Caroline is standing in the kitchen with a coffee cup in her hand. "Mum?" she looks up from the paper, "Mum? Can I go to dad's this weekend?" "Sure, I can't see why not, that is if Dad is okay with it" Lawrence grins "Great I'll text him now" and he goes back to the lounge room. Caroline is glad that John didn't follow through with the threat of custody of Lawrence, instead both managing to work out an agreement that Lawrence could visit his dad at anytime, just as long as he was okay with it. "He is fine with it mum" she heard shouted from the lounge room. "What is he shouting about?" Kate asks as she walks in with Flora. "He is going to John's for the weekend" "Oh, okay, that may work with my plans then" Caroline looks at her wife confused "Plans?" "Yeah, umm, well, I wanted for us to start Christmas shopping as soon as we can, because Mum sent me a text not that long ago, her and my step dad are coming over for Flora's first Christmas, and she really wants to meet the rest of the family"
Caroline nods at her wife, "just one major issue, I still have no idea where we are spending Christmas day, don't get me wrong, I am hoping that we can have it here, but I'm sure that Gillian is going to put up a fight about it" Kate places Flora into her highchair and walks over to Caroline, she wraps her arms around her waist and pulls her close, "Sweetie, I don't mind where we spend Christmas, just as long as we are together" Kate pulls Caroline into a kiss. "Eww, seriously?" Lawrence exclaims, "Mum we need to go or I'll be late for my maths test" Caroline looks at the clock behind Kate "Bugger, I love you, I'll call Gillian to talk about Christmas, and try and tell her that we have a lot more room here than what she does" "That would be great Caroline, right, well, I love you too, and I'll talk to you later" Caroline gives Kate a quick peck on the cheek, and as she walks past Flora she kisses her head.
Caroline sits at her desk during lunchtime, she pulls out her phone and brings up Gillian's name, she takes a deep breath and presses call. "Gillian, hello, Caroline here" "Caroline, hi, hello" "I'm just calling to discuss Christmas plans with you, you see, the thing is that it is Flora's first Christmas, as I'm sure you know, but also Kate's mum is coming over, William will be home too, and you know, that, maybe, we could have a big family Christmas at mine" Silence. "I'll, I'll have to get back to you on that Caroline, I am not sure yet, I'll have to talk to the others" Gillian replies. 'It's something' Caroline thinks to herself "We'd love to see you all, and little Emily too, but yeah, let me know" "Right, will do, bye Caroline" "Bye Gillian" Caroline then sends a quick text to Kate "Not sure yet. Xxx"
Caroline walks in the door completely exhausted, she sees Alan sitting in the lounge room, and Flora sitting on the floor playing. "Hello Alan" "oh, hello dear, you're a bit late aren't you?" Caroline forces a smile, "Parents evening" Alan nods, "uh Alan, where are mum and Kate?" "Celia is in the flat, she is on the phone to your Marilyn, and Kate? She is up having a bath, she has a pretty bad day with Flora today, said it was the teeth again" "okay, thanks, you don't mind watching Flora for a bit longer?" "No, it's fine love" Caroline leaves the room, drops her bag at the foot of the stairs and goes up to her room.
She finds Kate in the bath of their bathroom; "Kate, I'm home" she walks into the doorway and leans against the wall, taking in the beauty that is in front of her. Kate's eyes open, she looks at Caroline a soft hello comes out. Caroline goes over and kneels down next to the bathtub and gently leans over Kate and kisses her. Caroline shifts to sit better, and holds her hand out for Kate to take, "How was today?" Caroline sighs "a bit better than what it has been" Kate runs her finger down the side of Caroline's face, leaving a wet streak running down her face. Caroline is tempted to climb into the bathtub, but that requires energy, which she had none, and also she preferred the view that she had anyway.
Caroline was curled up on the couch; Flora was sound asleep (successfully put to bed by Granddad Alan) when Kate decides to join Caroline. "Hey" Kate plonks down on the couch trying not to mess up Caroline's paperwork. She picks up a piece of paper, reading it; it was a job advert for the school. "I've been thinking" Kate looks at her wife while speaking "maybe I could be put on the register as a substitute teacher, but maybe I'll be better off at the bottom of the list, you know as in if you are really, really desperate" Caroline laughs "You realise that it is up to the board, and I'll need your resume, as well as a couple of references" Kate laughs, "yep, sure, I'll get on to it, who should I give it to? You or the bursar?" Caroline laughs, and hands her wife a piece of paper, pointing to the last two lines, Kate give her wife a sly smile and then kisses her.