Family - complete

Chapter Eighteen

"What the hell do you want!" Bit Connie.
"Like I said, I just want to talk.....don't you think it's about time we got this sorted?" Asked Elle smirking.
"Look just say what you've gotta say, I need to pick Grace up from school." Commanded Connie.
Elle kept edging Connie down the abandoned corridor. "Look there's no one here, now what is it you couldn't have said in your office." Asked Connie feeling suspicious.
Elle looked up and down the corridor and then back at Connie, the smirk dropped for her face and was replaced by one of anger and contempt. She jumped forward and pinned Connie back against the wall using her forearm to push on Connie's neck.
Shock passed through Connie, the look of surprise all over her face.
"Not so smug now are you?" Tormented Elle. "Its about time someone brought you down a peg or two."
"What are you talking about?" Said Connie with the shock wearing off.
"You walk around here like you own the place....you've turned Jacob against me....I'm supposed to be in charge....I'm clinical lead...not you, yet the staff still look to you....you've made me look foolish! I think you planned it all along...make it look like you gave up your job.....then slowly pick away at me so I mess up....you'll be begged to take your old job back....swoop in and save the day!" Ranted Elle.
"Elle, that's not true...please just let me go....we can talk properly!" Begged Connie her hand moving to her baby.
"We're talking properly now! Your not going anywhere!"
"Look Elle....even if they got down on their knees and offered me double the budget, I wouldn't take your job, I'm happy being a consultant...it means I can be there for my family...which is what I need to go do now...I need to pick Grace up from school...she'll be worried." Said Connie trying to calm the situation down.
"She's got every reason to worry!" Snarled Elle reaching into her pocket and pulling out something shiny. Connie caught a glimpse of it out the corner of her eye.
"Elle please put the scalpel down...there's no need for that...We're talking...I won't go anywhere...please, just put it down." Panicked Connie. " Please....my baby -" "SHUT UP!" Yelled Elle. "That bloody baby! I'm sick of hearing about it! I must admit it was a clever move on your part."
"What do you mean?" Asked Connie feeling confused.
"You don't have to pretend with me....I know what you did." Said Elle turning paranoid. "Getting pregnant on purpose! So you could trap Jacob....you felt threatened by me...you was jealous of the friendship we have...that's the real reason why you gave up your job, to give yourself more time with Jacob and me less time....and when that didn't work...you got pregnant!"
"That couldn't be further from the truth." Connie denied calmly.
"You know he's only with you because of the baby, right....you've got to know that!" Said Elle giving Connie a evil smile.
Things started to fall into place for Connie now. "You think Jacob should be with you, don't you?"
"I know he should be with me!" Snapped Elle. "And he would be if it wasn't for this stupid baby!"
"Please....don't hurt my baby." Begged Connie, her desperation evident in her voice.
Connie knew no one would know where she was, she'd have to get out of this one on her own if it was at all possible. The thought of this crazy woman hurting her baby caused her heart to ache. Connie's eyes began to well up, she tried to blink back the tears but it was to late, they began to fall down over her cheeks. "Please Elle, I'll do anything, don't hurt my baby!"
"That baby means Jacob stays with you...it has to go!" Said Elle determined, moving the scalpel closer to Connie.
"No..no wait...what if I told him I cheated?" Asked Connie grasping at anything to get her out of here.
"What?" Said Elle clearly thinking about it.
"Well if I tell him I cheated, that the baby's not his, he'll hate me....that's what you want isn't it?" Asked Connie desperately. "For Jacob to hate me!"

Jacob came bursting round the corner. "Elle! What the hell are you doing!?" He shouted slowly moving down the corridor to the two women.
Elle looked between the two, from Connie to Jacob and back again.
"Tell him....TELL HIM!" She yelled in Connie's face.
"I'm...I'm sorry, Jacob I cheated on you and I'm sorry." Said Connie as her tears began to fall again.
"What?" Asked Jacob not believing what he was hearing.
"I told you Jacob! I told you she was no good for you!" Said Elle triumphantly.
Jacob moved closer still, that's when he saw the scalpel in Elle's band and the worried look in Connie's eyes, but it wasn't just worry there was something else, she was pleading with him.
"Tell him the best bit Connie!!" Said Elle putting more pressure on Connie's neck. "TELL HIM!"
"The baby's not yours...." Connie's face crumpled as her sobbed seeing the look of horror on Jacob's face. She hated doing this to him but she had to think about the baby.
"And you knew all this?" Asked Jacob rounding on Elle. "You were supposed to be my friend!" Jacob was putting himself between Connie and Elle.
Connie could see security moving down the corridor steadily towards them.
"I kept telling her to tell you, but she wouldn't....that's why I had to make her do it!" Lied Elle. Jacob kept easing Elle back away from Connie as she was talking.
Once Jacob felt there was a safe enough gap between them and Connie he made a grab for the scalpel.
Everything happened in slow motion for Connie, she was in a daze. She watched as Jacob wrested with Elle, she felt someone pulling her out of the way.
Security guards intervened and helped Jacob subdue Elle as she screamed and lashed out.
Jacob feel backwards as Elle sliced his arm with the scalpel.
"JACOB!" Yelled Connie struggling against the guard moving her out of the way. "Let me go!" She demanded. "Let me go!"