Chapter 25

We are, as always, very grateful to the followers and reviewers of our story. It's good to know that we are not alone in our wish to keep Kate and Caroline together, forever.

Care for her sheep occupied most of Gillian's morning and she treated herself to a well-earned rest, propped up against the Landy, while she downed a now lukewarm bottle of water. The midday sun was scorching and as she wiped the sweat from her brow she was thankful that the wispy, scudding clouds offered some protection. Fully aware that she was alone, except for the sheep, she opened up her shirt and bared her torso to the sun's rays.

She never tired of the view from the top field, across the valley; it brought her solace when her personal life was in turmoil which had been a significant percentage of her life. Unlike some of the other local inhabitants she even applauded the neighbouring farmer's decision to use a portion of his land for a small wind farm, finding the sails' movements mesmerising.

Her mind was occupied with the landscape, and her comparatively good fortune to have a job outside on such a day, when her 'phone rang and she cursed loudly, annoyed to have her reverie disturbed. Ripping the 'phone from her back pocket she checked the screen to find Caroline's face staring back at her, which did away with her annoyance, and she pressed the accept button.

'What a surprise! I thought you were too busy for me?' she joked.

'Never too busy for you, my exotic beauty. Whatever gave you that…'

Gillian took the 'phone away from her ear to double-check the picture. Why could she hear John Elliott's ingratiating voice and not her step-sister's rhythmic tones? Reality soon dawned; she had hidden John's 'phone number as part of Caroline's contact when she became serious with Robbie. If her new husband had checked her 'phone he would have found similarly hidden numbers of old or potential suitors – her safety net in times of trouble or famine.

'Oh shit and bollocks.' Gillian shouted as she covered the mouthpiece and considered her options.

'Hello, Gillian, are you still there?' John yelled, as if an increase in the volume of his voice could reach across the miles without the use of technology. Like Gillian, he also checked his phone's screen, in his case to make sure that the call was still connected.

He had been smitten since their first meeting, convincing himself at various times that he had fallen in love with her.

Truth be told he could not think or function without a woman to caress his ego, or his manhood, and having been on the receiving end of Kate and Lawrence's stinging rebuke he had wasted no time in scrolling through his 'phone to look for solace. Also like Gillian, he had hidden numbers in his contact list and she was 'Liz Ham' – an abbreviation of Lizzie Cunningham, the name he proposed giving her when intending to write a family saga based on Alan and Celia's reunion.

So with both of them absorbed in conflicting thoughts, which in Gillian's case focused on trying to conjure up justification to elude John, it was some time before the conversation continued.

'What a surprise!' Gillian eventually managed to utter, hitting her forehead with the palm of her left hand as she did so. She immediately thought to herself how stupid she was and wondered why she didn't just pretend that she had lost her 'phone signal. But the long and the short of it was that she was a kindred spirit to John in many ways and the short time she had spent with a snubbing, sullen husband since their return from honeymoon was already chipping away at her wedding vows.

Little did John know, although he may have hoped it, that a few carefully worded compliments in the next few minutes would achieve his goal.

'May I dare to hope that it might be a pleasant one, at that?' he questioned, with his most boyish charm. 'I know how busy you are so please tell me straight away if it's just not a good time for you to chat.'

'Oh, you know me, John. Always stressed and busy but that doesn't mean I can't stop for a few minutes.' So Gillian opened the door while keeping her foot ready to block it. 'How have you been?'

'I'm very good, thank you. Making the most of the summer Uni break to write. But, might I say, in need of time with my muse!' He left that proclamation hanging for the briefest of time before continuing, 'Anyway, more importantly, how are YOU?' He crossed his fingers as he spoke as if that might bring him luck.

'Muse, eh? You haven't called me that in a while. The last time you did you were on the receiving end of a wallop from Robbie a short while afterwards! Are you including that little incident in the story?'

John rubbed his face gently as if to erase the memory of Robbie's fist hitting flesh.

'No way Jose! That story is not going to see the light of day, at least as far as I'm concerned. God, I still think Caroline would castrate me if I did. I still remember her promise to cut off my starved-of-light, pink little bollocks!'

Gillian laughed down the 'phone. 'Well that paints a pretty picture!'

'Don't! Not that I have much need of them at the moment. You got married and broke my heart so they might as well be chopped off.'

Despite herself Gillian could feel her clit respond to the memory of her last physical encounter with him. Physically he was not the most generously endowed of men but, somewhat surprisingly for a Lothario, he had made up for that in his attention to detail and concentration on her needs.

'Are you 'phoning me to just tease or do you want to meet up for a quick fuck, John?'

'Oh, now who's teasing?' he stuttered, his breath taken away and more than his interest aroused by her directness.

'What makes you think I'm teasing?' The sheep farmer touched the crotch of her jeans and felt the response within. 'Want to come over for a reunion?'

oOo

Two hours had passed since Caroline had spoken to her step-sister. She was pleased with the work she had achieved since she shut off the call to Gillian; truth be told she had the report framed in her head weeks ago, the deadline being bought forward was inconvenient, that's all.

Caroline prided herself on her professionalism and knowledge of the income and expenditure at Sulgrave. Yes the school had committees and more meetings than she could ever attend but she read every report, the minutes of every meeting and not a penny was spent without her knowledge.

'Oh Beverly I could sure use you now,' she sighed. The headmistress had decided against asking her trusted secretary to come into school and help; it would just be to help her locate files as Caroline freely admitted that admin was her Achilles' heel and where Beverly excelled. But after everything the loyal and trustworthy secretary had put up with over the last year, calling her to ask where a handful of documents could be found was the last thing she wanted to do.

'Gotcha!' The headmistress exclaimed as she found the last of the three files she was looking for. She sat down on the black leather chair, thudded the papers on her desk and reminisced about all that had happened over the last year and the tales her office could tell. A sad smile crossed her face when she thought back to the days she cried at her desk when she and Kate were apart. The frown soon changed to an embarrassed grin, when she thought of Kate leant against the door with the blonde's hand exploring inside her bra.

'Oh shit!' she exclaimed, as she glanced up at the clock. She picked up her iPhone in her right hand and tapped Kate's number in with her left. While the phone was ringing she flicked her left wrist to check the time again, frustrated with herself for delaying the return home to her wife, even if only for a few minutes.

'Hey gorgeous, I'm just about to leave the house to take a walk to calm my nerves and pass some time until you get home. How have you got on?' Kate's dulcet tones filled Caroline's heart with joy.

'Hi darling. I'm just packing up now; the sod-it factor has taken over and I can't wait to see you. How have you Lawrence managed this morning? Is he up? Has he crawled out of bed yet?'

'He's fine, he helped me strip the beds and has gone off to see Sarah. Anyway, listen, we can catch up face to face. It's only been a few hours but I've missed your beautiful face and big blue eyes, so get cracking and get here!'

'No sooner said than done my love. I'm on my way.'

Half an hour later the two women were sipping coffee in their favourite coffee bar. They held hands, oblivious to the occasional stares they drew as they discussed what life would be like with a new baby, their baby, one that was planned and wanted.

Brown hands and fingers intertwined with freckled cream, blue eyes gazed lovingly into brown as they agreed that it would be best if they involved Lawrence as much as possible. They'd tell him later that they were going to the clinic and he was welcome to go with them. They also agreed that if Kate was pregnant they'd invite everyone over for Sunday dinner and announce the news then.

Ever vigilant and in tune with her wife's emotions, Caroline felt Kate's demeanour change ever so slightly. 'What's up my love? Are you ok? Is something wrong?'

Caroline shimmied even closer to Kate and put her arms around her shoulders.

'Don't you think we're tempting fate by making all these plans when we don't even know if I'm pregnant; maybe we should wait until I get through the first three months?'