Family - complete

Chapter Seven

Later that night they sat watching a film, not that Connie could tell everyone if she was asked what it was or about. She had been distracted since her conversation with Grace, her mind was whirling with thoughts and feelings that up until a hour ago she didn't know she had.
"I can turn it off if you'd rather." Offered Jacob noticing her lack of interest.
"No...it's fine...I'm just tired....I think I'm gunna go to bed." Said Connie.
"I'll come with you." Said Jacob making a move to stand up.
"No....you watch your film....I know I'll be asleep before my head hits the pillow." Connie told him learning over to give him a kiss. "Night...I love you."
"Night, I love you to sweet cheeks."

The next morning Connie woke alone, she looked over to Jacob's side of the bed. ' Jacob's side of the bed ' thought Connie with a frown when had she started thinking of it has 'his side'?
It had been slept in so she knew he'd come to bed. Connie turned over to look at the clock, it was gone 11am, she'd managed to lay in again.
She went to check on Grace but the room was empty and her bed made so Connie went further in, out the window overlooking the back garden she could see Jacob hard at work. Grace was talking away has she held a piece of wood while Jacob fastened it to another.
Connie went for a wash and got dressed before she went downstairs, that's when she noticed Jacob's rucksack, he obviously intended going back to his at some point today. The sight of his bag by the front door made Connie realizes she didn't want him to go either, Grace was right, it would be great if he stayed. But would he want to, that was the question!
Connie took a deep breath, pulled her shoulders back standing tall...she was Connie Beauchamp and she'd made a decision! She picked up the bag with a smile on her face and took it back up to her room.
When Connie came back downstairs she set about making a large plate of sandwiches and a jug of orange with lots of ice, it looked like another warm day.

Earlier that same morning......
"Are you ok Grace?" Asked Jacob.
"What do you mean?"
"Well you seem pretty quiet...."
"Oh." Said Grace looking down.
"It's ok Grace, if you don't want to talk about it. I didn't mean to pry....im here if you want to talk or we can just pretend I didn't ask...it's up to you." Jacob said with a bright smile to let her know that it really was ok.
"It's just maybe...I think I might have upset mum last night." Said Grace quietly. "I didn't mean to!" She added quickly.
"I'm sure you haven't upset her Grace." Jacob tired to reassure her but he couldn't help but think about how distracted Connie was.
"I really think I did because....when she smiled at me it was a sad smile. I could tell with her eyes, they were definitely sad." Said Grace.
"Oh...well do you want to talk about it...maybe I could help." Said Jacob not really knowing what to say.
"But what if I upset you too?" Mumbled Grace.
Jacob put down his saw and sat down on the tree house floor with his legs dangling over the edge, he patted to space beside him for Grace to come and join him. "Grace you won't upset me I promise."
"I don't want you to go!" She blurted out.
"Okay....and why would you think saying that would upset me? It makes me happy to know that...I'm glad you've enjoyed having me here." Said Jacob smiling.
"You do?" Asked Grace.
"Of course, I like being here with you and your mum....so...is that what you said to your mum last night?"
Grace nodded. "Well I asked her if I could ask you to stay....and she didn't get sad at that...she said that it was up to you if you wanted to stay a few more days."
Jacob stayed silent next to Grace, waiting patiently for her to continue. He could see she was carefully choosing her words. "But that's not what I meant...I want you to stay forever...." Jacob's head whipped round, a look of shock on his face as Grace continued unaware. "...coz even though mum's been poorly....she done a lot of happy smiling..."
Jacob interrupted her. "You want me to stay permanently?" Wanting to be clear.
"That's exactly what mum said..." Grace frowned. "...is it a bad thing to say?"
"NO!...it's not bad...No...it's...just...Well....it's." Jacob rubbed the back of his head nervously. "It's not bad...I...Well.....What it is....to move in....that's...."
"You sound exactly the same as mum last night....talking but not making any sense!" Said Grace getting frustrated.
"Sorry." Said Jacob. "I'll be honest, it's because I don't know what to say...I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that neither me or your mum are angry, sad or upset with you for saying what's on your mind." Said Jacob confidently. At least now he knew what had been bothering Connie last night.
"Shall we get back to work? I think we could have this finished before teatime tonight if we try."
"Really?" Said Grace with a brighter smile. "Do you think we could have a barbecue and eat a picnic up here with mum?"
"That sounds like a wonderful idea." Said Jacob holding his hand out to Grace helping her up from the decking.

Jacob looked up at the sound of the backdoor opening and the sight took his breath away. Connie was wearing her denim shorts again but this time with a fitted vest top, her sunglasses perched on top of her head. She walked bare foot over to the out door table to put down a plate of sandwiches before going back inside.
"Grace....look." said Jacob. "Your mum's up." They both watched as she came back out with a jug in one hand, a small plate each in the other and some plastic cups wedged under her arm.
"Good morning." Said Connie with a wide and genuine smile as she walked over the grass to where they were working. "Wow you two have been busy." Jacob climbed down the tree house steps and held his hands up to Grace to lift her down.
"Afternoon mum" said Grace with a cheeky smile and a hug. Then Grace looked up at Connie she whispered. "Are you mad at me for last night?"
Connie knelt down in front of Grace still smiling. "I'm not mad sweetheart...you did give me a lot to think about though... now go on...there's food over there...make sure you get a drink to...."
Connie stood up to see Jacob walking towards her, he'd obviously hung back to give her and Grace a moment, it made her wonder whether Grace had told him about last night but she wasn't going to bring it up yet. Instead she chose to admire his topless torso. "I'm impressed." She said putting her arms round his waist and looking over his shoulder. "With the tree house that is!" She smirked.
"I know exactly what you was looking at Queen Bee....and I don't appreciate being ogled at." Said Jacob before leaning down to kiss her.
"How you feeling today?" He asked turning serious.
"I feel great...I had something on my mind last night but it's fine now I've had time to think." She stood on her tip toes and kissed him again.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Asked Jacob hopefully.
"Yes...I do...but not now. Right now I think we should grab some of those sandwiches before madam eats them all." Said Connie leading Jacob by the hand.

Later in the afternoon Connie was sat in the kitchen with her laptop out on the table, even though she wasn't fit for work yet it didn't mean she couldn't keep up to date with her paper work.
Grace came running through the door from outside. "MUM, MUM, ITS DONE! We finished! Come see!"
Connie closed the lid on the computer and followed Grace.
"Oh my god, that's amazing!" Said Connie looking at the finishing touches Jacob had made. "A slide and swings!" She watched as Grace took off up the steps of the tree house which now had a safety rail all the way round.
Jacob came to stand beside Connie. "So what do you think?" He asked.
"I think, Staff Nurse Masters...you are a man of many talents."
"Why thank you Mrs Beauchamp...I talked Grace out of the barbecue...Said it would be better tomorrow while the suns out...if that's ok with you?"
"Definitely a better idea." Said Connie not really paying attention, she was watching Grace play.
"I should go and get cleaned up." Said Jacob kissing Connie on the cheek.
"Ok." She smiled up at him. "Thank you for this." Connie said pointing to the tree house.
"No problem, I enjoyed it...SEE YOU TOMORROW GRACE." Jacob down the garden.
"THANK YOU JACOB." Grace shouted back.
But Connie spun round to Jacob with complete and utter shock written all over her face.
"Your leaving?!"
"Well ye...I said I need to get cleaned up....I'm out of clean clothes." Said Jacob.
"Oh." Mumbled Connie as she walked back into the house. Jacob followed quickly behind her. "Con? What's wrong?"
"Nothing." She said giving him one of the 'sad smiles' Grace was talking about. "I'll see you tomorrow then."
"Okay...you sure your ok...no more headaches?" Said Jacob feeling concerned that the bubbly Connie from this morning had gone.
"No. None since that one early hours of yesterday morning." Connie assured him.
"Right, well...I'll be off." Jacob turned and walked towards the front door but he stopped halfway there. "Erm...Connie...where's my bag?" He asked turning around.
The look on Connie's face was a picture. She was mortified, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She had forgotten she had returned his bag upstairs. Her head dropped to look at the floor.
"Connie?....."
"I took it back to the bedroom.....it was in the way." She tried lying.
But Jacob saw straight through it. "Connie, if you don't want me to go just say so!"
Her head shot up but she didn't say anything, just starred at him like a rabbit caught in some headlights.
"Connie...I...I don't want to go, if that's what your thinking...." confessed Jacob trying to make it easier for her.
Connie's stance relaxed, one side of her mouth twitched into a little smile that was barely there. "I'm not saying stay as in.....you know....stay." Connie blushed again. "I'm just saying.....maybe you should spend a few more days....see how things go."
"I'd like that." Smiled Jacob has be walked up to Connie and kissed her with more passion then he dare over the last few days.