I woke up with tears dried onto my face. Even before I was fully alert I remembered what had happened and by the time I had shaken off the last dregs of sleep my heart ached with pain.

I checked my phone to see if she'd left any messages but there were none. The pain in my chest got worse and I nearly choked on the lump forming in my throat.

I forced myself out of bed and into the shower. As I stood there, letting the water drum down on my head and drip into my eyes and idea began to form in my head. The more I considered it the more sure I became. This would work, and if it didn't? If it didn't then, I'd tried and that's all I could do.

As soon as I was descent I left the house, after grabbing my dads car keys off their hook on the wall.

I swung into the white Porsche and once again thanked my father for working so hard to look after us and, of course, for letting us use his fabulous car. I drove quickly to the shopping center. There wasn't much traffic on the road as rush hour was over and I was glad for that, delays would have left too much time to think and possibly convince myself this wouldn't work.

I hurried through the swarms of people who descended upon the stores like vampires to blood. Their fascination for shopping puzzled me, I for one found it dull and would much rather spend the day watching paint dry or counting the blades of grass in my garden. How these people had the stamina to stay at it for up to six hours at a time escaped me. I was already exhausted and I'd only been there for five minutes, although that had more to do with the fact I'd barely slept than pushing through the crowds of excited teenagers.

I reached the shop I'd been looking for and pushed through the door, a pleasant scent filling my nose when I did. The man working at the till smiled a welcome at me and I headed over to him.

"Hi," he said. "What can I help you with today?"

"I'm looking for some flowers but I've never bought any before and," I shrugged.

"Basically you have no clue what your doing?" He laughed and I nodded, a smile touching my shoulders. "Well first things first why are you buying these?"

"I had an argument." I said, not wanting to say more because I thought he was being a little nosy.

"With..." He trailed off waiting for me to fill the gap but I remained mute. "Your mum, a friend," he suggested, trying to prompt me into speaking, "who was the argument with?"

"It was my, uh, my girlfriend." I said finally and once it was out I felt much better. The man smiled broadly at me and winked.

"So you're one of us, eh?" He asked and I stared at him, a little rudely.

"You're gay?" I asked, not sure what he'd meant. 'Us' could mean anything.

"Of course, I work in a bloody flower shop, how much gayer could I get?" He was laughing now and I couldn't help but laugh with him. It was so obvious now he'd pointed it out, I'd been stupid not to realize.

"I totally should have been able to tell!" I said and he grinned.

"Yeah what's wrong with you girl gaydar out for repairs?" We both laughed again, then he became serious. "Flower for your girlfriend... Do you have any idea which kinds she likes?" He asked but I shook my head helplessly. He stood for a few more seconds then made up his mind and moved through the shop to the store room at the back.

He was back within minutes and handed me a bouquet of flowers in all shapes and sizes. The only flower I recognized were the three red roses that were placed in the center, surrounded by rings of colour. I buried my nose in it and the result was beautiful.

"Thank you," I said as I paid, "I would have never been able to pick something as great as this on my own."

"It's my job," He waved my gratitude away. "Anyway I hope your girl forgives."

"So do I." I said, smiling at him rather sadly. "Have a nice day."

"You too."

***

I pulled up outside her bungalow and just sat outside it for almost half an hour, trying to find the guts to go in there and give her the flowers as well as some chocolates I'd picked up on my way out.

Eventually I forced myself into motion and got out the car. I approached the door, my heart pounding and my palms sweaty. I knocked on the door weakly and no noise was produced. I tried again, this time knocking harder and soon footsteps approaching the door. A brief flash of panic over took me, cramping my stomach but I didn't run back to my car and drive off. I stood there like a rock. I knew I had to do this and there was no point in going home now I was here.

The door opened and then there she was, standing in front of me. I'd half expected her to shout at me or slam the door but she didn't. She just stood there, staring at me, her face expressionless.

"Hi," I said softly, speaking so lowly I was almost whispering.

"Hi." She replied.

"I, uh, these are for you." I said, awkwardly handing her the flowers and the chocolates.

"Thanks." She placed them on a table just inside the door. She didn't move from the doorway, in no way inviting me in. She obviously still hadn't forgiven me.

"I came to apologize," I said and didn't wait to gauge her reaction before plowing on. "I didn't mean to make you feel like I was ashamed of you and I did tell people about us, just not everyone and not all at the one time. I wasn't even sure if we were together, at least you never said anything."

"Do you think I would've kissed you if we weren't together?" She asked, annoyance creeping into her voice. "Or at least once we kissed surely we were together?"

"I guess," even to my own ears I didn't sound sure.

"Do you want us to be together? Or not?" She asked.

"Of course I want us to be together."

"Fine." We both stood there, neither of us moving or saying anything. "Do you want to come in?" She asked finally and I nodded, almost laughing at how absurd this was.

I stepped through the door and made my way down the short hallway. I'd never been in her house before and it was not at all how I imagined it.

I thought it would be sleek and modern but it was much more down to earth with well worn recliners that were not made in the leather I'd pictured but in a blue fabric. There were pictures of her with another woman, and another, older woman who I assumed was her mother on a cabinet opposite the window. The TV was rather larger than necessary but I'd expected that. She was a lesbian after all.

"Do you want anything?" Laura asked, "coffee, food?"

"Some water would be great, thanks."

She handed me a glass and sank into the chair beside me.

"I know you told your parents about me, I was awake and heard you talking to them."

"Then why did you-"

"I was upset, I didn't want you to want to hide me or be ashamed of me in some way." She admitted, meeting my eyes with sincerity.

"I'm sorry," I said, feeling really bad, "I just- it's hard for me to just tell everyone like I don't care what they think, because I do. I want my family to still treat me the same way, I've already lost Harry, I can't lose anyone else."

"If they love you, and they do," she said softly, leaning over and placing her hand on my forearm, "who you want to be with wont matter to them. Just because you like women doesn't make you a different person."

"I know, I really do... it's just so hard."

"You don't have to do it alone." She said, "I can be there, by your side, if that's what you want. Even if you don't your family will support you, I promise you."

I smiled at her, tears filling my eyes.

"Thank you." I whispered and she wrapped me in a tight hug, pressing her body against me. When she released me she kissed my cheek quickly before retreating to her own chair again.

"Do you want to do something?" I asked, suddenly filled with a surge of confidence.

"Like what?" She asked and I shrugged.

"Anything. Lets just drive somewhere and do anything."

I grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the door. She didn't try to resist and soon we were both sitting in my dad's car.

"Nice car." She said, with an approving feel of the white leather seat.

"Thanks." I said and turned on the engine. "It's my dads."

"It's great, if only I was rich enough to own a car like this." She sighed wistfully.

"Yeah... but then if you were rich enough to afford this why would you stay here? I'd move to America or something."

"Nah, I like it here, there are some upsides." She winked at me, watched me blush then said, "so were are we going to go?"

"I have no idea, anywhere you fancy?"

"I kinda have somewhere in mind..." She trailed off, looking slightly embarrassed.

"Where?"

"Well... promise you wont laugh!"

"I promise." I said with a smile already tugging at the corners of my mouth.

"I've been wanting to go to the science center since it was done up." I tried to force my giggles so I wouldn't offend her but eventually lost the battle and started to laugh, loudly. "You promised!" She snapped, punching me with playful annoyance.

"I-I'm not... l-laughing at you." I hiccuped, fighting to control myself.

"Humph, are we going?" She asked, ignoring my stifled chuckles.

"Oh, yeah." I said and pushed the accelerator making the car leap forward.

***

We came back through her door many hours later, laughing and joking happily.

Laura flicked on the living room light and I screamed. There was a woman sitting on the chair in the corner of the room.

"Caitlin, what the hell are you doing here?"