In Any Event. 8.
A/N- Just a bit of fluff to keep this going a little longer. I have ideas for a couple more chapters. Thanks for reading.
"Really? You think she was hinting about us having another baby?" Caroline asked in disbelief. "Are you sure you're not getting your wires crossed."
"Hey, I was shocked too!" Kate said as the cab took them closer to home. "But that is definitely what she was getting at."
Caroline looked thoughtful for a moment and twisted the fingers on one hand into her opposite palm. "Have you ever thought about it?"
Kate shrugged. "Since... everything...I never thought I'd have one child, I suppose I thought it would be pushing my luck to imagine I could ever have two." Kate admitted. "And then with being on my own and my finances being what they are..."
"Why what's wrong with your finances?" Caroline asked suddenly, the three drinks she had consumed dissolving any reluctance she might otherwise have felt in prying into Kate's personal business.
Kate looked out of the window and away from Caroline. "I used a lot of my savings when Mya was born...well because I left school when I did, and got another job, I wasn't entitled to much maternity pay, I hadn't been there long enough, but I wanted to have as much time off with her as I could, I couldn't go straight back to work after the birth so I had to fund it myself, and since going back I've only been part time..."
Caroline nodded and put a hand over Kate's, causing Kate to turn and look at her.
"So if you thought about it now then...? With things being ...different..?" Caroline asked.
Kate looked suspiciously at Caroline. "What do you mean?"
"Well, you're not on your own now and ...well...finances...I mean...that's not really a problem for me...money...so it needn't be an issue." Caroline blustered.
"So you are asking...what? If I perhaps would like another baby?" Kate asked, amused by the lack of Caroline's usual directness.
"Well, It's not the worst suggestion she's ever made, is it? It would be nice for Mya..." Caroline argued.
"And how would you propose we go about it this time?" Kate questioned casually.
"I don't think Greg would be willing." Caroline said quickly. "Or perhaps he would but I would rip his head off and shove it up his bum if he ever so much as tried to hug you again, so that's definitely out." Caroline deadpanned.
"Well, there is always John, he's certainly still fertile and there's nothing like keeping it in the family!" Kate laughed loudly at the look of disgust on Caroline's face as she got a dose of her own teasing medicine.
"If we did do it...we would have to do it right this time...not that Mya isn't the most right thing to come out of something ...well...wrong. But it would have to be what we both wanted and it would have to be done properly." Caroline said seriously.
Kate nodded. "I suppose so." She agreed as she stroked the soft hair of her sleeping little girl.
Xxxxx
"Hello." Kate said as she managed to get to the phone just before it went to the machine.
"Hello? Would it be possible to speak with Caroline?" A female voice inquired politely.
"Um, sorry she isn't home yet, in fact I thought you were her, ringing to let me know what school trauma has slowed her down today." Kate said conversationally.
"Oh, I'm sorry...I should have called her mobile really, it's just that I tried that yesterday, so... I didn't mean to disturb you." The woman explained.
"No problem, would you like me to pass on a message when she finally turns up?" Kate asked helpfully.
"No that's Okay...I think I may have figured out why I haven't heard from her after all..." The caller said cryptically.
"Okay then..." Kate said feeling a little confused.
"Sorry, Can I just ask...to clear it up in my own mind...who am I speaking to?"
Kate frowned and paused before answering. "Kate." She said simply. "I'm Kate, can I ask the same?"
"Ah, I thought as much. Sorry, this is Sheila. I was a friend of Caroline's." Sheila replied.
Kate recognised the name and she noticed the use of past tense with a little relief. This woman was the one who had been seeing Caroline before she had run into Kate again. Kate didn't know what to say, she suddenly felt like she shouldn't have been answering the phone as if she lived here, she also felt more than a little curious about the woman on the other end of the line and about how Caroline had left things with her, she hadn't mentioned anything about it after the first couple of times and Kate hadn't wanted to seem like a jealous girlfriend.
"Shelia." Kate said. "Yeah, Caroline has mentioned you."
"Really? Well, she mentioned you too Kate, so now I know what's what. I take it you are back together?...Sorry, not my business...I'm just... Well, I'm glad she's happy anyway. You can tell her she doesn't have to call back, I understand." Sheila said quickly and followed with a goodbye as she hung up the phone, before Kate got to say another word.
Kate gave the handset a startled look as if it had just performed some feat of magic in her hands and was only dragged out of her bemusement by the sound of Caroline's car on the drive.
Xxxx
"Shit. I'll have to call her." Caroline said as she accepted the glass of wine that Kate handed her.
"So you hadn't ended it then?" Kate asked with a highly raised brow.
"No, I mean, there wasn't really much to end and I just hadn't called...I thought she'd just lost interest as well, you know...it had ... fizzled out." Caroline said meekly.
"Well, she sounded interested today." Kate told her simply.
"I can't believe she rang the house." Caroline said, then as she drank some of the wine she seemed to be considering something. When she removed the glass she put a finger to her lips and cringed a little.
"What?" Kate asked as she stirred the Chilli she was making.
"Hmmmmm yes, come to think of it, she had emailed me once or twice last week." Caroline admitted.
"Caroline!" Kate scolded, pointing the wooden spoon at Caroline dangerously. "That poor women."
Caroline was shame faced. "I haven't gotten around to opening them yet...do you know how full my inbox has been over the last few days?"
"Hmmmmm, maybe it wasn't that." Kate said over her shoulder. "Maybe you were keeping her as a back up, you know in case it all went tits up with us?" Kate said with only a hint of seriousness.
Caroline crossed the kitchen now and set her glass on the side next to Kate's, standing behind her girlfriend and putting her hands on her hips, pulling the taller woman back against her and kissing her neck, breathing in her scent as she moved her arms to encircle Kate.
"Do you want me to call her now and tell her that I am the luckiest woman in the world because the love of my life has decided to give me one last chance and if it doesn't work out this time I am going to see out the rest of my days in a convent." Caroline teased.
Kate pretended to consider the offer. "I don't think that will be necessary, but you should probably ring her." Kate said turning around in Caroline's arms and landing a kiss deftly on her pink lips.
Caroline nodded, despite the idea being one she did not relish, she owed Sheila that at least.
"What did you tell her about me anyway?" Kate asked, a curious sparkle in her eyes.
"Nothing." Caroline said. "I mean I told her that there had been someone special and that it had ended badly...that I hadn't wanted it to end." Caroline averted her gaze, feeling vulnerable even at the memory. "But I didn't go into specifics."
"You must have mentioned me by name...she seemed to know who I was as soon as I said it was me." Kate said.
Caroline frowned now. "No, I don't think so. Not when I told her that. I might have mentioned you in another way...you know...oh I took Kate there once...that kind of thing."
Kate grinned and put a finger to the tip of Caroline's nose. "Ahhhhh, you must have gone all dreamy eyed anytime you mentioned me and she put two and two together!" Kate said smugly.
Caroline made a point of kissing Kate to shut her up and then asked how long dinner would be.
Xxxx
Teasing aside, Kate had felt a stirring of jealousy, of possessiveness following her phone conversation with Caroline's lover. After putting Mya to bed in her second bedroom, she and Caroline relaxed in front of the television and as she spread herself out against Caroline's back she began to feel the insecurity niggle at her.
Kate fingered the open top button of Caroline's cardigan idly. "How often did you see each other then?" Kate asked.
Caroline frowned as she looked from the screen to Kate. "What? Who? Oh...Sheila?"
Kate nodded silently and waited.
"Um, I don't know, it varied I suppose, depends how busy we were, it was just...when we found the time." Caroline asked, brushing a lock of Kate's hair from her face as she studied the woman curled up against her.
"What does she look like?" Kate asked next. "Is she pretty?"
Caroline scrunched her face up at the question and shrugged. "She isn't a dog if that's what your getting at, she's attractive in her own way, she is small and has brown hair. But she is quite unremarkable when compared to you." Caroline grinned. "Why?"
"Just wondering...do you think it might have gotten more serious? Eventually? If we hadn't met up again? Do you think maybe, she would be here with you now instead of me?" Kate asked, her voice betraying at last her uncertainty.
"No." Caroline replied without thinking about it. "I wasn't looking for anything like this with anyone else, you know that. I was lonely and Shelia was...well she gave me some confidence, helped me to get more comfortable with myself...really you should be thanking her ..." Caroline went on.
"Really!? I think I'll leave that to you...or not actually!" Kate said squeezing her arms around Caroline tightly.
"You have nothing to be jealous about, you know that I only ever wanted you." Caroline said, turning a little pink at the admission.
Kate kissed her sweetly, promisingly and pulled away with a hooded look at the headmistress.
"It might sound silly..." Caroline said before she could stop herself.
Kate paused and looked questioningly. "What?"
"I think I knew...that we would meet up again...that it couldn't be over. Not that I have suddenly developed any psychic ability. It was just...something I knew...in my heart...that we were meant to be. That at some point, be it two years or twenty years down the line...I'd get you back." Caroline finished.
Kate couldn't contain her delighted grin. "You were waiting for me then?"
Caroline shrugged trying to be nonchalant now. "Always."
Xxxxx