Together

Chapter 30

Jacob was wandering around the house while Connie sat with Grace painting her nails. "Will you be having all this done for the wedding Mum?" "I think we might be able to fit something in sweetheart." Grace smiled opening her mouth to say something before stopping herself. "What is it?" "Umm nothing Mum... Doesn't matter."

She eyed her suspiciously but nodded ignoring it and carrying on as she was. "I think I'll take Mia for a walk, you coming Grace?" "No I'll stay with Mum, besides she needs her wedding planner to help finish making arrangements." Jacob raised an eyebrow with a laugh as Grace maintained a serious expression.

"It is not a joke Jacob. Mum is useless without my help and your wedding could be awful-" "Hey! I'm not that bad, I can plan things." Grace was the one to arch a brow at her Mother this time while Jacob laughed shaking his head. "Okay, well I'll take Mia out and I'll see you both soon. I love you." He leant down and placed a kiss to Connie's head before leaving the house with Mia.

Connie and Grace moved out into the garden as soon as he'd left with arms full of papers and things to do. They spread themselves out over the grass before Connie went and got them both some food and drink to get them through. "Right then Miss wedding planner, where do we start?"

They sat beside one another making a list of everything they had to do before crossing off everything that had been finished. Connie thought out loud as Grace continued to write down whatever she said. "Mum you realise the wedding is in less than 3 weeks right?" She nodded gently, her voice quiet. "I know."

Grace shrugged looking back down at the paper. "Okay, so we've got all the dresses and flowers for the bridesmaids. You need to have final fittings but other than that it's done." There weren't many things left on the list that they had to do. "What about getting there?" "Sorted, Jacob arranged that last week."

She crossed it off before looking at the next thing. "Hair and makeup?" "Need to arrange it... Pass me that book." Grace grabbed one of the pads from beside her and passed it to her Mum who flicked through it stopping on a particular page. "I'll call her now, Grace can you look through that and find the number for that salon we used to go to."

Grace nodded glancing down at the pages while Connie sat on the phone. It was hot outside and so Connie wandered inside while on the phone to get them both some more cold drinks. "Yes there'll be 5 of us... 4 bridesmaids, 8:30 start sounds okay. Thank you, bye." She pushed the phone into her pocket before grabbing the juice from the fridge pouring Grace a glass.

Wandering back outside she noticed Grace was on the phone. "You have to, pleeeeease?" Connie sat down offering the drink to Grace. "Please, please, please, pleeeeaseee... Yay thank you. Bye." "Who was that?" She began drinking her drink with a look on her face which caused Connie to level her eyes. "Grace Beauchamp." "It was just Auntie Brianna, I asked her to come with us when we get our nails done."

Connie relaxed a little but was still worried at the thought of Jacob finding out before she had the chance to tell him of everything. "Hang on, you booked with the salon too?" "Next Thursday at 11 o'clock... Just you, me and Brianna." Connie smiled nodding before they looked back to the list.

Grace crossed off the things they'd both just done before continuing down. "Music?" "I need to sit down with Jacob on that one." The next thing on the list was work. "Mum? Why have you got that written there-" "I need to make sure that all shifts have been covered... I'll have to arrange a meeting next week to do that."

Connie lay down on the grass looking up at the sky as Grace wrote something down. "What are you writing sweetheart-" "Well there's one obvious thing you forgot from the list." Connie tried to think as she frowned causing Grace to throw the paper to the floor. "Actually turn up." Grace smiled laying back with her head across Connie's stomach. "There is that sweetheart, but I highly doubt I was about to forget that part."

She ran her hands through Grace's hair as they both lay looking up at the sky. Everything was quiet for some time as they stayed in a comfortable silence. "So... When people give you presents are they supposed to be for both of you?" Connie shifted to look at Grace who was glancing sideways at her. "I suppose so, but there may be things for one of us."

Grace nodded settling back looking up to the sky. "Why do you ask? Grace?" She kept her eyes on the bright blue skies as she reluctantly spoke. "I was just, I don't know... It seems stupid now." "Baby what's wrong?" Connie sat up slightly letting Grace's head fall to her lap. "I'm going to be the only Beauchamp, I mean Mia already is a Master's and you will be soon... I've been thinking about it for a while, and I guess with the wedding it just made me realise."

Connie continued to look down at Grace thinking she was just getting everything off her mind. "I mean Jacob's practically my Dad anyway, but I want it to be real... Do you think he would like it?" "Like what?" Grace sighed sitting up. "Do I have to spell everything out?" When she received no answer from her Mother and was met with a blank expression she sighed.

"I want to ask Jacob to adopt me. I thought I could ask him, like a present for the wedding." Grace didn't look back to her Mum as she sat playing with her hands on her lap. Connie was slowly catching up with what Grace had said as they heard the front door before Jacob's voice. "We're home!"

Connie came back to reality speaking up. "Outside! Grace..." She cupped her daughters face between her hands with a smile. "I think he would want nothing more baby." She smiled before leaning in and placing a kiss to her forehead. Sitting back up she winked to Grace before smiling as Jacob joined them. "Mia's asleep inside, figured we could get a few minutes quiet."

As soon as he spoke Mia could be heard from inside causing Jacob to drop down to the floor in defeat. "Or not-" "Don't worry muscles, I'll go." Connie laughed resting a hand to his chest before getting up and moving inside. "Everything alright firecracker?" She shot up nodding before sitting herself across Jacob hugging him. "Woah-" "I love you." "I love you too firecracker, you know that." He held her tightly with a smile as Connie looked on from the door with Mia.