As she had become accustomed to doing, Caroline was sitting at the back of the assembly hall doing her Monday evening paperwork while Kate led the choir practice. To her surprise William had joined, and often she did less paperwork and more gazing at her son with pride. It was here Beverley found her one Monday evening. She didn't immediately speak as she sat beside her, but gripped Caroline's arm tightly, a wide grin on her face.
"What?" Caroline whispered.
Beverley tightened her grip, then released it, handing Caroline her tablet. "It's perfect. It's everything you wanted. And it's within your price range."
Caroline took the tablet, beginning to flick through the photos. "A game room?! Lawrence will be over the moon. Where is it?"
"Hebden bridge."
The laugh that Caroline let out made choir practice cut off, and Kate turned to give her a stern look. "Dr Elliot. Perhaps a little quiet if you're going to stay?"
There was a wave of giggles from the children.
"Sorry." Caroline held up her hand apologetically, then put the hand to her mouth to cover another laugh as she whispered, "Beverley, that's…god, really?"
"I'm only joking. It's still in Harrogate, as close to here as your current house but in the opposite direction, it's got a big garden. Big enough for a dog, I believe Lawrence wanted."
"He'll be lucky." Caroline muttered as she flicked through the photos. "We can't afford this…"
"You can. It's within Your price range. But there is a catch."
"I knew it. What is it? Does it have a huge sink hole? Was there a murder? Oh, it's haunted."
"You're as imaginative as your youngest when you put your mind to it. " Beverley smiled, flicking to the next photo.
Caroline laughed again.
This earned her another glare from her girlfriend, and this time her son as well.
Holding up both her hands apologetically, she led Beverley from the hall.
…
"Caroline, you-"
"I'm sorry. I'll apologise properly in a minute. On my knees, if you like. Not with..I mean begging, not..unless you want me too…anyway, I'll apologise in a minute, but I need you to look at this house immediately. Right now. Sit down."
Tired and more than a little irritated at the kids playing up during practice instead of the usual concentration, Kate gave a weary sigh and sat down on the bench in the school corridor.
"I'm going to find William to show him, too." Caroline pushed her phone into Kate's hands and then rushed off at a brisk walk.
Kate sighed again and flicked through the photos.
A few minutes later, a serious faced Caroline approached at a much slower pace than she had left, nodding with gravitas as she got a stern telling off from her son.
Now Kate was on her feet, her usual ready smile back on her face. "Caroline! This is it!"
Carolines face broke into a smile. "It's perfect. It's magnificent. It's us. All of us."
Kate handed the phone to William, and both women watched his face with a grin.
"What's the catch?" He finally asked with a frown.
"Ah, well-"
"Caroline?" Kate folded her arms.
"Well, the thing is…"
…
"Caroline." Two hours later, Kate stood with arms folded again, this time in the doorway of the en suite.
Caroline guiltily closed the website of the furniture store she had been browsing. "Look, I know it's a big catch. But it's the perfect house. It ticks every box, it's everything all of us wanted. It's like it was made for us."
"It might well have been. In 1700 or whenever it was made. Those photos-"
"They show what it could be."
"With more money, and more time. The old owners gave up."
We have time, and-"
"Do we, Caroline? Do I? Because if I were to have a baby, I wouldn't want to bring it to live in a building site."
"The downstairs is all done, Kate. We can set up our bedroom and the nursery, or whatever, down there. Lawrence thinks it's a great idea!"
"Lawrence is a 14 year old boy. I'm a 42 year old woman who has never expressed any interest in doing DIY house renovations."
"…we could keep your house, then. For a while. My home will give us the down payment and more. We could keep your house and live there until it's complete."
"If it is ever completed. How long ago did the last owners buy it?"
Caroline looked down at her bare feet and mumbled "ten years."
Kate sighed and studied the blonde for a few moments before walking over, rubbing her hands over Caroline's shoulders. "Let's sleep on it. For a few days. And talk to Beverley some more about cost. Okay?"
Caroline gave a reluctant nod.
"Now, I think you owe me a very big apology, Doctor Elliot. For making my choir practice-"
"Mum!" Lawrence's voice suddenly boomed from down the hallway. "Will is having a fake asthma attack again!"
Tutting with both annoyance and concern, Caroline rushed from the room to check on her eldest.
Despite John still hanging around, Kate now came over again most days, and was even sometimes there when Caroline was out, much to John's annoyance.
When he arrived home the next night, he was annoyed to find her curled up in front of the Tv instead of visiting her father or wherever her and Caroline usually went on a tuesday. "Where's Caroline?!"
Kate glanced up. "Hello, John. She's at a school play."
"Why are you here, then?"
"If you turned your phone on you'd know. William is sick and Caroline asked me to stay, since his father couldn't be contacted."
"Sick how?!" John turned to the door.
"Don't! Don't you dare go marching in there and wake him up!"
Lawrence had been coming down the stairs and stilled at Kate's voice. He'd never heard that tone before.
"Oh, what will you do if I go up, hm? Call Caroline and dob on me?"
"Listen to me, John. This family might have put up with your imbecilic, idiotic, pompous asshole facade for years, but I won't. You're an intelligent man, John, and I don't think Caroline would have married you if she didn't think you were at least nice to some degree. You will not be going up those stairs and waking your sick son up. If you're staying to see how he is, then you can stay down here and shut up until he wakes up. Understood?"
John and Lawrence stared at Kate.
Then Lawrence turned to stare at this father.
"Ok... Cup of tea?" Was all John said quietly.
"No, thank you." Kate returned to her program.
Lawrence waited a few seconds and then thundered down the stairs to join Kate. "Mum's going to go mental when she hears what you just said."
"Is she." Kate said tiredly.
"She'll be cheering. Possibly she might make you a cake."
"You and your stomach." Kate threw a cushion at him.
…
Kate was asleep on the couch when Caroline got in, and the blonde was content to gaze at her for a little while before moving to her knees beside the couch to stroke Kate's cheek. "Come up to bed."
Kate half woke, pouting a little though she would never admit she did. "How was the play?"
"Something only a parent could be proud of. How's William?"
"Fine. He's been asleep since just after 9 and hasn't had to use his inhaler since about midday." Kate pushed herself up to sit.
"Did you manage to video chat with your dad?" Caroline asked guiltily. She wouldn't have even considered asking, only Kate had insisted that if John couldn't be contacted she would be the one to look after William all day, given it was her half day at work. The substitute teacher had been terrible and Caroline had been forced to take over in two lessons.
"For a bit." Kate nodded. "Did you talk to Beverley about the house?"
"A bit." Caroline replied, giving a small smile. "Let's go up to bed and I'll tell you what she said. Then You can tell me why Lawrence suddenly thinks you're a legend."
"Suddenly? Excuse me, Caroline, but your youngest son has been saying I'm a legend for months. Possibly years. Because I am. I was Told 5 years ago this month by an Australian surfer while I was on holidays that I am a deadset legend, in fact."
"Oh, I do beg your pardon. I didn't realise I had such illustrious company." Caroline stilled Kate by the bottom of the stairs with a smile before leaning in to kiss her hello.
"Johns upstairs." Kate avoided the kiss.
"I know."
"If he comes out of the spare room…"
"I want to kiss you."
"Wait until we get upstairs. It will take 5 seconds."
"Can't wait." Caroline shook her head. "Too long."
"..one. Chaste. Kiss."
"Ok."
Caroline agreed readily.
30 seconds later, Kate found herself pressed against the wall next to the bottom of the stairs being kissed thoroughly.
Thankfully they made it to the bedroom without incident and were soon curled up in bed together talking in low voices.
"So, Beverley said she can get her husband to do some costings when he goes to look at the property tomorrow. She said the-"
"What were the boys like? As babies? As little children? I bet Lawrence was very cheeky. And I bet you let him get away with a lot."
Caroline rubbed her feet against Kate's leg as she considered the question. Clearly tonight was not a night for discussing houses, and was instead one of those nights where Kate couldn't seem to get babies out of her head. Tonight's thoughts were thankfully something she could discuss endlessly. "I'll get the albums and make us a cup of tea."
Kate settled back with a smile and waited, watching the open door. The first person who appeared in it, however, was William and not his mother. "Will? Are you okay?"
He nodded, glancing at the empty space on the bed. "Mum not home yet?"
"She just got in a little while ago. She's downstairs making some tea."
"Will you ask her to come and see me when she comes back up?"
"Sure. Are you sure you're ok?"
William suddenly looked like a shy school boy as he nodded, admitting "just want a cuddle with my mum."
As William plodded back to bed, Kate looked forlornly down at her flat middle. No one might ever want to cuddle with her, not like that, not as the only person who might make them feel better.
When Caroline eventually returned from his room some half an hour later, Kate was on her side with the bedside light off. "Kate? Are you asleep? Will wants a hug from you, too. Kate?" Caroline sat beside her girlfriend and leaned over, sighing at the dried tears she saw. Kissing her hair gently, Caroline covered kate up and then went to finish readying herself for bed.
When kids rushed from their last class before lunch the next day, they immediately slowed down upon seeing the headmistress standing in the hallway outside, earning an approving if distracted nod.
Once Caroline was positive all kids were out of the room and she could see the teacher alone picking up their work, she walked into the classroom and closed the door, leaning against it.
Kate looked up, studied her girlfriends face, and then sat on the edge of the desk. "I can't quite tell if you're here to jump my bones, yell at me for letting the kids out 30 seconds early, or you're going to make one of your sudden, huge announcements."
"I've bought a bed."
"…a bed."
Caroline nodded.
"..what sort of bed?"
"A king bed. Same mattress as your have at yours, and a new base. That one you admired in the window of that shop the other day."
"Right. Ok." Kate neatened the stack paper in her hands. "…why, exactly?"
Caroline walked over slowly, almost a saunter, a smile on her lips that could have been described as smug. "Paul went to the house today. Beverley's husband."
Kate said no more, and instead just gazed at the blonde.
"They were old photos, Kate. It's not complete, not yet, but it's structurally sound. The rooms have all been plastered. All that needs to be done is one upstairs bathroom, painting and flooring." Caroline came to a stop in front of her girlfriend. "It's not officially on the market. Not yet. But we can get a viewing tonight. If you want to go."
"..I don't understand where the bed fits in?"
"It fits in our new master bedroom." Caroline leaned forward to say quietly. "It's the bed where we are going to conceive our baby."
Kate lifted brown eyes to blue.
