"Is that mum? Is she there?!" Lawrence asked before yelling, "Will! Mum's gone to the US!"
William quickly came thundering down the stairs. "She what? To see Kate? Give me the phone. Florence, give me the phone!"
As the boys tussled, Caroline looked down at the ground and Kate stared at her, both with hearts racing.
"Mum?" William finally grabbed the phone.
"It's me." Kate said softly.
"Is mum really there, or is Florence lying?"
"She's here."
"Why?"
"…I don't know."
"Can I talk to her?"
When Kate extended her hand with the phone in it, Caroline bypassed the phone and instead enveloped Kate in a hug, dropping to her knees next to the recliner so she could bury her face in Kate's top.
"I'll umm… I'll ask her to call you back." Kate promised before hanging up and abandoning the phone to hold her friend, one hand on her back and one against the back of her head. "Caroline? Has something happened?"
Caroline nodded.
"..something bad?"
Caroline drew back at this, sitting on her heels. Her eyes stayed on Kate's middle and she released a slow shaking breath.
"Caroline. You're scaring me. Are you sick?"
"No." Caroline responded instantly. "I'm..I am..I want…" Caroline rubbed her sweaty hands on her jeans and then took Kate's in her own.
Kate could feel the tremor that ran through the blonde.
"I need…I want…" caroline finally looked up into Kate's eyes earnestly, willing her to understand without her having to say it.
Kate put a hand to Caroline's cheek, and Caroline found herself overwhelmed by the concern she saw on her face.
"Kate." It was said so earnestly.
Kate's eyes showed her brief confusion, then surprise, then concern that she might be misunderstanding, then a wary hope. "..come inside. I'll make you something to eat, then you should call the boys." Kate touched Caroline's cheek gently and then stood up, trying to appear calm though her heart raced.
"..how often do the boys call you?" Caroline asked quietly as she followed Kate inside.
"William and I talk most days. Lawrence calls me once or twice a week, more if he's been in trouble."
"They think of you as a parent."
Kate stilled at this and turned to look at the woman who had stayed in the doorway. "I don't know if that's strictly…"
"They do. When I was a mess, when their dad was nowhere to be found, you were their constant. You've been my constant, too. You've kept us all above water when I thought we might all drown in emotions that I didn't know how to handle. And you did that because you're my friend."
Kate opened and closed her mouth a few times, trying to formulate words, before she simply nodded.
"When the power went out, and the boys were grumpy and I was overwhelmed, we all said the same thing. We wanted to call you. Because you might not know how to fix it, but you'd know how to calm us all down."
Kate remained silent, studying Caroline warily.
"But I realised that night that it's more than that. It's friendship. But it's more. You love me. You're in love with me."
"…yes." Was all Kate could reply.
"That's terrifying."
Kate took a step forward and Caroline took a step back. "Caroline, I'm sorry. I didn't intend for this to happen. I didn't even realise it had happened until it was too late."
"It's terrifying because if it goes wrong, I don't want to lose my friend."
Kate was quiet again, too scared to even breathe in case it broke some spell that had been cast.
"I'm terrified because the only person I know could help me if I lost you..is you."
Kate took a small step forward again, relieved when Caroline didn't move. "It's not either or, Caroline. I've been in love with you for months and I've been your friend. I'm not asking anything from you. I could live as your friend forever if that's all you wanted. But if you wanted more, I would still be your friend then, too."
"My only experience is a brief fling with a woman, and then John. I've been married for 20 years. To a man who was my friend, who I thought cared about me and what I liked and felt, who stopped being that friend as soon as he got his foot in the bedroom door."
"I didn't go into this friendship wanting more, Caroline. I promise you. I'm as scared to lose you as you are to lose me. I value your friendship more than anything else in my life." Kate replied, taking another step forward. "You can set the pace. You can decide on any changes if and when you're ready, and if that's never then that's something I can live with. If we have our first kiss when we're 90, I can live with that. If we just remain best friends until the day we die, then I can deal with that too, because you and your friendship are more important to me than anything, Caroline. So please don't be scared."
Caroline drew in a deep, shaking breath, her eyes staying glued to the floor in front of Kate's feet. "Can I..I need.." she lifted her eyes finally, glassy with tears. "Hug?" She managed.
Nodding, Kate took strides towards the blonde and drew her into her arms, holding her tightly.
They remained there for several minutes in complete silence, until Caroline broke it to say, "I hope we don't have to wait until we are 90 to kiss."
Kate released a laugh and with it some of the tension in her body. "Let me make you something to eat. Then you can call the boys, and then you can have a nap. You must be exhausted."
Caroline nodded, finally drawing away from Kate. It was her who reached down and slid her hand into Kate's as she led her towards the kitchen.
Caroline had clearly not thought this through. She hadn't packed anything more than her phone, her passport, her wallet, a phone charger and a half eaten muesli bar. She couldn't meet Kate's mother in clothes she had been wearing for 24 hours. Kate was saying something about dinner, and that made Caroline panic even further. She hadn't come here with the intention of stopping Kate being able to spend time with her mother. She should get a hotel. Find something to do for a few days until Kate's flight home. This was a huge mista-
Kate's sudden laugh stopped her mid panic.
"You're completely mad. Coming thousands of miles from home with nothing but a tiny bag. We need to get you a change of clothes."
Something else worried her now. "Kate, I didn't come here intending to take away time you could spend with your mum. I'll get a hotel, I can entertain myself until your flight back." Somehow it hadn't even occurred to her that she could go home with Kate by her side.
"My mum would never forgive me if I did that. You may have seen Celia in full disappointed mode, but that's nothing compared to a disappointed Nigerian mother. I'll make up the other spare room for you. But first, we need to go to the shops. We can get some things from the boys list, too."
And just like that, it seemed as though Caroline was meant to be here, like she was always part of the plan. It was just how it felt to her in every aspect of Kate's life. She just fit. For the first time in her life she knew what it was like to just fit.
She took Kate's hand again.
Over the next couple of days, Caroline wondered if she had died and gone to heaven. Kate's mother had accepted her with open arms, quite literally, as had everyone else she met, simply because they thought she was part of Kate's family and no one corrected them.
They went to museums, where Caroline and Ginika could spend hours on each item if they were allowed, while Kate flitted between the displays and watching the blonde. Caroline had caught her several times now, and though she blushed, she always smiled at her.
Ginika had found somewhat of a kindred spirit in Caroline and they spent most nights just chatting about everything from chemistry to philosophy. She had even managed to elicit a promise from Caroline to come over again over the Christmas holidays with Kate again, and the boys if she was able.
Kate was happy to take a back seat and just watch this unfold. She knew there may be hurt in her future. She knew there might be disappointment, and fear. But for now she would embrace the happiness that was being offered.
Caroline seemed to be at least contemplating a relationship with her, and that was more than she had ever dreamed would happen. She just hoped her heart was strong enough to cope either way.
Caroline stood rather stunned at the airport as Ginika and Kate both cried as they said their goodbyes. She couldn't imagine her mother ever doing that. She couldn't imagine herself ever doing that. If the boys went anywhere she would definitely cry, but in her own home in her bedroom with the door shut.
"Look after yourself." Ginika whispered to her daughter as they hugged.
"You too, mum."
"No, Katie. I mean it. I like Caroline. But I know that she could so easily break your heart. You need to remember to make time for your other friends and hobbies so that if anything happens, you have support. Okay?"
Kate nodded meekly, brushing away her tears.
"And you! Come here!" Ginika pointed at Caroline, who was rather startled to be pulled into a firm hug a moment later. "Thank you for coming. I have loved meeting you. You have my email?"
"And your work phone number, your work email, your mobile and your Facebook." Caroline said with a soft laugh.
"So no excuses not to contact me." Ginika replied. When she pulled away, she squeezed Caroline's hand. "I'll see you soon."
Caroline was mortified to feel tears in her eyes and could only nod.
They were half way through the security line before she took silent solace in Kate, holding her hand again. A moment later, she drew their joint hands to her lips and placed a gentle kiss to Kate's fingers, missing the happy blush that bloomed.
The flight had been spent mostly in silence, Kate thinking about her mum and Caroline thinking about Kate.
What she felt for her was definitely more than friendship. Friends don't miss one another so badly it felt their heart might break. Friends didn't travel to another country simply for a hug. But what did she have to offer Kate? She had seen the way women watched her. Why would Kate pick a complicated woman like her? But then, she had already picked her before Caroline was even aware it might be an option.
Fear hit her and she reached for Kates's hand again.
By the time Caroline drew up in front of Kate's home, they were exhausted, both emotionally and physically.
Caroline climbed from the car and helped Kate inside with her things. To break the silence, she finally offered "School tomorrow."
"Mm."
"…I should get home and make sure Lawrence has actually done his homework."
"Okay."
Caroline hesitated in the doorway, beginning to panic that Kate regretted everything already. Then she had what William always called a brain wave. "..you'll see your mum again in December…"
Kate nodded, though tears filled her eyes. "I'm just reminded of my dad, because he's here but he's not here, and I wish my mum could be here always in case the same ever happens to her and I miss out on all that time."
Carline stepped forward and pulled Kate into a hug. Kates tears increased and then gradually died down over the next few minutes with Caroline just holding her. She liked that sometimes she could offer Kate the peace that she so often gave Caroline. "Tuesday. You usually go and see him tuesdays after school, don't you? Why don't I come with you?"
Kate looked up at Caroline with surprise, and then nodded again. "Please."
"Okay." Caroline brushed away the tears with a thumb. "I should go.."
Kate nodded, stepping away.
Caroline was half way to the car before Kate realised she had nothing to lose. "Thank you, Caroline. Thank you for being you."
Carolines face blossomed into a blushing smile. "I'll see you tomorrow."
Kate was still tired the next day, but eager to start the term (and eager to see Caroline), she arrived at work early. She was contemplating a shrivelled apple that was in the fridge when Beverley appeared. Surely no one would eat it now, but she didn't want to be accused of taking someones food. They had been forced to have a meeting about that about a year ago, Caroline sternly telling her staff to not act like teenagers. Kate had enjoyed watching her stride around as she talked. She reached in, grabbed the apple and tossed it in the bin.
"Kate! You're here early. Carolines asked me to send you to her office as soon as I saw you."
Excitement tingled in her belly. "Thanks, Beverley."
Kate made for the heads office, her smile faltering when she saw Caroline already sat behind the desk, glasses on.
"Did someone already complain about me throwing out the apple?"
"Sorry?" caroline looked up and over her glasses. "Take a seat."
Kate's heart sank. "Very formal."
Caroline contemplated her words before deciding on "John's asked to move back, and I've said yes. For the boys sake. They got on well while I was away. He and William are talking again. At least a little. And I need to put the boys first, so..I said yes."
