Caroline was adapting to being a visible lesbian again. It was easier for her than when she had been with Kate; she was more comfortable calling herself a lesbian and she was marginally less worried about what other people thought of her. It also helped that Gillian was unremitting in her public displays of affection and Caroline had grown used to holding Gillian's hand while they were in public. She had found that if they weren't touching for a while that Gillian would get a bit enthusiastic and would sporadically shove Caroline against a wall and snog her until she was wet and jelly-legged. So Caroline spent much of the time in a haze of lust when they were together and other people had sometimes become wallpaper to the scenes she and Gillian played.

As a result, Caroline and Gillian had discussed how much public affection with which Caroline was comfortable at the school. It seemed to be one thing on the street, in front of strangers, but here at her workplace, in front of staff, students and parents, Caroline felt much more reticent. It took some persuasion on the part of Gillian for Caroline to concede that for the sake of the LGBTIQ students she was supporting, Caroline needed to find her courage to fly the rainbow flag, so to speak. So when Gillian arrived at the school on the day of the fete with Flora, she walked up to Caroline, looking very sexy in her tight blue jeans and a new checked shirt, and Caroline paused only momentarily before she kissed Gillian on the mouth.

Flora squealed and Caroline's face lit up with joy as she bent down to pick up the toddler. Flora was very happy to see mum and immediately snuggled into her neck.

Sheryl was beaming at them all, this happy little family unit. She was delighted to see this warmer side of Caroline that had rarely appeared at work.

"Hiya. Having a good day?" Gillian asked.

"Sure. It's all going really well. You?"

"Yep. All good. Flora was very excited to see you at work. She is going to think this is your job though." Gillian chuckled.

Caroline smiled. "You're probably right." Caroline thought that wasn't such a bad idea. Her job would sound a lot more enticing to a child if she had a bouncy castle at work.

Caroline turned to Sheryl and introduced Gillian and Flora.

A steady stream of people came to meet Caroline and by extension, Gillian, most of whom were known by name by the impressive Sheryl. It helped being local, Sheryl said, but she had a prodigious memory for names and seemed to know most of the parents.

Unbeknownst to this small group, they were being watched surreptitiously by Celia, who had turned up with Alan. Celia wanted to support her daughter, but she was alarmed to find that Gillian had already arrived and had effectively set up camp along the main pathway into the school. That meant that every teacher and parent who came to the fete would run into the pair.

Watching this quietly from their table in the Devonshire tea cafe, it struck Celia how well Gillian was supporting Caroline. She had an easy way about her and seemed to be getting on with everyone. They were working the parents well together; Caroline was impressive and Gillian was friendly, and one or the other would charm everyone they came across. Celia was a bit shocked by this; she had been expecting a disaster from Gillian, but the two of them turned out to be a winning combination. Celia was a bit put out because they were being very obvious about their lesbianism with the way they were touching each other, holding hands and the like, but no one seemed to be even vaguely concerned about it.

Celia had, by luck rather than planning, found herself in the cafe run by the Parents' Association. It gave her a steady stream of parents to interrogate about Caroline. To her surprise, no one she spoke to cared about Caroline being a lesbian, and all were very impressed with the changes they'd seen at the school in the short time Caroline had been Head. They'd seemed very friendly too, quite different to the parents at Sulgrave Heath, she thought.

Celia didn't know it, but Julie was also on the roster. She was the mother of Peter, the young gay student who had been beaten up a month ago. When Julie found that Caroline's mum was here, she made a beeline for her.

"Hiya, you don't know me. I'm Julie, Peter's mum." She held out her hand and Celia shook it.

"Celia. How do you do."

"Really well thanks. Much, much better since your daughter took over the school. She's been brilliant."

"Oh?" Celia was intrigued.

"Oh yeah. Peter was beaten up for being gay a month ago. Broken arm and bruises everywhere. Caroline stopped one of the bastards herself, and then expelled the lot of them. Bastards have been picking on queer kids for years and no one did anything. Then she comes along and they're out on their ears and are up in court next month on charges of homophobic assault!"

Celia was stunned. She hadn't heard any of this. Caroline had been holding out on her. "That's great to hear. She never liked bullies, and she always did know how to stand up for people."

"Peter's completely changed. He's gone from too scared to come to school and failing his grades, to passing everything. He can't wait to come to school now. She's done that, her and that club she started. She's brilliant. Don't let anyone tell you different." Julie stood up straighter. "So if anyone gives her shit for being a dyke, tell them they have me to answer to; me and a whole bunch of mums."

Celia's eyes were wide by this stage. She had no idea what to say to that. "Well, I'm glad you're happy with what she's doing."

"Yeah. You must be very proud." Julie nodded. "Anyways, I gotta keep going. Nice to meet you."

"Yes. Likewise. Thank you for telling me about Caroline." Celia watched her go, stunned.

Alan looked at her. "Well that's very nice, isn't it? Our Caroline, doing all that." He smiled, knowing that it would be causing Celia strife in the demarcated zones of Caroline=good, lesbian=bad in her head.

Celia grumbled at her plate, before looking out at the group surrounding Caroline again. Perhaps the world was changing a bit, she thought.

For Sheryl, the new Head Teacher was lovely to work with and she could already see the difference in the way the school was being managed. She'd even found that Caroline's girlfriend was very personable and quite different to the posh, educated woman she had expected. It gave her a new appreciation for Caroline, who obviously had more depth than her accent and education might suggest.

Not long after Gillian and Flora had joined them, a tall, black couple approached them, aiming straight for Sheryl. Sheryl gave a squeal of excitement before she introduced Caroline and Gillian to her sister Sharleen, and Sharleen's husband Dan.

Sharleen shook Caroline and Gillian's hands. She squinted at Gillian. "I think we've met. We know your dad and Celia, and I think we met you at the sheep sales in Leeds last year. We have a farm up in Ripponden."

"Oh, of course. Hiya." Gillian was scrambling to make the connection until it clicked into place. Her dad had worked with Dan at Jessup's when Dan was young, and now he and Sharleen had a farm not far away.

Sharleen was looking at Gillian, flicking her attention to Caroline, and back again. "Are you Celia's daughter?" She asked Caroline. "Would that make you step-sisters?" She smiled broadly, before realising that both Caroline and Gillian looked a bit uncomfortable. She looked down at their hands, seeing their fingers entwined in the way of lovers.

Gillian looked at Caroline, wondering how to play this.

"Well, technically..." Caroline stumbled over the words.

"My dad..." Gillian took up the reigns.

"Married my mum..."

"When they were 75, so we met a few years ago. So yes, technically..."

"We're step-sisters because our parents married..."

"But we didn't meet each other until a few years ago." Gillian had a big grin on her face, hiding the grimace as Caroline was crushing her hand so badly she had white knuckles.

Sharleen was excited. "That's a fantastic story. Our brother," nodding to Sheryl, "he's gay and he's always telling us how hard it is to find someone special, so well done!"

Sheryl was standing with her mouth open, wondering how the grapevine had missed this. "So, you're related." She finally managed to spit out, looking quickly at her own sister.

"Technically, but not by blood or anything." Gillian clarified.

"Oh." Sheryl's mind was working overtime. "So your mum" pointing to Caroline, "married your dad," pointing to Gillian, "and now you two are a pair." Sheryl perked up. "Family gatherings must be fun, then," she chuckled.

"Oh yeah. Laugh a minute sometimes." Caroline snorted. "If you want to know something really freaky, we were born on the same day less than 40 miles apart."

Sheryl's jaw dropped. "Really? The same actual day, same year and everything?" At Gillian's and Caroline's nodding, Sheryl's mind ticked over the probabilities of this and exploded just a little. "Wow." Sheryl blinked, taking it all in. "Wow."

Sheryl took a breath and smiled. "I have to say, you both seem really happy," she said, looking at both Caroline and Gillian.

Caroline looked at Gillian with open affection. "Happier than I've been in years."

Gillian returned the look, a big smile breaking out on her face.

"Mum, bouncy castle. I want bouncy castle." Flora tapped Caroline's shoulder, getting her attention.

"Oh, the bouncy castle. Yes, I did promise that, didn't I." Caroline kissed Flora's head.

"I'll take her. You keep working. I'm meeting Dad and Celia in an hour or so and they'll take her home for her nap."

"Thank you. Meet you later?" Caroline asked.

"Yep. I'll find you."

They leaned in for a kiss, before letting go of their hands so that Caroline could put Flora onto the ground. She watched Gillian and Flora walk towards the bouncing castle, hand in hand, talking animatedly. It was the warmth of her smile that really showed how she felt about Gillian, Sheryl thought.

Caroline wanted to follow them, sure that Gillian would be the sort to take her shoes off and join in and Caroline wanted to watch. Instead, Caroline had to play the adult and work. She had decided a while ago that dealing with parents was one of her least favourite parts of the job, and today hadn't dissuaded her from that opinion although the vast majority was lovely. It was just too many people for Caroline. Fortunately Gillian was so adept at speaking to people from all walks of life that having her around made it all easier. Well, if Caroline was going to be honest, just having Gillian around made things easier. She smiled to herself, before greeting the next set of parents wanting a quick chat to the Head Teacher about their child.

It was another half an hour before Caroline managed to have a break. She and Sheryl both needed a moment to gather their thoughts before the next onslaught of parents and students. Caroline had spotted her mum in the Devonshire tea cafe earlier and wandered in that direction, hoping Celia and Alan would still be in the vicinity.

Caroline found them chatting to Helen, one of the Parents' Association committee members.

"Hi Mum. Hi Alan. All well with you?" Caroline kissed them both on the cheek before landing a little heavily in a chair. "Lovely to sit down for a moment. How are the scones?"

"The scones are a little dry, but the tea is lovely," opined Celia in her normal form. "Helen has been telling us how well some of the new programs are doing."

"Thank you Helen. We have a long way to go, but we've made a start." Caroline nodded at Helen, acknowledging the support she'd been given by the Association.

Helen was gracious about Caroline's thanks. "We can see the changes Caroline is making, and some of the plans for the future. Some of the specialist programs, like the new psychology program, will significantly improve the prospects for those students. And some parents are telling us what a difference it makes having a Head Teacher who's a lesbian. It's completely changed the dynamic and the bullying has been significantly reduced for that group of very vulnerable students, especially after Peter's troubles." Helen waved to Julie as she walked past delivering more scones and tea.

Caroline couldn't stop the little smirk from appearing at the edges of her mouth, while Celia's face crumpled into a frown before quickly brightening into a fake smile.

"You didn't tell me any of this Caroline. When did this all happen?" Celia was a little offended she'd been left out of the loop.

"Didn't I? Oh, in the last few months, since I've been living with Gillian." Caroline had a sly smile on her face, happy to have a little dig at her mum; it felt like payback for all the cheap shots her mother had got in about wanting her to settle down with a man after Kate died.

Celia grimaced, clearly unhappy with the turn the conversation had taken.

"I'm off now. Sorry I can't stay. Parents to meet; students to encourage; staff to manage." Caroline quickly pecked her mother and Alan on their cheeks again before turning to Helen.

"Thank you for everything you and your team are doing today Helen; amazing contribution to the school. We couldn't do it without you." She held out her hand to Helen, and they shook while Caroline shared one of her rare, beaming smiles.

Caroline marched out of the cafe, a smirk on her face, thanking the gods and Helen for a job well done with her mum. She couldn't wait to tell Gillian about it, and the thought of it made her laugh. This was going to make her day, she thought.

.

.

It was late in the day and the fete was nearly over. Caroline and Annafrid were in a corridor outside the administration office, talking about the success of the stand run by the psychology students.

"They did a great job speaking with the public. It was a very thoughtful little research project you all created and the two potential corporate sponsors I brought around this morning were very impressed. Would you please..."

Caroline's voice faded out at the sight of Gillian barreling around the corner, obviously distressed.

"Gillian!"

Gillian seemed oblivious to everyone except Caroline. She rushed straight up to Caroline, almost crashing into her as she desperately clung to her for sanctuary.

Caroline automatically shifted to accommodate Gillian, wrapping her arms around the tense body hanging on to her tightly.

"Annafrid, this is Gillian, my partner." Caroline was stroking Gillian's back. She turned her head down to Gillian, asking, "What's the matter?"

Annafrid could sense that the two women needed a moment alone and took a step back. "This might be a bad time. I'll see you next week Caroline."

"Sure. Thanks for everything you've done today. See you next week." She nodded at Annafrid briefly, flashing her a smile before she turned her focus to Gillian again.