Chapter Nine
June 2025
The snoring stopped at around four in the morning, when Caz rolled over onto her front and slid one leg over Grace’s thighs and an arm around her waist, her face nuzzled in against Grace’s arm.
Only then could Grace finally remove the pillow from over her head and get some sleep herself. Waking up several hours later, however, to find Caz’s nose just inches from her own, was interesting; not unpleasant, or weird, just…normal, and that was what she noticed most about it.
Clearly, she too must have moved and rolled over in her sleep, moving towards the embrace and not away from it.
She tried to shift herself away and couldn’t. Caz tightened her grip and made a noise that sounded like, “No.”
Grace giggled, which only seemed to worsen the situation when blurry eyes opened slowly and another groan sounded like, “Shh…head…hurts.”
“I am not surprised. I married a drunkard.” Grace smiled and kissed her forehead. “We have to get up and meet my parents for breakfast.”
“They do know we got married, right…and should be unavailable for at least a month while we ’enjoy’ the honeymoon phase?” Caz said, her eyes now closed again.
“A month? That’s all I’m getting?” Grace huffed theatrically. “I thought you lesbians were in the honeymoon phase for years,” Grace teased.
“Yeah, we are…but you’ve not turned to the dark side, so you get the usual straight person’s two weeks, but with a bonus of two more because you had the sense to at least not marry a straight person.”
Caz rolled onto her back and stretched, finally freeing Grace from her hold. Slowly, her eyes opened again, followed by a yawn and another stretch.
“I need coffee.” Caz groaned as she sat up. “How many tequilas did Dani buy me?”
“About ten too many.” Grace laughed, sliding out from under the duvet and crossing the room to open the curtains and flick the tiny kettle on.
Caz lifted the cover and frowned. “Why am I in my underwear and you’re in cute pyjamas?”
Grace gave her a stern look, with one brow raised at the stupid question, but she answered it anyway, “Because you were so out of it. The moment you landed on the bed, you were asleep. And I was not sleeping with your boots or letting that suit get ruined, so I stripped off what I could.”
“Anything to get me naked again.” Caz laughed, and soon regretted it as her head pounded again. “I don’t suppose you have—”
Grace was already delving into her bag. Coming up with a box of ibuprofen, she threw them across the room to Caz. “Take two, then shower. That should get the blood pumping again.”
Finally sitting up, Caz puffed out her cheeks. “I’m not sure blood pumping is a good idea.” She gingerly pulled her hair tie free and gently ran her fingers through the knots. “What time is it?”
“Almost ten,” Grace said, her back now to Caz as she ripped open packets of instant coffee, sugar, and those horrible milk portions. Nevertheless, she divided them into two cups and added the hot water, stirring vigorously. “Here, this should liven you up.”
Caz took the mug and sniffed it. “Looks grim.”
“I imagine that’s what it will taste like too, but needs must. Caffeine will be our God today.”
Sitting at the breakfast table, Grace had budged her chair up as close to Caz as she could get. Caz had her arm slung loosely around the back of Grace’s chair as they acted like the perfect couple in love.
Whispering to one another, they shared light kisses on cheeks and lots of staring into each other’s eyes whenever Ron or Lila was watching too intently.
The initial embarrassment when Ron had asked, “So, good night’s sleep?” without thinking, had surpassed, and Grace had allowed Caz to make a witty comment back. Her dad’s cheeks had gone bright beetroot as soon as he’d realised what he’d asked, but he got over it.
“It don’t feel right, you not having a honeymoon,” Lila said, when coffee had arrived and Ron was eyeing up the breakfast buffet.
They’d talked about the honeymoon at length, and though they’d both agreed a break would be nice, they also knew how much having a baby was going to cost and decided it was money they didn’t want to waste.
“We’ve got other stuff we want to get done,” Grace said. They hadn’t mentioned to anyone else about starting a family. They’d both decided there was no point until there was something to tell them.
“Like what? The house is immaculate,” Ron chipped in, having spent most weekends round there, painting walls and hanging paper.
They’d had to move all of Grace’s stuff into Caz’s room for the duration of the upstairs getting decorated. And then they’d moved it all into Grace’s room while Caz’s room was done, with Caz having to get up early and make sure her bed was made before Ron and the boys got there. Then they had to move all of Caz’s stuff back when it was all finally finished.
“We’re thinking about a hot tub in the garden,” Caz said as nonchalantly as you like, while stifling a yawn when she felt Grace stiffen.
Lila’s face lit up. “Oh, that would be nice… Can just see you two frolicking in there.” She winked.
Grace blushed, but said nothing when Caz took her hand, raised it, and kissed it. “Yeah, that’s what we thought.”
“Honeymoon phase.” Grace smiled.
Ron’s face edged towards beetroot again. “On that note, I’ll get some breakfast. Caz?”
“Hm?” Caz said, tearing her eyes away from mooning over Grace. “Oh, breakfast? Yes, starving, shall I get you something too, babe?”
Grace grinned at the nickname that was becoming quite regularly used lately.
“Would you?” she said in her most demure way, eyelashes batting for good effect.
“Of course, darling, anything for my wife.” Caz waggled her brows. “The full works, or starting with the pastries and making your way around?”
“Hm…choices. Surprise me.”
She continued watching as Caz and her father walked away, happily chatting.
“Can’t keep your eyes off her, can you?” Her mum smiled when Grace turned quickly. “It’s alright, you’re allowed to ogle. She’s your gorgeous wife.”
“Yes.” She turned back to look at Caz once more. “She is.”