Shane quietly opened the porch door slipping outside before anyone noticed; she quickly closed the door behind her silently before taking a seat on the porch steps. She pulled out her half empty cigarette packet from her back pocket putting one of the sticks in her mouth before searching for her lighter. She locates it her breast pocket, she lights the cigarette quickly before putting the lighter back in its located space. She inhales deeply, resting back against the steps. She was so engrossed in her thoughts she didn’t hear anyone open and close the porch door behind her, it was only when the figure gently took her free hand and laced her fingers with her own that she realised she had company.

“Hey” Shane whispers exhaling the smoke from her cigarette.

“What are you doing out here?” Carman asks.

“Thinking” Shane replies. She unlaces her fingers from Carman’s, placing a lock of her wife’s hair behind her ear.

“You’ve been quiet all day, something on your mind?” Carman questions taking Shane’s hand giving it a gentle kiss. Shane just remains silent.

“Do you wanna talk about it?” Shane shakes her head silently, before leaning forward and kissing Carman’s temple. They sit in silence for a couple of minutes.

“I love you” Shane says simply, looking deeply into Carman’s eyes.

“I love you too” Carman replies. Shane leans forward and kisses Carman tenderly, a kiss that starts of soft soon turns more passionate as Carman moans softly as Shane deepens the kiss.

“Mommy!” A voice yells from the porch door way.

The two break away reluctantly after Shane places a final kiss on the tip of Carman’s nose.

“What’s up little man?” Shane asks her son.

“It’s time to open my presents” He says excitedly before running down the porch steps to stand in front of his parents.

“Who told you that?” Shane says picking her son up in her arms.

“Auntie Alice” Shane looks at Carman who laughs lightly. “She said I should come find you and tell you” He says with the biggest grin on his face.

“Well it must be time then” Carman says standing up.

The three head back in to the living room where their sons friends and their own were waiting round the table of presents.