Wait For Me

When You Least Expect

In the last few weeks Connie had been insistent on preparing the house for when the baby came. They'd redecorated the bedroom upstairs, and bought some furniture so that they had the basics ready.

Grace had been helping Jacob with the painting while Connie was made to stay downstairs away from the strong smelling fumes. Despite knowing she would be alright around it for small periods of time, she hadn't been allowed in to the room until it was finished and some what aired out.

The pair had done a pretty good job and had begun building pieces of furniture together in their spare time. Grace had been helping out a lot around the house as Connie began to find it harder completing the simplest of tasks. In the last two weeks, she had grown considerably in size and it was a wonder how she had stayed so small the rest of the time.

"Mum?" "Yes baby?" Connie looked up from what she was reading towards the kitchen where Grace was putting away the plates from dinner. "Do you think the baby will know that I'm not really her sister?" Connie frowned moving her laptop from her legs so that she could get herself up and wonder towards her daughter. "Gracie what do you mean, you are their sister-" "But not properly... I'm only her half sister, we've different Dads."

Connie lifted her hands to cup her daughter's cheeks with a small shake of her head. "Don't be crazy, this little one is going to love you and look up to you. You are her sister, and you always will be." Grace smiled stepping forwards to encase her mother in a hug. "What made you bring this up sweetheart?" "We were talking about families today, in social studies. They were talking about step-parents, and second families... She's going to know Jacob isn't my Dad, I don't look like him."

Sighing she took a seat placing her hand on top of Grace's. "Jacob loves you the same as he'll love this one, and you love him too don't you?" "Obviously-" "Then he's your father... Grace being biologically related to someone doesn't mean anything. It doesn't automatically make you a mother or father, they're the ones who stick around and raise you. Care for you and pick you up each time you fall." She nodded gently with a smile as she thought about all the times Jacob had already done that for her. "I know Mum..."

She pulled her hand free returning to the drying up and finishing putting everything away. Connie took a sharp intake of breath, clutching the side with her other hand. "Gracie can you get me a glass of water please." Grace looked back at her with a smile, Connie forcing one as she noticed her watching.

Placing it down beside her Connie smiled as best she could. "Thank you darling." Grace nodded with a smile turning back around, continuing to talk. Connie tightened her grip on the kitchen side as the pain increased once more. Struggling to swallow her mouthful of water, she placed the glass down letting her head drop a little. Pushing out a breath she moved her hand quickly to her stomach, knocking the glass from the side.

The shattering sound caused Grace to jump, turning around to see her mother contorted in pain. Connie had both hands pressed to her bump as she took as many deep breathes as she could. "Mum!?" Jacob quickly came running downstairs after hearing the glass smash, worrying further when he heard Grace's panicked voice. "Jacob she won't say anything to me-" "Con, sweet cheeks what's wrong?"

Connie took hold of his hand as she took another shaky breath feeling her head spin. "I think my waters broke..." She looked across to him, the fear showing in her face at her own words. "Okay... Grace, run upstairs get that bag I told you about. Come on, let's get you in the car." Jacob looped his arm around Connie's shoulders lifting her before she screamed out in pain. "No, no, no- Jacob I can't. Something isn't right, something's wrong, it doesn't feel right." "Okay Con, stay calm. Getting worked up won't help either of you."

He brushed his hand over her cheek as he grabbed her phone from the side with the other. "Hey it's me, I know look can you just find Duffy... Alicia I don't care, find her and tell her it's urgent." Connie tried standing up, her hands pushing against the counter as she managed to catch her breath. "Jacob, Jacob I need to get in the car while I can move." "Alright sweet cheeks, come on..."

Balancing the phone between his shoulder and ear he moved his arm around Connie's waist to help support her as they walked to the car. "Jacob where shall I put this?" Digging the keys out of his pocket he passed them to Grace who rushed out unlocking the car quickly pushing the bag into the back. "Yeah I'm still here, thank you... Firecracker go lock the front door?" She nodded rushing up the steps locking it while Jacob helped Connie sit down in the car.

"Jacob?" "Duffy! It's Connie, she's in labour but she thinks something's wrong. She's in a lot of pain and I don't know what I'm supposed to do-" "Okay, Jacob keep her calm for me. I need to know how far apart her contractions are. Time them, from start to finish. Can you do that?" He released a breath nodding. "Sure..." Taking the keys from Grace, she got into the back of the car while Jacob counted before returning to Duffy.

"Alright Jacob is there anyway you can get her into the hospital?" "I'm bringing her now-" "Okay, pass her the phone, I need to ask her a few things she might not want to repeat to you." Jacob looked across to Connie placing a hand to her cheek. "Con, Duffy needs to talk to you alright?" She nodded taking the phone from him as he started the engine backing out of their driveway.

Time seemed to pass slower than ever for him as he tried to get to the hospital as fast as he could. "Jacob slow down-" "Con you need to get to hospital-" "Yes I need to get there alive, as do you and Grace! Now just slow down, please..." She stopped groaning in pain again before hearing Duffy's voice on the other end of the phone. "Connie, I need to ask this. Have you had any sort of bleeding in the last few weeks?" Swallowing past the lump in her throat her voice came out a little wobbly. "A little, I thought it was just normal-" "Okay don't panic, it could be absolutely nothing... Explain to me what doesn't feel right." "I can't feel them moving anymore, and it just, it hurts more than I remembered with Grace."

"Alright, baby not moving could simply be that she's in position and the pain can be different each time. Keep yourself calm, and I'll be waiting out the front for when you arrive." Connie placed the phone down as her breathing increased, Jacob's gaze flickering between her and the road as he got ever so closer to the hospital. "Connie? Con, stay awake for me-" "I- I am..."

Grace sat in the back looking at her mother, no idea what was happening. Pulling up outside the entrance, Grace climbed out standing back when Jacob rushed round to open the car door. Duffy, true to her word, was outside in a heartbeat with Elle and Charlie. "Okay Jacob, let us take care of her now." He watched Duffy as she nodded before focusing on Connie, talking to her as they helped her onto a trolley.

Timidly, Grace watched as her mother was pushed into the hospital while Jacob lifted his hands to his head. "Jacob?" Spinning round he looked to Grace before moving closer to her, wrapping her in a tight hug. "Will Mum be okay?" "They've got her Grace, they won't let anything happen to her." Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, they remained outside for a moment. Suddenly the weight of everything had fallen down on top of them and it was heavy.