Consequences

Chapter 14

Authors note: i am sooo sorry for leaving it a month to update. Im currently rewatching series 29 from which the idea for this fic came from so expect to see some familiar characters.

When they arrived home, Connie sent Grace to get changed into her pyjamas while she checked her post for the day; seeing an official looking envelope bearing the name of a local solicitors, she opened it and found Hayley Blake was suing her for neglect of care and treatment towards her dad and was requesting a meeting with her solicitor for the following week. Hearing her daughter's footsteps on the stairs, she quickly stuffed the letter into her bag before pulling out the various take out menus from a draw in the kitchen; when Grace didnt enter the kitchen, she took the leaflets and her phone and found her daughter sat on the sofa.

"What do you fancy tonight?"

"Nothing" she answered.

"You need to eat something; taking your pain killers on an empty stomach is not ideal"

"Whatever" she sighed.

After ordering a pizza, Connie turned back to her daughter; she tried to stroke her hair and hold her close but Grace pulled away.

"We have to talk; we cant go back to how we were" Connie pleaded but when Grace didnt answer, she continued to talk. "I'm sorry about the meeting and the extra work; i really am trying"

"Try harder" Grace muttered.

"Hey, dont talk to me like that; i know you're tired and in pain but that doesnt mean you can be disrespectful to me" Connie warned.

"You promised mom" she said, her voice small and tearful, holding her arm as she spoke. "You promised things would be different this time but they're not; i want the mom that made time for me, that looked after me all time after the accident. Maybe it would've been better if i'd died"

"Gracie" Connie gasped, not realising just how sensitive her daughter was "Dont ever let me hear you say that again; you mean everything to me and if you had have died, i dont know what i would've done. I can think of a few other people that would be sad you even thought that comment; sweetheart, look at me"

As Grace looked at her with weeping eyes, Connie stroked her hair and rested a hand on her cheek.

"I love you and i need you to talk to me; these feelings and emotions you've kept inside, they're not going anyway until you do. And if you dont want to talk to me, then you can go to Auntie Zoe's for the night and talk to her; i need to you to tell me what you want to do"

"I want my mom back" she cried as she finally collapsed into her embrace.

"Oh baby" she whispered "I'll sort it out somehow; is your arm really sore?"

Grace nodded as she lifted her head.

"I'll get your pain killers and then we'll sit and snuggle for a while and you can tell me what you want to do, okay?"

As Grace nodded again, Connie quickly grabbed her daughter's pain killers and a glass of water before handing them to her as she sat back down; when Grace had put the glass on the table, she leant against Connie and rested her head in her lap.

"Sweetheart, this is hard for me too; i would love for nothing more than to spend every second of every day with you but you have school and i have work. I told you last week that if you really wanted me to, i would go into the hospital and resign; i still stand by that offer if it'll make things easier and better for you?"

"But then you'll hate me because you'll be bored"

"I could never hate you Grace; i will do whatever you want me to do. How about we enjoy our weekend together as planned and on Monday morning, i will see what i can sort out with Zoe?"

"You have your meeting to prepare for"

"No, i dont; Zoe is taking it for me. You are my priority this weekend; we can do anything you want"

"I want you" she whispered.

Sighing slightly, Connie held Grace close as she ran her fingers through her hair; by the time the pizza had arrived, Grace was asleep. Not feeling like eating either, Connie left the food in the kitchen before joining Grace back on the sofa, her daughter's head in her lap once again. It was an hour later when Grace awoke again; Connie knew her daughters moods was stemming from tiredness and the pain from her arm but it still worried her. She'd only just got her back again, she didnt want to lose her for a second time; she watched as Grace rubbed her eyes before sitting up and looking at her.

"Hi baby, feel better?" She asked, stroking her hair back.

Grace nodded slightly.

"I'm sorry mom"

"Dont be; i promise, i'll sort it on Monday morning. Are you hungry? The pizza came but we can warm it up or i can make you something?"

"Not really"

"Can you try something please? A piece of toast, at least?"

Reluctantly, Grace nodded; within five minutes, Connie was back at her daughter's side as Grace ate the toast slowly; when she was done, she snuggled back against Connie.

"Shall we stick a film on in my room?" She suggested.

Grace shook her head.

"Talk to me Gracie; tell me what you need?"

"You"

"I'm here and i'm not going anywhere; is this about school as well? I know you dont like not been able to do sports but it wont be for long; by the time you go back after the summer, you'll be able to do them again. And you break up on Thursday; we'll have the summer together"

"No we wont"

"We will, i promise; i've already booked the two weeks off to go on holiday and we can work the rest out as it comes. Sweetheart, i know you're struggling with me working and us working together but i am trying; i need you to try too" she said, lifting her daughter's chin so Grace was looking at her.

"I hate it mommy"

"Hate what darling?" She asked.

"Everything; my arm, the accident...school"

"Okay" she sighed. "Your arm is healing; there's not a lot we can do about it apart from rest and pain killers. You only have 4 more days of school and then you have 6 weeks away from it and as for the accident...it's brought us closer together, or at least i thought it had"

"It has mom but..."

"But not enough?" She questioned.

"I'm sorry" she whispered before heading up to her room, leaving Connie feeling sorry for herself and close to tears.

She knew that all of Grace's feelings and emotions were as a result of feeling neglected of her attention for so long and she had no one to blame but herself; she knew she needed to make some serious changes and soon if her relationship with her daughter was to survive. Wiping her eyes with a tissue, she turned the lights out and checked the front door before ascending up the stairs; standing in the doorway to Grace's bedroom, she watched at her daughter struggled to hold back the tears. Carefully, she climbed on the bed next to her and held her close; despite the distance and confrontation between them, Grace waa hurting and she needed her mom to be there; in that moment, Connie knew exactly what she needed to do and first thing Monday morning, she would do it.