Chapter 26

'If that's what you want Kate that's fine by me. I mean truth be told I'd rather it just be our secret, I.. I.. mean not a secret, that makes it sound dirty, but just between me and…. me and you, our.. our special news that we divulge after we're sure… you know.'

'Oh Caroline, you do babble when you're nervous!' Kate couldn't help but give her wife a loving smile, as she leant into her shoulder and kissed her gently on the lips. 'I love you.'

At the same moment an elderly couple walked by the women's table smiling. The gentleman with his back to them placed two coffees on the table and said rather too loudly to his wife, 'Look Mildred, lesbians.'

'Shush George! Honestly I can't take you anywhere. I'm sorry ladies,' his friendly faced wife replied. 'We're not homophones I promise.'

Whereas Caroline managed to smother a snort at the malapropism Kate couldn't. Liking a tease and knowing that her wife had picked up on it, she smiled widely and replied, 'That's ok, we know you're not a pair of homophones; it's quite clear that you're not.' She choked her reply.

Caroline turned her face away from the pensioners so they couldn't see her smirking. Kate turned to face her and flashed her a look that said 'I bet I can make you laugh out loud'.

Totally oblivious Mildred continued. 'You carry on ladies ignore us, we believe love is love, no matter who or what it's between.'

Caroline and Kate's eyes met and held one another for a split second before both burst out laughing.

'Thank you Mildred,' Caroline sniggered. 'That means… that means a lot to me and my.., and my wife and err… err… we err…..'

The headmistress, normally the most articulate of people, couldn't finish her sentence as Kate was still looking at her square on and nodding in an exaggerated way. Caroline knew she was being goaded and her wife was taking great pleasure in watching her stumbling over her words.

'Yes Mildred… and… and George. Oh, my gosh, George and Mildred!' she shrieked.

Now it was Kate's turn to snort but this time out loud. Caroline looked at her smugly as if to say 'you tease me and I'll tease you right back'.

Kate had no defence and Caroline, sensing victory in the 'l can make you laugh contest', leant into her wife again and in a ventriloquist like manner through stiff lips said 'It's George and Mildred and they ain't homophones.'

The younger of the two couples burst out laughing together again, touching hands as they rocked backwards and forwards, holding each other's gaze throughout.

Mildred's smile faded as she couldn't make sense of the two women. 'Ok, we'll leave you to it. I don't know what you've been drinking but it's nice to see a pair of happy lesbians as you're all usually a miserable bunch.' Caroline and Kate looked open mouthed at one another and a now laughing George piped in, 'Yes and you're always dying off on TV, so go on the pair of ya, you're both wonderful.'

Kate let out a big hearty laugh holding in her stomach, with tears in her eyes. Caroline with her eyes now closed was laughing uncontrollably too.

It was the blue eyed woman who eventually calmed down enough to say 'let's go' a few seconds later. She stared lovingly at Kate who looked relaxed and happy; this was a relief given the serious conversation they had shared previously. They donned their jackets, thanked the smiling pensioners repeatedly and staggered to the Jeep holding hands, smiling like a pair of Cheshire cats. The big 4x4 was parked in the middle of the car park in full view of all the shops and shoppers; in the past this would have concerned Caroline but these days she didn't give a jot.

'I love seeing you laugh Kate, it makes me so happy.'

Sensing the change in dynamics Kate hugged her wife as she said 'It'll be alright, let's get tomorrow out of the way first then we'll go with how we feel.' She pulled the slightly shorter woman into her even more and deliberately squeezed her hard.

'Let's go home, I want to make you feel even happier. Forget lunch, that coffee and cake will have to do. I'm ravenous for something other than food.' She winked and gave Caroline a deep sensuous kiss, their tongues flicking against each other slowly and deliberately. Eyes closed neither woman had a care in the world about where they were and who was looking.

'Funny that, I was just thinking the same thing. We can order a takeaway later. Last one upstairs can't touch or make a noise.'

ooOoo

'Alan, have you seen my diary?' Celia called from the bedroom. She continued to rifle through her handbag, tipping the contents onto the bed before flopping down next to them, exasperation showing more than the usual number of frowns on her face. 'Alan!'

'Sorry, love. What's that you said?' Alan had nodded off after lunch in front of the news and his wife's voice roused him from his stupor.

'My diary. I can't find it anywhere. I thought it was in my handbag but it isn't there. I wonder if I left it at Gillian's. Oh, botheration!'

'Does it matter for now? Don't get upset, love.' Alan felt weary and longed to resume his siesta but was very aware that particular wish was not going to be granted. 'What do you need it for, anyway?'

'Well, what do you normally need a diary for?' his wife replied tersely as she walked into the lounge. She was instantly sorry for her reaction as she realised that, firstly, she had woken her husband up and, secondly, he didn't not deserve that penetratingly supercilious tone of voice.

'Sorry, Alan. So sorry. That was uncalled for. You know what I'm like if I lose something.' She perched on the edge of the settee and reached out to hold his hand. Alan rubbed his thumb across her knuckles and leaned up to pull her into an embrace.

'What I meant was, did you need it for something important or did you just happen to realise that you hadn't got it? It must be at Gillian's if it isn't here.'

'I had a couple of appointments for this week and I'm beggared if I can remember the details. One's my six-monthly dental check and the other one, well I can't even remember what that was for let alone when it is! But I distinctly remember when I made the appointment for the dentist that there was already something else on that page of my diary because the first appointment the receptionist offered wasn't suitable for that reason…sorry, waffling won't sort this out. I can phone the dentist for the details of my appointment but it won't answer the problem what else I'm meant to be getting up to.'

'Ring Gillian. She'll look for it. Problem solved. The other option is that we drive over to Halifax. We told Harry that we would see him before his birthday and you'll need be over there for the dentist, whenever that might be.'

'Well that is an option. I'm glad I made the decision to change my dentist as your Mr Lawson is so much nicer than the one I used to see. But it really is a nuisance when we're here and need to be there. Oh, Alan, I just wish we could be settled somewhere, anywhere.'

Alan realised then that the upset over her diary may be an indication of a deeper issue, namely that they did not seem to be at home wherever they were. Half of their belongings were at the farm and the other half at the flat. This was not the first time that they had wanted or needed something that was elsewhere. They sat together for some minutes before either spoke again.

'Right. Executive decision, Mrs Buttershaw. We'll not trouble Gillian. With this lovely weather she'll be out in the fields somewhere getting on top of things and it would be a shame to disturb her. Anyway, I quite fancy a drive in the Lexus with the top down.'

Within a short while they were ready to go. The downside of having dual accommodation was also a bonus, there was no need to pack a bag! They enjoyed the drive so much that they prolonged it to make a detour via Skipton to have a coffee in the same café where they had met up again the previous year, and to pick up some meat and vegetables from the farmers' market. So doing resulted in approaching the farm from an unusual direction and as they reached the highest point of the lane they could see across to the outer edge of Gillian's grazing land. There, parked up in a layby was the unmistakable shape of the Landy and another car with the bonnet up.

'Look, there's the Landy! Rather a strange place for it to be, though. But by the look of that scenario I bet she's helping out some poor motorist rather than tending her sheep. There's almost nothing she likes better than to get her hands dirty with something mechanical.'

Celia was not so easily persuaded by the scene ahead of them. While her eyes were not what they used to be, she had recognised John's car and had instantly put two and two together.

'Oh, Alan, can you turn around? I've just had a thought. Let's go back and across the other way to the farm. We could get that free-range chicken on ready. It would be so nice for Gillian to get home and be surprised by us being there.'

'Don't be silly. We'll still surprise her. Who knows, the motorist might need a lift somewhere and we could help out.'

Celia's head dropped and she turned her face to look out of the side window. She knew the one thing that Gillian did like to get her hands rather more than mechanics and however much she didn't care what Gillian did, it was important in as far as it had the potential to upset Alan. Her worst fears were realised as Alan began to pull up behind the two vehicles. The raised bonnet lid was a cover for what was really going on; Gillian was kneeling on the grass with her overalls down to her ankles with John astride her and, with the exception of black socks, his clothes were nowhere to be seen.

Celia reached over to touch the back of Alan's hand and without saying a word he put the car into drive and carried on towards the farm. The positioning of the Landy and the BMW served to prevent the copulating couple from seeing the Lexus. The periphery of their consciousness had registered that a car was driving past, nothing more.

Gillian's memory of that car came back to her later that afternoon when she returned home. Initially thrilled to see the Lexus parked up in front of the farmhouse, her thought processes went into overdrive as she climbed the steps to the front door. But surely she had no reason to worry. After all, why would they come along the back lane? Its remoteness was the reason why she had chosen to meet John there. But who else would come that way? Swallowing hard to hide her anxiety she determined to present her usual chirpy self, calling out towards the kitchen as she removed her work boots.

'The long and the short of it all is that there's nothing a hard-working girl likes better than to come home to her loved ones and the smell of roast chicken. What a lovely surprise!'

She walked through into the kitchen and, as she filled the kettle, Alan joined her.

'Hello dad. Want to have a cuppa or do you fancy opening up a nice bottle of something while I take my tea up to the shower?' Gillian questioned as she turned towards him.

'No alcohol for me, thank you.' Alan replied pithily. 'Not in the mood. You take your tea up to the bathroom. You'll be needing to get the grass stains off your knees before Robbie gets home.'