Caroline moved quietly across the hallway in her bare feet. She decided facing the unknown in nothing but her dressing gown wasn't very brave so she returned to Kate' bedroom, reached into her overnight bag, pulled out her pyjamas and quickly put them on. She listened intently for any further noises from downstairs. She had stayed at Kate's a few times over their relationship but not enough to know the unique noises of the house. She didn't know if she had imagined the noises earlier or if they were simply part of the house and its movement.
She realised she was holding her breath and slowly released it before berating her own foolishness. 'It's only the house.' She was just about to look for her slippers when she heard it again. It was distinctive enough for Caroline to identify the source as a chair being moved across a tiled floor. The floor in Kate's kitchen. 'Who the…' Caroline was about to storm down the stairs and face the intruder when she heard the sound of a beautiful melodic singing. She smiled at the words. '….still love me tomorrow.'
She instantly knew the voice was Kate's mum, Grace. She smiled and realised that she sounded a lot like Kate's singing when she played the piano after school. She was taken back to a time when Caroline walked the corridors of the school looking for Kate. After the first time of finding Kate singing in the music room, Caroline found herself venturing there nearly every night in the hope of seeing and hearing her. It was a good few weeks before Caroline plucked up the courage to enter the room and be open about her love of Kate's singing. In those two weeks she had remained outside in the corridor listening and watching like a love struck teenager.
Caroline went down the stairs and walked into the kitchen to find Grace preparing bacon and scrambled eggs on the stove. "Morning Caroline. How are you doing today?"
Caroline smiled. "I'm good thank you Grace. How are you doing?"
Grace continued cooking. "I'm very good. In fact, I am the happiest grandmother in the world and it's all thanks to you and Kate. Is she still asleep?"
"She is. Yes. What time is it Grace?" Caroline searched for a wall clock only to draw a blank.
"It's just gone ten o'clock dear. You two sounded as though you were enjoying yourself last night so I didn't interrupt you. I thought you may need the rest." Grace turned around and winked at Caroline causing her to blush. Caroline couldn't help smile at the thought of Grace hearing Caroline and Kate crying out in pleasure. After Lawrence's leg pulling and now Grace catching them Caroline thought they really had no secrets left to keep and were pretty out and loud.
She busied herself making tea for her and Kate. "Would you like tea Grace?"
"That would be lovely dear. Have you heard any news of Helena?"
"Oh yes. The doctor is very pleased with her progress. We can visit her after lunch and if she improves enough we will be able to hold her." Caroline beaming at the lovely news saw Grace's smile widen.
Grace immediately loudly proclaimed, "Oh my. God has answered my prayers and kept her safe. I am so very happy."
Caroline was just about to walk back up the stairs to take Kate her cup of tea when she was met by a sleepy-eyed Kate on the way down. "Morning darling. Your mum is making a lovely breakfast. I hope you're hungry."
Kate smiled at the sight of her girlfriend wearing her dressing gown. "I'm really hungry actually. I could eat a horse."
Grace interrupted the love birds. "Morning my beautiful one. Bacon eggs and tomato to keep up your energy levels. After the noises you two were making last night I think you will need a large breakfast."
Kate blushed and looked across at Caroline who smiled. She looked away in an effort not to burst out laughing.
A horn sounded outside and Grace busied herself putting her coat on and picking up her bag. "That's my taxi. I'm going to leave you two love birds. I'm popping across to see your father at the home. I'll be back before lunch if that is okay. I would very much like to join you when you visit Helena at the hospital?"
"Mum. You're always welcome to come with us to see her. We'll wait for you to get back. Give dad a kiss for me." She kissed her mother on the cheek and Grace hugged her back before walking out the door to the waiting car.
When the two women heard the door close they both looked at one another and burst out laughing. "She must have got in late last night when we had gone to bed. I didn't hear anything did you?"
Caroline gave Kate a look. "Kate, I couldn't hear anything whilst you were …. You know… mmmmm, lovely things…."
Kate laughed at the thought. "You certainly didn't hold back asking for more Caroline."
This caused Caroline to blush and take a quick drink from her cup of tea. "Come on let's eat." They both took their seats at the table mirroring their meal from the night before.
"What time is your mum dropping Lawrence off?"
Caroline finished her bacon before answering. "I haven't rung her yet to arrange a time. If we say eleven thirty that will be enough time for your mum to get back and we can all go together."
Kate reached across the table and took Caroline's hand and gently squeezed it indicating she was happy and so pleased that their two families were brought together by their new daughter. "Wouldn't your mum and Alan want to come too?"
"Maybe. I just thought that the hospital wouldn't allow too many visitors whilst she is in the intensive care unit."
"Ah. Yes. I didn't think about that. I'm so happy just to be able to see her again. I really miss her Caroline. I can't wait for her to come home and we can all be together. Are you going to contact the Estate Agent's tomorrow?"
Caroline nodded in between taking another bite of her scrambled egg. "This is really nice. Your mum is fabulous cook. I was hoping to go tomorrow if they're open. Why?"
Kate squeezed Caroline's hand again. "I'd like to come with you. I want to put this place on the market as soon as possible. We can also look at what they have for sale and arrange some viewings if there is something we both like."
Caroline put her folk down and took Kate's hand in her own. She gently rubbed her thumb over Kate's palm. "Kate. Are you sure about this? I don't want to put any pressure on you."
Kate smiled at the worry on her girlfriend's face. "Caroline. I want it more than anything in the world. I really want us all together, one big family. It's the only part of the jigsaw missing now. Besides if we can get some things sorted before you go back to work then it will make things a bit easier."
Caroline's face grimaced at the mention of work. "Speaking of work. I have some work I need to get done before I go back. I thought I'd have the holidays on my own and my mind wasn't at work before Christmas. I couldn't really concentrate."
Caroline saw Kate's face lose its smile. "Kate. It's okay. I'd rather have a backlog of work and you in my life than be lonely and on top of everything. When we were apart I realised that work was really pointless. All the money and the big house. It was really empty and meaningless without someone to share it with… without you to share it with."
Kate smiled at Caroline's thoughts and the sharing of her feelings which reflected her own. "I know what you mean. This house wasn't the same without the lingering scent of your perfume. Without the smell of you on my bedclothes. Without your shoes in the hall. I missed those things and they were very small in the scheme of things. I'd sit on the sofa marking homework and cry because you weren't there with your glasses perched on the end of your nose and a glass of Merlot on the coffee table."
Caroline smiled and picked up her tea and held the cup up inviting Kate to do the same. "Here's to paperwork coming out my ears, Merlot on the coffee table, shoes in the hall and long, loud sex!"
Kate picked up her own tea-cup and raised it to Caroline's cup. "Here's to crying in the night…. From Helena, nappies on the line, lazy days in the park, sore boobs…. From Helena, Lawrence babysitting and for the occasional candle lit dinner for two!"
They clinked their cups together and laughed together happy with their soon to be new life. Their ventures into predicting the future were interrupted by a knock at the door. Caroline answered the door to find Lawrence with his kit bag. "Hi mum. Have you only just got up?"
Caroline looked passed him for her mother drawing a blank. "Where's your gran?"
"Oh she's had to go. Godzilla Granny is on the warpath again. Granny and Alan have had words about something. I don't know what but Gillian was really upset and crying."