"Drink?" Connie offers, nodding at the plastic cup on the table as she wipes a bit of pasta sauce from Grace's chin. Gracie nods and reaches towards the cup as Connie hands it to her. "We're going to finish lunch," she taps on the table beside her bowl, "and then, your friend Hugo is coming over!"
Grace watches her mother as she talks, following her hand gestures but showing little sign of understanding. "You know your friend, Hugo? He came into the hospital a few weeks ago."
"Skate?"
Connie grins, "Yes! Skate! You went skating together, didn't you?"
"Hugo."
"That's right. Finish eating, then we can see Hugo. Hugo will come here, to our home."
"See Hugo at home?"
"You will see Hugo at our home, yes."
"Here?"
Connie nods and continues eating her pasta as Grace picks up her fork again. They have reached a stage in Grace's recovery where she's able to perform tasks for herself, but language remains a very gradual process. There had been improvement, and some days are better than others, Grace recalling more of her vocabulary day by day, her fingers becoming more nimble and actions more controlled. She's only been home about three weeks and routine was the best form of normality Connie could offer her daughter.
Not even two hours later and there was a knock at the door.
"Hugo," Connie told Grace, earning a smile, as she got up to welcome their guests.
"Hiya," Jim says as Connie opens the door. "Sorry we're a bit early, Hugo wouldn't sit still due to excitement."
"That's perfectly alright, Grace has been looking forward to seeing you, Hugo," she says, smiling down at the boy who's clutching his father's hand. She stands aside as they step quietly into the hallway, removing their scarves and coats.
"We bought Grace a Christmas present," Hugo says. "Can I give it to her?"
"Of course! Go on through."
She watches as he runs into the living room and shows Grace the red and gold wrapped present. He carefully places it on her lap and tugs at one of the ends, causing Connie to press her hand to her chest at the boy's good heartedness. Grace knowingly pulls at a corner of the paper and begins unwrapping it.
"How is she doing?" Jim asks behind her. She turns slightly so as not to be rude to him, but so she's still able to keep an eye on Grace.
"She's… building her strength up. Physically, she's nearly there. She can do things for herself, eat, put on her coat… Mentally, she's struggling. She'll get there. I know she will. Just takes time, a lot of effort and patience."
"That's positive. Hugo's been desperate to come over again after last time. He was particularly impressed with the lasagne you made."
She laughs, "I'm sorry that I suggested we eat out tonight!"
"Don't be. It'll be nice. Will Jacob be there?"
"Hopefully. He's working at the moment, but his shift finishes at five."
"Grand timing!"
"What about Keira?"
"She's got a friend over at the moment, they were discussing babies when I left. I think they agreed on takeaway for dinner."
"Ah, yes. Pregnancy. How's that going?"
"Well. So far, so good. Hugo's really into it, which is fantastic."
"Yes, I'm so glad it's worked out. Oh, excuse me one moment-" she walks into the living room and kneels down beside Grace who's sat on the sofa holding her unwrapped gifts. "Wow! Gracie, they're so pink! Hat, scarf, gloves. And a colouring book. What do you say?" Grace watches her mother as she shows her each item in turn and names them. "Th…" Connie encourages.
"Thank you," she stutters.
"I thought that maybe you could wear them to stay warm in your wheelchair, and then when you can walk well again, you can wear them when we go to the park, or when we go skating!" Hugo explains excitedly.
"Skate," Grace says, smiling at them both.
"Yes, thank you very much, Hugo," Connie reiterates. "And Grace will like the colouring too, we haven't got any grown up pattern books for her. And… we've got you a little present too, I'll just go and get it."
When she returns she's surprised to see Grace adjusting the new blossom-pink hat on her head and Hugo carefully looping the scarf around her neck.
"You will be nice and warm with those, Grace," she says.
Grace turns to her and nods, "Warm in cold."
"That's right Grace!" Hugo praises. "They will keep you really warm when it's cold."
"Right, Hugo, here's your present. Merry Christmas!" Connie smiles softly, handing over the gift. She returns to her earlier spot beside Grace on the sofa and watches as he unwraps his present.
"Woah! Dad, look!" he yelps, turning to his father sat on the chair behind him to show him the small remote control car.
"Wow, look at that! What do you say?"
"Thank you!" He leaps up from the floor and tumbles towards Connie, flinging his arms around her and squeezing her. She jumps, taken aback, but starts chuckling and rubs his back. He then goes to Grace, moving more cautiously than he had done with her mother, and wraps his arms around her and whispers a thank you in her ear.
For a while, they all sit around and watch Hugo play with his new toy, the television on quietly in the background. There's a point where Hugo comes over and patiently explains to Grace how to work the car. She's perfectly able to figure out the logistics but Connie could sense the growing irritation when she kept crashing into the coffee table, despite her greatest efforts.
"Shall we go for a walk to the park?" Connie suggests, hoping to distract both the children.
Hugo pauses, "Will Grace come?"
"Definitely. Park?" She asks as she turns to her daughter. Grace smiles and picks up her gloves from the arm of the sofa. "You put them on?" she prompts.
"Do you need any help with anything?" Jim offers as Connie goes to the hallway to retrieve the wheelchair.
"Um… Please. There should be a blanket on the table in the kitchen, if you could grab it for me?"
"Sure thing," he responds.
Connie sets about opening up the wheelchair and locking it into place when a sudden shout comes from Grace in the living room.
"No! No!"
She runs in to see Grace still in the same position and Hugo kneeling on the floor in front of her.
"Hugo? What happened?" Connie asks, her tone wary.
"Hugo, what did you do?" Jim questions, rushing in from the kitchen, blanket draped over his arm.
"I was just trying to help!"
"What did you do?" His father persists.
"I was helping her put her gloves on, I thought she needed help."
"Oh, that's very kind of you," Connie replies, softening her voice. "Grace can be a bit stubborn. Why don't you get your coat on and I'll finish getting her ready?"
He nods with a pout. All he knows is that his friend is poorly and she's 'struggling to speak'. He isn't to know that Grace is physically able. She remembers how to do tasks; how to brush her teeth and button her clothes. He was just trying to help, like he said. A child couldn't be expected to understand the limits and symptoms of Global Aphasia, that there was indefinite damage done to the Broca and Wernicke's areas of her brain.
He's just a child, Connie reminds herself. He wasn't to know he'd upset Grace.
They finish getting ready, Hugo tucking the blanket around Grace's legs as Connie watches over him whilst zipping up her coat. She smiles gratefully at Jim when he takes hold of Hugo's hand and tugs him out the way as Connie takes hold of the wheelchair handles. Hugo wants to push Grace, they all know that, but Connie is responsible and protective of her daughter. Ever since they'd left the hospital, after their inspected shift, Jacob was rarely the one behind the wheelchair. Subconsciously, it was the guilt that continued to build up in Connie that resolved in her independence and insistence of one-handedly caring for Grace. There were times when Jacob had to force her to step back. Particularly in the first week or so where she would stay up watching over Grace as she slept, leaving her exhausted come morning, only to start the entire daily routine again. She would run on little to no sleep, only sometimes allowing herself to rest when Jacob came home from work.
Sam had tried to offer his help. He'd visited for a bit, but his loyalties and duties in the States meant he could only stay for a few days at a time. She's finding it easier since they made the very handy investment of a baby monitor. It meant she could sleep when Grace did, with the reassurance of hearing her daughter should anything go wrong.
Jacob isn't entirely sure what Connie thinks is going to happen to Grace whilst she sleeps, particularly now that she's building her strength back up. But he doesn't once challenge her concern. At one stage, when Connie was still in recovery herself, Jacob had feared that she would find the consequences of the crash too much. That she would get swept into a vortex of resentment and anger, or even worse; one void of resilience and care. But her will and renowned determination soon became apparent, when her only focus was Grace. Nothing or no one else mattered, including herself. For the first couple of weeks she would deny them all any source of fun if there was no developmental value in it for Grace. No advent calendar; due to the lack of nutrition. No candles, flames or fires; ensuring Grace's lungs stay clear and there being no flammable hazard were she to fall. No going out between 7pm and 9am for Grace; due to it being 'too cold'. No time off for either of them; Connie making sure Grace was under twenty-four-seven supervision.
She had since become a little more relaxed, allowing the Christmas spirit to settle within her, but it had taken a lot of wearing down on Jacob's part. Each day arousing some snappy rejection from Connie, followed by a petty argument. It had become embedded in their routine.
