Everything beautiful is fragile

#13

Connie had cleaned and dressed the wounds she held Millie's hand 'let go home now' Millie gave a small smile and nodded, Jacob picked up Millie's bag and headed out of Connie's office with Connie and Millie, they walked past Charlie,.

Connie stopped to talk to him 'Charlie I'm taking a few days off, Jacob checked and he can be off to but if you need us' he nodded 'I'll call don't worry'.

Connie felt Millie grab hold of her hand and wrap herself into Connie's arm, when she looked up she saw Alex entering the building 'Millie I told you, you had to be back by 5 we are heading out soon, ALL of us' Connie put her other arm around Millie, Jacob stepping forward in front of them, while Connie moved her back towards Charlie, Charlie stepped forward in front of Connie and Millie, Jacob was still stood in front of Alex.

Millie trying not to shake but her body refusing to help her, Connie could feel her tense and shake, she saw how her head dropped and how scared and timid she became around him.

Charlie looked at Connie confused, he could she Connie was worried, he placed a hand on top of her giving it a reassuring squeeze, she looked up to him as he smile, her facial expression told him she was scared, she looked back to Millie, she lifted her chin up to look at her, whispering 'it's okay, you're coming home with me, it's okay sweetie'.

'Millie is staying with us' Jacob voice was confident and authoritative 'No she isn't, she is coming back, she in care, you can't just keep her' Jacob stepped forward 'Millie is staying with us, Millie isn't a she, she has a name, it is Millie and Millie is STAYING WITH US'.

Connie lifted Millie face toward her again, she whispered to her 'Millie, this is Charlie' Charlie smiled warmly at her 'he like a second dad to me, will you go with him while I deal with Alex' Millie shook her head tightening her grip on Connie, Connie gave her a reassurance smile 'he'll keep you safe, I promise' Millie shook her head, her voice very quite that Connie could barely hear what she said as she whispered 'but who will keep you safe' Connie smiled 'I'll be fine' Millie shook her head 'When he mad he....he' Connie cupped Millie's face 'Sweetheart I'll be fine, plus Jacob is here, and this is my ED the security will throw him out' she put Millie's hand in Charlie 'Go with him, I won't be long and then I promise we're going home, ordering take out and watch a film yeah' Millie gave a small smiled and nodded, 'Okay Millie come with me to my office' as they walked away Millie turned her head watching Connie step forward, Alex turned to look at her, his eyes evil and cold, this made her shiver.

Connie stepped forward, her head held high, making her look confident, more confident than she felt, something about what Millie said about him getting angry made her wonder what she meant.
'I've spoke to Millie social worker and she has okay it for Millie to stay tonight and tomorrow we're having a meeting about Millie living with us, so Alex if you'd like to leave this hospital before I get security to throw you out', he glared at her and she smirked at him 'we had plans tonight! You wait, you're soon send her back into care, she nothing but trouble' Connie stepped forward anger taking over her 'She isn't trouble, she is family, she is MY family so I suggest you fuck off' he turned smirking at the office Millie was watching from 'tell her this isn't goodbye, we're catch up one day' Jacob pulled Connie into his side as they watched him leave the hospital.

Connie walked into Charlie office 'you ready to go home?' Millie nodded 'come on then, thanks Charlie' Connie held Millie's hand tight as they walked out, Charlie placed a hand on Jacob shoulder 'what's this all about?' Jacob turned to Charlie 'it's a long story, and one I can't explain in a short time, maybe text Connie about lunch or something, meet Millie properly' Charlie nodded, Jacob running to catch up with Connie and Millie, as he walked side by side with Connie he took her hand squeezing it to let her know he was there for her.

'Shall I put your bag in your room?' She nodded, Millie hadn't spoken a word since his surprise visit, she walked into the living seeing Grace with the nanny, Grace crawled over to Millie, she smiled at her before getting down on the ground and playing with her.

Grace toddler over, she was still quite wobbly on her feet, she turn and sat herself on Millie's lap bring a story book with her, Millie smiled she picked up the book 'room on the broom'.

Connie watched as Millie read Grace yet another story, doing lots of different voices for all of the characters and tickling Grace every so often, she loved how the two of them just clicked, Jacob snaked his arms around Connie 'they seem happy together' Connie nodded 'she completely different around Grace, it's like she hasn't got a care in the world, look how she was in the car, she didn't speak to us and now with Grace it's all melted away, she smiling, she doesn't look scared, she looks happy' Grace turned and kissed Millie, she smiled 'Thankyou Gracie, so guess who gets to come and live with you? Me?' A wide smile across her face 'I'll get to read you stories everyday, and I can't wait' Grace snuggled into Millie, her head buried in Millie's chest, Grace eyes fluttered shut, Millie kept running her hands through Grace hair.

'Looks like you tired her out with the reading' Connie smiled as she stepped through the door of the living room, Millie smiled 'she a lovely little girl, you're lucky to have her' Connie sat on the arm of the chair 'you have her to now, we're a family, I mean...if you still want to live here?' Millie nodded 'I wouldn't want to be anywhere else'.

That night Millie laid in her room unable to sleep, she stood up and when and sat on the chair by the window, she looked out the window, sat staring out at the moon, she didn't hear the door open 'can't sleep?' Millie turned to see Connie, she shook her head 'me neither, I came to check you're okay' she smiled 'yeah I'm just thinking', 'can I help with anything?' Millie turned and looked at her 'Mum....why did mum hate me? W....w....why did she send you away? Away from me?' A tear rolled down Millie cheek, Connie wiped it away 'just know it hurt me just about much to be away from you'.

Connie moved Millie back to her bed and sat on it with her, she placed an arm around me, Millie head resting on her shoulder 'I'll tell you but promise you're hear me out before.....before freaking out' she nodded 'I was 14 years old when my boyfriend ....ra.....forced himself on me, when I was 15 they went out of any anniversary meal.....I didn't know I was pregnant, i just thought my cycle was all over the place because of stress...but when the labour started I was scared....I gave birth alone, when I held my baby in my arms all I felt was love, it didn't matter to me how they came into the world, all that mattered was they were mine, i loved them so much, they had become my world in a matter of milliseconds, I phoned dad and he came home, he wasn't mad, he let me explain everything and was so supportive, mum on the other hand she...she called me all sorts of names, she didn't believe me, telling me I was a whore, telling me my baby was to be put into care, I wasn't allowed to keep it, but after many rows between mum and dad....dad managed to talk her into them bringing it up, that killed me, not being able to be my babies mum' Millie looked up into Connie's eyes, she could see the tears building the emotion in her voice 'but it was the only way I'd get it see my baby girl.....mum banned me from doing anything with my baby, but she worked loads and dad' Connie smiled, moving some of Millie's hair from her face 'Dad let me fed, bath and play with my baby, my favourite thing to do was the bedtime routine, I use to love sitting for hours reading stories, as they got older we spent more time together out bond was unbreakable and that's what mum hated, so she told me I either left or' she cupped Millie's face 'or my baby girl went into care and I'd never see her again' tears now rolling down both their cheeks 'you're...you're my mum....my real mum....you weren't lying when you said that to Sarah?' Connie shook her head 'dad was planning on taking you and leaving mum to comeand live with me and Jacob, then....then I never heard from dad, he didn't reply to my texts, he didn't reply to my emails nothing, if I had known they'd.....I would have come and gotten you straight away'.

Millie didn't know what to say, there was a lot of information to take in, she loved Connie and was glad she knew the truth but the things the women she thought was her mum had said growing up knocked her confidence, all she ever wanted was Connie and now she had her but not as her loving sister but as her mum, Millie smiled thinking of Connie as her mum, she snuggled into Connie tight 'I love you sweetheart' Millie didn't want to let go 'don't leave me...please don't leave me' Connie ran her fingers through Millie's hair 'I won't I promise' Millie looked up 'even if I'm bad?' Connie smiled 'I don't think you're bad at all, lets get some sleep, tomorrow after the meeting we're go buy you something things to make this bedroom yours yeah?' Millie cuddled into Connie 'night', 'night night sweetheart'.