By the time the circus came to an end it was 5:00. Their legs were numb and stiff from sitting so still on the wooden benches, but as they left, following the line of people from the tent out into the dark, Connie found she was smiling. Grace had adored every moment of the circus from start to finish, and now as she and Florence walked ahead to the car Connie watched how her face lit up as she spoke, her hands gestured wildly and her cheeks were flushed. She was happy.
They drove the short distance home slowly, the car tentative on the road as the rain that fell from the sky turned slowly to black ice on the road, and Connie remained silent, enjoying the sound of chatter from the back , and how Rita twisted in her seat, the belt straining at her shoulder so that she could join in with their conversation.
Once home the warmth of the house greeted them, and each shivered a sigh of relief as they unwound scarves, unbuttoned their coats and untied their boots.
"Please may we watch Frozen?"
Grace asked, her words coming out in a rush, her eyes bright as she kicked her shoes into the corner by the front door.
"Grace! You watched it last night!"
Connie exclaimed, though her lips pursed with a smile and she reached out to stroke her daughters hair, how soft it was between her fingers...
Grace grinned, her nose crinkled and she turned to usher Florence along into the sitting room.
Connie exhaled and raised both of her arms, pushing her fingers into her hair and stretching, she'd become so stiff whilst concentrating on the road that her muscles had cramped up and her whole body craved release.
Rita watched her, unable to stop herself from reaching out to slip her hands up the arc of Connie's back to her shoulders, and as the other woman let her arms fall back down to her sides Rita massaged her shoulders gently, pressing her body up against her, and letting her breath fall against the bare skin of her neck making her shudder against her.
Connie let her head fall forward slightly and closed her eyes, she couldn't quite get used to how gentle Rita was, and how just being with a woman could feel so much more beautiful than she'd ever imagined.
"Mummy?"
There was the soft noise of Grace's sock-clad feet on the stone floor of the hallway as she reappeared from the sitting room, stopping short as she watched Connie jerk free of Rita's touch, the two women separating guiltily.
Connie cleared her throat, the tension that Rita had begun to release immediately reclaiming her.
"Rita was just giving my shoulders a rub."
She murmured, and Grace looked between the two of them, her expression unreadable.
"We're hungry."
She said eventually.
"Please can we have something to eat?"
She added when her mother paused.
Connie smoothed her hands against the fabric of her trousers, collecting her thoughts one by one, wondering whether or not Grace suspected anything.
"I'll make supper."
She said with a nod of her head, her dimples showing in her cheeks as she smiled at Grace, watching her give a nod of her little dark head before she disappeared once again into the sitting room.
"Want a hand?"
Rita asked quietly, and Connie turned to glance at her.
"We should be more careful."
She murmured, more to herself than to Rita.
"I meant with the food?"
Rita pressed her hand to Connie's arm, making a mental note to ease her of all this tension she carried with a proper, uninterrupted massage later that evening.
Connie covered the hand that Rita held on her arm with her own hand and stroked the rise and fall of her knuckles with her thumb.
"I thought I'd just make us a chicken salad? After all they've eaten rather a lot this afternoon already..."
She murmured, letting her hand fall and making her way into the kitchen, leaving Rita to follow her, unsure whether or not her words had meant to sound as abrupt as they had.
"I could make some cupcakes? For desert?"
Rita asked, pausing by the island in the middle of the kitchen whilst Connie opened the fridge door and stood, running her eyes over the various items within, before she began selecting vegetables, lining them up on the counter top one by one.
"Don't you think they've had enough sugar for one day?"
She asked, her back still turned, and Rita raised her eyebrows, she had grown used to not hearing that particular tone within Connie's voice. The vague accusatory tone that made her skin prickle.
"It's a treat, Connie..."
She said quietly as the other woman turned, and Connie shook her head and smiled, visibly shaking herself free of this mood she had found herself in.
"Of course, I'm sorry, I'm worrying again."
She sighed. Grace catching them together, despite how innocent their touch was, had made her realise just how soon she was going to have to tell her, to avoid her finding out by accident.
"Go ahead, I'd like to taste your cupcakes."
She added softly, laughing slightly as Rita raised an eyebrow.
They cooked together, each of them always gravitating towards the other, yet never touching, instead moving about one another, speaking occasionally, and listening to the murmur of the television and the sporadic giggles and chatter of the girls in the other room.
Connie sliced up freshly cooked chicken, the steam rising up into her face and smothering her lips as she cut into it whilst Rita stood peering down at her cupcakes which she had set out in four rows of three along the chopping board. She touched them with the tip of her finger, impatient for them to cool.
"Do you have icing sugar?"
She asked suddenly, breaking the comfortable silence.
Connie glanced up from plucking tomatoes from a vine, her eyebrows raised ever so slightly, the corners of her lips down turned in thought.
"I doubt it."
She said slowly, and Rita sighed. She hadn't thought of that. She looked again to the rows of little chocolate cupcakes, she'd wanted them to be perfect...she'd wanted to impress Grace...and Connie.
"Chocolate?"
She asked as an after thought, and Connie plucked the last tomato from the vine and dropped it into the bowl of salad she was preparing before opening the cupboard above her head and removing a white enamel tin which she passed to Rita.
"Grace's sweet tin."
She said as Rita set it down and prised off the lid.
"Perfect!"
Rita cast an eye across the sweets, selecting an expensive looking bar of French chocolate and half packet of 'Love Hearts'.
"Thank you."
She added, and Connie smiled at her, a sweet smile that creased the corners of her eyes.
Whilst Connie finished chopping and seasoning, she set about melting the chocolate, spooning it onto the tops of the cupcakes, waiting until each had cooled just a little before placing a 'Love Heart' onto the top of each one.
When the last one was complete she placed her hands on her hips and smiled down at them, satisfied.
"Beautiful..."
Connie whispered from just behind her, her breath against Rita's ear.
Rita reached out and selected the cupcake from the far right hand corner and turned, holding it between them.
"For you."
She said quietly, holding it within both hands, watching as Connie smiled and looked down at it. 'All Yours', was written across the love heart in pastel pink writing.
"Are you now?"
She murmured, and Rita nodded, biting her lip against a smile.
"Thank you..."
She breathed, not daring to look up from the cake, knowing that if she did she would kiss the woman before her.
They heard a burst of laughter from the other room and both women turned in the direction of the noise.
"You know you're brilliant with them...with Grace."
Connie said ever so quietly, glancing quickly to Rita who met her gaze.
Rita held the cupcake within one hand and wrapped her other arm about herself.
"She's a lovely girl...strong willed...but lovely."
She blushed as she spoke though she wasn't sure why. Perhaps it was the warmth of the room from having the oven on, or perhaps it was just the close proximity of Connie that seemed to always make her feel like the cold of winter could never touch her.
"Mmm."
Connie exhaled and finally she took the cupcake and held it against her chest.
"What are you thinking?"
Rita asked, watching how her eyes glazed.
"Nothing of great importance."
"Don't give me that...tell me or I'll take back the cupcake."
Rita grinned, folding both arms across her chest and leaning back against the work top.
Connie raised an eyebrow and drew in a breath. She knew full well that if she said the words out loud there would be no going back.
"I was thinking that this is how it could be."
She answered all in one breath.
"This?"
Rita asked, catching the flicker of Connie's mouth as she paused.
"With Grace...with you, as a family..."
She said slowly.
Rita's eyes widened and her lips parted into an 'o' of pure surprise.
"Sorry! I'm sorry, this is far too soon to be thinking things like that. I'm sorry I shouldn't have..."
"No! No...it's fine, I was just surprised!"
Rita cut her off, feeling her cheeks grow even warmer, and she tilted her head to one side, narrowing her eyes and regarding Connie with a look of amusement. Never before had she seen her so flustered.
"I like that you were thinking about that."
She whispered, and she leant up on tip toes and kissed her quickly, a softer, sweeter kiss than any other, a kiss that tasted of candy floss and happiness.
-1-
I'm getting such a lot of really lovely reviews at the moment and I just want to say THANK YOU SO MUCH! Every time my phone plays the 'Bewitched' theme tune (my e-mail message tone) I smile, because I know its a review from one of you, and they really do brighten my day...cliché as that sounds!
Anyway, thank you, and I will look forward to hearing what you think of this chapter. :) xxx