Life is hard 😘

Surgeries

"Charlie... His respiratory rate is sky high... As are his inflammatory markers... Bleep GI, they need to get him back into theatres."

She picked the girls up from school, and grace hugged her gently, "how's Jacob mum? He awake yet?"

Connie shook her head, "not yet sweetheart,"

"I miss him mummy..." Hollie told Connie as she took Connie's hand,

"Me too," Grace nodded,

"Is he going to leave us like dad did?"

Connie crouched down in front of her, "I hope not sweetheart... We just have to hope his body heals and he wakes up when he's ready,"

Hollie clung to Connie tightly, "you look sad again mummy,"

Connie ran her hand through her daughters hair, "don't you worry about me baby... Besides I've got you and your sister, you're my favourite people in the world,"

"Jacob third though?" Hollie asked innocently and Connie smiled, lifting her into her arms,

"Yes, Jacob third."

After two weeks and three surgeries, she breathed a sigh of relief as his eyes flickered open and landed on her tired form. "It's okay," she soothed, "just close your eyes and I'll remove these tubes okay..."

She assisted him into a sitting position using the profiling bed, and handed him a glass of water,

"Sip this," she told him gently, watching as he did as she asked,

"Are you in any pain?"

He shook his head, "I don't think so,"

After checking his chart and ensuring his morphine pump was working, she sat on the edge of his bed carefully.

She placed her hand on his cheek, her thumb brushing his skin softly,

His heart skipped at her touch, she was gentle and kind and he could see how tired she was, "welcome back muscles... You had me worried," she told

him quietly as he pulled back the covers and moved slightly,

"Will you stay?" He asked, his eyes meeting hers, "I could do with a cuddle from my favourite girl," he told her gently and she slipped off her shoes and her coat before curling into him,

"I've missed you," she told him softly and he ran his hands through her hair, "go to sleep," he whispered, "I've got you."

"Don't worry about me," she told him, "you focus on getting yourself better... Hollie misses you pushing her on the swings... You're better at that than me apparently,"

"How are they Con?"

She nodded, "missing you... But otherwise they're okay."

"You sure you don't need to get back to them?"

She shook her head, "they're with Charlie and Duffy... They'll be having a great time."

His hands ran soothingly up and down her back as she cuddled carefully against him. She closed her eyes and found that sleep washed over her more quickly than it had done in a long time.

"Roll onto your side," she told him, watching how he tried and failed to sit straight up.

"You a physio now as well?" He asked, a smile on his face,

"Just try it," she told him and he did as she asked, rolling onto his side,

"Now legs off the bed and push up into sitting,"

He sat quietly on the edge of the bed for a moment, watching how she placed her hands on his shoulders firmly,

"Take a deep breathe," she told him, "feel your feet on the floor... Just keep your eyes open for me,"

He nodded, "okay... I think I can stand... I'll step round to the chair,"

"Just let me untangle all these attachments she told him, before nodding, "ready when you are muscles."

He stepped slowly round to the chair, breathing a sigh of relief as he sat down slowly.

She sat on the edge of the bed and replaced his other nasal cannula back on.

"Good job," she told him gently, "I don't call you muscles for nothing,"

"People say it all the time... But I never thought stepping round to sit in a chair would be so hard,"

She snugged, "you've been laid flat for two weeks after you were stabbed... It's bound to be hard."

She returned a while later to see him fast asleep in the chair. She knelt beside him and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek,

"Let's get you back in bed," she told him kindly,

"Midday nap hey?" He replied and she nodded, "you've been stabbed, you'll need more than one midday nap."

"I hate sleeping in the day," he grumbled and she rolled her eyes,

"Let your body heal," she told him, "I'll come by after my shift."