FINDING A WAY FORWARD

At the Dance

One kiss blending seamlessly into the next, Caroline and Kate realized all at once that the music had ended and that the room had become almost silent. Pulling back from the kiss, their eyes met just as applause and cheers broke out. Looking around quickly to see what they had missed, they found smiling faces looking back at them. Well, mostly smiling faces, a few were doubtful or disapproving. Taking this in, Kate's hand moved down Caroline's arm clasping her hand tightly. It crossed Caroline's mind to wonder if Kate were giving her reassurance or seeking it from Caroline. She had time only to think ruefully, 'Well, Kate you wanted us to come out' before William had caught her into a warm hug. He whispered into her ear, "Mum, I'm so glad." Hugging her even tighter for a second he released her to hug Kate. Caroline saw Roxy just behind William smiling shyly at her. Caroline still had one hand on William's shoulder, but reached out with her other arm to pull Roxy into a brief squeeze.

By this time, the guests, realizing that the music was not going to resume and the festivities were concluding, had begun collecting their belongings. Some had already found Alan and Celia to offer their final congratulations of the evening, express their admiration for the performance of Alan and the boys and convey what a good time they'd had. The first of the departing guests turned from speaking with Alan and Celia to find Caroline and Gillian, their hostesses, releasing one another from a quick hug, one's smile a little embarrassed, the other a little cheeky.

The guests naturally moved down this impromptu line offering thanks and compliments on the loveliness of the affair to Caroline and Gillian before making their way to the door. Suddenly surrounded by departing guests, Caroline anchored Kate to her with a firm grip of her left hand whenever not required to release it to hug an old friend or family member goodbye. To her own extended family and the friends, invited by Celia and herself, Caroline diligently introduced Kate with more or less detail as the circumstances required. Thinking to herself, in for a penny, in for a pound. Many of those passing before her were friends of Alan & Gillian requiring only a polite greeting from Caroline before they moved on to Gillian.

Toward the end of the exodus, Angus' mother took Caroline's hand warmly, thanking her for inviting herself as well as Angus to the wedding. She confided that she hasn't been sure she would have a good time, coming alone now that Angus's dad was out of the picture but that it had turned out to be great fun at the table with Caroline's cousins. "That Marta is a hoot. I can't remember when I have laughed so hard" she told Caroline and Kate, taking them both in with her smile. "Felicity, you know Kate from Sulgrave Heath don't you? She is in the languages department."

"Yes, she has my Angus this term. We met at Teacher's Night. It is good to see you again Miss McKenzie."

Reaching out to shake hands, "Please call me Kate. It's good to see you too"

Felicity told them that she had heard a rumor through school circles that the two of were an item. "I didn't take much notice at the time. There are always rumors going round you know." With a warm smile Felicity continued, "I see now that there must have been some truth to this one."

Caroline had gotten to know Felicity more than other parents at the school through the friendship of their sons. She had begun to think of Felicity as a friend after a conversation at one of the boy's rugby matches revealed that they had both faced similar situations with straying husbands. Following this they had spoken a few times as they picked up or dropped off the boys at one another's home. Caroline found herself admiring this woman's ability to face down her ex and take command of the situation from the beginning as well as the humor with which she'd dealt with it all.

Caroline, already standing very straight with shoulders pulled down as she was wont to do when steeling herself for criticism or controlling herself in some way, raised her chin a trifle more to respond to this woman that she had tentatively begun to think of as friend. "Yes, Kate and I were seeing each other." Glancing at Kate Caroline was discomfited to find herself sharing such personal information, "We had a falling out but it seems we are going to be working out our differences now," said Caroline as she valiantly placed her arm around Kate's waist.

"I wish you both the best," replied Felicity. "I want you to know" looking each woman in the eye, "that I will be having a conversation with our Angus about keeping confidentiality with those in one's personal circle of friends. He will not be going to school to spread the word about everything he saw here tonight, or what he may be privileged to know by virtue of his friendship with Laurence. He has been something of a little shit since his Dad left but he is old enough to learn when to keep things to himself and to let people share their own news rather than have things bandied about in gossip." Then a little embarrassed at her rant, "Guess I've been on the receiving end myself lately. Sorry. Sore subject."

"Thank you," said Kate knowing that this would give her and Caroline a little time to control their story at the school and that this would be important to Caroline.

"Thank you, Felicity," Caroline smiled. The eyes of the two women met and Caroline saw the sincerity in Felicity's steady gaze and knew that this woman was a better friend to her than she had known. "I do appreciate your frankness and understanding." Relaxing somewhat, Caroline once again smiled and told Felicity how surprised and delighted she had been to see Angus with her boys and Raff in Alan's song for Celia. "They were all wonderful. I had no idea any of them were up for that sort of thing. I wonder how Alan got them all to agree, let alone give such a fine performance."

"Oh yes, they used our house for rehearsals. They were hard at it this week once William was home from university. I've enjoyed getting to know both of your boys better, Caroline. Raf as well. And Alan is simply a delight. Well, it's getting late and Angus and I are driving back to Harrogate tonight," said Felicity as she gave Caroline a quick hug and "Happy Christmas to you both." Shaking Kate's hand again she moved on to wish Gillian good night.

Caroline and Kate had only enough time to smile into one another's eyes before the chiding voice of Caroline's Auntie Muriel broke in, "Caroline! You didn't tell me that you had been seeing anyone since John left."

"Yes, well, we-," began Caroline when her cousin Marta broke in.

"Mother, you don't need to be the first to know everything. It's getting late. Say goodnight to Caroline now and we will see her again at breakfast," ordered Marta as she gently but firmly pressed her mother on toward Alan and Celia. Leaning in to give Caroline a quick squeeze and to whisper quickly and all in one sentence, "I'm happy for you, John is a twat. Then hurriedly with a nod toward Muriel, "I've got to stay with her, or she'll be giving Auntie Celia grief." With a quick smile into Kate's eyes and a squeeze to her arm, Marta barged on between her mother and Celia to pull her aunt into a hug and to say loudly "congratulations again, Auntie Celia…"

Caroline and Kate both struggled not to burst into giggles as they watched Marta strong-arm her mother toward the exit. Muriel was looking over her shoulder and clearly had not had a chance to say all that she wished to say.

Soon the guests were gone and Celia and Alan were free to turn to Caroline and Kate for the first time since the music ended. Celia opened her mouth, but Alan was quicker. He pulled Caroline into a hug thanking her for working with Gillian to put on such a lovely wedding. "This will be a day for us to remember always," tears filled his eyes as he looked over to Celia, "Won't it love?"

Celia, seeing Alan's emotions overcome him realized it had been a long day, filled with excitement and activity, for both of them. Suddenly, feeling her weariness too, decided that the most important thing was to get Alan upstairs for some rest tonight. She said only "Yes. Yes, it has been a lovely day." And remembering Caroline's speech and all of the kind, loving things she'd said about her mother, Celia softened. Her ire at the display Caroline had made of herself on the dance floor with Kate receded. She knew her daughter loved her and she loved Caroline. That was the most important thing. The rest could wait for later. Now looking lovingly into Alan's eyes she said only "Alan, it has been a beautiful day. And a long one. Shall we go up now?"

Alan nodded and the two of them hugged everyone still in the room. By now only the two families remained, blended into one by all that they had been through together since Alan and Celia had met again. The family feeling had been greatly enhanced by the camaraderie engendered by putting on this wedding.

At this signal, everyone began saying his or her goodnights to one another. Caroline putting a hand on the shoulder of each of the boys told them to go upstairs to their room and she would be in to say goodnight shortly. Hugging Roxy, she asked her if she had everything she needed and would she be OK sharing a room with Marta's Susan? "Good. Good night, then. See you at breakfast," Caroline smiled.

Assured that all was well with Roxy & the boys, Caroline recaptured Kate's hand and lifting her chin slightly, again turned toward Gillian who was hugging Raff and Ellie good night, promising to see them at breakfast in the morning, "9:00, remember" Gillian warned, mindful of Ellie's proclivity for sleeping in mornings.

The boys, slapping one another on the back and congratulating themselves on their great skill and ability as performers, were moving toward the exit. William with Roxy on his arm, Raff had an arm around Ellie and Laurence walking backward so he could face them all as he continued his relentless cheekiness.

Gillian grinned at Caroline, "Well, we did it, didn't we? Finally got a wedding put together. We made a pretty good team on this one, didn't we?"

Caroline, smiling back affectionately, agreed, "We did didn't we?" and moved in to hug Gillian, who whispered " Well done with Kate, good luck working things out."

With a final squeeze to Caroline, Gillian turned to smile at Kate "I am happy to have met you. Thank you for playing the piano at the ceremony. You were wonderful." Turning back to Caroline, "Right. Well, I am going to follow the newlyweds up." Winking broadly, "Make sure they get home safely. Good night then."

Kate turned to face Caroline now that they were the only two in the room except for the servers still bussing tables. Caroline, over Kate's shoulder saw Gillian turn back to take one more look at this couple who had brought the evening to such an unexpected close. Seeing that Caroline had spied her, Gillian scrunched up her face and mouthed YES!, while pumping her arm in the air and bringing it down sharply to her side. Then she turned, moving into a trot, out the door to catch up with Celia and Alan.

Kate seeing Caroline roll her eyes as she gazed past her, looked back as well but was too late to see Gillian. "What?" Caroline just waved a hand and shook her head, her eyes now free to meet Kate's.