Too Good To Be True?

In Control

Connie breezed across the department watching as everything ran like clockwork. She grimaced internally as her eyes fell to the glooming figure approaching her. "Henrik how nice of you to come by-" "Mrs Beauchamp. I see things have picked up again." Connie tilted her head sideways as she signed a patient's file handing it back over.

The pair walked through the corridor turning the corner. "Well you know me, not one for letting things slip. Never have been." "Yes, so I remember. And the figures I asked for last week?" "In my office." He nodded as she looked away towards Charlie rolling her eyes. He hid the smile turning away from her as they strolled through the department in the direction of her office.

"Mrs Beauchamp! You're needed in resus." Connie turned around without hesitation moving to the doors. "Umm, Mrs Beaucha-" "It'll have to wait." She left him standing there as she rushed to the bedside of a patient who had been bought in earlier that morning. A quick glance about showed her that Jacob was working with the patient too.

Sighing she took hold of the clipboard flicking through results. "Bloods?" "Clear, nothing there to suggest what is causing the irregular beat." Connie pushed her tongue into her mouth nodding as she looked back to the monitors. "How long's she been this way?" "20 minutes..." Another nod left her looking down at the patient, she was barely older than her own daughter.

Jacob had noticed Connie's shift in demeanour after seeing how young the patient was. He didn't approach her in fear of upsetting her but knew she needed budging from the position she found herself in now. "Mrs Beauchamp?" Her head snapped up seeing Jacob opposite her waiting for instructions on what to do. "Run another set of bloods, cover everything and see if there's been any changes. Obs every 10 minutes, and if anything changes at all find me."

He nodded as she glanced to the girl once more while he began to pick up a few things. Jacob put them on the bed before placing his hand on top of Connie's gently. "Okay?" Her eyes drifted to their hands as she focused on the warmth coming from his skin on hers. Connie closed her eyes momentarily before looking to him with a saddened nod. "I'm fine, Staff Nurse Masters."

Jacob smiled a brief smile before resuming his job with the bloods leaving Connie to compose herself and move from the room. She was caught up in what happened just then meaning she was oblivious to Henrik still being in the department. "Ah Mrs Beauchamp, glad you could return-" "Sorry that I actually have to do a job Henrik, it's not as easy as pushing paper for some of us."

Opening her door she let him follow her inside before taking a seat at her desk. Passing over a file Henrik took it as he sat himself down. "Thank you... I see your relationships in the department are still professional." Connie pushed her tongue to her cheek as she stopped herself from spiralling out of control at his comment. "Perfectly. Now is there any other reason you're stopping me from working?"

He met her levelled gaze shaking his head. "I'll leave you to get on-" "Thank you." As one man left her office another entered, except she was more happy to see this one. "Things alright?" Connie scoffed watching as Charlie sat on the sofa. Moving from where she was she joined him, slumping down as she sat.

"Depends on the defeinition of alright... If you mean everything's hunky dory and amazing in every way, then no. If you mean my life is quite possibly falling apart at the seams but I won't say a word to stop it because I care too much about my reputation, then yes things are alright." She rest her head back against the wall slowly turning to face him. "Don't look at me life that Charlie-" "Like what?"

The atmosphere in the office was becoming increasingly uncomfortable as Connie continued shutting herself away. "Like you're disappointed, it's the one thing I can't take from you Charlie." He smiled kindly as she lifted her head looking across the office. "Then do the right thing." Connie looked back to him as he moved from the office out into the department again.

He was right, he was always right. As was Jacob most of the time, not that she'd ever admit that out loud. She remained seated in the same position for sometime before seeing the time. Jacob would be finishing his shift now before heading to get Grace and Charlie. Connie's shift however lasted another 4 hours. Contemplating things for a few more minutes she pushed herself up from the sofa moving out to reception.

"Dr Keogh? I have something important I need to sort out, can you cope on your own?" He shrugged with a nod before she turned walking back to her office. She gathered her things together shoving everything into her bag. Jacob emerged from the staff room laughing with Cal before noticing Connie's office door open with her inside tidying things away. "I'll see you tomorrow..." Jacob walked to the doorway looking inside. "Thought you weren't home tonight?"

Connie jumped at his voice looking up at him. "Well... I... Um, I figured I could get home today. It's not busy and nothing needs doing." "What about all that? Doesn't look finished to me." Her eyes fell to the obvious pile of paperwork that needed completing. "Bringing it home doesn't count as finishing early-" "I'm not taking it. It doesn't need doing yet, anyway it's not important." She turned back around picking the final few things up hearing footsteps near her.

Jacob kept his distance but remained in the office waiting for her. "Won't admit that you want a night at home with me after what happened in resus?" Connie stopped what she was doing refusing to look up at him. "After all, I'm just your husband-" "You're not just my husband Jacob..." Connie picked her bag up looking at him as she went to move past. "You're a good nurse too-" "And there's me thinking you were going to say something nice."

Connie continued walking as Jacob smirked following her out. "I thought I could come get Grace and Charlie with you?" "They'd like that... Seeing their Mum is a rare thing nowadays." Connie watched him slightly annoyed with his comment before opening the car door and getting inside letting it be. The drive was silent but Jacob couldn't have been more on point, Charlie and Grace were ecstatic to see her.

"Hey baby." Grace threw her arms around her mother as soon as she saw her bringing a smile to Connie's face. Placing a kiss to her head she stood up. "Did you have a good day Mum?" "It's just got a lot better. Come on, lets get home." "You mean you're not going back to work?" Grace's comment affected Connie more than she thought it ever would. Her children had become used to her being absent, something she promised herself would never happen. Rather than show her upset she smiled taking Grace's hand heading back to the car.