Fic: On A Clear Day… [Last Tango in Halifax]
Caroline and Kate have a brief conversation on a clear day in Harrogate.
A tangent that spiraled off while writing a chapter of another story… Not mine, never were...
“Please,” Caroline scoffed as she snapped her Flake bar into two and offered the larger piece to the woman on her right, “I can’t imagine anyone fancying me.”
“I wouldn’t be so quick to assume that Caroline.” Kate smiled to herself as she accepted the chocolate from Caroline’s fingers, careful not to brush hands. “Just because no one’s said it doesn’t mean they don’t.” Kate watched as Caroline straightened her legs out in the warm sun. “Even right here in school.”
They were sitting on the front steps of the empty school, Kate having persuaded Caroline to come out for a break with the promise of a cup of tea and a chat having nothing to do with school and work. Caroline joined her in a few moments proudly revealing a half-full packet of biscuits and the Flake bar, her offering to the impromptu picnic. It was a sunny Saturday, and Kate could tell from the near silence on the other end of the line and the level of preoccupation in her voice when she called Caroline that she was most definitely not home. So when Kate passed the school, she was not surprised in the least that there was only one car in the lot, the Jeep that belonged to the headmistress herself.
“I should let you back to work.” Kate spoke softly, realizing what dangerous ground she was treading on with her friend, well more her boss really. “Oh, just a few more minutes,” Caroline leaned her head back and closed her eyes, finally feeling the warmth of the sun wash over her after the air conditioned chill of her office. “Besides, you were about to tell me about my many, many admirers.” She couldn’t help but smile at the absurdity of that. “Well,” Kate began slowly, “I don’t know about many, many - but I do know about one.”
“Oh really?” Caroline took a deep breath of the spring air, only half paying attention to the conversation.
“Yes.”
And suddenly, her hand felt warmer as Kate placed hers atop it. “Oh.” She brought her head upright and slowly opened her eyes to find Kate watching her intently. Her mind was a blank. She knew it should be reeling, but it was empty, vacant. The sensation was more foreign than unpleasant. It had been so long since anyone had held her hand. “I’m sorry -” Kate quickly tried to remove her hand.
“No, don’t.” Caroline replied, taking the younger woman’s hand in hers so that their fingers were loosely intertwined. She turned her head to look out at the school grounds. It wasn’t that she wasn’t flattered, because she was. Kate McKenzie was both very pretty and very smart. And she’d be lying to herself if she said she hadn’t noticed either of those traits, or the way she’d blush around her, but honestly, those days were behind her, weren’t they? She promised, absolutely promised to herself that when she married John, there would be no other… no one else. “Should I not have told you Caroline?” Kate asked, unsure of how to take the silence.
“Probably not, no.” But still, their hands stayed intertwined.
“It was just that you’ve been so sad, and so down and I couldn’t listen to you do this anymore, and the sun and quiet and I…what?”
“May I kiss you Kate?” Caroline asked, turning to face the rambling woman.
“The sun’s in your eyes, I can’t tell if you’re serious.”
The sun was indeed in Caroline’s eyes, causing her to squint. She couldn’t make out much more than the outline of the other woman who blocked the sun like an eclipsing moon. So she took a deep breath and leaned in, hoping the younger woman would join her, make it easier. She didn’t - Kate sat there frozen, half in fear, half in disbelief as Caroline Elliot, Dr. Elliot, her boss (!) was leaning in to kiss her. It wasn’t until she could see every lash surrounding Caroline’s watery blue eyes, the edge of her lip between her teeth, until she could see the stray strand of blond hair stuck to her cheek did she realized this was happening. She raised her free hand to brush back the stray strand, not missing the small nuzzle Caroline gave into Kate’s hand. Encouraged that this wasn’t a joke, or a set up, Kate smiled as she brought her lips to the other woman. “You’re smiling!” Caroline murmured, lips against lips. “I am.” Kate replied before she deepened the kiss. It was slow and sweet. Not eager, or passionate - but steady and shy and gentle. Before Kate knew it, Caroline pulled away and turned her head back to the empty school grounds.
Life suddenly got a little more complicated it seemed.
“Well,” Caroline began, letting go of Kate’s hand to rise up off the steps. “I should be getting back to work.”
“Right.” Kate stoically agreed, unsure of what could be running out the other woman’s mind.
“Right.” Caroline repeated as took one last look at the clear day spread out in front of her … and then turned around and walked back into the school.
“Right.” Kate murmured.