Together

Chapter 39

Connie carried Mia as Jacob shoved his change deep into his pocket. Grace couldn't stop herself from jumping excitedly as they rounded the corner. They'd decided to go swimming at the outdoor pool seeing as the weather was still extremely hot.

Jacob carried their bags glancing across at Connie and Mia. "You sure you're okay-" "Jacob I'm fine. I wouldn't have said yes to this otherwise." It was the first time that they had ever bought Mia to any kind of pool and Connie had been skeptical of it at first before warming to the idea.

Grace had her bikini on beneath her clothes, as did Connie. "Sweetie we need to get Mia changed before going into the water so could you just wait up here until we're back?" "Okay Mum." Grace smiled brightly as Connie kissed her cheek gently, taking Mia's changing bag towards the shower rooms.

Jacob went with them, his arm around her waist as they walked. "I love you, you know-" "No I had no idea muscles." He looked at the smirk on her lips before kissing her gently. "I'll wait for you out here." Connie nodded as he disappeared into one set of changing rooms while she went round to the other.

Mia was gurgling away as Connie spoke to her in a small voice. "Are we both going to freeze today? Yeah, yes we are..." Connie pulled on the the tiny pink and white swimming costume. "Don't you look adorable, Daddy's going to have a field day over his princess hey." While she was laid on the mat Connie stripped of her clothes until she was left standing in the black bikini.

Scooping her girl into her arms again she lifted the bag onto her shoulder moving back out into the sunlight. Jacob was already outside leaning against the wall looking over the water. "Ready?" Jacob's head snapped round looking towards her voice as his eyes skimmed over them both. He laughed a little looking to Mia before taking her from Connie. "You are so beautiful sweetheart." Mia smiled down at him before he settled her on his hip.

"And you Mrs Beauchamp sure are something else." Connie smirked leaning into his side as they walked the edge of the water back to Grace. "Can I go now? Can I, can I, can I!?" "Yes, go!" Grace pushed up from the floor running to the pool before stopping and spinning around. "Are you coming Mum?" She shook her head causing a frown to come to Jacob's face. "I'll sit with Mia, you go with her."

Connie took Mia from Jacob who seemed reluctant to leave them on the sidelines but soon went. Jacob and Grace ran to the water jumping in one after the other. All Connie could hear was the shouts coming from Grace at the temperature of the water. She couldn't help the laugh escaping her lips at Grace's complaints.

They were sat under the shade of some trees so that Mia could sit on the mat playing with her toys. Connie lay on her side watching her daughter fumble about with a smile. She was such an intelligent girl already at 6 months, the time was moving so quickly that she felt like everyday something changed with Mia.

Jacob had packed a small speaker in one of the bags which Connie dug out and sat beside her playing some music quietly. Mia had lay down on the mat, her eyes opening and closing with each breath she took. Watching her she noticed the way her head lulled to one side. Connie lay back in the sunshine letting go of a breath as she relaxed for what felt like the first time in weeks.

Planning the wedding had felt like a full time job, alongside being a mother of two and running the ED she had next to no time for anything else. She was grateful for the time she had to do absolutely nothing as it was a rare commodity nowadays.

Out in the pool Grace was swimming around with Jacob. "Do you think Mum's okay? She seems quiet." "I think she's just stressed out Grace, the wedding is in 10 days and your Mum wants everything to be perfect. She doesn't realise that all I really need is her to turn up." Grace chuckled keeping her head above the water as they glanced over to where Connie and Mia were laying down.

Jacob glanced down to Grace with a smile. "Slides?" Grace's eyes lit up at the word as they both swam across the pool to the other side. There was a queue to use them as the pool was becoming busier as the day went on. "So firecracker, you looking forward to the wedding?" "Yeah. I can't wait for us all to be a family."

He looked up at her as she moved up the steps. "We're already a family aren't we?" Grace sighed with a shrug standing beside Jacob. "I mean... Properly... Like, I don't know... You'll really be my Dad..." She spoke quietly as though she wasn't sure of what she was saying or was worried for his reaction. "Grace, I've seen you my like daughter from the day I met you. I'd be crazy not to want to be." She smiled wrapping her arms around him tightly as they neared the top. "I hope you're ready to get beaten-" "Oh I don't think so Mini B."

After a few hours Mia was loudly rolling around the mat beside Connie. "Is someone restless for their Daddy now?" She sat herself up looking to see Jacob and Grace queuing for the slides. "Come on then sweetheart..." Standing herself up she picked her little girl up carefully wandering down to the pool. Stepping down the slope Connie took a sharp intake of breath not expecting the water to be so cold.

She gradually moved out until they were beside the bottom of the slides, but far enough away to not get splashed at all. Connie knelt down in the water keeping Mia to her side. Slowly she extended her arms, her hands around Mia's waist lifting her up and down slightly.

Connie turned her head away scrunching up her face as Mia slammed her hands down repeatedly into the water. Her shouts were enough to fill Connie with happiness as she grinned getting excited in the water. Looking up she noticed Jacob and Grace at the top of the water slides talking to one another before disappearing into the shoots.

"Look Mia, is that your sister?" Mia seemed to look across the water not seeing anything before it was obvious she'd seen Grace. She got louder once again as Grace smiled rushing over. "Mia!" Jacob was shortly down behind her looking around before noticing the three girls together.

He smiled seeing Mia and Connie finally in the pool before wading through the water to them. His hands immediately slipped about Connie's waist from behind as he looked to Mia who was slamming her hands into the water again happily.

Connie laughed as Jacob rest his chin on her shoulder. "Is my baby girl swimming!? Yes she is..." Jacob placed a kiss to Connie's neck as she rest against him. "Can I hold her Mum?" "Only if you're really careful Grace, she has to stay above the water." Grace nodded putting her hands exactly where her mothers had been.

"Someone likes swimming..." Jacob laughed watching Mia splashing the water about once again. "That or she likes splashing Mummy-" "Well who wouldn't." Before Connie could answer Jacob had lifted a hand to splash water over her. Spinning round in his arms she shook her head pushing her tongue into her cheek. "Oh you're dead Masters..."

Jacob laughed as he lay backwards trying to swim away as Connie moved across him, straddling his waist. She pushed a handful of water up over his face before moving her hands up his chest to his shoulders. Jacob shook his head before his hands found her hips. He neared her lips kissing her once before pulling back with a smile. Without any argument he let Connie kiss him again, deeper this time.

He moved his hands down to her thighs as she wrapped her legs about his waist. Pulling her tight to his chest he moved back towards Grace and Mia. Connie kept an arm around his neck while he held her to him. "See this is nice isn't it-" "Mmm, it's okay." Connie smirked as Jacob kissed her briefly letting them float backwards slightly.

"Jacob what are you doing?" Connie moaned attempting to let her legs unwrap from his waist but he held onto her with a grin. "No... NO!" She raised her eyebrows before Jacob laughed throwing them both backwards and under the water. Connie swam upwards pushing her hair back from her face looking about for Jacob.

He had swam closer to Grace and Mia again, winking across at her. Shaking her head she tied her hair up again before swimming underneath the water until she was close to him. Reaching forwards Connie ran a hand up his thigh causing Jacob to jump. She emerged from the water in front of him with a sarcastic smile as he rolled his eyes at her.

Jacob took over with Mia so that Grace could enjoy some time with her Mum in the pool. Before long they had spent the entire day at the pool and had laughed every minute. Connie had been able to forget about everything except her family for a day and nothing had ever felt so good. She couldn't wait until she could relax more and just be herself with her girls and Jacob.