Playing with fire

Tears part two

"Staff nurse masters," she smiled as she collected a handful of paperwork from Jack,

Jacob raised an eyebrow, "Mrs. Beauchamp... What are you doing here?" He took the papers out of her hand and followed her to her office,

"You dislocated your shoulder a week ago... You can't lift it properly..."

"Im only doing admin," she told him, "I promise, and I have a physio appointment today."

Charlie entered her office,"she's promised she's only doing admin," Jacob told Charlie who rolled his eyes,

"As much as I want you here... If I see you doing anything clinical I'll call occupational health myself," Charlie told her sternly and Connie smiled,

"I appreciate your concern," she told them, "but I mean it... Admin only."

"I should go home," Connie told him as they lay closely in his bed that night.

She lay on his chest, his finger tips running up and down her arm,

"Right," he replied, not really knowing what else to say,

"I love being here... With you ..." She told him honestly, "but I need to sort things out,"

"Do you know what you're going to do?" He asked her and she shook her head,

"No..."

"Leave him Connie," he told her, "the next time you may not escape with just a dislocated arm and bruises... This is the second time in what... Six months?"

"I'm scared," she told him, "about how he will react if I ask for a divorce."

"So what... You're going to go home and pretend that this whole thing never happened? Jesus Connie I..."

"You what?" She uttered, getting up and throwing on her clothes, "you think I'm an idiot... You wonder why id consider going back there? I have to go home Jacob... I have to get out of this limbo and stop relying on you... I'm the reason you're fighting. With Carla..."

He got up, "where are you going at this hour? If you want to get away from me I'll go in the spare room, I will not take you home now..."

"I'm not asking you to take me home now, I'll get a taxi,"

"You're being impossible..." He told her,

He watched as she threw stuff into her bag, her arm clearly hurting as she tried to pick it up. He watched as she tried and failed to hold back her tears.

He crouched down beside her, "if you want to go, let's go, but I won't let you get a taxi alone at this time," he told her before grabbing his keys and watching as she walked down the stairs and into his car.

He saw how she inhaled as she noticed her husbands car was on the drive. He placed his hand on hers gently, "I'm sorry," she whispered and he nodded kindly, "we can go to mine, or a hotel, or the hospital, or anywhere you want,"

She burst into tears and he drove his car back out of the drive, placing his hand on her thigh and squeezing it gently.

They sat in his car outside a service station, each holding a cup of tea. He hadn't seen her quite like his before, and he wasn't sure what was best for her or what it is that she wanted.

"I wasn't judging you," he told her by way of explanation, "I don't know how you feel...I'm just worried about you."

She sighed, "my life has become such a mess... And all of a sudden everything just seems so out of control... My arm hurts, my head hurts... I don't know what I want anymore,"

"Have you told any of your friends?"

"What do you think?"

"Connie... People would want to help you,"

"I can't stand the thought of telling people. I can't stand the thought of our mutual friends choosing between us and judging. Their married with children and I don't want them to have to feel like I need looking after,"

"Tonight I'm going to take you to mine, if you want to go home tomorrow, I'll take you home."

An hour later she lay in his arms back in his bed and he felt almost relieved that she was back there,

"You're as awake as I am aren't you?" She asked and he nodded,

"What was the outcome with the police?"

"My word against his... They're still looking into it, but they say there's minimal evidence at the moment..." she uttered, "he's persuasive and I..." She leaned against him, "I'm so tired Jacob,"

He sighed, "I know sweetheart... I know..."