Kate changed her mind about the coffee and came back with a bottle of red wine and 2 glasses. Sitting back down at the side of Caroline, she uncorked the bottle and started to pour it. Her hand was shaking and the lip of the bottle clinked on the rim of the glass. She brought up her other hand to hold the bottom of the bottle steady and then handed a half full glass to Caroline.

"I know you have the car outside but if you want more, help yourself. Or I can always go back and get you a coffee."

"No, no, that's fine thank you. I never drink more than one glass of wine when I am driving. I think wine is what I need right now."

They sat looking at each other, the atmosphere in the room charged like a powder keg.

They both started talking at the same time.

"About earlier" "So what do you"

Caroline laughed.

"After you."

Kate straightened her body and looked directly at Caroline.

"Thank you. Yes, about earlier. I am not going to apologise for kissing you. I have wanted to kiss you from the moment I first saw you. My only regret would be if I had made a complete fool of myself and as a consequence, you feel uncomfortable around me. I hope I haven't ruined any chances of you and I being friends."

Caroline lowered her eyes and stared at the glass she was holding in her hands. She slowly moved it around in a circle, watching the wine as it created a whirlpool inside. She took a sip and licked her bottom lip before raising her head and facing Kate. She nonchalantly put her hand on the cushion at the side of her, wanting Kate to cover it with her own. When she didn't, she moved her hand again, this time brushing Kate's fingers. Kate took the hint and closed her hand around Caroline's.

"You haven't made me feel uneasy Kate. I like being with you. I like being with you a lot. And I am glad you haven't apologised for earlier because I, erm, I think that I, well, it was rather nice. I just don't know what we do now. What happens next?"

"I don't know either. The only thing I do know is that I want to kiss you again. I want to hold you in my arms and I want to kiss you."

"Well, I erm, I want to, how can could, why don't you err"

And Caroline moved her body so that she was facing Kate and she waited. She waited until she could hear Kate's breathing, which seemed to match that of her own, shallow and quick. She waited until she could feel Kate's breath on her cheek and she could smell the sweetness of her perfume. And then she closed her eyes.

The touch of Kate's lips was light, like the touch of butterfly wings. Caroline moved her head forward a little, unsure as to whether she had actually been kissed. And then she opened her eyes and saw Kate, her head to one side, her eyes slowly closing. And she closed her own eyes and relaxed.

The kiss was slow and tender and somewhere in the middle of it all, Caroline found a new sense of self-assurance and she reached up her hand and stroked Kate's cheek, gradually moving her hand around to the back of her head and pulling her towards her so their kiss was harder and with more fervour.

A quiet moan escaped Kate's lips and she moved her hand up Caroline's arm and to her ear. She walked her fingers down her neck and paused when they reached the opening of her blouse. Slowly, she reached for the top button and started to unfasten it. She felt Caroline quiver under her touch and she moved onto the next button. When she had unfastened that, she slowly slid her hand inside Caroline's blouse but without warning, Caroline's hand covered hers and she moved her head backwards and spoke softly.

"I'm sorry but I am err, I am just not ready for this. I'm not, I err I want time to get to know you better, to get used to this and to think about what I want, about where this is going."

Kate smiled at her and clutched both of her hands.

"Of course. I'm sorry, I just got carried away."

Caroline moved sideways on the sofa and nestled her head onto Kate's chest. She lifted her arm and draped it around Caroline's shoulder and pulled her close. It felt so right, so natural and she moved her head so that her cheek was resting on the top of Caroline's head. After a few minutes, Caroline cleared her throat and started talking, her voice shaky and no more than a whisper.

"I, err, this isn't the first time that I have you know, kissed someone. A woman I mean." She nestled even further into Kate, her voice becoming muffled.

"I had this friend at University, someone who was in my chemistry class. We were both young, we were both very inexperienced sexually and we just, well, we just sort of had, we err, we did things, you know."

Kate lifted her head and looked down at Caroline. She was shocked by the revelation.

"So what happened? How come you ended up married to James?"

"John. His name is John. And, oh, I don't know. I was besotted with her and she knew that and she tried to change me. She controlled me, she erm, she hurt me. I'm not proud of it but it happened. Oh, it wasn't anything like you read about in the papers. It was just when she had had too much to drink, you know, she became a bit violent and she would push me about and stuff. I am not trying to excuse her but she just couldn't handle her drink. Anyway, after a time I walked away. And John was there, he was just there waiting. I can't even remember how and where. But I sought solace and comfort in him and the next thing I knew we were walking down the aisle and my days of being a les, of being err gay, they were over."

"Wow Caroline I'm shocked."

"I don't regret it. I love my boys, my house, my life. I just don't love John anymore. He doesn't live with us now. He had an affair and well, I threw him out. It was quite funny really." And she told Kate about the night when she had thrown his things down the stairs and broken a few pictures in the bargain while she was trying to hit him with his shoes.

"And I have repressed these feelings for so long but I have always sort of known. My mother, well, she didn't have a very loving relationship with my father. God only knows why they got married. They were just 2 people living in the same house really. They would go for days without speaking. Anyway, when I tried to talk to her about this, about my friend, she brushed it off and said that I was seeking attention. She didn't seem to understand what I was telling her at all."

Kate kissed the top of Caroline's head.

"It isn't easy you know. But you need to remember that no one can tell you who you can and can't fall in love with. And it doesn't matter whether that person is of the same sex or not. People will get over it you know. They will find someone else to talk about tomorrow, someone else to stare at."

"I guess so. It's just that I am Dr Elliott, head of Sulgrave Heath, wife of John, mother of William and Lawrence. It's not what people expect me to be."

Kate snorted in dissent.

"And what is that Caroline? You can be whoever you want to be. Be who you are for you and no one else. But don't lie to yourself and pretend to be someone who you aren't."

They could have stayed like that forever, happy in each others arms, chatting about their past, about their dreams and aspirations. But the light was starting to fade and Caroline needed to get home to her boys. John would be dropping them off soon and she wanted to be home by then. Reluctantly, she sat up and stretched her arms above her head, looking over at Kate with compassion in her eyes.

"Can I see you tomorrow after school? Are you free?"

Kate smiled.

"I can be." And she moved forward and kissed Caroline with a tenderness that neither of them had known for a very long time.

Monday was never Caroline's favourite day of the week but today was different. There was a sudden excitement about the day and she couldn't wait to get to work. She crossed her fingers and hoped that the flowers she had ordered the night before had arrived before Kate left for work.

"Good morning Beverley. How was your weekend?"

"Good morning Caroline. It was very nice thank you. How was yours?"

"Excellent, yes, very good. Err, while I remember, can you get hold of Miss McKenzie and tell her that I would like to see her in my office after school please. I need to go through some ideas I have had for the competition choir. I also want to co-opt her onto the Christmas Fete committee. I think she will be very good. If I have any other meetings, please rearrange them. It is very important that I see Kate, err Miss McKenzie tonight."

"Of course! Anything else?"

"No, thank you. Not at the moment."

Caroline walked into her office and sat behind her desk. The previous evening had been very surreal and even John turning up with the boys, obviously under the influence of alcohol wasn't enough to dampen her mood. The time she had spent with Kate and the kisses they had shared had lifted Caroline from a deep dark place that she was currently floundering in.

"He's pissed mum. Him and Judith had at least one bottle of wine each at lunchtime." William was obviously horrified by this and he stood next to Caroline, his body straight, his arms by his side.

"Well, that's your father's choice isn't it? As long as you boys don't turn out to be like him. Womanising and drinking and driving all over the road like a menace because you are too stupid not to know that it is wrong."

John sneered at her and swayed slightly as he tried to defend himself.

"Gosh, Mrs Fine and Mighty. Where did you park your high horse?"

"I'd like you to leave now John. I have things to do. Say goodbye to your father boys."

As usual, Lawrence saw nothing wrong in John's behaviour and he patted him affectionately on arms.

"See ya popsicles."

William on the other hand had seen enough of his father's antics and he just glared at him and stormed off upstairs, slamming his bedroom door very loudly.

"Another perfect evening in the Elliott household. Now all I need is to see my mother's face glaring at me through the kitchen window. Let's pray that that doesn't happen tonight."

And someone answered her prayers because Caroline took herself off to bed 3 hours later having spoken to no one else that evening, happy to be with herself and her thoughts of Kate.

Kate was on a similar high that morning. She had been awoken by a courier who had handed her a very large bunch of flowers. The card just had the words "Thank You" written on it but she instantly knew who they were from. The knot in her stomach tightened and she was excited to be going to work and the prospect of bumping into Caroline. Even though they had only shared a couple of kisses the day before, they had both opened up about their past in an attempt to move forward with each other and it was a huge step as far as Kate was concerned.

She chatted to a few of the teachers in the staff room, telling them how much she had enjoyed her first week and made her way to her classroom to retrieve her marking and set up for her first lesson.

As she turned round from the cupboard with an arm full of books, she saw Sophie standing in the doorway watching her. She was wearing jogging trousers and a school PE jacket that was unzipped to reveal a tight white tee-shirt. Kate could tell from the way that her nipples were straining through the material that she wasn't wearing a bra. She averted her eyes before Sophie realised what she was looking at.

"Miss McKenzie, have you got a minute?" And before Kate could think what to say, Sophie had entered the classroom and closed the door behind her. She sauntered down to the front of the room and perched on the end of one of the desks. Kate put the books down and turned to speak to her.

"I just wanted to say that I am sorry for the way that I reacted yesterday. I was just fed up when Frosty interrupted our fun." She winked at her and Kate felt slightly embarrassed. "We were having fun weren't we?"

"Yes, I suppose we were."

"And who knows what would have happened, where it would have led." Sophie stood up and walked towards Kate. Her heart started to beat faster and she bit her bottom lip, lowering her eyes and looking at Sophie's trainers as they slowly approached. When they stopped in front of her, she looked up at Sophie.

"I like you Sophie, I really do but I think it would be a bad idea to get involved with someone at work. It could cause all sorts of issues." She was starting to feel flustered and Sophie placed her hands on Kate's shoulders, lightly pulling her towards her.

"I'm not talking about getting married Kate. I am talking about having a bit of fun. You and me are both adults, consenting adults. What's wrong with that? And don't tell me that you don't fancy me because I know you do."

And giving no indication of her intention, she leaned forward and kissed Kate. It was a fervid kiss which started off slow. Kate savoured her lips and then she kissed her back, moving her body forward so that she was pressed up against Sophie. Sophie moved her hands up and cupped Kate's breasts and Kate reacted by placing her hands on Sophie's bottom and pulling her even closer towards her. Then just as quickly as it started, it stopped and Kate pulled back. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and turned around so that she was facing away from Sophie.

"Sophie, we can't do this, not here. Not anywhere really. You are fun to be with and I find you attractive. God, you even look fantastic even in a tracksuit. And yes, I admit that I do fancy you. But this just wouldn't work, it would be too complicated and too dangerous. Besides, I am almost old enough to be your mother. You must only be about 26, 27 at a push."

Now it was Sophie's turn to look confused.

"Have I got this wrong Kate? Have I mis-read the signs? You just kissed me for goodness sake and you grabbed my arse. And I don't care how old you are. Age is only a number. Are you gay or not?"

Kate turned back around and put her hands in the pockets of her cardigan.

"Yes Sophie, yes I am gay. I do like women but it is complex." She felt relieved that she had said this, almost like she had been in a confession booth or sat in a group therapy session.

"What's complex? What's your problem?"

"I just think it would be a recipe for disaster if you and me got together. I wouldn't not want to but I think that we need to stop this before it even starts. I have only ever had one other girlfriend before and I am not much of a player. I'm certainly not the type of person to enter into casual relationships. And not only that, there is someone else, well there could be."

Sophie stopped and looked at her.

"Wow! That must have been one hell of a relationship if you get to your age and you have only had one girlfriend. So, is this someone else serious?"

"No, not yet. But I would like her to be."

Sophie backed off a little.

"That's a shame because I think you and me would have looked good together, would have made a good team. You are one hell of a kisser, has anyone ever told you that?"

"No, no one has ever commented on my kissing before. Urm, thank you."

Sophie extended her hand. "No hard feelings Miss McKenzie?"

The walls were back up.

"None at all Miss Brightman." And Kate reached out her own hand and shook it.

"You know where to find me if you ever change your mind."

And instead of answering with any form of closure, Kate said

"Yes I do. Thank you."

Kate tucked her hair behind her ears and picked up the books again. Why didn't she tell Sophie that she wouldn't need to find her, that she wouldn't change her mind? She had just told her that she wasn't a player and yet here she was almost giving Sophie hope that if she got over her latest obsession, she would look her up. What was she thinking?

As she started to put the books out on the desks, she mulled over what had just happened and realised exactly what she was thinking: she was attracted to both women. There was Caroline who was proud and magnificent and sexy. She would be a challenge because she was not yet comfortable with her sexuality but Kate knew that she would be worth the effort. She was steady and sensible and very solid but was she a keeper? She had a lot of baggage which Kate was anxious about.

Then there was Sophie who much younger than she was and very pretty. She had just admitted what her intentions were and Kate knew that things between them would be very physical and energetic. But it probably wouldn't be long before she moved onto her next liaison. All of these things were exciting but slightly unnerving at the same time.

As the bell rang, Kate tried to push both women to the back of her mind but it wasn't easy. Both women were equally appealing but they both had their own warning signs flashing above their heads. This should have served as a sign for Kate to back off but it only made her want to wade in deeper.