The Depths Of Love

Making The Leap - A New Theory part four

"JACOB!" Shouted Connie when he didn't come straight back up. Fumbling with her clutch bag she pulled out her phone and with shaky fingers dialled the E.D.
"Hello Holby E.D." Said the calm voice on the other end of the line.
"Charlie! I...I need help!"
"Connie is that you?" Frowned Charlie. "Where are you?"
"Erm... I need an ambulance...a rescue team...I'm...at the gala. Grace saw me and Jacob....She ran off...She fell in the river." Trembled Connie.
"Ok Connie, stay where you are..." Connie listened to Charlie passing out instructions. "Connie? Are you still with me?" Asked Charlie.
"Y..Ye..sss."
"Ok, help is on its way. You need to tell me exactly where you are so the rescue crew can find you quickly." Charlie told her.
"The river that runs passed the front of the hotel...Oh god I see them!" She said frantically.
"Them?" Quizzed Charlie.
"Yes, Jacob went in...he jumped in after her...Charlie, I can't get to them! The currents pulling them further down the river!"
"Connie, can you follow them along the bank. Don't go in whatever you do!" He ordered.
"Yes." Connie quickened her pace to keep up. She ran alongside them and watched heart in mouth as Jacob struggled to keep them both afloat. "I can see a bridge, we're near a bridge." She told him. Connie kept moving, kept watching as Grace clung to Jacob as they were pulled along.
She could see has Jacob tried to grab hold of anything, he finally managed to cling onto a large branch that was bent over dipping into the water on the other bank.
Connie stopped running and headed back to the bridge. "I'm crossing...to the other side Charlie...I think they can get out! The banks not so high..." She informed him.
"Ok, Connie. Remember, stay calm and don't go in yourself...."
"I can here sirens...there heading this way." Smiled Connie feeling relief. "Thank you." She said to Charlie before hanging up.
Throwing her phone on the grass Connie dropped to her knees, leaning over the edge she reached down to try a grab Grace's hand. "Come on sweetie, stretch." She told Grace.
Jacob used all the strength he had to push Grace up out of the water so Connie could reach. "I've got her!" Connie helped Grace hitch her leg over onto the bank and moved her away from the edge.
As soon as her daughter was safe Connie lent back over the edge to reach for Jacob, but he wasn't there.
Panic set in again. "JACOB!....JACOB..." She cried out.
Connie turned around and clung to her daughter, holding her tightly. "I'm sorry mum." Whimpered Grace.
"It's ok sweetheart, I've got you." Said Connie trying to reassure her.
They sat wrapped together on the side of the river as the rain poured over them as Connie looked on helplessly in the direction Jacob had been dragged in.
Ian ran up to Connie, pulling her and Grace from the muddy ground. "Come on Mrs Beauchamp, let get you and Grace checked over in the ambulance."
"Jacob's still in the water!" Said Connie holding onto Grace. "Ian! Jacob's still in the water!" Panicked Connie.
"Ok, ok." Said Ian taking out his radio. "This is 3.0.0.6...there's still someone in the water...I don't have eyes on him."
"Received" came the reply.
"Come on." Said Ian ushering the shivering pair back over the bridge.
Connie helped Grace into the the back of the ambulance, refusing to let her go. "Where's Jacob mum?" Asked Grace quietly.
"I don't know sweetheart, I don't know." Connie told her honestly.

Ian checked Grace over and gave her the all clear. "She needs got get out of these wet clothes....so do you Mrs B. Do you need taking home or are you staying here?" He asked.
"We can't leave without Jacob mum." Said Grace speaking up. "Please mum."
"We'll go to the hotel, there's fresh clothes in our room." Said a dazed Connie watching the hive of activity by the waters edge. "I just need to find out if there's any news."
Connie stood up dropping her blanket, she climbed out the ambulance and wondered back out into the pouring rain.
"Have you found him?" Connie asked one of the rescue crew.
"Not yet. Sorry....we're moving the search further down...we'll be in touch." Replied the man before he moved away leaving Connie alone.

Connie sat on her bed in the hotel dressed in a pair of joggers and one of Jacob's t-shirts that she could bring herself to return to him, it was far to big for her but made a great night shirt. Wearing it now gave Connie a small amount of comfort, she felt closer to him somehow. Beside her laid Grace who was wrapped in a big fluffy dressing gown under the bed covers. "When will they find Jacob mum?" Asked Grace.
"I'm sure it'll be soon." Said Connie giving her daughter a weak smile. "Try and get some sleep Gracie, I'll wake you when there's news."
Silent tears ran down Connie's cheeks, they had been back in the hotel for two hours now and it had been over 30 minutes since Ian had last checked in with her.
Ian had told her that the search had moved even further away from the hotel, that there was a series of small waterfalls and there was a good chance they'd find him there.
But Connie could hear the doubt in Ian's voice, the longer Jacob was missing the less chance they'd find him alive. She could see the sky out the window, it would be dark soon and in all likelihood the search would be called off till morning.
The odds were stacking up against Jacob.
Tears fell faster from Connie's eyes as she tried to hold in a sob, the thought of Jacob being out there all alone in the cold wet night was more than she could bare.