him. Why was everyone so selfish, so very selfish, couldn't they see he needed their help.

"I've to go now John. I do hope you find someone to sit with you. Is there a counsellor at the hospital you could talk to?"

"Don't worry about me, I'm going." With that he hung up.

She called Lawrence, gave him his phone and told him what had happened. She asked him not to mention it until she had time to speak to Kate which would not be until at least the morning.

She walked into their bedroom and found Kate sound asleep which was such a relief. She didn't want to have to lie to her about the conversation and she knew that if she told her it would upset her no end.

She climbed in to bed herself, she felt sad for Judith but she knew it was most likely down to her drinking. She wondered how any woman could put her child at risk that way; but then she wasn't an alcoholic and so she really didn't understand how hard it was. She wrapped herself around Kate and tried to stop the conversation in her head. She needed sleep. It would be a rare commodity soon.

At 4.12am precisely, Kate shouted from the bathroom. "Caroline come quickly, I think my waters have broken." She rushed into the bathroom and there was no mistake, she had seen this twice herself. She sat Kate on a chair and picked up her phone. She made two quick calls, the first for the ambulance and the second to America.