A/N: As always thank you for your reviews and of course reading my story.
CHAPTER 7-You Belong To Me
"Again! You're seeing Richard again. Why the bloody hell may I ask?" There was no attempt to hide her displeasure. Or was it jealousy?
"It's no big deal Caroline." Kate softened her voice in an attempt to quell Caroline's anger.
"Right so you keep saying."
"Caroline?" How Kate said her name was an attempt to make Caroline see she was making a mountain out of a mole hill.
"I don't like that you're spending so much time with Richard. First lunch…then inviting him over for dinner…his gifts to Flora and now coffee! What's next, hmm?"
"What do you mean by that? What are you implying?" Kate adopted a defensive position.
"I don't think I'm implying anything. I think I'm saying it loud and clear. I don't like the man hanging around you and especially my child."
"He's been nothing but a perfect gentleman. My sounding board more or less. Is all."
"Your bloody sounding board!? Why do you need him as a sounding board? You're with your mother. You have Walter. You have me!" Caroline's words were a blend of jealousy and anger.
"It's just that…he understands first hand how it feels to…to have lost a baby."
"And I don't?" Kate's words fanned the flames.
"I didn't say that Caroline." Her consoling was overlooked.
"I can't believe you told him about the miscarriage. Did you also tell him that I didn't want another child?"
"No Caroline. I told him you wanted me to try again and that I was the one that was reluctant because of the risk of another miscarriage and the heartbreak it brings."
"Jesus. That's just bloody brilliant! Your ex-husband has now become your loyal confidant. Where does that leave me?"
"He's a good man Caroline. He's helped me see that I…we should try again. Do you still want to try again, Caroline?"
"Wait a minute, here. Have I got this right? Richard, your ex-husband, the man you told me drove you away because he flipping didn't understand you. Now this very man he's convinced you to have our child but yet I couldn't. Just bloody lovely!"
"Caroline? This isn't about Richard."
"Not about Richard? Bloody hell, it's all about Richard, Kate. It seems he has more influence over you than I do."
"Caroline, no one else matters but you – you know that."
"Well the facts in this case suggest otherwise. We were supposed to talk about this when you got home but apparently you've chosen to talk to Richard instead of me."
"The most important point here is that I've come to terms with everything now and I want to have our child. If you still do?"
"It appears you've already made up your mind without me –your body, your decision. Right?"
"Are you saying you don't want a child now?"
'Look I have to go. John's staying over so I have to prepare the guest room."
"John's staying over? Why?" Tables turned! Now, Kate was the victim of those little green-eyed monsters running amok.
"I promised Lawrence. He wants his dad to make him pancakes in the morning."
"Caroline, I can't believe you're letting John stay over after all we talked about. After the row we had about him being in our house."
"It's only for one night, Kate."
"Yeah, one night you say? That's what you said last time and he bloody well stayed for months attempting to insinuate himself into your life again. And pushing me out! It very nearly tore our marriage apart. It can only be for sinister reasons he's there - he's selfish – conniving and he knows just how to manipulate you. I don't like him being there."
"Yeah Kate and I don't like you being with Richard all the flipping time."
"Like my being with Richard is the same as your ex-husband sleeping down the hall from you and never knowing when to leave. Thinking up means and ways to get inside your knickers if and when opportunity presents itself."
"He's my son's father. Lawrence enjoys his company- far better than mine. So…I think we need to give Lawrence a break here. He's had a very tough time dealing with…our relationship. He has a right to be happy and he's happy having his dad here….so that's why John's here."
"And your wife, Caroline? What about her happiness?"
"Look Kate I suppose we both have our exes to deal with; mine will be gone in the morning. What about yours? When will he be out of your life? When will I hear the last of you drooling over him? Spouting on and on to me how the perfect gentleman he is. Maybe you should have re-married him; if you think that much of him."
"I think. I think I should go, Caroline."
"Right." Caroline's "right" was as frosty as Kate's "good-bye."
Part Two- Is It Too Late
With nothing less than a death grip Kate clutched onto the handle of the front door. A thousand and one thoughts raced through her head. Her future, if she were to open the door and cross over to the other side, would be devoid of the dreams she'd dreamed. There would be no more Caroline, no more life as it existed now. But there would surely be pain, misery- reflections of "what could have been; what should have been."
She half expected (or was it she wanted) Caroline to call out her name. To demand that she think of what she was doing. Take a deep breath- think before leaping. She half expected a hand to grab at her shoulder and spin her about. Beg her to stay. Pull her passionately into her arms and rekindle the spirit of their love.
But there was no call of her name. No plea to stay. No affectionate hand upon her shoulder. Caroline remained seated in the Kitchen letting events unfold as they may.
Kate resisted the urge to look back to where Caroline sat in silence. Where Caroline sat dispassionately, indifferent to Kate's leaving. Kate finally cracked opened the door. Hesitated. Waiting to hear Caroline's familiar voice. Waiting to hear footsteps. There was no voice to be heard; no sound of footsteps. Nothing. It was then she pulled open the door wider and stepped into her new beginnings.
Kate bolted upright in her bed. It was a dream, thank God. Yes, a bloody dream, she repeated out loud. But it was not a dream. She had re-lived the events exactly as they happened a night ago. She began to whimper as the truth took hold. The sound of a light knock on the bedroom door made her look up.
A tall good-looking blonde man with striking blue eyes that dominated his features stood at the open door. His voice was soft and caring. "I heard noise. Are you okay? Can I do anything for you? Get you something. You fancy a cuppa?" His smile was as kind as his gentle sky blue eyes.
"Thank you Richard. I'm fine." Kate followed up with a small polite smile. "Perhaps tea later." She smiled again. This time around her smile was full, genuine. She was grateful to have Richard, her ex-husband in her life. He had always been protective of her.
"I could bring it up to you. No trouble at all if you do fancy a spot of tea. Or something a wee bit stronger." They smiled wholeheartedly at one another. He had a fleeting thought: "How in hell did I ever let this woman slip from my arms?" If there was ever such a thing as second chances he sure as hell won't waste them.
"I'm perfectly fine now, Richard. It was just a silly dream. That's all." Her voice was convincing but her eyes were not. She was not perfectly fine. She wanted her Caroline to come get her and take her home to where she belonged.
"Right. Then I best leave you be and get back to keeping your Flora company." He turned to leave but Kate stopped him.
"Richard. I do…appreciate everything you've done."
"Stop it. You know I'd do anything for you…." Before he could finish his sentence his little charge, Flora, called out for him. "Duty calls better go before our cherub turns into a mischievous little one…Just give us a shout if you need anything."
Kate watched on as Richard gently closed the door behind him. He was a good man…a very good man; a perfect gentleman in fact, but he could never steal Kate's heart away from Caroline.
Kate sighed before speaking. "So there you have it all mum. My argument with Caroline about reaching a decision to try again to have a baby without her involvemnet and John staying over. Then my subsequent stupid dream about Caroline not caring; not stopping me from leaving her. Kate took a deep breath in and then exhaled loudly. Ginika sat listening to her daughter with fixed attention.
"Mum I think it's time to go home. Patch things up with Caroline before everything gets blown out of proportion. If I ever lost Caroline, I would just…oh mum that dream I just had. It frightened me so. It was so real. How could it have been so real like that? I've never had a dream quite like that." Kate sniffled before she completely broke down.
Her mother took her in her arms and soothed her heavy heart. "Come now my love. Nothing is ever as bad as it seems. Caroline loves you and you love her. You've had a very bad dream that's all and it has upset you. But it's over now. And I assure you nothing about the dream was real."
"I love her so much…and no bloody one else. Certainly not Richard. How could she ever possibly think that I'd risk our marriage for a man I've divorced?"
"Well, I suppose you might ask yourself that same question about your feelings regarding Caroline and her relationship with John. I'm sure it has less to do with trust and more to do with little green-eyed monsters."
"Oh mum John is nothing like Richard. You don't know how manipulative John can be."
"I might not know John but I do know Caroline and I don't think that she is the kind of woman that would cheat on her spouse. With anyone! And I think both of you know neither one of you have it in your hearts to be unfaithful to each other."
"Thank you mum." Kate squeezed her mother tightly – mothers, they always know best.
"You sure you're okay with me leaving?"
"I'm fine now Kate. It's more important for you to go home and be with Caroline. Put things right. Before both or you die of a broken heart, needlessly." Ginika planted a kiss firmly on her daughter's forehead. "Go now my love and start packing."
"Thanks for understanding mum. And you will be alright? If I go?"
"Oh don't you worry, my love. If I need anything I have your Aunt Auggie. She'll be back in a day or two. I'll be just fine until then. Besides, I've just about had my fill being coddled by the two of you. Now go as I said child and get packing. You getting home early, well, it'll be a lovely surprise for Caroline. Won't it?"
"Provided she hasn't found someone else." Kate fretted.
"Now love, how likely is that? "
Part Three- The Matchmaking Game
Caroline spent a restless Saturday night tossing and turning and replaying her and Kate's disagreement in her head a thousand times over. Thankfully, by the time the morning sun crept into her room, Caroline had stopped fretting and come to the conclusion that when the dust settled she and Kate would talk things over again, without the drama of jealousy – she was certain they'd work out their problems- they always did.
Surprisingly, Caroline spent a very pleasant Sunday with John and Lawrence. She rose to the delicious smell of John's pancakes. Although she hated to admit it, John was a very good cook and the boys just loved it when he cooked for them. Probably because, unlike her, he offered up calorie rich food and lots of it. If confessions were to be made Caroline loved it when he cooked too - she just hated the terrible mess that was part and parcel of his culinary skills.
In the afternoon the three of them decided to take in a film at the Cinema. Of course, Lawrence got to choose what film they saw. And lo and behold even her time spend at the Cinema was fun. John wasn't half bad when he put his mind to it. And as for her Lawrence it delighted Caroline's heart to see her son so happy. Perhaps the three of them should partake in more things together. If it would brighten Lawrence's spirit she would be game for that. She was game for anything that would bring back her "old" Lawrence to her.
After the Cinema and eating out at Lawrence's favourite pizza eatery it was late in the evening when they got back home. It had been Lawrence's suggestion that his dad stay another night and Caroline agreed, readily. How could she dare spoil a perfect day for her son? Besides, John would be long gone before her Kate got back home.
To be continued