Caroline paced her home office that evening, absolutely furious. She was glad John had yet to show his face or she wouldn't have been able to hold back on being extremely hurtful.
"When we bring him in, do you-"
"No! You deal with him. I don't even want to look at him." Caroline said through clenched teeth.
"..Caroline. It's not like you to get so worked up. I know this is a ..new direction for you, and you're probably feeling vulnerable but-"
"I'm not worked up about him threatening me. I know he's an idiot. But I'm furious that he's treated Kate this way. You said yourself when I told you on Monday that I was seeing a member of staff that you knew it was her, because she wears her heart on her sleeve, and now she's going to be overthinking all of their interactions and everything she's told him. I don't think I've ever been so furious. So you need to deal with him." Caroline continued to pace the room.
"Ok. Look, I need to go, but call me again in the morning and we will work out a plan of action." Gavin offered. "And perhaps now is the time to explain to Kate everything else he's done."
"I don't even want to say his name." Caroline kicked the bin next to her desk, then turned to glare at John when he stuck his head around the door. Thankfully he placed a glass of wine on the desk and backed out without a word.
TWO DAYS AGO
"Beverley tells me you just got back from overseas. You didn't mention you were going."
Caroline drew in a deep breath and straightened the notepad on her desk. "That's sort of what I needed to see you about so early on in the term. I'm..I've started seeing another member of staff."
She glanced up at Gavin and then back down.
"Kate McKenzie?"
Caroline's head shot up. "H-how…"
"She's been ..enamoured with your for years, Caroline. Since she started, I'd imagine. And she wears her heart on her sleeve. I didn't necessarily think the feelings were mutual, but I saw her as I came in and she was glowing. I doubt she would be if you were seeing someone else."
Caroline lowered her head with a small smile, and a pink blush on her cheeks. "Yes, well. It is Kate. And I know I'll need to address it with the board, but I thought I'd discuss it with you first. Because..well."
"You're a good head mistress Caroline, and you have my support. Not that you'll need it, because there's no law against a lesbian being a head. In fact, there's law to stop people sacking others because of it."
"Yes, but..attitudes." Caroline had barely slept working herself into a frenzy of panic about telling Gavin, and him taking it so casually had taken the wind from her sails.
"We can work out a plan on how to bring it up. And once it's over, perhaps your mother will finally stop calling me a pillock."
Caroline smiled at this and shuffled her paperwork. "I wouldn't bet on it. She holds grudges."
"Morning, Kate! Are you okay?" Beverley frowned with concern.
"Fine, thank you. Is C-Mm..Dr Elliot in yet?"
"She is. She asked not to be disturbed…" Beverley began. But she had her suspicions about their pair, and surely if Kate was upset, Caroline would like to know. "But you can head in. And take her this." Beverley handed her a coffee.
Kate walked in hesitantly to find Caroline holding the phone to her ear and pacing the office. She stilled when she realised it was Kate who had brought her coffee and not Beverley.
Kate drew in a shaking breath and then placed the paper she held down on the desk.
Caroline studied her face, but she didn't look up, so Caroline walked over and picked up the paper. A resignation letter.
Kate drew in another shaking breath and brushed away some tears before she turned toward the door again.
Caroline beat her to it, shutting the door with a loud thud that made Beverley jump on the other side of it. "Sit down. Please. Just sit down and wait a minute."
"I need to do this."
"No, you don't. Please, just sit down. Kate, please."
"You said you'd call and you didn't call. I only told him we were dating because I thought he was my friend and I wanted someone at work to know, someone I could talk to. I didn't think..I didn't think it would put your job in jeopardy. And it's my fault that it is, so I'll go. No one can accuse you of anything if I'm no longer here."
"Stop being stupid and-"
"I'm not being stupid!" Kate snapped back. "I'm not a child, please stop telling me what to do! I've made up my mind. I'm-"
"Gavin! Did you read it?" Caroline turned away from Kate, but still rested against the door so she couldn't leave. "Mm. No. Just that."
Kate turned away and stalked to the other side of the room, wiping uselessly at her tears.
"No. I know. Soon. As soon as possible, really, because Kate McKenzie has handed me her resignation."
Kate folded her arms and wished she was anywhere but in this office that smelled of Caroline's perfume.
"Ok. Thanks. I'll see you then." Caroline hung up the call and put her phone on the bookshelf before turning to where Kate had placed herself in the very corner of the room. "Kate, I-"
"I want to leave. Let me leave."
"Please just give me two minutes and then you can leave. Please, Kate. I love you."
"No! Don't! You don't get to say that now!"
Kate moved fast for the door, but Caroline managed to catch her arm and then hold her in a forceful hug until Kate finally relaxed and began to cry again.
"I'm so sorry."
"Please stop apologising, Kate." Feeling surer that she wouldn't run again, Caroline pulled back a little and put hands on Kate's cheeks so she had to look her in the eye. "You didn't do anything wrong."
"I did. You've worked so hard for this job. You love this job. And I've caused that to be threatened because I couldn't keep my mouth shut."
"No. This isn't your fault. And yes, I do love my job and I've worked hard for it, but, Kate, I would choose you over my job every time. And you had the right to tell someone. I may be nervous but I'm not ashamed. If you want people to know then we will tell people. It's just..Michael Bloody Dobson!"
Kate went quiet at this, just watching her warily.
"We've..I've.. there have been issues with Michael Dobson for months. He's threatened other teachers, he's upset a lot of People, but he's smart and he hasn't done anything that could be traced to him. Until now. Now he's written his threats down."
"But-"
"I told Gavin. About us. I told him on Monday. We were working on a plan to introduce the issue to the other board members, not that there's anything that can be done if they don't agree. Michael hasn't threatened my job, he's threatened his own. This afternoon, Gavin will be coming in and dealing with him. I said I didn't want to be involved in the firing process, so he is dealing with it."
"..you haven't mentioned anything about this to me before."
"Because I know he likes you, and I didn't think he would do anything to hurt you. I didn't want to upset you, so I just thought waiting until he messed up was the best way to go. It was stupid. I just genuinely didn't think he would involve you in anything."
"Last night you were angry…"
"Not with you. With myself and with him, but not with you. and by the time I'd sorted out the boys and finished talking to Gavin last night, it was almost 1am, and then John was being a..by the time I was free, I thought you'd be asleep."
Kate released a slow breath, still studying Caroline's face. "..you're sure I haven't caused your job to be threatened?"
"I'm positive. The only thing that will threaten my job is if you leave this school, because I'll have to leave and follow you."
"..you told Gavin I'd given you the resignation letter…"
"He told me to tell you to shove it."
Kate let out a huff of a laugh, her shoulders finally releasing a little of the tension they held. "I'm sorry."
"There are a lot of people who need to say that, but you're not one of them. I promise. And I'm sorry I made you think that. I'm just furious that someone could hurt you like that, when all you've ever done is be kind to them."
Kate brushed her face again, then glanced up at the speaker as the bell went. "..I should go."
"Can I rip up this letter?"
Kate hesitated for just a moment and then nodded.
"Don't be sad. Don't be upset. It's okay." Caroline kissed Kate's face where the tears had been. "I'm okay. You're okay. The boys are okay. And that's all that matters."
Kate nodded, giving a small smile before she slipped from the room.
Caroline followed her out and watched her walk down the corridor.
"Everything okay?" Beverly asked lightly.
"..Gavin is coming In shortly and it's going to be a busy day for me. Would..would you mind keeping an eye on Ms McKenzie for me?"
"Of course. Any particular reason?"
"..come into my office, shut the door and I'll explain."
Kate kept to her classroom that day, not venturing into the staffroom as usual. Thankfully everyone else seemed caught up in their own lives and left her alone.
"Kate?"
She glanced up to find Beverley hovering by the doorway, cup of tea in hand.
"Did Caroline send you?"
"Yes." Beverley admitted instantly.
"Has it..happened yet?"
"Not yet. In a few minutes." Beverley put the mug of tea down. "But what I wanted to know is about you and Caroline."
Kate gave a small smile and looked down. "It's..it's…nice."
"Nice?! You cross questioned me about her on your second day!"
"She's magnificent." Kate admitted, allowing herself to smile a little wider.
As Beverly opened her mouth, another voice spoke wearily from the doorway. "She doesn't feel very magnificent at the moment."
Beverly pushed the tea towards Kate, patted her hand and then left the room, shutting the door behind her.
"..is it happening now?"
Caroline nodded.
Kate gave a heavy sigh and picked up the tea. "Maybe he's just-"
"Kate. Don't try to excuse what he's said and done. He's a smart man, and he knew there would eventually be consequences." Caroline sat on the other side of a desk than she was used to, then reached out a hand. "I'm sorry I didn't call. Or text. That was unkind of me."
Kate smiled and took the offered hand. "I don't know, I think maybe I should stop forgiving people so easily…"
"I'll make it up to you. I'll wear my blue suit tomorrow and my tallest heels."
"You know the way to my heart." Kate laughed.
"Are you okay?" Caroline asked softly. "Are we okay?"
Kate nodded, squeezing Caroline's hand.
As Michael Dobson was escorted from the school a short while later, a pair of women were sharing a cup of tea as one of them attempted to read what was written in french on the whiteboard, and the other giggled.
