Today was the day. The exact day. Tomorrow would be the longest she had ever kept a pregnancy for, but today…

Kate couldn't focus on anything. She couldn't eat, she couldn't hold a conversation. She was in a constant state of near panic.

Last time it had been a thursday. A busy day at work and the day she had always taken choir at her previous school. Choir practice was supposed to start at 4pm, but she hadn't made it there that day.

That day she had called Richard from the school bathroom, terrified that at any moment a group of teenage girls would enter the room and find her sobbing in a stall, her hope draining from her body. He hadn't answered the phone.

Today, thankfully, was a Saturday. Caroline hadn't mentioned what day it was, but Kate knew she knew. She hadn't left Kate's side once, and spent most of the day by her side, talking about anything and everything she could think of.

Caroline had put on Kate's favourite movies, organised the boys to be out, and tried to make it the calmest day she possibly could.

But all Kate could do was sit on the couch with her hand on the tiny bump that had begun to emerge, and try to suppress the panic that threatened to engulf her.

Caroline was in mid speech about which plants were possibly best in which part of their new garden, her voice beginning to get a little squeaky from overuse when it happened.

Kate released the breath in a rush.

Caroline went instantly quiet.

Kate let out a quiet sob and finally allowed herself to curl into Caroline's embrace.

The hour had passed.

They had made it.

For now.


"Mum."

A week later, Caroline and Lawrence were on their way home from school on a Friday. It had been a busy day for Caroline and she was working with a very short fuse, so she prayed silently that he wasn't going to say anything on the drive home at all.

When his mother didn't speak, he glanced sideways at her. "It's the last time. The last time we will drive this way. The last time we will drive to this home after school."

Caroline looked at him for a moment and then back at the road. "…yep. How do you feel about that?"

"I'm excited to move into the new place, but I'm not looking forward to moving into Kate's for a while before. She probably has rules."

"There are rules here, and there will be rules at the new house. You know this wasn't the plan, but it's how it worked out. And Kate's house is lovely. It's closer to your friends' houses, too." Caroline pointed out.

"Yeah, but here, she's in my…our house. There, it will be her house. What if I don't like it? What if I need to change something?"

"Then you can ask her! She's not going to turn from reasonable to a witch just because we are moving into her place for a couple of months, for heaven's sake!"

Lawrence mumbled something and folded his arms, staring out the window.

Caroline opened her mouth to apologise, but she knew she couldn't stop herself being snappy, so shut her mouth again instead.

As soon as she parked the car, Lawrence jumped out and stormed inside, slamming the front door.

Kate walked out from the kitchen in surprise. "Lawrence?"

"I'm going to call my dad and go and spend the weekend at his. It's better than being with her." He gestured at the door and then stormed upstairs.

Kate watched after him for a moment and then gave a quiet sigh. Lawrence usually came back from his father's in an even worse mood than when he left, and she had been hoping for a quiet weekend.

The door slammed again, a little less forcefully this time, but it still made Kate jump.

"I've got work to do and I don't want to be disturbed." Was all Caroline muttered as she walked past Kate heading toward her office, then remembered there was no longer a desk in there, and instead made for the front room.

"I'm not your secretary. Put a note on the door." Kate turned on her heel and disappeared back into the kitchen.

Once again, Caroline opened her mouth and went to apologise, but then closed it again and looked toward the room. She had never had this problem with John! She never felt the need to apologise to him, no matter how vile she had been. Caroline pinched her nose. She must be in a foul mood for her to think John was better than Kate.

Kate was sat at the counter marking French essays with a frown when arms slipped around her middle and a cheek rested against her hair, an apology mumbled.

Kate had to roll her eyes at herself for forgiving so easily. "Bad day?"

Caroline nodded.

"Can I do anything to help?"

Caroline nestled her nose into Kate's neck and kissed it before she shook her head. "Just need some quiet time. And to finish this bloody paperwork."

Kate turned slowly on her stool, still caught in the grip of Caroline's arms, and then dropped a kiss to her cheek, lifting a hand to stroke her hair. "I'll make you a cup of tea. And I'll sort dinner."

"'Kay." Caroline nodded again before pulling away. "Sorry. Again."

"You might want to say that to your son as well."

Caroline sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "…he has probably already called John. Who will be on his way here and want to talk to me." Caroline suddenly realised with horror that tears were beginning to fill her eyes and her voice was going wobbly. "I just need some quiet! Is that too much to ask for?"

"No!" Kate stood up, enveloping Caroline in a hug again. "I'll go and talk to Lawrence. You go to the front room, shut the door, and I'll bring you a cup of tea in a bit. And if John comes, I'll talk to him."

Caroline sniffed and nodded her head again, before admitting, "I'm just a bit emotional about leaving this house. I know it's just a house but it's where my boys grew up. It's silly."

"No, it's not. Being grumpy and snapping at everyone because you're sad and unwilling to admit you need some comfort and some time alone, that would be silly."

Caroline gave a small smile at this and hugged Kate more tightly for a moment before releasing her.

..

"Lawrence?" Kate knocked on his partially open door.

"What?"

"I've brought you something to eat."

After a few moments of silence, Lawrence opened the door fully and looked down at the plate of food for a second before he accepted it. "Thanks."

"..I can put it in a container to take with you if your dad is on the way."

"He didn't answer his phone."

"Oh. Well. That's..that's..maybe he is still at work. I'm sure he will call you back later."

Lawrence didn't look convinced, but returned to sit on his bed.

"..your mum asked me to apologise to you. Because she's still grumpy and she doesn't want to snap again."

"Why is she in a bad mood? I didn't do anything!"

"No, I know. She's just sad about leaving here, and I suppose she found that hard to voice."

"Why is she sad? She's moving in with you. It's what she wanted."

"Yes. But she's sad about leaving the house that you and your brother grew up in, and all the memories that are here. And I have an idea how to help her with that, but I need your help. And Williams. He's on his way home."

Lawrence looked up at her, and then back down at his plate of food. "Will I have time to eat first?"

Kate smiled. "Yes."

"Okay. I'll help."

Caroline took a deep breath when there was a knock on her door, before saying quietly "Come in."

She had been expecting to see Kate, but was surprised to find Lawrence holding a cup of tea. "Sorry, mum."

Caroline shot to her feet to hug him, taking the tea and placing it on the sideboard. "No, I'm sorry. You were just asking, and I shouldn't have snapped at you."

"It's ok. I will miss it here too. But the new house has room for a soccer net in the backyard, and Kate said maybe we can get a pizza oven for outside when my friends come over."

"Told you she's pretty reasonable." Caroline kissed his hair and then pulled away.

"She's ok. For a-"

"For a…" Caroline said with a warning tone.

"For a teacher." Lawrence grinned.

Caroline smiled and turned him around, pushing him from the room. "Please tell Kate I'll be done in an hour and then I can help her with dinner."

"Don't need to. Roxy's here and she and Will are helping. Kate said you should have a lie down once you've finished your work."

"Good. Then you can do the washing up!"

"Mum!"

"The dishwasher has already gone to the new place." Caroline reminded him with a smirk before she shut the door.

"Done?" Kate asked from the kitchen.

Lawrence gave the thumbs up.

Once her work was done, Caroline lay for a while on the couch just staring up at the ceiling and letting her mind catch up with itself. Tonight was the final night in this house, where she had lived as a woman married to a man and raised two boys. Tomorrow, she would pack the last of the things in the house, the things that would go to Kate's while they stayed there. Then, in a month or so when the painting and fixing of the new house was done, they would move there. A house where she would be living as a woman engaged to a woman, where she would raise another child.

Caroline closed her eyes and studied her mind for any hint of panic or worry or regret. The only thing she pictured in her minds eyes was Kate walking down the aisle towards her. A smile made its way to her lips.

"What are you smiling at?" Asked a gentle voice.

Caroline stretched. "I'm thinking about you. Walking down the aisle when we get married."

"What am I wearing?"

This made Caroline's smile widen. "Not a lot."

"I don't think your mother would necessarily appreciate that." Kate leaned down and kissed the blonde. "Feeling better?"

"Much."

"Good. Come into the kitchen. We have a surprise for you. A good one."

"In a minute." Caroline finally opened her eyes and stretched again before she sat up, reaching out to Kate. When she neared, Caroline wrapped her arms tightly around her and pressed her cheek into the small rounding of her middle. "You make me happy."

Kate stroked blonde hair, smiling down at her. "You make me happy, too."

..

"You took a long time to be woken up from your nap." Lawrence pointed out when the pair of women walked onto the kitchen a few minutes later with pink cheeks. He was eager to start eating and didn't appreciate the wait.

Taking his mother by the shoulders, William turned her to face the pantry. "Ta-da!"

Caroline studied the closed door with a frown. "…it looks exactly the same?"

"Exactly!" Kate said with a grin. "Go inside."

"Have you all gone mad?" Caroline asked the smiling faces as she released Kate's hand and walked into the pantry and turned in a circle. "..it's the same in here, too?"

"Is it?" William asked

"…the height marks have gone. Your height marks." Caroline realised with dismay. She had loved doing those with the boys every year, their name and date written neatly beside each mark. "Did you sand them out and revarnish?"

"Nope. They're still there on the door." Lawrence offered.

"No, they're not."

"They're on the pantry door of the new house. Well, they're on their way there. This is a new door, exactly the same as the old one. I organised it weeks ago, but I thought maybe you needed it today. To remember you're not leaving the memories behind." Kate offered as she leaned in the doorway.

"I helped. I made a lot of noise so you wouldn't hear the guy who came in to change the doors over." Lawrence grinned.

"And we made dinner so you wouldn't come into the kitchen." Roxy offered happily.

"I see how it's going to be. You all plotting things behind my back." Caroline replied with folded arms, a traitorous tear falling down her cheek before she launched forward to pull all of them into a hug. "Thank you."

"…Kate?"

"Mm?" Kate asked sleepily. They were currently curled up together watching one of the quiz shows Caroline liked to watch as a way to wind down.

"…you know my kitchen? Here?"

"Yeah."

"..this is..is going to be a weird thing to say."

"Ok. I'm prepared." Kate stretched a little. Often Caroline's weird things were things other people discussed daily.

"I sort of… I've imagined… it's our last night here in this house, isn't it. And I've sort of had a few dreams about the kitchen. And you."

"Me and the kitchen?" Kate frowned.

"You. Sort of….never mind. It's silly."

"You definitely have to tell me now."

"It's going to be a busy day tomorrow, so we should go to bed after this."

Kate tutted, but didn't say anything else, and Caroline thought she had got away with dropping the subject.

Once the show was finished, the blinds were drawn and everything shut off, Caroline walked toward the door that led to the hallway.

"Caroline."

Caroline turned, already reaching her hand out to take Kate's, but stilled when she saw her.

Kate was standing naked in the kitchen, resting against the counter in nothing but a smile.

Caroline reached behind herself and shut the door that led to the hallway.

"Show me." Was all Kate said as Caroline made quick strides towards her.


"The cat's got out."

"Why did you let the cat out?! For heaven's sake, Lawrence! You know he's not supposed to go outside! He's never been here before! What on earth are-"

"I think, possibly, it's because the doors have been open a lot today. He probably rushed past someone and they didn't notice." Kate offered.

Both Caroline and Lawrence stilled when Kate stood up for him. She had been banned from helping carry anything and had been sat reading on her couch for most of the morning as they went in and out.

Caroline let out a breath, the fight gone from her.

Lawrence raised his eyebrows.

William bit back a smile.

"I'll go and look for him. He won't have gone far because you know he doesn't like the rain." Kate stood up and took her coat from the peg behind the door.

The other three watched in silence as she walked out the front door.

It was William who finally broke the quiet. "Where should I put this, mum? It's getting quite heavy."

"Sorry, what? Oh. Ah..Kate's room. I'll show you."

William was going to love living with Kate, who seemed to be able to stop arguments in their tracks.

Ten minutes later, Kate was sitting back on the couch with the cat on her lap. The cat purred contentedly. Living with two boys and a busy woman, he wasn't used to getting as many pats as he had gotten since Kate McKenzie came into his life. He thought he was very lucky to be moving in with her.

"Ka-ate." Caroline began, moving her hands over Kate's shoulders and down to rest on her middle, where her hand was quickly battered away by a paw. "Did he just smack me?!"

Kate smiled down at the cat as he attempted to batter away Caroline's persistent hand again. "He's being protective!"

"Well, you listen here, buddy. If you're trying to compete with me for Kate's affections, or for that spot right here, it's not too late for me to take you back to the adoption centre."

"Caroline!" Kate laughed as she covered the cat's ears.

"I have waited a lifetime to get you. I'm not giving you up for anyone or anything, or sharing you with anyone but our baby." Caroline grumbled, sliding her warm hands under Kate's T-shirt to caress her middle, her new favourite pastime since Kate had started relaxing at her touch.

"A lifetime?"

"A whole lifetime." Caroline kissed her cheek.

"Have you asked her yet, mum?" Lawrence asked hopefully.

"Asked me what, Caroline Dawson?" Kate asked suspiciously.

"Lunch?" Caroline asked hopefully. Kate had only agreed not to help if she was allowed to sort out lunch.

"…I'm not sure I want to leave my new friend here."

"Kate, I'm starving!" Lawrence protested with dismay.

"Ok, alright." Kate gave in instantly, moving the cat to sit alone before she stood up.

Caroline pointed at the cat, then made the gesture that she would be keeping her eye on him.

The cat began to purr again in response, kneading the couch cushion happily.

The move had, so far, gone without a hitch.

Maybe change wasn't so hard after all.