Consequences

Chapter 37

A few days later, it was Christmas Day; Connie was determined to make it a special time for her daughter, given everything they'd both been through the previous few months. Charlie would be arriving mid-morning and spending the day with them but otherwise, it would just be the two of them for the morning; Connie had stayed up til late the night before after Grace had gone to bed to decorate the front room and lay all the presents out. She knew she had gone completely overboard and spoilt Grace but she truly felt she deserved it; since starting home-schooling, her confidence had increased and she'd made a couple of good friends at her dance class; friends that werent bothered by her past and had brought her presents, friends that had included her in things outside of dance, especially once the holidays started for them.

Waking up at just after six-thirty, Connie was sat on the edge of Grace's bed, watching and waiting for her daughter to rouse; she didnt want to wake her but for the first time in years, she'd really gone the extra mile and she couldnt wait for the celebrations to start. She smiled as her daughter stretched her arms above her head, moaned and then rubbed her eyes as she saw her mom sat on her bed; still half asleep, Grace sat up and snuggled against Connie as the elder Beauchamp sat running her fingers through her daughter's tangled hair.

"Hey baby, still sleepy, huh?" She murmured, kissing the top of her head.

Grace nodded and nestled her head further into Connie's warm embrace.

"How about we get a drink and some pancakes and maybe that'll wake you enough for presents?" She suggested.

Hearing Connie talking about presents, Grace perked up a little but it wasnt until they'd finished breakfast that she was now wide awake and bubbling with excitement; sitting by the tree, Connie handed her present after present until they were all open.

"Thank you mommy" Grace beamed as she hugged Connie tight.

"You're welcome darling; you do have one more to come but Uncle Charlie is bringing it with him"

"But you already got me loads?"

"I think you'll really like this one; it's extra special. Why dont you go and get dressed while i sort all the paper out?"

As Grace nodded, she grabbed her new clothes and ran upstairs while Connie put all the paper in the recycling bin; with the living room looking acceptable again and the turkey having been cooking since the early hours, Connie got changed into a festive red and black dress and her signature heels. Quickly, she straightened her hair straight down along with her fringe, having treated herself and Grace to a matching cut and restyle and few days before, and then did Grace's the same except she had two small plaits clipped back each side of her head.

"You look beautiful darling" Connie smiled, looking at her daughter dressed in a her new dress and leggings.

"So do you mom; i like our new hair" she smiled.

"So do i"

"Can we take a selfie before Uncle Charlie gets here?"

"Go on then"

A short while later, when the doorbell rang, Connie sent Grace into the living room before opening the door; with a look from Charlie, Connie nodded and let him through, shutting the door behind him. Before entering the living room, Connie took the item from Charlie before entering; her daughter's face upon seeing the golden labrador puppy in her arms was more than enough to prove she had made the right decision.

"Happy Christmas darling" Connie grinned, happily depositing the puppy into her daughter's arms.

"Is she mine?" She asked in awe as she stroked it, Connie sitting next to her and Charlie watching from the doorway.

"All yours; you have to look after it though"

"I promise; does she have a name?"

"Nope, your choice; i think you need to say thank you to Uncle Charlie for looking after him"

Passing the puppy back to her mom, she stood and hugged Charlie tightly as he kissed her hair.

"Thank you Uncle Charlie"

"Happy Christmas Grace; you've really been spoilt this year" he said, taking notice of all the other presents around the tree.

"It's been the best day ever"

"Isnt over yet; why dont you sit down? I think Uncle Charlie might have something for you" Connie suggested.

As Grace sat back next to her, stroking her puppy, Charlie disappeared back out to the car, retrieved the box and gift bag of presents and went back into the house; as he ebtered the living room, Grace gasped at seen how much there was.

"The box is yours Grace, the bag is for you Connie" he said, putting them in front of them before taking the puppy and sitting on the armchair nearby, watching as both Beauchamp girls dug in.

Before opening hers, Connie watched as Grace opened her presents, knowing what Charlie had brought her; she had co-ordinated with Charlie that, seeing as he had no idea what to get her, he would buy the accessories for the puppy.

"Oh my god" Grace beamed as she opened the present containing the pink dog bed, followed by the toys, pink collar and pink bowl. "Thank you Uncle Charlie"

"Just promise me you'll look after him properly" he said as she hugged him before putting the collar onto her puppy.

"I promise; mom, we dont have any food for her"

"Yes we do, it's in the kitchen, bottom cupboard by the potatoes; go and get a small amount for her, and some water"

As Grace disappeared, Connie opened her present and gasped; she wasnt really expecting anything, let alone the extravagant present he'd brought.

"Charlie, this is too much" she tried to protest, looking at him as he moved to sit next to her.

"Nothing is too much; you deserve to be spoiled just as much as that little girl in there"

"I cant accept it" she tried.

"You can and you will"

"I dont know what to say" she whispered, looking at the contents in the box as Grace came into the room and set the bowls on the floor and put her puppy next to it, watching as it began to eat. "Thank you; not just for this but...for everything you do. I dont say it often enough"

"You're welcome; now...how about we leave Grace to get use to her new friend and we sort dinner? I might have invited a couple of friends round..." he suggested, going into the kitchen before she could respond.

"She isnt allowed on the furniture Grace and make sure you take her outside with the lead on in a bit in case she needs to go"

"I will mom"

Setting her present on the end of the sofa, Connie kissed Grace's head and headed into her kitchen, seeing Charlie already getting to work on the veg she had left out to prepare.