Everything beautiful is fragile

#86

Connie linked her arm through Millie's as they walked through Central Park, a smile on her face as she thought about how lucky she was having this time with Millie.

Millie looked to her mum 'what got you smiling like that?' Connie stopped looking up at the sky as light snow began to come down around them, she looked back to Millie 'you....I never thought I'd have this....this time with you, mother, daughter time' Millie smiled as she hugged Connie 'well I'm glad we do, I love that you are my mum' Connie smiled as Millie moved for them to link arms again and slowly walk around the park again.

'So it's just me and you here, how are you really?' She took a deep breath the snow still falling lightly around them 'Mum I'm honestly okay, I feel like a weight was lifted off me when he got sentenced and now i can move on with my life, this...' she smiled to Connie as she pulled out her phone, smiling as she held it up taking a selfie on her and Connie in the snow 'being here with you, the most amazing mum I could have asked for, the mum who makes me think anything is possible, dad, well a man like no other, he makes me laugh everyday, he loves me for me, not because he has to, he took me on and treats me just like he treats Grace and Grace well I love her like no other, I can't imagine my life without any of you' a tear rolled down Connie cheek 'this being part of the Master family is seriously amazing and after everything I can finally say I'm happy' Connie pulled Millie into a tight hug 'I love you baby girl' Millie breathed in her mum's scent 'I love you to mum'.

Millie pulled away smiling 'mum I feel like I can tell you anything, if I need advice I can talk to you and I'm glad I feel like that because I know so many girls who can't talk to their mum's about anything and well then they get themselves into trouble' Connie hugged her 'sweetie you can always talk to me'.

They walked some more before Millie stopped at a bench 'mum, can we sit' she nodded 'so...erm.....New Year' Connie smiled 'sweetie, calm down, whatever it is, you can talk to me' Millie picked at her fingers 'I know I can, it's just hard trying to get it out' Connie nodded 'I want to talk to you before I do this' Connie looked at Millie trying to work out what her daughter was trying to tell her 'erm...so....new year...I...erm....I think I'm going to....I mean I want to....sleep with Matthew' Connie smiled placing her hand on top of Millie's 'sweetie, if you feel like that's what you want to do, then I'm fine with it'.

Millie looked up at the dark sky 'we've spoken about it and I want my first time...well my first time that I pick....I want it to be with someone who understands if I get upset or freak out, he my best friend and I love him, the kind of love that won't fade and I won't regret and I get to pick it this time' Millie voice becoming emotional even though she tried to fight it, her emotions were clear to Connie.

'I get to pick if it right.....Matthew is so understanding about it and keeps saying, we don't have to if I don't want to....I can change my mind whenever' Connie cupped Millie's face 'Thankyou for telling me, for trusting me enough to talk to me first' Millie shrugged 'we don't do secrets in this family do we?' Connie shook her head, trying not to show her guilt over not telling Millie about Sam being around, she tried to think of saying something, saying anything to get Sam out of her head 'And well...I don't want to lie about it to you, Like I said earlier, you make me feel like I can tell you anything' Connie kissed the top of her head pulling her into her.

They stayed sat on the bench in the same position for a few minutes, before Connie broke the silence 'So I do need to talk to you about something, me and your dad...well...we've talked about having another baby...how would you feel' Millie's eyes widened 'really?' Connie nodded 'it wouldn't change how we feel about you or Grace' Millie smiled 'I know that mum and...I'd like that...I'd like to be there from the start, I missed Grace's first year well nearly all of it, apart from the last few weeks........just think you have on hand baby sitter' Connie smiled pulling her into her arms.

'I love you baby girl, you make me so proud, you've come so far and I can't take credit for it but' Millie cut her off 'mum, you can take credit for it, I always looked up to you, I always wanted you in my life, da..William would tell me stories about you all the time..how clever you were.. how you'd always put others first...how you made him so proud...he always carried a photo of me and you from when I was a baby, he'd always pull it out and saying his two favourite girls in one photo, his favourite photo that showed to everyone, he was proud of it, of that one photo' a tear rolled down Connie's cheek 'mum he wouldn't want you sad' Connie sniffed and shook her head 'I'm sorry I' Millie shook her head 'no more sorry, life is about now....you are the reason I'm the person I am today...I love you' cuddling into her mum 'love you more baby girl'.

They stood up and strolled through the park and saw an ice rink 'fancy a go Millie?' Connie turned to see Millie nervously nodding 'come on then baby let's go'.

Millie watched as Connie climbed onto the ice confidently, Millie hand held onto the side tight, Connie saw how nervous Millie was, she smiled holding out her hand 'it's okay baby, I've got you, I won't let you fall' Millie took her hand, Connie squeezed it reassuring her 'remember I'll always be there to catch you' Millie smiled.

Millie's head was down watching her feet, Connie placed two fingers under her chin lifting her hair to look into Connie eyes 'I've got you' Connie place a hand around Millie waist and held her hand with the other and talking her through and showing her how to skate.

They staked around a few times, Millie confidence growing with each streak of the skate, Connie slowly dropped her arm from around Millie's waist and just held her hand as they skated around.

Millie finally felt confident enough to let go and go around on her own, Connie stopped smiled watching how well Millie skated, she pulled out her phone smiling as she took photos of Millie going around.

Millie saw Connie taking photos and skated over to her 'mum let take a selfie' Millie took Connie phone and held the phone up, both smiling wide, Millie then turned and kissed Connie cheek, a gentleman skated past them 'would you like me to get a photo of you both' Millie smiled nodding 'yes please' she past the phone over to him and he skated backwards, Millie placed her arms around Connie waist, Connie placed her arms around Millie, cuddling into her, behind them stood the Central Park Christmas tree, shining bright, he past her the phone back 'thankyou' she skated back to her mum 'Mum I love this one look' Connie turned the phone for her to see 'I'm going to print that one for my office'.

They spent another hour skating around, laughing, joking, just having some fun mother, daughter time together.

They climbed off the ice 'do you fancy a hot chocolate?' Millie's eyes lit up and she smiled nodding 'with cream' Connie laughed 'with cream', they took the boots off, Millie linking arms with Connie as they headed to the coffee hut near the ice rink.

They were sat together on one of the wooden benches, Millie's head raging on Connie shoulder 'mum this has been the best day ever' Connie smiled but before she could respond a man walked over to them.

'Sorry to interrupt your drinks, but I'm a photographer and I was taking photo of some friends and well, I saw you both and I just had to take these' he turned his camera around to show Connie, he had taken some many different photos of them, but the one he chose to show her was of Connie holding Millie's hand as they skated, Millie smiling and looking at her mum, Connie laughing and looking at Millie, the next photo was of Millie skating into Connie and hugging her 'these are gorgeous'.

They young man smiled 'I'd like to send them to you' Connie smiled 'we'd love that', 'if you give me your email address, I'll send them to you...and here is my business card, in case you wanted a photo session, maybe a family one, it can be out here if you'd like' Millie looked at Connie 'mum that would be cool, imagine getting photos of Grace playing in the snow' Connie nodded 'I'll speak to my husband and show him these' he nodded 'it wouldn't cost a thing...I will email you these as soon as I get home' she smiled at him 'thankyou'.

Millie linked arms with Connie as they slowly walked back to the hotel 'mum tonight has been so fun, I've loved it' Connie pulled her closer 'I've loved it to baby girl, I always love spending time with you' she kissed her forehead 'I love you babygirl', Millie stopped and hugged her mum 'you're the best mum ever and I'm so glad your mine, never forget that' Connie smiled, a tear rolled down her cheek, holding Millie close to her, she closed her eyes breathing in Millie's scent, she smiled remembering how she would do the same thing when she was a baby, the smell that always comforted her, her baby girls smell, kissing the top of Millie's head 'I love you baby girl, so much'.