by Sarah Pond
As Daisy looked up, Kate leaned forward to kiss her, and her nerves melted away at the softness of Kate's touch, as she felt her lips softly and urgently on her own.
As they pulled away to catch their breath, Daisy's eyes were wide, her pupils dilated.
Kate was practically breathless, 'I've been longing for this evening. We don't have to do anything if you don't want to, but I really want to make love to you.'
Daisy nodded, 'I want that too.'
Their mouths met again urgently, and they became lost in one another. After an age, they pulled apart. Kate's voice was breathless, 'Shall we?' She stood, holding her hand out to help Daisy up from the sofa. Pulling her to a standing position, she drew Daisy in for a kiss.
'Wow. My legs have gone to jelly, I think you'll have to carry me upstairs.'
Kate winked, 'That can be arranged!' Before she knew what was happening, Daisy was swept off her feet, and Kate headed towards the stairs.
'Hey, put me down!' By now she was giggling hysterically.
Once they had made it to the bedroom, Kate beckoned Daisy to the bed. 'Remember, we don't have to do anything you don't want to. We can take it slowly.'
As she kissed Daisy, her hand slid under her top, feeling the softness of her skin. 'You are so beautiful.'
Daisy smiled shyly, 'I still can't believe we're doing this!'
Their kisses became urgent, and they fell back onto the bed. Leaning over, Kate gently unbuttoned Daisy's shirt, pushing it away from her body. Daisy gasped, the sensations caused by Kate's fingertips stroking and caressing her sending her giddy with excitement. Then she felt Kate's soft lips on her neck, her collarbone, her breasts, gently working their way down to her stomach, which involuntarily tightened. She experienced a surge of disappointment as Kate pulled away, and opened her eyes. The gaze she was met with was scorching hot, and it took Daisy's breath away.
'You okay?' Kate couldn't manage many words, when there was so much else her lips wanted to do.
'Yes. Please don't stop.' Daisy was practically begging.
Undoing Daisy's jeans, she slid them down her hips, discarding them on the floor, and Daisy was rewarded with the feel of Kate's lips back on her stomach, and now very slowing moving further south. Having gently removed Daisy's pants, Kate's mouth moved down between her legs, her tongue tasting and exploring.
'Oh my god.' Daisy threw her head back on the pillow.
Kate kept going, encouraged by the sounds of pleasure coming from Daisy. She kissed and caressed until the inevitable release as Daisy came loudly, calling out Kate's name, grabbing and twisting the sheets, before finally letting go as her body was sated. Kate slid up the bed towards Daisy, who gave her a lazy smile. 'Hey, you okay?'
It was a while before the words forming in Daisy's head reached her lips. 'Kate, that was... wow.'
She closed her eyes again, and felt Kate kissing her. Responding hungrily, Daisy pulled her in closely. Rolling over so that she was astride Kate, she began to slowly undress her.
The evening melted into the early hours, and both Daisy and Kate had never been happier.
Daisy was trying to concentrate on her work, but she was aware of Cheryl watching her. 'For goodness sake, what?'
Cheryl smiled back at her, 'Nothing.'
'You keep looking at me and grinning.' Daisy spoke with mock exasperation.
'Do I?' Cheryl tried to play the innocent.
Daisy sat back in her chair. 'Come on, out with it.'
Tapping the end of her pen gently on her chin, Cheryl said, 'Well, I can't help noticing there's something different about you. But I can't work out what it is.'
Daisy smiled, despite herself. 'Is that so?'
Cheryl sat herself down opposite Daisy's desk. 'Have you met someone?' Daisy blushed. 'I knew it! You've kept this quiet, though. So, is it anyone I know?'
'No, it's not.'
Cheryl was delighted. 'So there is! Are you going to spill the beans?'
'No!' Daisy laughed.
'Come on, you know I'm going to keep on until you tell me.'
'Alright. But please don't make a big deal about it.'
Cheryl pointed at herself, and tried to look innocent, 'Moi?'
Daisy took a deep breath, before beginning, 'You know I'm friends with Kate, who sometimes looks after Jess?'
Cheryl looked delighted, 'I knew it!'
'What, I haven't finished yet!'
'About time. You've been mooning over her for ages. Thank goodness.'
Daisy was flabbergasted, 'What do you mean?'
'You've been into her for months. I'm glad you finally saw it for yourself.'
Daisy was speechless.
Cheryl was beaming at Daisy. 'I'm really happy for you.'
'Look, please don't say anything. I haven't told Jess yet. Apart from Eve, no one else knows.'
'Of course, you know me!'
'Yes, I do. That's the trouble!'
Later that week, Kate said she would join Daisy when she went to collect Jess from school. They walked close, their hands not quite touching, and deep in conversation.
'Hi.'
They both looked up, still laughing from a shared joke. Daisy involuntarily blushed, 'Hi, Trish, sorry, Patricia. How are you?'
'Well, thank you. How are you? You two look as thick as thieves!'
Daisy and Kate stole another look at one another, before turning back to smile at Trish. 'We're good, thanks.'
It hadn't escaped Patricia's notice that Daisy had answered for both of them. Well, they certainly seemed very close. She was pleased that Daisy had a good friend, it can't have been easy for her.
'I think I'm seeing you with David at mum and dad's this weekend?'
Patricia smiled warmly, 'Oh yes, I'm looking forward to it.' Daisy knew that she really meant it, too. She could see that they could be friends, after all.
Jess came running out to Daisy, thrilled to see Kate too, and gave them both a hug. The three of them happily said goodbye to Patricia, and turned to make their way home.
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
Daisy and Kate were picking up some food shopping for the weekend. As Daisy walked around the end of one of the aisles, she spotted Bob. She had successfully managed to avoid seeing him since she was at Sainsbury's that time with Jess. What was it about her and Bob at supermarkets. 'Kate, quick, over here.'
Kate was studying the label on a jar of food, only half listening. 'What?'
'Quick!'
'Huh?' Kate looked up, wondering why Daisy was frantically gesturing at her.
Daisy was exasperated, 'Oh, for goodness sake.'
Deciding to take action, she grabbed Kate's arm. Kate was still distracted, though, and the sudden pull on her arm wrong-footed her.
Bob appeared at the end of the aisle, to see Daisy lying on her back on the floor, with a rather bewildered Kate on top of her.
'Oh, err, hello,' he said, looking awkward.
'Hi Bob. Er, how are you?' Daisy's face was beetroot red.
'Good, thanks. Erm, do you need a hand?'
'No, thanks. I was just, um, checking the floor was clean.'
With this comment, Kate dissolved into uncontrollable giggles, still pinning Daisy to the ground.
'Right, well, er, I'll be off then. Cheerio!'
As Bob walked away, looking flustered from his encounter, Daisy said, 'Oh god, I'm going to have to move!'
Everything was going well with Kate. Very well indeed, as it happened, and Daisy was so happy. She decided it was time to have a chat with Jess. They were sitting on Jess' bed, and had been looking at some books together. Daisy knew that she would have to have this conversation soon, it was getting harder to pretend nothing was happening between herself and Kate. 'Darling, there's something I wanted to talk to you about.'
Jess looked up, 'What is it, Mum?'
'Well, um. You know a little while ago, I was seeing someone.'
'Yes, from work.'
'Yes, and that didn't work out. Well, th
ere's someone I really like. I have liked for a long time.' Daisy's stomach was somersaulting, and not in a good way. Come on, just say it. 'Well, it's just that, um, Kate and I have become very close.' Oh boy, this is hard. 'We've sort of started seeing each other.'
'Kate?' Jess looked blank.
'Yes, Kate. My friend.'
'Kate, who I garden with?'
'Yes.' Phew, it was a relief to have said it out loud. 'It just happened. We liked each other, and we were already friends. I just wanted you to know.'
'Kate is your girlfriend?' Jess looked at Daisy with wide eyes.
'Yes.' Daisy swallowed hard.
'No.' Jess' face was flushed, and she dramatically crossed her arms across her chest.
Daisy was taken aback, 'Sorry?'
'No. I won't allow it. You can't.'
'Well, I'm sorry, darling, but it's already happening.'
'No, you have to stop it.' Jess' face was red with anger.
Daisy was flustered, 'I can't. I don't want to. I'm happy again, for the first time in a long time.' How dare she. Okay, take some deep breaths. She's nine, for goodness sake.
'Please don't.'
This was breaking Daisy's heart. 'But why? I thought you loved Kate?'
'I do. You just don't get it. I have to go to bed, I have school tomorrow. Goodnight.' With that, Jess slunk under her duvet and turned away from her mum.
Daisy sat there for a moment, stunned into stillness. She remembered her words to Kate recently, about people thinking she was her other mum. She was sure that she would be okay with it. Yes, it was obviously a bit of a surprise, but at least she already knew Kate. Surely that was better than some random person on a date. Sighing heavily, she decided to leave Jess alone. 'Goodnight darling. I love you.'
The resounding silence which greeted Daisy made her heart sink.
Kate could hear the tears in Daisy's voice as soon as she answered the phone. 'I'll be there in ten.'
As soon as Kate was through the door, Daisy flew into her arms, sobbing. 'Hey, let's sit down, and you can tell me about it.'
Once Daisy had calmed down, wiping away tears on the cuffs of her sweatshirt, she relayed the conversation with Jess to Kate, who sat very still. Daisy couldn't quite gauge what was going through her head, although she could see that Kate's face had paled. As she came to an end, she asked, 'What am I going to do?'
Kate was still quiet. She put her arm around Daisy's shoulders, and pulled her close.
'I don't understand it, Jess has been so cool with Stephen getting remarried. She has friends with same sex parents. She made that comment to you, and everything.'
At last, Kate spoke. 'Well, it's one thing as a hypothetical idea, but quite another when it's suddenly a reality.'
'So what do I do?'
Kate sighed, 'I don't know. It's your call.'
'I just don't know. There's no way I want to stop seeing you.' She took Kate's hand and squeezed it. 'And I don't want to lie to Jess either.'
'You don't have to.'
'Oh, Kate.'
'Look, you've only just told her. Sleep on it, you don't have to decide what to do now. Jess needs some time to process it. We just need to keep things normal in front of her, and you can speak with her again in a few days maybe. It will be okay, whatever happens.'
Daisy looked into Kate's eyes. She looked so sure, so calm. 'Yes, you're right.' She took a deep breath, and sank back into the sofa. Turning to Kate, she said, 'Thank you,' then leaned forward to kiss Kate.
As they sank into one another, they hadn't heard footsteps on the stairs, and the first they knew of Jess' presence was when they heard her say, 'I don't believe this.'
Slamming the door behind her, Jess ran back upstairs to her room.
'Damn. How stupid could I be.' Daisy jumped up, rushing up to Jess' room. Tapping gently on the door, she called out, 'Jess, can I come in?'
'No. Go away.' She sounded really upset.
'I'm so sorry Jess. Please, let's talk about this.'
'I don't want to. Leave me alone.'
Daisy sat on the landing, learning her back against Jess' closed door. 'I'm really sorry Jess. I didn't think you were going to come downstairs.'
'You can't be with Kate. She's my friend.'
'Of course she is. She still is, this doesn't change anything.'
Jess voice was strained through the tears, 'This changes everything.'
'It will be like before, but even better. We're already like a family.'
'You just don't get it, do you.'
Daisy sat on the floor outside her daughter's bedroom, and sobbed. After a few minutes, Kate went looking for her, and led her back downstairs. Sitting on the sofa, Kate hugged her until the sobbing subsided.
'It will be okay. She just needs a bit of time.'
'But what if she never accepts our relationship?'
Kate sighed, 'Honestly, I don't think that's going to happen. We might have to slow things down a bit in the meantime, though.'
'But I don't want to do that.'
'I know, neither do I. But if it's better in the long run, it'll be worth it.'
Having wiped her face, Daisy looked at Kate hopefully, 'So you think there's a long run?'
Kate smiled lovingly, 'Oh yes. I've never been more sure of anything. Unless you feel differently, of course.'
'No, not at all. I just wanted Jess to be okay. I finally feel I've figured stuff out, and I don't want to put my life on hold. Not now things are so good.'
'In the scheme of things, we'll look back and see it was just a short term thing. It'll be okay.'
'Oh, Kate, I feel so much better when I talk to you.' Daisy snuggled in closely, feeling protected by Kate's arms.
They chatted until nearly midnight, when Kate left.
At her parents at the weekend, Daphne had noticed that her daughter seemed different, but wasn't sure why. When they had chatted, Daisy hadn't mentioned anything, but there certainly seemed like a spring in her step, which she hadn't seen in a long time. She also noticed that Jess was being a bit off with her mum, but put that down to being a pre-teenager. It reminded her of Daisy at that age.
Whilst Jess was in the garden with her grandparents, Daisy was chatting with David and Patricia. 'So what have you been up to?'
'We- I've been going out a bit more recently.' Well, the we could have been referring to me and Jess, Daisy thought to herself.
As they chatted, Daisy realised just how much time she and Kate spent together. Every time she thought or talked about what she had been doing, it was nearly always tied up with Kate. Nearly every thought and memory had Kate attached to it, and she smiled to herself. No, wait, maybe she should spend a bit more time apart from her, no wonder Jess was being difficult about it. Okay, so she would talk to Kate. The thought made her stomach feel like a brick had been dropped into it.
'Daisy?' Daisy came to, to see both David and Patricia looking at her. 'You were miles away there, sis!'
Daisy flushed, and pushed her hair back off her face. 'Sorry, I just remembered there's something I have to do.'
'Is everything alright?' David looked concerned.
'Oh, yes. Just a homework thing for Jess. Anyway, where were we? So how are you two doing?'
Phew, conversation safely steered away.
The following Friday, Daisy asked Kate whether they could meet at hers, rather than at the coffee shop. 'Of course, what did you have in mind?' From the way Kate spoke, Daisy could just imagine the cheeky look on her face.
'I just want to talk to you about something.'
'Oh.'
Daisy hated how flat Kate's voice suddenly sounded. 'Look, it's nothing to worry about. I'll explain when I see you.'
As soon as Daisy was in the hall, with the door closed behind her, Kate was kissing her. As they drew apart, both of them breathless, Kate said, 'Sorry. Just in case this turned out to be a conversation I didn't want to hear, I just wanted to get that in quick!'
Daisy smiled lovingly at h
er, 'Don't be silly. And I really do think your lips have a good point there!' She looked serious for a moment. 'Can we sit down?'
Kate's face dropped, and with it, Daisy's stomach. 'Oh god, it is going to be that conversation.'
'No, it's not. Honestly.' Daisy held Kate's hand as they walked into the lounge. They sat down, perched on the edge of the sofa, facing one another.
'Come on then, I've been nervous as hell since you rang.'
Daisy hated seeing the strained expression on Kate's face. 'I think you're reading too much into this. I just wanted to talk about Jess. And us.' Then she didn't know what to say.
'Okay. So what did you want to talk about?'
'I don't know. I realised at the weekend, when I was at my parents, and chatting with my brother, I was having to keep correcting myself, saying “I” instead of “we”. My life is so entwined with yours, I hadn't even realised, and it got me thinking, that's probably why Jess is struggling with it.'
Kate squeezed Daisy's hand, 'That sounds really sweet when you say it like that.' She quickly explained, 'I mean, the bit about being entwined, not about Jess.' As she said it, she linked her fingers through Daisy's.
'I thought maybe we should spend a bit less time together when Jess is around.' She was searching Kate's face for her reaction. 'Just while she gets used to the idea.'
Kate pulled her hands away, and Daisy's heart sank. 'Yes, of course. That makes sense.'
'Look, I don't want to do this.'
Kate looked deep into Daisy's eyes, 'I know. It makes sense, we have to think about Jess.'
Daisy's eyes were welling up, 'I want to be with you as much as I can. Being with you is... I am so happy. I want...' She leaned forward to kiss Kate, she had to know how much she cared about her.
Kate started to pull back, and saw the hurt on Daisy's face. 'Kate, all I'm saying is about giving Jess some space to get used to us being together. I want to be with you. I love you.'
This time, it was Kate who moved in to kiss Daisy, pulling her close, kissing her urgently. When they eventually pulled apart, Kate said, 'I was so worried you were going to end it.'
Daisy looked shocked, 'Why would you ever think that? Surely you know how I feel about you?'