Too Good To Be True?

Don't Speak

Grace and Charlie were running across the field as Jacob sat across the checked picnic mat. He'd got up and headed out leaving Connie asleep at home. He was reluctant to wake her after what happened yesterday as they were still yet to clear the air or even acknowledge each other.

He sighed as he rubbed a hand across his forehead before Grace was running and dropping into his lap. "Helloooo..." He couldn't help but laugh as Grace's infectious smile showed. "Where's your brother got to?" "On the swing, think you can push him?" Jacob smiled as Grace remained across his lap. "Course I can... If you move your butt." Grace nodded getting up and running back over the field as Jacob followed.

At home Connie woke to a silent house not knowing where everyone had gotten to. She wandered through the kitchen finding a piece of paper pinned to the fridge.

Taken the kids to the park.

Connie screwed up the note throwing it into the bin as she picked up her phone seeing nothing from him. She went to put it down before the lock screen caught her attention. The photo of them both staring back at her as she tried doing anything but continue looking at it. Sighing, she threw it down moving upstairs getting herself dressed.

"Higher Daddy!" "If I push you any higher you'll fly away and I don't quite fancy explaining that one to your Mum." Charlie giggled while Grace watched on. "You alright firecracker?" A single nod told Jacob she wasn't. "What's wrong?" "Did you talk to Mum yet? It's just, she felt bad." Jacob focused on the swing for a few moments before looking to Grace. "Not yet. But I will."

Hours passed as they continued running around playing with one another. They failed to see someone standing at a distance watching as they all laughed. Connie remained at the edge of the field where they wouldn't notice her until she watched Jacob retreat sitting down. She took that as her opportunity to head towards them and attempt to sort things out with him.

Grace and Charlie were well and truly occupied with some other children. "Mind if I join you?" Her voice startled him as he turned to see her looking down on him. Another surprise had been the softness within her voice, something he'd not received from her for sometime.

Connie sat there awkwardly, Jacob sensing how uneasy she was. He dropped a hand to her thigh squeezing it gently creating a small smile on Connie's lips. There was so much that had to be said but nothing could express what she wanted to right now.

Instead she raised a hand to his chin turning his head to her as she leaned in pushing her lips to his. He didn't question it or try to stop it knowing that he needed that contact with her just as much as she did.

Jacob moved his hands to her waist before she parted from his lips. "I don't know where to start..." Jacob smirked with his forehead resting against hers. "How about what you're feeling?" He knew it was a long shot seeing as she'd never been one to open up, especially after a bust up like they'd had.

"Guilty... Sad... Awful, viscous, evil, scared-" "Scared?" "Of losing you permanently... Jacob I could barely cope with the last 12 hours of thinking we were over for good, I'd never survive if you left." He watched the sadness in her eyes as she looked to him. "I know this is all my fault, and I know it's way too late to even attempt to say sorry to you but I can't let you walk out without trying."

"Con-" "Don't speak, just let me." He nodded knowing that she had to get it all off her chest. "You told me I needed decide how important 'we' are to me, well I know and you're everything. Jacob I'd have never married you, and spent all these years beside you if it wasn't something I wanted...

And I know I've pushed you to the limit, so much so that you probably hate me as much as our children do-" "They don't hate you Con, and neither do I. I said things I should have never said to you, it wasn't fair... It seems the only rational ones in our family are those two over there."

Connie laughed with a nod as she realised they were the reason they were here now. "Grace made me realise how serious this had gotten... When I saw how scared Charlie was yesterday, it broke my heart to think we'd done that to him. We can't do that Jacob, we're supposed to be the ones protecting him from everything in this world. And Grace, the look of hatred in her eyes was enough to make me want to walk away, let you live a better life."

Jacob took her hand in his, holding it tightly as she kept talking. "I can't believe I've made things this bad between us, we were fine but now-" "Now we need to sort this mess out... You know, Charlie made me realise how important all this is. How I can't possibly lose any of you because my life without you isn't living, it's just existing."

Connie forced a smile looking past Jacob to Grace and Charlie who'd spotted her. Bringing her eyes back to him she met his gaze. "Starting again?" "Oh no... There's some things that I'm never wiping from our slate, but the last month? Totally gone."

Jacob smiled seeing her face light up again, just as it used to. "I love you Connie-" "I love you too. I'm sorry... Do you think they realise we're getting there?" Jacob shrugged looking to Grace and Charlie who were constantly looking to them. "I think they'll know soon-" "Why?"

He cut her words off as he pressed his lips to hers again, his arms snaking around her pulling her into him. Connie couldn't help but smile against his lips, wrapping her arm around his neck enjoying the warmth and comfort he gave her.

Grace had a huge smile on her face as she ran towards them with Charlie. Neither noticed the children running at them until they collided together separating them. "Hey you!" "Mum." Grace hugged Connie as she returned the embrace leaving Charlie to jump on Jacob.

"How are my favourite people this morning?" "Me?" Connie looked to Charlie with a smile. "Of course I mean you... Come here." He shuffled from one pair of arms to the next as Connie held him tightly. "I love you soooo much Charlie, okay?" She kissed his temple as Grace leant into Jacob with a smile.

"We're good?" Jacob looked down with a smile before glancing back. "Oh I think we're just fine firecracker..."