White silk robe pulled tightly around her, Connie stood by her large bedroom windows savouring the sunrise that she was usually far too busy to even notice. She'd been unable to sleep that night so had risen soon after 3 to distract herself with the paperwork she'd brought home for just that reason. She'd never before experienced a feeling like this, and Connie was unsure how to deal with it. In the past, she'd barely noticed if a partner left for a few weeks, or if she had noticed she was pleased there were fewer distractions in her life. This time, however, the fortnight Jacob would be away stretched before her like some depressing, worrying desert that she had no hope of crossing. She shook these feelings off, told herself she was being stupid, but it didn't help. She would miss him. A lot.

Connie was suddenly pulled from her thoughts by a noise behind her, and a smile quickly pulled at her lips. "Did you just take a photo of me?"

"Something to remember you by while I'm gone." Jacob replied as he put down his phone and slipped from the bed to wrap his arms around his girlfriend's waist. "Why are you up so early?"

"Couldn't sleep." Was all Connie offered as she rested back into his chest.

"Well, I don't need to be at the airport until 11, so we could go back to bed and not sleep together?" Jacob whispered in her ear, eliciting another smile.

"I like the sound of that, Staff Nurse Masters." Connie turned in his arms and dropped a kiss to his lips, smiling as his hands moved to undo the ties of her robe.

...

"I need to get going now, sweet cheeks." He rose up onto his side to hover over her, grinning against her lips as she drew him down onto her, before pulling away and swinging himself around and off the bed. She watched him as he moved around the room, gathering clothes as he went, before turning onto her front and bunching the covers around her. She was doing the night shift for as many nights as she could bear, but that did mean that she would have to occupy herself in her house alone, which would be especially difficult this morning.

He came around to take his phone from the table next to the bed, bending down to her level as she lay there, hair tumbling free around her face, taking his hand to stroke it away from her eyes. "You know, I could always..."

"No, Jacob. You're going, it'll give me some peace." She smiled at him, and he sighed before smiling back, knowing that as much as she was trying to make it sound as though she didn't mind even in the slightest, he knew she did.

"Come downstairs? The taxi won't be here for another fifteen minutes. Come on, I'll make you some breakfast."

"Too sleepy." Connie grumbled, moaning when Jacob pulled the sheets off her anyway, allowing the cold air to prickle her body. A laugh then escaped her lips as Jacob dropped a light smack to her bare bum before leaving the room. Smiling to herself, Connie stayed where she was for a few seconds before she climbed from the bed, pulling her dressing gown back on.

"There better be a coffee in there for me, Masters!" She called as she sauntered towards the kitchen.

...

"Bye."

"Bye." Connie replied, smiling into Jacob's lips as they said goodbye for what felt like the hundredth time that morning. Every time Jacob went to leave, he'd glance back at her and then return for just one more kiss. "Now go, or you'll miss your plane."

"I'll call you when I land." Jacob reassured her, picking up his bag before going for another kiss.

"You'll forget me as soon as you're out of the country. Go!"

"Don't forget Grace has that sports day on Thursday, and your mother wants to take you to see a house on Tuesday." Jacob reminded her, making Connie roll her eyes.

"I thought you were my boyfriend, not my social secretary! GO!"

"I'm your boyfriend, then?" Jacob grinned as he gave her one last kiss and then finally walked towards the taxi.

She walked slowly back through the house, to sit down at a stool in the kitchen. Grace had gone to stay with a friend for the night; and she expected the arrangement would continue during the time which Connie was working late. No doubt she would be accosted by some mother she didn't recognise later this afternoon when she went to pick Grace up from school.

Her phone buzzed on the table, and she scrolled the screen up quickly when she saw Jacob's name on it. She read the message, smiling, tapping a quick reply and finishing her coffee before heading upstairs to get dressed.

An hour later, she was settled back at the kitchen table, a mess of paperwork spread out in front of her. Her phone had now been silent for some time, and she turned her hand to look at her watch. She was dreading arriving at work this evening, it being a weekend and nearly summer; never a good combination. The words on the forms began to blur out of focus, her concentration lessening with every passing minute.

Jacob was just settling into his seat on the plane, but looking at his watch told him that by now, Connie would probably be doing paperwork and feeling sorry for herself. He glanced first at the photo he'd taken of her that morning before sending a message.

Check the bottom cupboard next to the oven. Present for you xx

Frowning as she read the message, Connie stood up and walked towards the kitchen. Why would you hide a present in there?

Because I know it's one place you'll never check.

Connie smiled at this and then rested her phone to the table before bending to open the cupboard. A smile began to play on her lips as she saw a large basket in there. Resting on her heels, she pulled it out and slowly looked through the contents. Her favourite wine, a photo of a shirtless Jacob, a box of chocolates and-

Connie gasped and jumped up to grab her phone.

I love you!

Jacob smiled down at his phone. Like them, then? From me and Grace to cheer you up. I expect a picture of you in them.

Connie was too busy trying on her new shoes to reply. Inside the basket had been a pair of shoes she'd been trying to buy for months, but they were always out of stock. By the time she had calmed enough to reply to Jacob, his phone was already off, his plane in the sky.

Now feeling undeniably happier, Connie had the paperwork finished before she had to go and pick up Grace. She arrived at the school, waiting in the Mercedes for as long as she could before walking out to stand in the car park.

"Mum!"

"Gracie!" She smiled as her daughter ran over to her, and it wasn't long before, as she had predicted, another girl and her mother followed.

"Hello, I presume you're Grace's mum?"

"Yes, Connie Beauchamp." She winced slightly at how formal she sounded, she'd never been a part of any of the social circles at the school, and here nobody knew her or her job.

"Ah. I'm Claire Stead, Hannah's mum. I think the girls have arranged between themselves for Grace to stay over, I just wanted to check that it was okay with you?"

"Yes, that's fine by me. I'll drop her over before I go to work-"

"You work so late?"

Connie was taken aback at the question, and Grace looked up at her expectantly before filling in for her mother.

"Mum's a doctor. She runs the emergency department."

"Well... I had no idea. That must be hard, balancing this and that." She waved her hands vaguely, aware that this conversation with a woman she had never met, who was evidently very intelligent and well off, was becoming increasingly uncomfortable.

"Yes. Right, well I'll drop Grace off later this evening. Your address?"

The other woman quickly recounted the details and then promptly left to find her car, leaving Connie and Grace standing together beside the Mercedes.

"So you like the shoes then?" Grace looked up at her mother, grinning. "Jacob said you would. He made me swear not to tell you anything about them for five days!"

"You lasted 5 days?! I bet you tried them on though, didn't you?" Connie smiled, and it widened when Grace just grinned in response.