"Right, girls if you want to come to this spa you need to behave," Connie told them as Sophie laughed,
Connie felt his hot lips against her neck as she pulled on the swimsuit,
"You look great," he told her, his eyes shining as he watched her pull on some clothes.
"Don't start something you can't finish Jacob," she told him and he smiled,
"I've said the girls can go bowling tonight... Which leaves you and me..."
She raised an eyebrow, "sounds good to me," she smiled, kissing his mouth gently.
Connie slipped into the jacuzzi beside him, having left the girls swimming in the pool.
The five of them had a great time in Centre parcs but before they knew it, they were heading home. Connie had received a call that a local couple wanted to adopt Hannah, and she had decided to keep it from the girls until they got home.
She was quiet as Hannah's potential adoptive family signed papers and discussed keeping her in the same school. Jacob took her hand and linked his fingers with hers. She stayed seated at the table as they left and barely noticed the cup of tea he had placed in front of her. She slipped onto his lap and took the tea from his hands,
"Is this where you say I told you so?" She asked sadly as he shook his head and pushed her hair behind her ears.
"Have you ever known me to say that?" He asked kindly and she shook her head,
"Then don't expect anything like that from me," he told her,
"The girls are going to be sad now," she admitted, before smiling as Rosie leaned against her legs.
"Where's Han?" Jacob asked as he returned from the kitchen, "her door is open,"
"Check Sophs room,"
Jacob returned to see Connie sat crossed legged on the bed, trying not to let the tears escape,
"You were right," he nodded, "I can't believe she gets picked up today,"
"I hope she likes it there," Connie spoke quietly and before they knew it the three girls were beside them in bed.
"No," Connie told Rosie who wagged her tail,
"She's not coming up here,"
Everyone smiled as Rosie barked and lay on the floor beside her bed,
"Come on, breakfast time girls," Connie nodded, ushering them out, before Jacob took her hand and pulled her into his chest.
"Don't," she uttered, shaking her head,
"Okay," he nodded, "she'll be fine you know,"
"I know," she nodded.
"I'll miss being part of the three musketeers," Hannah smiled as she hugged Grace and Sophie tightly,
"We will always be the three musketeers even if we don't live together," Grace nodded,
Sophie took Connie's hand and squeezed it firmly, she knew how hard this was for her mother.
"You've been the best foster parents," Hannah uttered as she couldn't stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks,
Connie ran her hand through her hair as she hugged her, "you're always welcome here sweet heart."
"Right girls, how about we spend the day watching films and eating pizza?" Jacob nodded as he too felt the sadness that his girls did,
Connie nodded and he kissed her hair as she curled into him. They spent the day in each other's company, not really saying all that much. She sighed and got up, "I'm going to take Rosie out,"
Jacob stood up, "I'll come with you,"
He took her hand wordlessly and they ended up sitting on the same bench they always did.
"It's my fault the girls are sad, I wanted us to do this and now their friend has left and I feel sad for them too,"
He pulled her onto his lap, his hand resting gently on her cheek, "just imagine where she could have ended up if it wasn't with us," he told her gently, "she's had a great few months with our family, and you out of all of us helped her after her nightmares and the loss of her parents... You are kind and loving and she was lucky that we took her in, if this is too hard Con, we can stop fostering... If this is going to make you this sad each time then we need to stop,"
She exhaled, and he kissed her, "now come on, your puppy is inpatient,"
Connie smiled, "she's almost four but she still looks like a puppy doesn't she,"
Jacob nodded, "I like her, she was a good choice for our family."
He wrapped his arm around her shoulder as they walked and she leaned against him, her hand resting gently on his chest, "I don't know where I'd be without you," she told him quietly and he kissed her forehead, "I wouldn't be me without you," he smiled, "that's all I know."
