The late June day was exactly what Caroline – and Beverley – had hoped for. Had been hoping for, for at least ten years in a row now, to host commencement exercises at Sulgrave Heath. Sunny, just pleasantly warm, and only a few high passing clouds occasionally blocking the sun and granting those in the full academic costume a brief respite. The robes, and those ridiculous hats, were a blessing in the winter and a curse in the early summer sun.
The music commenced. The crowd rose. Caroline led the procession up the center aisle between the folding chairs on the great lawn, toward the dais. She took her place at the podium, the faculty and governors joining her on the stage and the graduating class filing in to their respective rows below them.
She smiled down. The music concluded. "Please be seated."
"Well no wonder she's so fond of herself. She ought to be. Look at her up there. Presiding." Celia gave a small shake of her head. She couldn't help but be proud of Caroline, but it still wasn't in her to hand out unmitigated praise.
"Well I think she looks absolutely stately." Alan nodded up at his daughter-in law.
"I'm with you, Celia. Hard to mingle with the mere mortals after looking down at us all afternoon." Gillian smiled with good humor. She and Caroline had made peace about Alan and Celia. It didn't mean Caroline didn't need an attitude adjustment, on occasion.
"Now you hush." Alan gave a stern look to Gillian, who rolled her eyes but made a zipping motion across her lips.
"And, as always, we have representation from this class at England's finest Universities, in fact, at some of the world's finest Universities…." Caroline smiled down at the crowd, making eye contact with students and parents between glances at her text, which she'd mostly memorized. Still, it made for better presentation to occasionally reference notes.
She caught sight of Eleanor and her family – caught Eleanor's eye in particular and smiled at a convenient applause line. Eleanor returned it with a sly one of her own and wink of approval, and Caroline felt her heart speed up. She glanced down at her text.
"…. Of course we're all proud of each and every one of you. But many have earned exceptional honors, and I'd like to bring up our Dean of the Faculty to mention some of you graduating with particular accolades."
Jonathan nudged his sister. "You've done well for yourself, Eleanor. All around."
"I rather think I have, big brother. Thank you." She nudged him back.
Two seats over, Margaret smirked and fanned herself with her program.
"Lawrence Jonathan Elliott." Caroline read off Lawrence's name, and to her surprise felt a sting of tears. She stepped back from the podium before giving a quick sniff. He made his way up and across the stage. Caroline handed him his diploma and extended her hand. He shocked her, and grabbed her for a quick hug. She hugged him back and they parted happily, awkwardly.
She turned back to the podium. "A mum's privilege, I suppose." She narrowed her eyes in a smile and the crowd gave her a good-natured chuckle.
"June Margaret Strathclyde." Caroline smiled broadly at June as she made her way up to the dais. She glanced over at Eleanor quickly, who was a mess of tears, of course. She looked back to June, who offered a firm handshake and a wide smile. "Thanks, Caroline." Caroline nodded at her, again a quick sting of tears. 'It's always an emotional day, isn't it?'
"Ah no way. A Boss Chronograph. Loaded up." Lawrence put an arm around Caroline, a wide smile on his face. "Thanks mum."
She smiled. "You're welcome, Lawrence. And it's engraved on the back."
He turned it over.
"Congrats. I'm proud.
Love, Mum."
He grinned. "Love you too." He blushed, looked down. "I'm pretty proud too, I suppose."
"Well you should be. I'm glad you stuck with it Lawrence. I really am." Caroline looked him in the eye – something he'd grown much more comfortable with over the past couple months – and smiled.
The extended family had gathered at Caroline's house to celebrate Lawrence, a few of his mates popping in and out from their own parties. She glanced up at the sun and down at her watch. She was headed over to Eleanor's for a quick hello to June in a few minutes.
"You look handsome." Jane came over and pointed her beer bottle at Lawrence, still wearing suit and tie from the commencement ceremony.
"You mean handsome, as always." Lawrence crossed his arms across his broadening chest, new watch on display.
Jane stepped forward to study it, gave a low whistle. "Nice." She took a sip of ESB. "You ready to start up with us full time?"
He grinned. "Yeah I am."
She shoved his shoulder. "Good. First things first. Don't show up hungover on Monday."
He smirked and gave a quick upward tilt of his head. "Right."
Caroline frowned at them, but wasn't quite sure how to voice her disapproval, so she settled for a low "mmmmmmm" and a stern glance at Jane, who shrugged.
She gave her a mocking shrug back. She turned and gave Lawrence another hug. "I am proud of you." She stood back and ran a hand down his arm. "Back in a bit."
Lawrence ducked his head. "Right."
"So June – summer term at down at Exeter, before you start? I'm jealous." Caroline pulled back from hugging June, who'd been seeing off a friend and met her at the door of Eleanor's house.
"Oh my gosh, right? I'm so excited."
"When do you leave?"
"Early next month."
"Well we'll need to do something special – the five of us girls, to see you off."
"That sounds great Caroline." She nodded. "I'd totally love that."
Caroline smiled back. "Good. Now where's your mum?"
"Out on the patio. The blubbering mess. Can't miss her." June winked at Caroline as they parted, and Caroline went to find her 'blubbering mess' of a girlfriend.
Margaret ran a finger around the rim of her cocktail glass and studied Eleanor across the patio, chatting with Jonathan and Bella. "Well at least in London she'll have Emma to take care of her."
George set his scotch on the patio table, and it spilled over the rim. "That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard you say, Margaret." He added a pointed index finger for effect, a rare show of temper.
Margaret waived a hand. "Nonsense. Eleanor needs someone to take care of her. Or at least someone to take care of. You know that, darling. She'll be paddling about without the girls."
"Even if that were true, and I'm not sure that it is, that woman is the last person I'd like to see return to Eleanor's life."
"She's stood by her George. And you don't know the half of it." Margaret sipped her drink, studied Eleanor at the other side of the patio. She narrowed her eyes over at Caroline, who had just arrived. "And that woman, Caroline, has finally shown that she's in no way committed to our daughter. She's ambiguous, when it comes to our Eleanor. And I won't have that." 'I knew better from the outset.'
"Caroline has been wonderful for our daughter. For god sake - look at the way Ellie smiles at her. She glows." George smiled himself.
"Little good that will do her hundreds of miles away. Face it George. Caroline's fly by night. Eleanor needs stability."
"Eleanor is forty-seven years old, dear. She needs whatever it is that she decides she needs." George was allowing himself to be dragged into an argument with his wife. Which he always lost, one way or the other. He was disappointed that Caroline wouldn't be able to join Eleanor in London. But it was the 21st century. Things were possible.
Margaret finished her drink and turned to face George fully. She placed her hand high up on his chest near his shoulder. "You're darling. And you love Eleanor to death. But I'm right."
"You're not, Margaret. But I suppose we'll just agree to disagree."
"Why change what's worked for fifty years?"
"Why indeed, darling." George sighed and picked up his scotch. It was time for a refresh.
Despite the ghost of tears past, Eleanor looked radiantly happy and beautiful as ever to Caroline. She came up behind and beside her, where she was speaking with Bella, and ran an arm across her back and around her hip. She planted a kiss on her cheek. "Congratulations."
Eleanor turned and wrapped her in a giant hug, exhaling as she did so. "Thank you." She shut her eyes tightly and squeezed Caroline tightly. "You didn't warn me."
Caroline laughed. "About what?"
"What it was going to be like – watching June walk across that stage."
She stepped back and met Eleanor's eyes, filling with fresh tears. "You wouldn't have believed me."
Eleanor fetched a tissue from her pocket and swiped at her eyes. "Still. It would have been the decent thing to do."
"Next time. I promise." They exchanged a private well hello to you too glance before Caroline looked over to Bella, held out her hand. "Hi Bella."
Bella stepped up and gave Caroline a giant hug. "Oh I think we're past formalities. And it's a day for hugging."
"All right then." Caroline smiled in happy surprise, and hugged her back.
"And I've had a couple glasses of champagne. So the good will isn't hard to come by."
"It rarely is, Bella. That's what makes you so charming." Margaret and George appeared behind Eleanor.
Bella released Caroline and turned to Margaret. "Your son always thought so." She smiled broadly and nodded to George, before walking off and into the house.
Caroline gracefully ignored the exchange and stepped forward to offer first George, then Margaret, greetings. She remembered the annual June-time feeling of being over-hugged.
"Congratulations to both of you." She tilted her head to them and stood right at Eleanor's side, and took and held her hand tightly.
"Thank you Caroline." George raised his glass. "And I think turnabout is fair play here. Another crop of our best and brightest successfully grown to fruition under your capable guidance. Including a handsome son of your own. Who I understand is pursuing one of our noblest professions."
Caroline inclined her head again. "Thank you George."
"Indeed. What would the youth of Harrogate do without you?" Margaret smiled sweetly. Eleanor squeezed Caroline's hand, and neither woman's expression slipped at the innuendo.
"Frankly I have no idea." Caroline smiled brightly. "Eleanor, dear, I'm famished. I never have a chance to eat at any point on these busy days." She looked over and took in the mix of emotion on Eleanor's face. She turned back to George and Margaret. "I'm terribly sorry, but if I could steal your daughter for a moment?"
"Of course." George's eyes were warm and smiling.
Margaret's tried to be, but she wasn't quite able to pull it off. "Of course. Enjoy your – moment."
The two women slipped through the crowd, hand in hand, and stole upstairs to catch their breath. Caroline went immediately to the dresser and leaned on it while she escaped her heels. Her back was killing her. Eleanor followed, closing the door after them. She leaned, boneless, against Caroline.
"I'm totally and completely exhausted." She gave an exaggerated sigh and then stood up. She grabbed Caroline's head in her hands and kissed her, before pulling back just as abruptly and walking over to hurl herself on her back across the bed.
Caroline stared, incredulous, at her mercurial girlfriend. She same to sit at the edge of the bed and rubbed her feet. "I don't know why I take them off. It's always so much worse when they have to go back on."
Eleanor sat back up, slid to the edge of the bed and stood. She sat cross legged at Caroline's feet. "Let's have them. Right one first. But we've only got a few minutes. People will start to wonder."
Caroline smiled, put her foot in Eleanor's lap, who began kneading her sole with her thumbs. She leaned back on her elbows and closed her eyes. "I have told you, recently, how much I love you, correct?"
"Not nearly recently enough."
"I am desperately in love with you."
Eleanor moved upward to Caroline's ankle. "You are not. You are desperately in love with a good foot massage."
"Both facts can be true. They are in no way mutually exclusive."
"Mmmm hmmm." Eleanor smiled up at Caroline, smirking at her. "Left."
Caroline swapped feet.
"Margaret seems in fine form today." Caroline sat up.
"She's like a cat in cream since I've told her about London. I've no idea why."
"She's still none too fond of me."
"That's her poor judgement." Eleanor shrugged, ran her thumbs across the top of Caroline's foot. "That should help you through the rest of the day."
Caroline stood and offered Eleanor a hand. She unfolded herself and stood. Caroline put her hands on Eleanor's waist. "I know what would help me more."
Eleanor tilted her head down. She traced Caroline's collar bone with the tip of her finger and looked up at her through her long eyelashes. "I think my bad manners are beginning to rub off on you."
"Hardly." Caroline pulled her closer and kissed her, smiled at her with twinkling blue eyes. "I think you have excellent manners."