Blended Family

Making Amends

Grace had been on the ventilator for 3 days and Connie hadn't left her bedside. "Con you need to go home and rest babe. What use are you to Grace like this" Jacob said rubbing her shoulders. "I have to be here when she wakes up Jay, I'm her mum" Connie cried. "She'd rather you weren't making yourself ill though babe" Jacob added. "I'm staying Jay, I'm not leaving her" Connie whimpered while stroking her daughters hair. "Ok baby, but what about Tom, he's suffering too you know" Jacob queried. "He's the reason Gracie's in here in the first place, he can breath by himself, he can walk, she can't. I'm staying here" Connie said sternly. "Con it wasn't his fault, another car rammed into them. They weren't doing anything wrong" Jacob explained. "It's still his fault" Connie snapped. "I'd love to hear you say that to Grace when she wakes up, I'd like to see what she says when she finds out you've been wrongly accusing Tom" Jacob said while trying not to sound angry. "I get she's your baby and Tom's the easiest person to blame but it wasn't his fault please tell me you know that really. He needs his mum just as much as Gracie does" Jacob added slightly calmer. Connie just nodded and the broke down, a cascade of tears streaming down her face. Jacob sat next to her and she leaned into him. "Ssh it's ok babe, it's ok" Jacob soothed. "I have to find Tom Jay" Connie said in between breaths. "He's in your office on the sofa, he hasn't left the hospital either" Jacob explained. "Please stay with her" Connie said indicating towards Grace. "Don't worry baby I will" Jacob said as Connie left for her office.

Connie opened the door of her office to find Tom lying on her couch asleep. He was 17 and she was so proud of him. She knelt down beside him and stroked his hair. "Mummy's proud of you baby, no matter how old you get, I'll always love you. I'm so sorry I hurt you over these past few days" Connie whispered as more tears formed in her eyes. Tom's eyes began to open. "Mum" Tom murmured. "I'm so sorry baby" Connie cried. Tom sat up. He pulled his mum into a hug on the sofa. He knew how vulnerable she could get. "It's ok mum, you haven't lost me, I'm still here, I'm right here" Tom soothed.  Connie soon calmed down and kissed her sons for head. "You coming then" she said as she indicated to the door. "Of course" Tom replied.

Jacob smiled as he saw Connie and Tom return together. "Anything" Connie asked. "Not yet" Jacob replied. Tom sat down next to his dad and Connie sat in a chair the other side of Grace. Connie took Grace's hand in her own. All she wanted was her daughter to wake up. Soon Grace's monitor started to beep, and medics surrounded her. "She's fighting the ventilator" the consultant said. "We need to remove it before she chokes" another said. Grace soon had a breathing mask on instead and the consultants said it wouldn't be long before Grace fully woke up.

1 hour later...

"Mummy" Grace said sounding quite hoarse. "I'm here baby" Connie said while pushing her daughters hair off her face. "Is Tom ok" Grace asked. "He's fine, would you like me to get him" Connie questioned. "Not just yet, I just want to be with you for now" Grace murmured. "Alright darling" Connie replied.

A wave of relief hit Connie when she realised her baby girl was going to be just fine.