As the days dragged along, Caroline was more and more distraught. She still hadn't processed what she felt for Kate or how to handle it. She tried to cope by ignoring her feelings and concentrated on work instead but that was as effective as using your hand in lieu of an umbrella during a downpour.
Time was ticking along, they had made lunch plans for Saturday. She didn't know what to do, should she cancel, for what reason. She had twenty-three hours and thirty-seven minutes to think of something. As often is the case, plans go awry and a year over year analysis of student's grades coupled with paperwork Kate was dropping off changed everything.
Kate popped her head in Caroline's office and held up a piece of paper. "I stopped by to give this to Beverley, but she asked me to give it to you."
The distraught Caroline faded away, replaced by the confident head teacher. "Ahh, yes, thank you." She stood up and began to walk towards Kate, "while you are here, do you have five minutes?"
She nodded as Caroline pointed towards the chair by her desk and then closed the door. Kate wondered what this was all about and suddenly felt as though she had done something wrong.
As Caroline sat, she explained. "I'm working on a complex statistical analysis of the student's grades. It is fairly boring; I'll spare you the details. I am adding this as part of my review for the teachers to make sure I catch any teaching issues which would impact the students. Anyway, the point is, I noticed there were some anomalies which I traced back to you."
Kate began to look very worried.
Seeing the concern in her eyes, Caroline held up her hand to indicate she was not done speaking, "In this instance, the anomalies are good. What I found, on average, the students you teach are outperforming those in other classes and I don't just mean other modern language classes. The phenomenal part is the carryover to their other subjects. You aren't just impacting them in the time you are together, but you inspire them to work hard after they leave your class."
"I try," Kate said humbly.
"And you succeed. I'm amazed by the job you do. I also want to let you know when I write my report to the Board of Governors; I plan to highlight this fact. Everyone is quick to take credit and as a wise woman recently told me, 'I want to give credit where credit is due.' This should positively impact your salary as well and it puts you in prime position to replace Mr. Davidson as departmental head when he retires in a few years, if he ever retires."
"Thank you," said Kate calmly but inside she was as excited as a child on Christmas morning.
"No, I should thank you," said Caroline, "you make both the school and me look good, we need more teachers like you. Well, that's all the good news I have…," as she placed her hand on a giant stack of papers.
"You're canceling on me?" Kate asked.
Caroline nodded, she hadn't planned it, she didn't mean to imply there was bad news following the good news. She hadn't intentionally placed her hand on the stack of papers, maybe it was a subconscious decision but she did need to work some over the weekend and Kate gave her an out, so she took it.
"I understand. If you manage to get through that mountain of paperwork, you know how to reach me. I have nothing else planned for tomorrow."
"Do you mind closing the door on your way out?"
After Kate left, Caroline buried her face in her hands. She thought dealing with her breakup from John was a lot and it was, but it was a little more straightforward. He was simply a jerk, an arse, a fornicating self-absorbed man-child who refused to grow up and ultimately treated their marriage as something which was expendable.
With Kate, there were so many different emotions coming to the surface. It brought up feelings she had suppressed for the past twenty years. She thought for a minute, perhaps she had never fully suppressed them, but she was married and faithful and in the handful of instances, when she began to feel the first telltale signs of attraction, she did what she needed to do to help keep temptation away. And now there is Kate. She is smart, beautiful, kind, caring, funny, talented and so much more. She's perfect!
After dinner on Fridays, Caroline would often attempt to get some work done. It wasn't going to go away so there was no point procrastinating, but this week was different. She poured herself a glass of wine and made her way into the family room. She didn't really have to cancel on Kate because of too much work. Deep down she knew as imposing as the stack of papers were, it would only take her four hours to complete, five max and she could have finished it on Friday if she really wanted to. Instead, she slowly sipped her wine and tried to read a book, but her mind kept wandering back to Kate. By 11:00, she gave up and went to bed. Sleep couldn't come fast enough because the more she tried not to think of Kate, the more her mind kept circling back to her.
Sleep did finally come but long after Caroline surrendered to her thoughts. How wonderful it would be to lie in bed with Kate, to hold her, to feel the subtle movements that come with the rise and fall of each breath. How wonderful it would be to have her body pressed against Kate, to breathe in her scent, to feel the softness of her skin, the heat rising from her body. How wonderful it would be to kiss Kate, to touch her, to taste her, to hear her, to feel her body tremble. How wonderful it would be to feel the warmth of Kate's touch, to be desired, to be kissed, to be explored, to be teased, to cry out in pleasure. It was the best night of sleep she'd gotten in ages.
The longer she stayed in bed, the longer she could delay reality, but hunger finally forced her to get up. While cooking breakfast, she came to the realization that friendship would need to be enough because being with Kate while not being WITH Kate was better than being without Kate altogether. After breakfast, she decided to conquer the mountain of paperwork. By 1:53, all the necessary portions had been read, reviewed, signed, stamped, or commented on and ready for Beverley on Monday morning. There was only one thing left to do, call Kate.
"Hi Caroline"
"Hi Kate. I was able to get through all my work and wanted to see if you would like to get dinner together tonight?"
"Normally, I'd love to, but I can't tonight," replied Kate.
"Okay, just thought I'd ask," said an obviously disappointed Caroline.
"Sorry, I only meant I can't go out. I have a new recipe I've wanted to try so I bought all the ingredients, the chicken is marinating, and I've already prepped everything else. Why don't you come over and join me. All I ask is that you give me honest feedback."
"Hmmm, someone else cooks, I think I can handle that. What can I bring?"
"Nothing, it's all under control. Come over whenever you are ready."
Caroline arrived with not one but two bottles of wine.
"Are you trying to get me drunk?" Kate asked with a smile on her face.
"No, no, I just thought I'd bring options and regardless of what you said, I couldn't come empty handed."
Constructive or otherwise, Caroline had no criticism of the dinner Kate made, it was delicious, enhanced by the company she had while eating. The wine was good as well so with good food, good wine and good company, it wasn't long before they opened the second bottle and moved from the kitchen to the sitting room.
"When do you need to go home to the boys?"
"I don't. They went away with John for the weekend. William didn't want to go but I talked him into it. Regardless of what is happening between us, John does love the boys and I'd hate to see them fall out."
"Good for you, being the bigger person, good for them, spending time together and good for me," Kate smiled, "you can help me finish the bottle and sleep here."
Caroline was caught off-guard, she hadn't thought of the possibility of sleeping over and she had never seen Kate drunk before. So many thoughts raced through her mind, would she confess something, would Kate? It was both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time.
They were laughing about an incident at school when the doorbell rang and Kate got up to answer it. Caroline couldn't fully see or hear what was happening but then her heart sank as she saw a man step forward and give Kate a big hug. It got worse when she invited him in. It had only been a few weeks since Kate's date with 'Aaaim-eeee' but it wasn't impossible to think that Kate had other dates she didn't tell her about. To Caroline's surprise, along with the mystery man, there was also an elderly woman.
"Caroline, this is Adrian, he lives down the street and his grandmother Ylenia."
Would Kate date a neighbor? And a younger one at that, thought Caroline.
"Nice to meet you, Caroline. We didn't mean to disturb your evening, we only stopped over so I could introduce my grandmother." Looking back towards Kate. "My parents retired recently and are taking an extended holiday, so she is staying with me for a while. Since I was born here, she also thinks I've forgotten my Romanian roots and has also been cooking up a storm. Thought we'd come over so I could introduce her and bring you some of the papanasi she made. They are cheese donuts."
"Let me go get some plates," said Kate.
Adrian put a hand on Kate's shoulder, Caroline wasn't happy with the contact. "No, we didn't mean to interrupt your evening, we only came to drop it off and introduce you."
The older woman sat down and started speaking Romanian to her grandson.
Turning back to Kate, "forget what I just said, looks like she wants a break before we walk home."
Kate smiled, "I'll get plates. Do you want tea, coffee, wine or something else to drink?"
"Wine," said the grandmother in a thick accent, followed by a smile.
The four sat drinking their beverages and eating papanasi.
"Before we leave, I do have a favor to ask. I know school is almost out for the summer break and my grandmother is home all alone and well…my girlfriend is going to stop over most days at lunch to check in on her but she can't on Tuesdays so I was wondering if you could? If you would." Caroline relaxed a bit knowing that he had a girlfriend and wasn't trying to steal Kate.
Once again, the grandmother spoke in Romanian.
"She said both of you should come and she'll teach you how to cook Romanian dishes."
"Of course, I'll stop by. Lunch isn't necessary," said Kate.
"It's up to you but she won't be happy if the two of you don't come and stay for lunch," smiled Adrian.
The pair got up, ready to make the short walk back down the street when the grandmother looked at Caroline, looked at Kate and then smiled before giving each a hug.
Once they settled back down, Kate smiled, "I'm really looking forward to the school year coming to an end and enjoying my summer break. Shhh, don't tell my boss."
Caroline smiled as she replied, "I hear she's a tough one. Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. I have it on good authority she is looking forward to the summer break as well."
Kate looked at her, "Okay, it has to be something more exciting than reading a book and I imagine that it will be less adventurous than climbing Mount Everest…what do you want to do with your free time this summer?"
"Skydiving," retorted Caroline with a straight face. "Just kidding. I haven't given it much thought, but I do want to go to that new weekend market."
"I'm all for going to a farmers market but I'm not sure if it qualifies as more exciting than reading a book," jested Kate.
"It does, I read most nights before bed, but I've never been to that new market. Honestly, I can't think of anything else."
"There is so much you can do, all the cliché ideas, walks, museums, parks. Oh, that reminds me, at one of the parks just down the road, they put on a summer concert series each year. It's university students and it runs the gamut of performance types so one week might be classical music while the following week it's a rock band and the week after, it's experimental music. It is always entertaining and just a couple of quid. Interested? It is always on a Wednesday, so it rarely interferes with anything else. Will you come with me, at least on occasion?"
"Sure, but I exercise the right to be busy on the night they do experimental music."
"Fair enough but you don't know what you are missing. So, what else do you want to do over break? I'm sure you can think of something. With the kids, by yourself, lots of food, alcohol, there must be at least one more thing."
"After our meeting the other day, Gavin did tell me about a couple of farms that partnered up to host wine and cheese and dinner tasting events to showcase what they produce. I don't know the details, but I don't think it's too far. If I do that, will you come with me?"
"I'm coming even if you uninvite me," joked Kate. "After eating all that cheese, you may need to roll me out of there."
Caroline gave Kate a look, "Please, you…" she waved her hand up and down to nonverbally indicate how thin she was, "…you're perfect."
"Nonetheless, I do love cheese and I think I want, need to train for a 5K this summer. Each year, the local running club has a fun run for charity and everyone dresses up to run. People dress as all sorts of things, most are just funny, some are poignant and some are a mix of both. The run ends at a park and there are vendors selling food and drinks, so the runners, friends and family hang out for the day. I've never been but I read about it last year. It's the second Saturday in September. Will you train for it with me?"
"Oh, I think I can watch you train and on the second Saturday, I can be one of the friends cheering you on," laughed Caroline.
"Okay, farmers market, wine tasting, me dragging you to events, what else?"
"Don't forget lunch with Ylenia. Isn't that enough for now? Half my summer has already been planned."
"Alright, enough for now but this is the perfect time to start doing more for yourself, recapture who you were before the boys, before John. Find what makes you happy, what you want."
You, I want you, thought Caroline.