Life is hard 😘

Mixed emotions

"Come on Connie... You think I want to go?" He pouted, throwing himself down dramatically onto her sofa as she smiled at him.

"You could always take Emma there on a date," she tried, her eyes sparkling as she watched him,

"Please Con,"

She sighed, "Look, it's going to be full of Consultants who will ask me to dance and funnily enough, I don't want to dance with them."

"Please... Come with me... Dance with me instead of them..."

"Last time I went I was told by a few people that it was time I thought about moving on..."

He looked at her, "come and keep me company... If anyone winds you up, we can go, no questions asked."

She raised an eyebrow, "if I give in will you stop annoying me and get back to work?"

"Is this you saying yes?" He smiled,

"Yes," she laughed as he kissed her cheek, "now get out, I have work to do."

"Wow mum..." Grace smiled, "you look beautiful,"

She kissed her daughters forehead gently, "thanks sweetheart..."

"You haven't worn a dress like this forever,"

She heard Jacob as soon as he entered the house, she watched as he scooped up Hollie as Tog jumped around his legs,

"Hi tog..."

"Jacob," Grace smiled, hugging him gently, "mum looks so beautiful..."

Jacob smiled as he looked at her, he'd always thought she was beautiful, but he was almost taken aback by just how good she looked.

"She's not wrong Con... You look great,"

"Thank you," she smiled, slipping her feet into her heels, "you look good in that suit."

"Come on then, come and dance with me," he smiled, taking her hand and leading her to the dance floor.

He held her gently and as she rested against his chest, she felt for the first time in a long time, happy and at peace.

"Come on... Let's go and get a drink in that country pub near yours," he smiled, watching as she nodded at him. He placed his scarf gently around her neck and she found that all of a sudden she wanted to kiss him and feel what it was like to feel his lips against her own.

She leaned into him as they sat by the warm fire, she hadn't been inside this pub since Sam's funeral and all the hurt she remembered sparked up again.

"I'm sorry... I didn't think... We can go if you..."

She shook her head, "no... I like it here... With you...can we stay?"

He tucked her hair behind her ears and she inwardly shivered as he kissed her forehead, "of course we can."

The fire and his strong arms around her made her tired and she found that she struggled to keep her eyes open,

"Come on sweet cheeks, let's get you home."

He lay with her while she slept, before he heard a small patter of feet down the corridor.

"What's the matter Hollie?" He asked as leaned down and picked her up. She cuddled into him,

"I want to look at the stars..."

He nodded, knowing that Connie had explained that if she wanted to speak to Sam she could talk to a star.

He carried her outside, wrapping her small frame in a blanket and sitting with her.

"I had a dream about daddy," she spoke quietly, unaware of Connie listening outside.

"He's always with you Hol," he told her gently,

"Do you love mummy Jacob? She smiles more when you're here with us too,"

"You girls and your mum are some of my most favourite people," he smiled, wrapping his arm around Connie as she joined them outside,

"What's the matter Hol?" She asked as her daughter climbed between her and Jacob making them smile,

"I dreamt about daddy and I wanted to look up at the stars,"

Connie settled back into bed as she heard Jacob telling Hollie a story about Sam.

He slipped into the bed beside her, watching her as she cuddled against him, "I'll always be here for you and your girls... You know that don't you?" He asked quietly, feeling sad for the little girl in the room beside him who was missing her dad.

"I wouldn't have got through this last year without you Jacob,"

He kissed her hand softly, "you are the strongest person I've ever met... The way you've bought up those girls has never ceased to amaze me,"

"I miss him so much Jacob," she told him quietly,

"I know sweetheart and he's up there missing you too."