Four Seasons: Christmas Presents (FF, light bond, cons) [2/4] It snowed for Christmas. The soft flakes had coated the trees and the fields in a dazzling display of white as far as Kate could see. She had awoken and gazed out her window for a half hour before she could even bring herself to tear her eyes away from the scene outside. She almost expected to see the proverbial sleigh drawn by reindeer emerge from the over the low rolling hills surrounding her home. She wrapped her dressing gown around her body as she spotted her father trudging through the fresh snow from the barn. She ran down the stairs, practically leaping into her father's cold arms as he entered the house. Laughing, he swung his daughter around before placing her on her bare feet. "What's that all about, pumpkin?" "Merry Christmas Eve, Daddy," she replied. "Merry Christmas Eve. How's my clever psychology student this morning?" He was referring to her university transcript that she'd brought home with a flourish at the beginning of the week. Not a mark below 80. He was inordinately proud of his only child. "She's just fine. Hungry. But fine." "Let's see about breakfast, then." Kate gathered the fresh eggs from the refrigerator as her father assembled the rest of the cooking utensils. Together they whipped up a huge batch of scrambled eggs and toast. After the smells had driven them crazy, they sat and savoured the breakfast. "You heard from Linda?" her father asked as they noisily ate. "Wonder how she's doing? Haven't seen her at all since September." "She hasn't called." Kate desperately wanted to know about Linda as well. For different reasons. She'd called the Millers early in the week, but Linda wasn't expected until today or even tomorrow. Her parents weren't even sure that Linda was coming home for the holidays. Her exam schedule had been much more hectic than Kate's. "That's too bad, pumpkin. Maybe later today. You going to be alright on your own today? I've got some work in the barn to finish up. We can still have a wonderful dinner, if you'll brave my cookin' again." "I'll be alright. I've got some reading to catch up on. And I love your cooking." Kate rose and cleared the table after they finished eating. She washed and her father dried. Just as they finished cleaning up, the phone rang. Kate rushed to answer it. Linda's voice emerged from the earpiece. "Hey, girlfriend." "Where the hell have you been?" Kate cringed at the look from her father. Even the word 'hell' was frowned upon in this household. Kate felt bad that she'd slipped. Her father looked a little disappointed, but he would never say anything to her. Kate idly noticed that his unspoken disappointment hurt more than if he'd chastised her. She tried to slip back into home mode. "Unlike you, I've been studying my pretty brains out. I just got in this morning," Linda's voice replied over the line. "Can we see each other? My father is ditching me." "Of course, sweety. I thought you'd be lonely today and I managed to score you both an invite for dinner. Sound good? You two shouldn't be alone on Christmas Eve." "Hold on." Kate turned to her father who was looking quizzically at her. "Linda's invited us for Christmas Eve dinner." "Sounds good to me. I love Pam's cooking. And I'm afraid I didn't have much planned. Just you and me and some Kraft Dinner." He looked sheepishly at his daughter. "Actually your plan sounds nice, too, Daddy, but I'll tell her we'll be there." She raised the telephone back to her lips and relayed the decision. "Good. I'm looking forward to seeing you. Hey. You want to come over early? We can do some riding? I promise I won't force you to pull any more Lady Godivas." Kate could tell that Linda was grinning on her end of the phone. Obviously, Linda had found herself a private extension. "You minx. It's far to cold out there for those games. What time is dinner?" "I don't know. Six-ish? Why don't you come by in an hour or so, we'll take Starr and Lady?" "You got it." Kate gently replaced the receiver into its cradle. "What the heck was that all about?" her father asked. "Dinner's at six, I'm going riding until then." He smiled. "Dress warmly." "Daddy. I know. I'm not a little girl anymore." "Sorry. Sorry. I know you aren't. You're my big grown up university girl. You are beginning to really remind me of your mother. She hated it when I babied her as well. I guess I just liked my little girl. Guess I'm not used to my little woman, yet." "You don't like your little psychology major?" Kate pouted. "I don't just like her. I think I love her." Her gathered his daughter into his arms and squeezed her until she gasped. He released her and she scampered towards the stairs. "See you later, Daddy. And I love you too." She raced up the stairs and into the bathroom. She peeled off her nightgown and threw herself into a hot shower. In a half hour she emerged, dripping and refreshed. She quickly dried off and ran naked to her room where she threw on a warm sweater and jeans. She scampered downstairs and wrapped herself in her down ski jacket and boots. On her way out, she poked her head into the barn where her father was messing with some kind of leather work. She watched him for a few moments, her breath making steam in the air. He looked up and smiled at her. "Aren't you gone, yet?" "I'm on my way out." She pranced over to his chair and kissed his forehead. "You be careful. Don't get lost." "We won't Daddy. Don't be silly," she tossed over her shoulder as she closed the big barn doors. She stopped and gazed around. The world was suddenly pure white, the bright sunshine reflecting off everything. It didn't even seem real. The snow seemed so peaceful and pristine. She almost hated to disturb it by walking on it, but she wouldn't see Linda if she didn't. She began to make her way slowly along the old path to the Miller residence, her feet making crunching noises in the snow. Halfway along, she spotted deer tracks through the snow. She hadn't seen a deer since last fall. The horses would probably scare them, but she was hoping to spot one on the ride. As she approached the Miller home, she saw Linda standing on the back porch, her bare hand extended in front of her. As Kate approached, she noticed the birds. Chickadees swooped out of the trees and landed on Linda's hand, only to pick up something and flit away with their distinctive call. Linda's face was a mask of childish wonder, watching the small creatures trusting her. As Kate walked closer the birds became skittish and stopped their flights. Linda broke out into a smile as she spotted her best friend crossing the back lawn. She let the remainder of her birdseed fall to the snow and ran out to embrace Kate. Kate's mind flashed back to a warm October night with a harvest moon when Linda had practically flown into her arms. The two friends hugged fiercely. Linda whispered in her ear, "I missed you. God, I wish we could do more than this." She placed a wet kiss on Kate's cheek and broke the embrace. Linda's face was a little flushed, but whether is was the cold, or something deeper, Kate couldn't quite tell. Kate's stomach was in knots just from seeing her. "Dad's got the horses saddled for us. Care to join me?" Linda grabbed at Kate's hand and pulled her towards the barn. Kate wasn't sure that she was going to be able to see the back of that barn without remembering the tack closet, but she was sure going to try. She could feel her face flush as she remembered that night. Just Linda and her and the moon. It was the last time that she had seen Linda. As the girls approached the barn, they heard whistling from within. Linda pulled open the doors to find her father just tightening the last straps on the saddle. The horses looked anxious to go. "Merry Christmas, Reverend Miller." Linda's father looked up and walked over to the two girls. He gave Kate a big kiss on the cheek. "Merry Christmas. How's my Kate?" "I'm fine, sir. Looking forward to riding Starr again." "And she's looking forward to taking you. Where are you two off to anyway?" "Just around." Linda answered. "Be back for supper. And be careful out there. It's cold." He checked Linda's parka as though she was still twelve. "Daddy. I'm dressed. Relax." "Alright. Alright. Can't a father take care of his daughter anymore?" Linda stepped up on her toes and gave him a kiss. "You can take care of me as long as you want." The girls stepped past Linda's father and towards the horses. Like experts, the two girls mounted and cantered out of the barn. Linda kicked her horse into a gallop and Lady sprang happily into gear. Kate urged Starr into a gallop and together they flew across the fields, the cold air biting at their unprotected faces. The Reverend watched the two girls as they disappeared over the rise, smiling. He closed the barn door and slowly walked to the main house. The two girls were both daughters to him. He couldn't imagine life here without either one of them. He missed them both terribly when they were away at school, but there comes a time when you have to let them go. It was the natural order of things. His head swam with ideas for his next sermon. The natural order of things. Laughing, Kate and Linda raced over the empty fields towards the forest that bordered the east side of the Miller property. The horses' hooves thundered over the frozen ground, their breathing hard and fast. The horses seemed almost happy to be let free of the barn. The girls stopped their mounts just outside of the treeline. The snow coated everything. The branches of the trees bent under the weight of the snow. It was like a postcard. Kate would have given just about anything for a camera. The girls just sat quietly, marveling at it. Winter wasn't quite as clean and bright in Kingston or Waterloo. They guided the horses slowly down into the trees, where they knew the path was somewhere beneath the snow. They had played here so long they probably could have found the trails blindfolded. They talked easily back and forth. University. Professors. School. Grades. The topic slowly revolved to friends. A knot formed in Kate's stomach as Linda described a new friend of her's, Lorne. Seeing the stricken look on Kate's face, Linda reassured her. "Come on, Kate. He's just a friend. Cute. But just a friend. He's got a girlfriend. Just like I do." The horses moved together and stopped. Linda leaned over and gently kissed Kate's lips. Both girls' lips were curiously cold from the winter air, but they quickly warmed with the contact. The knot in the pit of Kate's stomach dissipated. She still wasn't sure exactly what Linda and her felt. She knew that they'd always be friends, no matter what happened. But that knot was an indication of far more than friends, and Kate knew it. Linda broke the kiss and laughed. She kicked her horse and the girls chased one another through the forest. They continued to talk throughout the day until they finally ended up at the stream. Morning had crept into afternoon. They had to get back soon and warm up. Kate looked over wistfully at the moss covered boulder on the other side of the frozen stream. Linda and Kate had made love there once in a warmer time, just rolling in the leaves, laughing. It was so hard being apart. They dismounted and walked over to the boulder. It was large enough to support both of them. They brushed off the snow and sat down together gently swinging their legs. The horses ranged without fetters on the opposite side of the stream, ignoring the girls. "Linda?" "What's up?" "This was really nice. It's beautiful out here." "Isn't it? Merry Christmas, sweety." "I was afraid I wasn't going to see you. It was driving me nuts." "I know. I know. I had to get up at four this morning to catch a ride back here. I wanted to see you too. And I know my parents are going to drag me around for the rest of the week. Our only chance was today." Linda leaned forward and allowed her hands to snake around Kate's neck. Linda bent her head and touched Kate's lips with her own. Kate sighed and responded to the kiss. Her breathing quickened as she felt Linda's tongue softly trace her lips. Kate swallowed and broke the kiss. "Linda?" "What's the matter?" "You know I love it when you do that. But. You know we can't exactly take these things off." Kate sighed and tugged at her jacket. "What's the matter? I'm turning you on? We'd just be cold for a while." Linda smiled mischievously. "Are you serious?" "No, honey. I don't think we'd be very happy in the snow. Cool us off awful quick." "I guess." Kate looked disappointed. Linda leaned in and kissed Kate again. The girls kissed until Linda sighed and broke it again. "Maybe later, if we get a chance," Linda whispered. Kate nodded glumly, knowing that the chances that they would get were slim to none. Her body was aching for Linda's soft touch. She was doomed to frustration. At least they'd stolen this time together. "My butt's frozen." Linda laughed and raised herself off the boulder to her feet. Kate followed, rubbing at her own bottom, brushing loose snow off her jeans. The girls walked back to the horses, both of them breathing a bit heavier sending plumes of steam into the frozen air. They mounted the horses and raced back to the barn. They carefully brushed down the animals, and de-saddled them, returning everything to where it belonged as they been taught nearly since they'd been born. They wriggled out of their jackets as they entered the house. "Hi Mom!" Linda greeted her mother who was cooking. The smells of turkey and sweet potatoes permeated the air. Kate felt her stomach rumble having missed lunch. "Merry Christmas, Mrs. Miller," Kate echoed as they entered the kitchen. "You two were gone forever out there. Aren't you cold?" Kate thought back to the stolen kiss at the stream and thought to herself, quite the opposite, actually. She kept her thoughts to herself. Linda's mother handed the girls steaming cups of hot chocolate and ushered them out of the kitchen. They found their way into the living room and curled up in front of the fire, quietly sipping at the steaming mugs. The Miller's Christmas tree was bedecked simply with lights and tinsel. Presents adorned the floor below it, brightly wrapped. They stole a quick kiss just before Linda's father walked in. The girls separated at the sound of his footsteps. Kate scrambled over to grab a board game before he stepped into the room. "Hi girls." He remarked. "Went down to the stream? How was it?" Linda and Kate both exchanged glances and nodded. They both struggled to control the flush that threatened to rise into their faces. "Pretty out there," Kate managed to say. She hoped that the quiver in her voice was only noticeable by her. Kate spread out the Monopoly game on the floor in front of the fireplace. The Reverend settled down in his easy chair and sipped at his eggnog. He was perfectly content to watch the girls play. An hour later, Kate's father entered the room. He bent and kissed both girls, with a chorus of Merry Christmas's. The Reverend and Kate's father fell into some religious discussion as the girls just idly played their game. It was hard to concentrate on the game when all they could think about was the other girl across the board. Linda's brother wandered in a couple of times but returned to his video games, not really wanting to be stuck in some boring conversation or play with his sister. Finally, Mrs. Miller poked her head into the room. "Dinner's on." "Thanks Pam," Kate's father was the first to rise. "It smells divine." The girls quickly cleaned up and ran to the table. Everyone was already seated. Grace having been said, they dug into the delicious turkey dinner. Conversation revolved around school, and the church. Kate, if asked, wouldn't have been able to remember a word of the dinner conversation. She was far more distracted by the soft toes that kept caressing her calves and thighs beneath the table. She was completely absorbed by the sensations and struggling to ignore Linda's evil grin. Her frustration mounted as the dinner progressed. After dinner the family gathered in the family room. The older folk got involved in talk of the church and neighbourhood gossip, sipping at their after dinner Cointreau. Linda and Kate sipped at their Kahlua and tried to follow the conversations, but seemed distracted. Linda's brother broke into the conversation. "Anyone mind if I go play Sega?" The Millers waved, giving the boy his freedom. "Excuse me," Linda spoke softly. She rose to her feet and padded out of the room, leaving Kate alone with the parents. Kate sat on the floor and just listened to the droning voices, sipping at her liqueur. She slipped briefly into a memory of an apple tree and a midnight rendezvous before she caught herself. She smiled as Linda returned to sit with her on the carpet. "Uh. Mom?" Linda asked. Her face was flushed a bit. "Yes dear?" "You mind if Kate and I run upstairs for a while? We have a lot of catching up to do. And I'm not going to get to see her tomorrow." Her mother nodded. Kate and Linda rose off the floor and made their way up the stairs. "God. They'll be talking down there until doomsday. And I doubt that they'd notice it even happened." Kate laughed. "I thought I was going to die of boredom." "We'll see if we can change that." Linda smiled mischievously. The girls entered Linda's cluttered bedroom and Kate sat down on the bed which was about the only place that was reasonably clear. Linda remained standing by the door. "I got a present for you," Linda whispered. "Oh Christ. I didn't get you anything. I thought we agreed not to get each other anything. Since like three years ago." "It's actually something for both of us." "What?" Linda looked around carefully, took a deep breath, grasped the bottom of her sweater and pulled it off in one quick motion. She let it drift to the floor at her feet. Kate gasped. Linda was wearing nothing but red ribbon beneath the sweater. The ribbon wound around her, over her shoulders and gently around her bare breasts, ending in a bow between them. She was breathing a bit harder as she watched Kate. "Oh my God. Is that why you excused yourself?" "Of course." "What if your parents come up here?" "They usually knock." Linda hooked her fingers into her jeans and gently pushed them down her long legs. No underwear. She pulled off her socks with her toes. She grinned at Kate. "Merry Christmas," she whispered spreading her arms wide. "You. You can't do that. We can't. Not here." "Of course we can. We just have to be quiet and quick." The nude girl knelt down to her desk drawer. "And here's your final present." She pulled a pair of steel handcuffs from the bottom drawer. "Put them on me. Please?" "We. Can't." Kate's protests were losing steam. Linda walked over to Kate and dropped the handcuffs into her lap. She bent down and kissed her full on the lips. Kate moaned and responded. "I'll stop, if you really want me to," Linda whispered in her ear. Kate reached up and closed her eyes. "I don't. God. I don't." Linda pushed Kate down onto the bed and they embraced, still kissing passionately. "God, I've missed you. And your kisses," Kate whispered. "Put them on me. Please?" "But your parents. Your brother." "Well, yeah. My brother hardly ever knocks. The weasel." "I. I'm not sure I can do this." "Can you be quiet?" "I guess." Linda picked up the cuffs and dangled them in front of Kate. "They're yours. I'm yours." "Your parents." "Look at it this way. If they walk in on us, it ain't going to matter much whether I'm handcuffed or not. Either way, my father is going to have a coronary." Linda grinned mischievously. Kate slowly took the steel from Linda's fingers. Linda held her hands loosely behind herself and waited as Kate took a deep breath. The steel closed around her wrists, and Linda shuddered. Helpless. She pulled at the steel, loving the sensation of her restraint. Kate flushed, but her desires were beginning to build. Just seeing Linda in that silly bow and handcuffs. She looked around and quickly peeled off her clothing. Linda watched with furtive glances at the closed door. Kate pulled the bound girl down onto her bed and kissed her again. The kisses ignited both girls and soon Kate's fingers were playing up and down Linda's soft skin. Touching her. Her breasts. Her legs. Her toes. Linda lay back on the bed, sighing as she spread herself slightly. Kate let her fingers stroke her friend as she kissed her. Linda squirmed, wanting more. So much more. Slowly, Kate entered Linda with her fingers, letting her thumb find the rhythm on Linda's swollen clitoris. She kissed Linda to muffle the moans and soft cries. It wasn't long before Linda climaxed hard. Her body arched and she cried out into Kate's mouth. Finally the waves subsided and both girls lay quietly, trying to determine if the house had heard. They held each other, content with the soft feel of one another. "Alright," Kate said quickly. "That was your Christmas present from me. Can we get dressed now?" "Don't be dumb. They are going to be down there all night talking about heaven and hell, or whatever it is they are talking about. Come on. I don't want to leave you hanging. It's not fair. Especially at Christmas." Linda thrust her lower lip out in a pretend pout. Linda worked herself off the bed and knelt on the floor. Kate took a deep breath and sat on the edge of the bed. She sighed, knowing that she wanted this as much as Linda did. She needed it. To hell with the danger. It was Christmas. She let her legs rest on Linda's bare shoulders and lay back, gasping as Linda's soft tongue found her. Kate's fingers brushed at her own nipples as she concentrated on Linda's mouth. Linda teased her, running her tongue up and down the sensitive slit, loving the soft cries falling from Kate's lips. Knowing that they probably had risked far too much as it was, Linda began to circle Kate's clit with her soft tongue, knowing the rhythm, gently kissing and sucking. Kate exploded with a small scream. Linda's mouth wasn't there to muffle the sounds. Kate writhed as her muscles contracted in unison, struggling to keep quiet, almost pushing the handcuffed woman from her task. Finally Kate lay back, gasping, whispering Linda's name softly. She closed her eyes and tried to control her breathing. She lifted her head and gazed into Linda's deep brown eyes. Linda smiled and gazed back from between Kate's legs, her long hair surrounding her face like a halo, her perfect breasts rising and falling with her ragged breathing. Kate lay her head back down, closing her eyes and relaxing into the afterglow. "Linda?" a feminine voice called. It sounded like it had come from the foot of the stairs. Kate's eyes snapped open and she scrambled for her clothes. "No time," Linda hissed. "Just answer her." Kate scrambled off Linda's bed and padded over to the door. She prayed that Linda's brother was still downstairs. She opened the door slightly and poked her head out. Anyone in the hallway was still going to get an eyeful of her, if they were in the right position. "Hi, Mrs. Miller," Kate called down, trying to keep her voice steady. "Are you two alright? I thought I heard a cry." "That was me, I'm fine. Just stubbed my toe." Kate fervently prayed that her unstifled cries of ecstasy resembled her cries of pain. "Alright. You sure you're okay? You want me to look at it for you? You didn't break it?" "I'm fine, really." Kate called down. Mrs. Miller was going to get more of a look at her than her pretty toes if she came up here now. And for extra measure, she'd get a nice view of her bare daughter cuffed, ribboned and kneeling on the floor which she could probably do without. Please let her go back. Please let her go back, Kate prayed to herself. "You two anti-social girls coming down anytime soon? You've been up there an hour." An hour? Kate couldn't believe that they'd been making love for an hour. Her father was down there. "We'll be right down. Give us a second." Kate closed the door and tried to control her breathing. Linda was softly laughing, still on her knees. "That was close," she got out between giggles. "It's not funny." "You had fun, didn't you?" Kate tried to give Linda a stern look and failed miserably. She dropped to her knees beside her best friend and hugged her, feeling their bare breasts touch again. She felt tingles running all up and down her skin. "Yes, lover, I had fun. I've wanted that for a while. But I want to be able to do it again, too. They catch us, and it's game over." "Me too. Now. You think it would be a good idea to get me out of these things?" Linda rattled the chain of the handcuffs on her wrists. "Where's the key?" "Key?" Linda looked at her with a very serious face. "Yeah. Key." "I. I don't remember." "You what?" Linda broke out into a grin and began to giggle again. "In the top drawer of the desk." Kate let her breath out. "Don't do that to me. You scared the crap outta me." Linda just continued to giggle as Kate retrieved the small steel key. "I have half a mind to leave you like that. Ribbons and all. Let your father find you." "You wouldn't." "I would. That was mean." "I'm sorry." Linda just continued her giggling as Kate unlocked her wrists. She rubbed at them as she got to her feet. "Come on. Before they get more suspicious than they already are." Kate slipped back into her clothes and then sat and watched as Linda pulled her sweater over her ribbons. "You are keeping them on?" "What? The ribbons? Yeah. They'll remind me of you when I strip to go to bed tonight." Linda handed her the handcuffs. "And these will remind you of me. Anytime you want, you can use them on me." "How the heck am I going to get these home?" "Your purse?" "I didn't bring one." Linda glanced around the room. She slipped into the closet and brought out a brightly wrapped present. "I hid this one. My brother shakes 'em." She began to unwrap the present carefully. She pulled out the game cartridge that she'd gotten her brother and slipped the handcuffs into the box. She then carefully re-wrapped the present. She handed the small box to Kate. "There. Camouflaged. Just don't open it in front of your father tomorrow." She grinned as she slipped the game cartridge into a drawer to re-wrap later. "Thanks. I really needed that. Christ, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. I couldn't control the scream. I'm sorry." "I really needed it too. And I would have screamed too if you hadn't been kissing me," Linda whispered. "It's alright. When are you going to be home next?" "Probably Easter." "Christ. I can't wait that long." "Me neither, but I guess we'll just have to." Kate leaned in and pressed her lips against Linda's, tasting herself on Linda's lips. The girls broke the kiss with an effort. "You better wash up." "No way. I'm going to taste you until I fall asleep tonight. Especially if it ain't going to be until Easter." Kate ran a brush through her hair and then brushed out Linda's for her. They checked themselves in the mirror and made sure their breathing was calm. Just then Linda's younger brother burst into the room. Without knocking. Both girls looked at one another and sighed a huge breath of relief, smiling. "Mom says to get your butts downstairs." "She didn't say that." "Well, not exactly. But she wants you down there, pronto. I think it's time for Kate to leave. It smells funny in here." Linda's brother wrinkled his nose. Realizing that the scents of both women were probably still strong in the closed room, Linda hurried her brother out. "We're coming. We're coming. Go on. Tell Mom." Linda's brother thundered down the stairs to report. Kate and Linda looked at each other at the top of the stairs. "That's it, huh?" "Yeah. They're dragging me all over hell's creation over the next few days. I doubt if we'll get a chance see each other. I'd really like to, but try explaining why to my parents." Tears welled in Kate's eyes. "Linda? Easter. Okay? You promise?" "I can't promise. But I'll sure try. Okay?" Tears had already broken free of Linda's eyes. She wiped at them with the back of her hand. "Remember me with the cuffs. Okay?" Kate kissed Linda's lips for the last time and they held hands as long as they could as they descended back to the family. Both girls somehow managed to control the tears before they walked into the family room. Kate's father already had his jacket on. "What the heck were you two doing up there?" "Just talking. Catching up," Kate replied softly. She was afraid to say more, afraid that she'd say more than she could, afraid she'd start crying again. "You women. Always gabbing. Time to go, tiger. These fine folk want to go to bed. It's after midnight and tomorrow's Christmas." Kate walked back out to the kitchen and slipped her parka over her shoulders. The girls exchanged glances, trying not to cry. Linda followed the two of them out onto the porch, shivering, after they'd all said their good-byes. She hadn't even slipped on her boots. Linda hugged Kate fiercely as Kate's father moved on ahead a bit. She whispered in Kate's ear. "Remember the ribbon. I'll be thinking of you. And I think I love you. Merry Christmas." She quickly brushed her lips against Kate's. She gave Kate a push and retreated into the house before Kate could respond. As she moved unwillingly away from the Miller home, Kate turned to see Linda waving from her window, holding a bright red ribbon. She swallowed heavily, missing Linda's touch already. Holding hands, Kate and her father trudged slowly through the snow towards their house a mile away. It was far too dark for Kate's tears to be noticeable.