Together

Chapter 2

Connie arrived home from dropping Grace at school as she didn't have work today. Normally she hated the days off but she was open to spending today doing absolutely nothing.

She hated to admit it, but working full time in an emergency department while almost 7 months pregnant takes its toll on even the most robust people. Connie dropped her keys on the table beside the door and kicked off her heels.

Pausing outside the living room she inhaled deeply and let it go with a smile at the silence that was apparent through the house. She walked out into the kitchen getting herself a glass of water and something to eat incase she got peckish. Once sat down she didn't plan on getting up if she could avoid it.

Wandering into the living room she picked up the TV remote putting on a radio station before placing it on the table beside the food and glass. Connie sunk down into the sofa resting her head back with her hands placed either side of her bump.

"Now you decide to move... After I've sat down. You're going to be just like your Father." Connie pushed back up from the sofa and wandered to the bathroom.

A few minutes later she reemerged and resumed her position. Connie sat up for a while reading through some notes she'd bought home from the hospital the previous night.

After about half an hour Connie placed the file down with a yawn. Grabbing a pillow from behind her she rest her head down lifting her legs up so she lay across the sofa.

Once again, she placed her hands to her stomach and began talking. "It seems like I'm making a habit of talking to you before you're here... Your Daddy would laugh at me for doing this all the time."

Connie shifted into a more comfortable position before talking again. "Your Daddy is driving me crazy already and we've still got 2 months left before you make an appearance. Your sister is just as bad at the moment, ever since she felt you moving."

Connie sighed rubbing a hand along one side of her tummy. "You really are being impossibly annoying today aren't you? What is it, you know I'm not at work and actually want to relax for a change..."

A few minutes later the kicking ceased and a small smile came across her face. "I love you so much already. You're certainly going to cause havoc in all our lives but I wouldn't have it any other way."

She didn't mean to, but within minutes Connie was asleep. An arm protectively wrapped around her bump while she rested, catching up on the long hours and sleepless nights.

Connie slept through until Grace arrived home. The door opened and she came rushing inside to find her Mum sleeping. The smile faded from Grace's face as soon as she saw her.

Grace pulled a face gently placing her bag onto the floor. She crossed the living room to the other sofa picking up the blanket before walking back over to her Mum.

She opened it up and draped it across her. Grace picked up the empty glass and took it out to the kitchen refilling it and putting it back on the table. She grabbed her bag pulling it onto her shoulder glancing to Connie once more before heading outside into the garden.

Grace sat herself on the bench with her homework deciding she may as well get it done. As much as she wanted to she couldn't concentrate on it, all she could think about was how different things already were.

She threw down the pen and paper before wandering down the garden. Sitting herself on the swing, facing away from the house, she gradually began to swing higher.

It was warm outside and the breeze from moving back and forth helped to keep her cool in the sun. She thought about her Mum and Jacob, she was happy that they were happy. After Sam leaving things got difficult for a while but now they were different.

But things were only going to keep changing. Grace was happy to become a big sister but she knew it would mean her Mum had less time for her. It had always been her and her Mum, even when Sam was living with them.

Grace stopped moving allowing the swing to slow down. Tears began to build in her eyes as she worried about what would happen. She didn't want to be forgotten by her Mum but she knew she would. She knew that the baby would be more important than her.

Jacob came inside and found everything was silent. He frowned noticing Connie's heels by the door and her keys on the side. She was definitely in and Grace would be home by now.

He walked through about to call out her name when his eyes fell to her sleeping figure. Connie was curled up underneath a blanket fast asleep. Jacob smiled entering the kitchen where he noticed someone through the window.

Grace sniffed before hearing movement from inside the house. "Hey you." Grace moved a hand up to her face and wiped her cheeks before responding without looking back. "Hi."

Jacob noticed the quietness to her and approached her sitting himself on the swing beside her. "You okay firecracker?" Grace nodded as she stared down at the floor. "You don't look it to me... Has something happened?"

Grace didn't answer straight away causing Jacob to study her expression. "Are you going to forget about me? When the baby comes... Will Mum love it more than me because it's your baby and I'm not."

Jacob moved from where he was sat and knelt before Grace, his hands placed on her knees. "That's the last time I want to hear you say that. Your Mum loves you more than anything else-" "But she won't when this baby comes."

"Grace you will always be your Mum's first child. You'll always have a special place in her heart that nobody else can take. What's bought all this on?" Grace finally looked up at Jacob sighing again.

"We were supposed to go out tonight. Just me and Mum but she forgot. She's tired because of the baby so she forgot about us." Jacob closed his eyes suddenly remembering that Connie had promised to take Grace out.

"I miss Mum, I miss going out with her. Just the two of us like we used to." "I know you do firecracker and it's hard for your Mum because she misses it too. Right now, she will be tired and it's hard for her to spend time the two of you but when the baby's here-" "When the baby is here she'll have even less time for me."

Jacob shook his head. "The opposite-" "How?" He smiled up at Grace, his hands still resting on her legs. "Once the baby is here I can look after them, while you and your Mum go out for days together. She'll always have time for you, I promise."

Grace smiled moving into Jacob's arms. "Woah, hey it's alright." He wrapped his arms around her before she stood up. "Now I'm sure I still have to get my revenge on you for the other night..."

Before Jacob could get up Grace ran across the garden. He began chasing her around as she laughed running from him. Maybe things changing wouldn't be such a bad thing after all.