Too Good To Be True?

Shopping Spree

Connie and Grace were in the car on their way to pick up Amy. She had agreed to take the girls out shopping to give Cal and Alicia a bit of quiet time as it doesn't come easily with two children in the house.

"Mum?" Connie glanced sideways at Grace with a knowing eye. That tone of voice only ever appeared when her daughter happened to want something. "Grace?" "Can Jessica come too today?" Grace looked towards Connie with puppy dog eyes as she focused on the road. "Pleeee-" "Fine. As long as her parents are okay with it."

Grace grinned as they continued driving towards Amy's. As soon as Connie pulled up the front door was thrown open as Amy ran down the steps. "Oi you!" Spinning around she headed back up the steps throwing her arms around Cal's waist. "Bye Cal, bye Alicia!" "Bye sweetheart, have fun."

Amy skipped down to the car where Grace was standing waiting. They embraced each other quickly before both climbing into the back of the car. "Hey Auntie Connie-" "Morning Amy... We'll be back after lunch?" "Thank you, see you guys later."

They pulled away heading towards Jessica's house as the girls sat in the back of the car singing along to the radio. Grace had somehow managed to gain control of it and had her phone connected to the stereo. Connie wasn't complaining just yet as she could cope with what was on at the moment.

"We don't talk anymore, like we used to do-" "Grace?" Connie looked into the mirror back at her daughter. "Yeah Mum?" "Did you remember to turn everything off in your room?" Grace nodded with a smile before turning back to Amy laughing.

They drove the 10 minutes to Jessica's home before Connie got out of the car heading to the door. "Hello, thank you for this-" "Honestly it's not a problem, Jessica's never any trouble." She appeared behind her mother with a smile noticing Grace and Amy out in the car. "Is Amy coming too?" "Yup is that okay?"

Jessica nodded frantically before saying a quick goodbye rushing down to the car. "I'll see you later, probably be about 3 o'clock." Connie wandered back to the car where all three girls were sitting comfortably in the back together. "Do I smell or something?" All girls laughed as Connie rolled her eyes heading for town.

At home Jacob was sitting in the garden with Charlie, playing in the paddling pool. "Daddy?" Charlie threw water up in the air over him before laughing. "Ooh, you've learnt far too much from your Mummy and sister." Jacob lifted him up from the floor throwing him over his shoulder laughing.

Charlie laughed as Jacob ran around the garden with him before he was put back down again. Charlie started climbing the small climbing frame before sitting at the top swinging his legs. "You okay little man?" "Has Mummy got another baby in her tummy." Jacob laughed sitting up beside his son.

"She certainly has little man, is that okay?" Charlie stayed quiet as Jacob watched him, seemingly worried Charlie didn't say anything. "Charlie?" "Does the baby come from her tummy?" Jacob nodded not realising he was panicking him more. "So Mummy will get hurt?" "No, no Mummy will be fine. She had you didn't she? And Grace, and she's absolutely fine... Maybe a little crazy but she's fine isn't she?"

Charlie thought about it nodding as Jacob lifted him up onto his lap. "Don't you worry about your Mummy. She's going to be absolutely fine okay?" Charlie grinned with a nod before wriggling free from Jacob's grasp to go down the slide. He sat watching Charlie play for some time before there was somebody at the door.

"Stay here mate, I'll be back in a minute okay." Jacob headed inside through the hall to open the door to Charlie. "Hey, Connie's out at the moment- Come in." "Peace and quiet then." Jacob laughed shaking his head as Charlie came in through the back door. "Grandad!" "Almost peace and quiet." He chuckled as Charlie ran up and into his arms.

"You behaving for your Dad?" Charlie smiled sweetly with a nod. "The summer holidays are doing wonders for him becoming a mini Beauchamp aren't they?" Jacob sighed in agreement as they headed out into the garden sitting down.

Connie and the girls were sitting at a restaurant after wandering around shops for hours. "So what have you been up to this summer Jessica?" "Not a lot, Mum's always working and Dad never seems to be at home anymore." Connie smiled down at the younger girl nudging her gently. "Then call Grace more, you're always welcome to come around to ours."

Jessica smiled looking between Grace and Connie. "Tell you what, how about I call your parents and see if you can stay tonight?" "Can Amy stay?" Grace butted in smiling sweetly as Connie turned her nose up. "Umm no, Amy smells and makes far too much noise-" "But she's the quietest one out of all of us!"

Connie laughed leaving the girls to themselves as she stepped outside to call Jessica's parents. "Do you think we'll all still be able to go out like this when your Mum has her baby?" "Yeah, she wants me to be happy too... Anyway she'll go back to work too so we can just chill out at mine. Jacob trusts me at home."

Amy smiled across at Grace as they all began eating. Connie came back into the restaurant taking her seat with the girls. "Can she stay?" "Depends on whether you're all okay going out tonight. We were invited over to Uncle Elliot's house." Grace nodded happily before they began gossiping again.

By the time they left town Jacob and Charlie had already gone over to Elliot's. The girls headed home to get changed before going. Connie put on a long black dress and threw her hair up before picking up her sunglasses moving to the girls room. "You three ready?" Connie put her head round the door to see Grace putting a plait into Jessica's hair.

All three girls were wearing the playsuits they had bought today which made Connie smile. "Do you want me to do your hair Ames?" She nodded as Connie came inside sitting on Grace's bed plaiting Amy's hair. Soon enough the girls were ready and made their way towards Elliot's, laughing the entire way as they had been all day.