Together

Chapter 4

The week's drifted on slowly, and with each day Connie was becoming run down. Jacob had made her take a few days off to recover from being so exhausted.

"We haven't even thought about names for this one yet." Connie moved her hand over her stomach in gentle circles as she rest her head on his legs looking up at him. "There's no rush sweet cheeks, besides I'm sure you could have a list of names and still not pick one."

She smiled moving about trying to get comfortable while Jacob began playing with her hair. Instantly she relaxed and her breathing slowed as she smiled. "I love you, I'm sorry for being so hard to live with recently."

Jacob glanced down at her with a smile. "It's fine, I just want you to look after yourself." The pair continued sitting in the same position for a while before she winced in pain. "Sweet cheeks?" "It's alright, they're just moving around."

She noticed the way his eyes lit up before taking his hand from her hair and placing it to her stomach. They say there silently before Jacob's smile grew feeling the baby beneath his hand.

Connie lifted a hand to his face causing him to look back at her. "Make the most of this because when I'm in labour everything will be your fault and I'll hate you." Jacob laughed before bending down and kissing her gently.

Grace had started to walk home from school since Connie was becoming too tired to pick her up everyday. She knew the way and was always home on time so there was never any problems.

As she unlocked the door all she could hear was Connie laughing. They were too distracted to hear the door open and close as Grace wandered inside. She stopped in the hallway watching as Jacob began talking.

"This is perfect... I never thought I'd have a family, I love you Connie." He was right. They did look perfect, the perfect family life. Without her. She grabbed her bag from the floor and ran up the stairs alerting Connie she was home.

"Grace?" Jacob looked over the back of the sofa but saw nobody there. "Connie you're just hearing things-" but she was already up and moving. "Grace! Sweetheart are you home?"

Connie made her way upstairs to her daughters bedroom and tried the door only to find it locked. "Grace open the door." She continued knocking before the door swung open.

"Grace..." Connie looked about the room noticing how she'd thrown her school clothes into her bag along with a few of her things. "Grace what's going on?" When she continued to ignore her, Connie snapped.

"Grace Beauchamp you are not going anywhere until you answer me!" Grace stopped what she was doing and glared at Connie. "You know what you've done so why should I tell you!" "I have no idea what you're talking about or who you think you're talking to but I will not have it."

Grace rolled her eyes muttering under her breath as she turned back around. Connie moved forwards and reached for Grace's hand. "Leave me alone! I hate you!" Her words left Connie speechless stepping back slightly.

Connie and Grace had had arguments, but she'd never said that. As soon as the words left Grace's lips she regretted them but she couldn't show that, after all this was her Mum's fault. "I'm going to stay with Dad so you can have your perfect family-" "Grace, I'm not letting you go anywhere."

Jacob had come upstairs hearing the girls shouting. "It's not up to you! I already called Dad anyway!" "Stop being so selfish Grace! I'm your mother-" "And you're a rubbish one!"

"Grace you can't speak to your Mum like that-" "You're not my Dad and you never will be!" Connie seemed to have frozen while Grace shouted at Jacob. "Don't bother stopping me because I'll only hate you more."

Grace picked her things up leaving the room. "Grace..." It came out broken and breathless as Connie watched her daughter walk away. For the first time Connie felt her entire world slipping from her reach. She'd never been without Grace and now she could have just lost her.

Connie sat down on her daughters bed as the front door slammed shut downstairs. Tears began to roll down her cheeks as she sat there defeated. Jacob moved beside her placing a gentle arm around her shoulders but she just stood up shrugging it off.

"She'll be back before you know it sweet cheeks, she just needs some time to cool off-" "You don't know Grace... She meant that..." Connie dragged her feet as she left the bedroom heading for her own room.

Jacob tried following but Connie had closed the bedroom door before he had the chance to get there. He placed a hand to the door sighing knowing that going in would do neither of them any favours.

He retreated downstairs leaving Connie alone for a while. She sat upstairs in the darkness of her bedroom. All she wanted was Grace to come back and for everything to be fine but her daughter was just as stubborn as her. There was no chance of it happening any time soon.