The last day of term was always a bittersweet one for Caroline. She had already said goodbye to her year 11s and supervised their GCSE exams. And the year 13s had long since finished their A-level exams. Both year groups would be anxiously awaiting their results and ready to start the next leg of their life journeys. But the last day was always different. 5 year groups were moving onward and upwards and would be returning at the start of the new term. And Caroline was in charge of their welfare and education.

As she took off her robes for the last time this school year, Caroline looked around her office with mixed feelings. So much had happened in there over the last 18 months: she had told Kate that she could no longer be with her and had then outed herself to Michael Dobson after he betrayed Kate's friendship and trust. After a long night searching for her mother, she had shared a very passionate encounter with Kate after which she told her that John knew about them. She had listened to John tell her that he had been dropped by his publisher which was the start of his downward spiral and if

that wasn't enough, she had also heard the devastating news that Kate was pregnant months after the 2 had stopped seeing each other.

As she was clearing her desk, Beverley popped her head around her office door.

"Caroline, there's someone to see you."

She looked up, distracted.

"Tell them to come back in September when the new terms start."

Beverley smiled.

"Oh, I don't think it can wait till then."

Stepping back, she pushed the door open and stood to one side. Caroline caught sight of the front of a very familiar pram and she beamed.

"Kate! What are you doing here?"

Beverley touched her arm.

"I'll leave you two alone."

"Thanks Beverley. I know what an emotional basket case you can be on your last day so I decided, Flora and I decided, to come by and see you."

"Aww that's lovely. Such a nice surprise. Thank you Kate. Thank you."

She walked over and took her in her arms, kissing her gently. Stroking the side of her face, Kate shifted to her other foot and moaned lightly.

"I was just thinking about that day when we, you know, when I kissed you here in my office. That was mad wasn't it?"

Kate smiled at the memory.

"You damn near seduced me! I had to fend you off."

Caroline laughed loudly.

"Oh you so did not! May I remind you that you were the one who invited me back to your place after school that evening. "

Kate blushed and Caroline cupped her chin.

"Not that I was complaining. Right give me 5 minutes to pack away and I will be with you. You couldn't do me a favour could you and fetch me something from the car?"


They were all stood in the outer office, Beverley cradling a huge bouquet of flowers.

"Just to say thank you for everything this year. For your hard work and organisation skills and discretion."

Caroline hugged Beverley who rubbed her back.

"You are more than welcome Dr Caroline. I love working here. Sulgrave is so much a part of my life. I'm going to miss it during the summer."

"Yes me too."

Kate raised her eyebrows and looked at them.

"Err, excuse me. Schools out ladies. Time to go. You will be too busy to miss school this summer Caroline. I can guarantee that."

Kate took her hand and started to lead her towards the door.

"Someone's keen."

Beverley laughed.

"I just want this one all to myself. No timetables to reschedule. No suspensions to argue over with parents. No Board minutes to proof read and sign off. And no financial accounts and figures to mull over and reallocate. Just you, me and Flora Grace."

Beverley peered once more into the pram.

"I must say Kate, she is absolutely beautiful. She looks so much like you but I can't see the resemb "

She stopped and looked at Caroline who held her hands up.

"Resemblance. Yep I know. It's OK, really it is. I know that biologically Flora will never me mine but I also know that I can give her so much more than genes. I can teach her to be kind and true to herself. I can teach her to be a good person and to love with all her heart."

"Aww Caroline! That's beautiful it really is. And so true. And I am sorry. Sorry to have said that. Right, I will get off before I start blubbering. Have a fantastic summer and I will see you in 6 weeks. 6 whole weeks."

The 3 ladies embraced and hugged again and Beverley bumbled out of her office juggling far too many things and not making a very good job of it.

"So what do you want to do now Caroline? I can cook some supper for us or we can eat out."

"Can we just go home? Is that alright?"

Caroline suddenly looked very jaded and she perched on the edge of her huge office table.

"Of course it is! Is something wrong?"

Kate walked over to Caroline and stood in front of her, resting her hands lightly on her shoulders. She leaned in and their foreheads touched. Caroline moved her head up and kissed Kate lightly.

"Yep, err no, no. I'm just, you know, tired. I always get like this on the last day of the school year. I think I will sleep for a week."

Kate picked up her hands and pulled her up off the table, bringing her close to her and wrapping her arms round her.

"Come on, let's go home. I think a nice long bath is in order.


Caroline lay her head back on Kate's bare breasts and allowed Kate to wash her gently. She hugged Kate's knees which were on either side of her and ran her fingers up and down her calves. As Kate's hands moved down her stomach, the sponge leaving a circle of soap bubbles, Caroline closed her eyes and her shoulders relaxed.

"Let's go away somewhere."

"Mmmmmmmm?"

Caroline's voice was sleepy.

"I said why don't we go away somewhere. Lawrence is going away with John next week. Why don't we have a trip away, just the 3 of us."

Caroline sat up a little and twisted her body around.

"Are you serious?"

"Deadly. How about a week in Cornwall?"

Caroline laughed.

"Oh good Lord! I haven't been to Cornwall in years. John and I once took the boys down there and William was stung by a jellyfish twice in one day. Not the same jellyfish. Well at least I don't think it was. And then John, well, John went on"

Caroline stopped talking mid sentence.

"Err oh I am sorry Kate. I didn't mean to go on about it. It's just that, John was, he is. Anyway, yes I think Cornwall would be a wonderful place to take Flora on her first holiday."

Kate picked up the sponge and squeezed it over Caroline's shoulders, watching the water run in tiny rivulets over her breasts and down her stomach. She repeated this and felt Caroline relax again.

"It's fine. You and John were married for almost 20 years. I understand. I'll have a look tomorrow and see what we can find. I hope we haven't left it too late to book something."

Caroline sighed and closed her eyes. She sculled the water around Kate's legs and moved further down into the bath. Bending her knees up, she rested her head on Kate's mound and wet her hair, pushing it back off her face with both hands.

Kate pulled herself back up on the edge of the bath and Caroline sank further under the water until just her face was visible beneath the bubbles. She was just about to make her move when the baby monitor crackled and Flora's cries came over the wave lengths.

"Leave her. She'll be fine."

Caroline sat up, the water cascading down the bath and in danger of spilling out all over the floor. She started to turn over onto her knees to face Kate and then thought better of it.

"I am getting too old for this. In my mind I am an athlete with a lithe body that can contort into all kinds of positions. In reality, I am a mum of 3 in my late forties."

Kate burst out laughing and offered Caroline a helping hand. Between them, they managed to both stand up in the bath, their naked, wet bodies crushed together as they kissed hungrily and explored each other.

The cries over the baby monitor were getting louder and Kate ended the kiss and grabbed a towel. She threw one at Caroline.

"I'll do you a deal. I'll feed the baby if you pour me a glass of wine, not too much though."

Rubbing her hair, she stepped out of the bath and grabbed her robe. Caroline swatted her behind with her own towel.

"Deal. But don't be too long. The wine might be breathing but I barely am."


"And he is only 16 so do not under any circumstances let him drink anything alcoholic."

Lawrence groaned.

"And make sure he doesn't spend all his spare time on his phone. You know how much I hate those things especially in a social situation. What is wrong with talking to people for heavens sake."

"Mum!"

"Yes Caroline. Anything else? I think I know how to look after my own son after all this time."

Caroline folded her arms and put all her weight on one leg. Her hip jutted out and John leered at her. For a moment, he forgot that she was no longer his wife.

"Really? I am not so sure about that. Remember the time when you left him in your flat on his own while you went off looking for Judith? He ended up spending the night at Kates. How irresponsible was that?"

John dug his hands deep into his pocket and looked at the floor.

"Oh gosh, I had forgotten about that. Well, it won't happen this time."

"Make sure it doesn't. Lawrence, have you packed enough clean underwear to last you the week?"

Lawrence raised his eyebrows and tutted. He bent down and picked up his bag.

"Come on popsicle. Let's go. Bye mum. Bye Kate."

As Caroline moved to hug him, he gave her an air kiss and dashed down the hallway, almost knocking over the telephone table. Caroline rushed after him and stood on the doorstep, watching him get in the car.

"You will be careful won't you? Look after your father Lawrence."

With a small wave, he got in the car and shut the door, not looking back as the car pulled away. Caroline stood waving until he was out of sight.


"Do we really need to take all this lot Kate? The woman at the rental cottage said there was adequate provision for a baby. Why would we need to take a bath? And you have packed enough clothes to last a month. Have you actually left any of Flora's clothes in her room?"

Caroline was stood in the hallway with her hands on her hips surveying the mountain of bags that Kate had left at the side of the front door. She was mentally working out how they would get it all into the back of the car. Along with their own suitcases, she would probably struggle.

"Do you really think it is excessive?"

Caroline laughed.

"They do have shops where we are going you know. If Flora runs out of clothes, bearing in mind that the apartment does have a washing machine, but if she does run out of clothes, we can go on an expedition to the shops and buy her some more."

Kate walked up the side of Caroline and put her arm around her waist.

"I just want to make sure that I have everything. This is our first holiday together as a family, our first holiday together as a couple. I just want it to be perfect."

Caroline kissed the top of her head.

"It will be Kate. We don't need all this lot to make it perfect. We just need each other."


Caroline got out of the car and stretched upwards.

"God I had forgotten how long this drive is. Are you OK in the back?"

"Yes, we're fine here thanks. Aren't we Flora? Although by the smell of things, Flora could do with changing. Where are we?"

"Just outside Bristol. I thought a comfort break was in order. Can I do anything?"

They had already been driving for 4 hours. Best guesses would put them in St Ives in another 3 hours, traffic permitting.

Caroline had opened the back door before Kate had the chance to respond.

"Can you just grab the changing back from the back and I will unfasten this little stink bomb. Come on you. Let's get you sorted."

She picked up Flora from the car seat and she gurgled and kicked her legs. Holding her close to her, she caught up with Caroline and took hold of her hand. Caroline squeezed it and they walked into the service station.

They made for a lovely looking couple. Caroline with her hair pulled back into a French pleat, her milky white skin blending in with her blonde fringe. And Kate with her hair hanging loose in tiny plaits, her chocolate brown skin in stark contrast to that of her wife.

"I'll grab us a coffee and a Danish while you see to Flora. Is that OK?"

Kate turned and smiled.

"Why do I always get the rotten jobs?"

Caroline was just about to say something when Kate laughed.

"Of course it is. Make mine an extra large one with plenty of caffeine."

She watched Caroline walk away. Even in jeans and loafers she still had a sexy swagger and Kate had to stop herself from whistling after her. She let her mind drift to the first time they had kissed, the first time she had acknowledged that she had feelings for Caroline.

"Well, that was a productive meeting. Thank you Kate for staying late and helping me."

Kate stood up to leave.

"You are very welcome. I am glad that I could help progress things."

As they bent to gather their papers, Kate sensed Caroline very close to her and as they lifted their heads, she could feel her breath on her cheek. Slowly, Kate turned her face to look at Caroline and in a moment of madness, she leaned forward and kissed her.

The kiss wasn't reciprocated but Kate continued to move her lips. Suddenly, she felt Caroline's tongue slip into her mouth and then a fervour and intensity which she had never experienced.

Caroline reached her hands out to cover Kate's and then she pulled her into her arms and clung to her as she continued to kiss her. Kate's head was starting to spin and she felt her knees tremble. She pulled away breathless and stared at Caroline, unsure what to make of what had just happened.

"Well, yes, right, thank you Miss McKenzie. Good evening."

Caroline dismissed her and Kate left her office. She sat in her car, breathing deeply and wondering whether she had just signed her own dismissal letter. She watched Caroline leave the building and marvelled at the form that strutted past, totally oblivious to her little Fiat parked 3 cars away. She watched Caroline climb into her car and run her fingers over her lips, a small smile on her face and a twinkle in her eyes.

"Kate. Kate."

Kate blinked and shook her head.

"I thought you were going to change Flora. Are you alright? Here, give her to me. You look like, well I'm not sure what you look like. Are you OK?"

Kate smiled slowly and leaned forward. She whispered something in Caroline's ear and she blushed. Coughing lightly, she took the changing bag from Kate.

"Oh, I see. Well I am not sure that we can err, well you know, that we can do urm urm. Someone is going to bring coffee and hot water for Flora's bottle. I'll just go and change her."

This time, the swagger was exaggerated and intentional and Caroline nonchalantly looked over her shoulder and winked at Kate.