The Past In The Present

Chapter 23

After Jacob's discoveries the previous week, Connie had remained blissfully unaware to anything. Although things were far from perfect, she was beginning to find her feet with supporting the girls alone. Knowing it wasn't forever helped, and the thought of finally getting back her life was about the only comfort to her.

"You look miles away..." Connie's eyes snapped up slowly as she let a small smile pass. "I was just thinking-" "About?" She released a heavy breath as Chris sat down beside her, his eyes on her as she shook her head with a smile. "It's stupid, but I'm getting used to him not being around... Is that bad?"

Chris smiled with a small shake of his head knowing that she had found the last few months a struggle. "I don't think it's bad, you've found a way to cope. If you ask me, I think that's a pretty good thing." She returned the warm smile he shared with her, a far cry from the way they used to greet one another.

Connie let her head fall backwards on the sofa causing him to laugh at her. Turning her head to the side she glared at him, a signature she had mastered long ago. "Don't you give me that look Chase, it never did work on me-" "Oh really?" She jabbed his side causing him to flinch before catching her wrist as he reached across her tickling her waist. Her laughter was loudly radiating through the house and it was the happiest she had sounded in weeks.

"Chris!" He smirked continuing before she managed to pull his hands away quickly getting up from the sofa where they were sitting. He got up after her, chasing her through the house and into the garden where the girls were already playing. Holly looked up, confusion etched across her face before she saw Chris coming out with a smile.

Connie stopped behind the girls watching him with a wry smile. "Give up yet Chase?" She arched a brow as he rolled his eyes. "Sorry, Masters-" "Thank you. And no, I don't tend to give up that easy." He nodded slightly as he looked to Holly, then back at Connie. "Challenge accepted." He swiftly ran across the garden as Connie darted out of the way just before he reached her.

Olivia and Holly continued to watch entertained at how happy their mother seemed. Olivia was quick to jump up and run around with them, seeming to chase after her mother. Holly watched happily before Connie clicked onto the assistance Chris had found in her youngest daughter. "Sweetheart? A little help?"

Holly rolled her eyes mockingly before pushing up from the ground and running towards her sister. The four continued racing around as though they'd been this way all along. Maxine came home to an empty house but could hear plenty of noise coming from outside. Wandering through to the kitchen she came to halt when she noticed everyone through the window. Placing her bags down on the counter, she observed silently.

Chris had scooped Holly up from the floor only to carry her over his shoulder. She laughed swinging her legs about in an attempt to break free but it was doing no good. Connie smirked as she watched Chris tickle her, her daughters laughter something she had missed hearing. Connie's smile saddened, only for a second before Olivia ran in her direction.

"Mummy!" Connie laughed catching her as she ran into her, knocking her off balance slightly. Chris was quick to wrap an arm around Connie's waist keeping her upright. She grabbed hold of his arm in response as she stabilised herself. "All good?" She lifted her eyes to him after realising how close they were before nodding gently. "All good." She smiled gently as his hand brushed over the small of her back before letting her go.

Chris placed Holly back onto the floor before he sat down on the grass with her. Connie remained where she was before he whistled catching her attention. "Come on, you need to not overdo it... You're still pregnant-" "Noooo, I thought it had just disappeared over night." He rolled his eyes at her sarcasm as she smiled traipsing over to him. "Do you need a pillow or anything your highness?"

She sent him another icy glare as she carefully sat herself down onto the floor beside him. "Ha ha." He laughed as she rubbed a hand up against the side of her bump. "You okay?" She nodded reassuringly as she let her head fall against his shoulder. "Somehow I don't think they agreed with the running though." He smiled lifting a hand to run through the back of her hair as they remained sitting there.

"Uncle Chris?" "Yes Olivia, what can I do for you?" She seemed troubled as the words seemed to become stuck. "You're not going to leave us too are you?" Connie became more alert as she heard the upset in her daughter's voice. Although still leaning against him, she lifted her head from his shoulder to look to Olivia. "Baby-" "I promise I'm not going anywhere Liv, you don't have to worry about that."

She looked up to him innocently. "You promise?" He held up his hand watching her as she quickly lifted hers. Connie watched as they exchanged some sort of handshake before Olivia moved into his arms. "I promise, and I'm going to help get your Daddy back here too... Okay?" She nodded against his chest before she sat up and returned to the grass space beside him.

Connie stayed quiet as she leant against him, her face hidden so he couldn't gage her reaction to anything he had said. Maxine remained in the kitchen looking out to them every now and again with a smile herself. It took a few more minutes before Holly noticed someone in the kitchen.

"Max!" She got up from the floor and ran inside with Olivia hot on her toes. Connie smirked seeing the girls excitement as they headed inside to see her. Sitting forwards she ran a hand across her bump once again. "Are you sure nothing's wrong, it's just you've become awfully quiet again."

Sighing she turned to look at him as he watched her intently. "Why'd you say that? You can't make promises that you can't keep-" "Hey." He lifted a hand to her cheek gently seeing the upset begin to show in her face. "I'm not leaving you three, ever. I'll always be here for you all." Connie's eyes met with his as he lifted her hair back from her face, tucking it behind her ear. "You deserve happiness Connie, so do those girls and if I can give you just an hour of that like today then I'll stick around for as long as you need that."

She couldn't help but smile as he tried so hard with them all. Connie opened her mouth to speak before clamping it shut again as she hissed dropping a hand. Chris' face registered with her reaction as he began to panic. "Connie-" Before he had an opportunity to question her any further she held his hand moving it across to lay beneath hers on her stomach.

He frowned before a smile stretched across his face. Connie kept her eyes down on their hands as a stray tear rolled down her cheek. "Is that-" "Your godchild? Yeah..." Chris looked to her surprised as Connie looked up at him. "Who else did you think I was going to trust with my baby?"

The garden fell quiet for a moment as they looked to one another. These last few weeks, Chris had been a lifeline to not only Connie, but the girls. She had never known someone to be as kind and caring as he had. He'd become such a figure in their lives that she was scared at what would happen if they ever lost him.

Without much thought, Connie leant closer to him as he mimicked her. His lips brushed over hers as she took a breath before responding gently to him. "Afternoon everyone!" "Granddad!" Connie's head snapped up as they separated quickly, the noise from inside calling their attention. Chris still had an arm around her back as they sat beside each other.

He pushed up from the floor to stand. "Chris, wait-" Looking down at her he didn't say anything but held his hands out to her. Reaching up she took hold as he helped her up from the floor. Now standing in front of him, he could see that she was struggling to voice whatever she wanted to. "It's okay... It's complicated, I'm here for you. Whatever that needs to be." Stepping forwards he pressed a kiss to her forehead as he ran his hands up and down her arms.

Connie closed her eyes tightly feeling the tears build behind her eyes before she blinked them away. Standing up she rubbed her palms against her trousers. "Come on, you need to eat-" "What are you, my mother?" He smirked as she let a small smile pass her lips. She walked in front of him as he placed a gentle hand to the small of her back following her inside. Despite what happened, the afternoon passed easily as she continued to smile in their company.