"Caroline Elliot." Caroline had grabbed her phone without checking who it was, as she was desperately trying to wrap up her work for the day as quickly as possible.
"Hi. Umm.." The person on the other end of the phone stumbled over their words, having not been prepared for such an abrupt opening.
Caroline pulled the phone away. Claire. She had to think for a minute who that was. "Sorry. Claire. Hi. I'm still in school mode."
"Oh! Sorry, I thought you'd be home by now. I can call back later?"
"No, it's fine. I should be home, but if I left today's work until tomorrow by the end of the week I'll be snowed under." Best not to mention she hadn't done much actual work today and had been daydreaming instead.
"Oh. Well, I'm just calling because…well, I…has Kate mentioned to you about how I broke up with my fiancé?"
Caroline couldn't remember. "I'm so sorry to hear that."
"Thank you. It was..mutual, I suppose. But the thing is that I had tickets to a fancy food and wine show for us, and since..well, you were the next person I thought of who might enjoy it. So I wondered if you'd like to come with me?"
"Me?"
"Yes. It's in London, so I have booked a room overnight, but I called the hotel and they have another room."
"When..when.."
"Next weekend."
Caroline's mind raced. Someone had actually thought of her and wanted her to join them at something. Like she was their friend. Would she manage a whole weekend in someone's company? She would have to talk to Kate. The thought made her smile. And the smile made her think of kissing Kate, and-
"Caroline? Say if you think it's a silly idea."
"No, I..I just need to check what the boys have on and if I can organise their father. Can I call you back in the morning and let you know?"
"Sure."
"…it's lovely that you thought of me. And I can already imagine myself spending thousands on new products and utensils like I did last time I went to something like that. I went-" Caroline wondered why she had started on this story. "I went with John, my..well, my..soon to be ex-husband, Kate calls him. Before we were dating. He followed me around all day carrying all the bags and I thought he was being a jolly good friend to do that. So when he asked me on a date a week later, I said yes because I felt guilty that I'd used him as a Sherpa."
"I went out with Tim for the first time because I accidentally hit him with a pool cue and broke his nose."
"Ouch. Do you wish you could do that again now?"
"Yes."
At the sound of Claire's laugh, Caroline realised that maybe she could do a whole weekend with someone.
"Actually, you know what, bugger John. He can look after the boys. Sign me up, and send me your details so I can transfer you the money."
"Hi."
"Hi." Kate smiled, opening the door a little wider so Caroline could come inside. "William has done his homework."
"Good." Caroline glanced at the door of the front room before she leaned forward to give Kate a kiss that was far more chaste than she'd like. Then another, a little less chaste. Then her hands lifted to buttons.
Kate smiled but took Caroline's hands and moved them down, holding them in her own.
They gazed at one another in silence for several moments before Caroline opened her mouth.
"Claire called me. Your friend Claire. And invited me for a weekend away."
"She what?" Kate laughed.
"Next weekend. A food and wine show in London. She's even booked hotel rooms. Apparently she was going with..Tim? But they broke up."
Kate grimaced. "She called me to tell me but I think I spent the whole call talking about..well, you. You're going for a weekend away with my friend before you've been on a weekend away with me?!"
Caroline looked startled. When she had friends before, john used to sulk if she went anywhere with them and he wasn't invited. "I-I can-"
"I'm only joking. I think you'll both enjoy it." Kate brushed her thumb over Caroline's hand. "And no doubt you'll find lots of things to wine and dine me with."
"I'll be thinking about you the whole time like I have today." Caroline admitted with a blush.
Kate's cheeks grew rosy with happiness, her eyes dropping to Caroline's lips again.
"Mum? Is that you?" William walked out a moment later to find his mother hanging up her coat and Kate disappearing into the kitchen. "Kate's making homemade pizza. I helped her make the base."
"Hi, sweetheart. Did you have a good day?" Caroline kissed her son's cheek.
"Not bad. You?"
"Perfect. However, I have some news for you that I'm not sure you'll like."
"You want me to help Florence with her maths homework again?"
"Worse, I'm afraid. I'm going somewhere next weekend, so you'll be with your dad for a couple of days."
At the look of dismay on his face, Kate offered from the doorway, "or you could..if-if..you could stay here on Saturday night. My only plans will probably be marking, so it will be quiet."
"You aren't going together?" William looked between them, worry creasing his forehead.
"Would you want to spend a whole weekend with your mother at what can only be described as a huge, posh supermarket?"
"Why wouldn't you?" Caroline asked with mock indignation.
William smiled. "Probably not, no."
"Exactly. Dinner is ready, come through and we can eat in here."
"Why wouldn't you?!" Caroline asked again.
Kate and William shared a smile.
Caroline huffed, but when they turned away, she smiled to herself.
…
How different an evening was with Kate compared to John. There were no shouting matches, no arguments, the tv wasn't on full blast. The only thing missing from the perfect evening, possibly not for the other two but for her, was Lawrence.
Caroline sat with her legs curled under her reading through proposals for various teams and groups within the school, while William and Kate sat watching a drama on TV.
Caroline smiled and looked back down at the proposals.
What it might be like if this was every day. How calm life would be.
She would come back from her weekend away, and Kate would be interested in seeing everything she had purchased. Then she would make her family something new and delicious for dinner, and they would all sit down together.
She wasn't blinkered. She knew Lawrence and William would still argue. She would still snap at them. She would still go to bed annoyed some days.
But Kate would be there. She would massage her shoulders, she would kiss her neck. She would undo her shirt buttons and slide her hands inside Caroline's bra and caress her.
Caroline shook her head, cleared her throat and tried to focus on the proposals.
The next proposal was from Michael Dobson. He made one every semester and every semester Caroline would say no because there weren't enough details. This time there seemed to be even fewer details. There were only 6 lines.
Caroline went cold when she read them. Then she looked up at Kate.
Sensing eyes on her, Kate glanced at Caroline and was about to smile at her when she saw the anger there. "Caro-"
"I think it's time we went home, William. Get your things."
William nodded, jumping up as Caroline began pushing things into her bag.
"Okay?" Kate asked lightly, touching Caroline's elbow.
It was pulled away like it burned.
"Caroline?" Kate sounded worried now.
"I'll see you at work." Caroline's mind was working overtime and her voice was emotionless.
William glanced at Kate, then his mother, and then rushed toward the door.
"Caroline?" Kate ventured again. "What's happened?"
"Bye, Kate." William called over his shoulder as he almost jogged to the car. He knew his mothers tone meant he needed to do what he was told.
"..I love you." Kate said quietly at Caroline's quickly retreating back.
This made the blonde still, and after a few seconds she turned back to see Kate almost in tears and looking confused and hurt.
Caroline walked back into the home, and after a short hesitation, handed her the proposal from Michael Dobson. Kate's eyes grew wide.
"..I'm so sorry. I didn't-" Kate began.
"I'll see you at work." Caroline repeated, taking the proposal back before she turned to her car again.
"Caroline." Kate grabbed her arm, panicked now. She couldn't read the expression on her face.
"I need to think and I need to work out what to do, and I can't do that here."
"Are you angry with me?"
Caroline let out a puff of air. "..no. I'll see you tomorrow."
"I love you." Kate repeated, more quietly this time.
Again, it made Caroline still.
When she turned around, a tear fell down Kate's cheek that made her step forward again, brushing it away with her thumb. "Don't cry."
"I didn't know he would..I thought he was my friend. I just needed someone to know. I was happy."
"Don't cry." Caroline repeated, more softly now as she leaned forward to kiss Kate's cheek. "..I'll call you when I get home. Okay?"
Kate nodded.
When Caroline pulled out onto the street a short while later, Kate was still standing in her doorway illuminated by the warm light from her home as Caroline drove into the cold, dark night.
Kate typed and deleted several messages to Michael Dobson, wiping away angry tears on her face. When no call came from Caroline, she wasn't surprised.
Kate cried herself to sleep that night. Michael had known the whole time he had known her that she was gay. Had he been disgusted the whole time? Had she shared her hopes and worries, and laughs and lunches, with someone who loathed her? Did Caroline now feel the same?
I've heard about your disgusting behaviour with Kate. From the horse's mouth.
I will be going to the board about this.
You will both lose your jobs.
Your sons will hate you.
I will consider not discussing this with the board if you consider my promotion at the end of the year.
I'll be in your office at 2pm tomorrow.