Screw him!
Connie thought bitterly, as she scrunched up the piece off paper she's been doodling on and threw it at the already over-flowing bin. She could have left an hour ago – but what was the point when she was going back to an empty house, while he enjoyed the company of their daughter?
Screw Sam Strachan – and screw his idea of being a family.
The smirk that had momentarily appeared on his face when Grace turned down the offer to move back in with her mum, had not been unexpected but it still hurt more than Connie cared to admit. Only he could do that to her – make her love him and long for him when she openly hated his guts. Well, she damn well wasn't going to admit she loved him now.
The smirk also confirmed to her, that no matter how much he'd insisted he wanted the three of them to be a family that morning, he was really only interested in pulling Grace away from her again.
She had been sceptical this morning – now she was sure.
Sam had always made it clear that he believed he was the better parent – and he was in many ways, but Connie wanted to be better – more than anything – for Grace. Sam didn't think she was a fit mother and he was convinced that Connie should be cut out of their otherwise life.
Connie, after all, had been the one who drove their daughter over a cliff into a ravine. She didn't think the part where she was driven off the road mattered to Sam. As far as he was concerned Connie was the driver and therefore, it was her fault.
He would never understand the guilt she felt about the whole thing – how she's do anything to go back and change something - anything that could have stopped the accident from happening. How she would have insisted that they took Grace in the road ambulance instead of her after the initial accident. Then the helicopter crash – which had made Grace's injuries worse, wouldn't have happened either. Connie was pretty sure by now that the only reason Sam hadn't taken Grace away yet was because she hadn't been well enough.
Now that she was better, pretending he wanted to be a family was his way of trying to sabotage Connie's relationship with their daughter – because she'd managed to persuade Grace that she did love her.
When Scott Ellison died and Connie was forced to remain on at work to deal with the consequences, Sam had succeeded – and his smug response had made her want to slap him again. Only their daughter's presence had stopped her from doing so.
The trouble was – Connie thought, whenever she slapped him, she always ended up kissing him afterwards. It was like an infuriating pattern that she was unable to avoid. She didn't know whether she was afraid shed hurt him or something else. It couldn't possibly be the former, couldn't it? – Connie Beauchamp doesn't do 'afraid'. All she knew was that it was like a magnet pulling her lips to his in such situations. One moment of weakness – and one that he was unable to resist exploiting.
She'd stay here permanently if she had to, Connie decided - in her office. If it avoided being in the house where Grace wasn't there, it was a good plan. Another rejection was hard enough to handle – and the reminder would be unwelcome, but Sam winning 'bragging rights' to their daughters affections again was like being stabbed. Again.
Connie started doodling on another piece of paper in her notebook. The doodling was a very 'un-Beauchamp' thing to do and was something she only indulged in out-of-hours, behind closed doors.
There was only a brief smirk on his face, she thought suddenly. It was definite smug satisfaction on his part that their daughter had 'chosen' him, but it was only brief – almost as though it was automatic and he couldn't help it.
Damn – I'm actually making excuses for the prick now. Connie thought throwing her pen down and running her hands through her hair.
But it was brief – and it disappeared as soon as he realised how upset she was. He had even squeezed her shoulder – offering her comfort and thereby proving that he could exercise humanity towards her.
Connie sighed and picked up her pen again.
Then where the bloody hell was he? They hadn't told her where they were going – or offered her the chance to meet them when she'd finished work.
She hadn't been invited – because her presence wasn't really wanted and she had to deal with that, no matter how much it hurt. She stared miserably at the page, not wanting to go home nor wanting to text Sam or Grace.
She wouldn't impede on their Father-Daughter time. She knew when she wasn't wanted.
Her phone beeped.
'Message from Sam' the screen read and Connie's heart leapt before she could stop it. He was thinking of her – unless it was a message to keep her away from them, but then she didn't think that even he'd be that cruel.
'Finished work yet, Con? Gracie never stopped talking about you at bowling.' It said. 'Back at my flat. We decided to order a pizza and watch a film if you want to join us? We'd love to have you here. Xx'
'Ok. See you in a few minutes.' Connie responded, grabbing her coat.
We'd love to have you here. Not she'd. We'd. Maybe he did care – maybe just a bit?
He looked surprisingly pleased to see her when he opened the door – though not as pleased as Grace, who bounced past him, shoving him out the way and squealing. "Mummy – you came!"
"Hi sweetheart." Connie responded hugging her daughter.
"Daddy's ordered the pizza – should be here soon." She giggled excitedly – for this was all she wanted. Her Mum, her Dad – and family time.
"Come on Gracie – let your Mum through the door!" Sam exclaimed. "Wow – you've never called me sweetheart before!" He added in a whisper as Grace bounded into the other room. His comment was followed by a snigger because Connie immediately looked as if she wanted to slap him.
She did indeed want to slap him – but she also knew it was the reaction he was expecting. It had been the only reason he'd said it – and she certainly wasn't going to allow him him the satisfaction on this occasion.
"Shall we go in Mr Strachan?" She retorted in an unaffected tone - giving him a playful shove. "What film are we watching then?"
He looked taken aback – if a little disappointed, which gave Connie the opportunity to feel a bit smug for once.
Once they were in the living room Grace announced that they were watching 'The lord of the Rings'.
"Which one?" Was Sam's question.
"The first one, Daddy." Grace answered. "Obviously!" She added indignantly.
"Ask a stupid question!" He muttered.
"Well. it was kind of stupid!" Connie chuckled.
"I didn't invite you over here to insult me." Sam protested.
"Oh, you invited me?" She retorted – putting on her best 'You totally fancy me' look.
Grace giggled. "We both wanted you here, Mummy. Daddy just as much as me - I just told him he had to ask you."
Their daughter was obviously in a 'match-making' mood!
"Anyway," Connie continued. "I insult you all the time Sam – and you usually like it!"
Sam went red to that - which delighted her no end. He then tried to imitate her slightly to cover his embarrassment. "Anyway...why is it obvious, Gracie?"
Connie chuckled as Grace responded. "Because Daddy, you always start with the first one!"
"Does that mean we have to work our way through all three of them tonight?" he remarked.
Connie snorted. "I shouldn't think so, Sam – the whole triology is nine hours long!"
He cleared his throat. "Can I um...get you something to drink? - Wine or something?"
"Wine would be lovely, Thank you." She agreed – slightly amused by his sudden attempt at chivalry.
Just as Sam sat down again after providing Connie and himself with some wine – and their daughter with some orange juice, the doorbell rang.
"Pizza!" Grace yelled. "Daddy can you get that, please? I want to talk to Mummy."
So having just sat down – he had to get up again.
The pizza was very filling and after Connie had drained her glass, Sam offered her more wine – but she declined, pointing out that she had to drive back later.
"You could always stay, Mummy. I'm sure Daddy would let you have his bed while he slept on the floor." Grace suggested. "...If you didn't want to share..."
"Grace!" Sam exclaimed, shocked at their daughter's comment. "It's got nothing to do with me." He added defensively as Connie eyed him suspiciously.
"Hmm." Connie couldn't decide whether he had been putting ideas into their daughter's head or not.
Time would tell if he want innocent of that particular misdeed.
"So..." Grace remarked, turning the sound of the film down so she could grill her unsuspecting parents. "I'm not trying to make you feel awkward..."
If she was anything like her mother – and she was, Sam thought, then making them feel awkward was exactly what she intended! He held his breath. Connie was as good at dealing with awkward questions as she was at asking them – he wasn't.
"Was I just a one night stand?"
Sam nearly choked on his wine – Connie on the other hand was perfectly calm and responded to their daughter's blunt question with ease – as though it was completely expected.
"No sweetie." She answered their daughter. "Your Dad and I were together for a number of months before you were born." A little vague, Connie decided, but that all Grace needed to know. "Easy!" She added rubbing Sam's back as he leaned forward still coughing and trying to catch his breath after the shock of the blunt question. "Gracie, go and get your Dad some water please."
"Sure." She giggled, leaving for the kitchen – happy with the reaction she'd caused.
Sam leaned back – trying to cover his obvious delight when he realised that Connie's hand was still on his back.
She raised her eyebrows at him. "Better?"
"Mm-hm." He agreed. He was more than a little bit surprised by her unusual concern. "So you do care then?"
"Of course I care, Sam!" She responded. "It's just more fun to pretend I don't...Come on – admit it, you get a kick out of doing that as well!" She added with a smirk when he just stared at her. "And you know something else? Grace was delighted with the impact her question had. If you react like that, she's just going to do it all the more." She pointed out, removing her hand from his back. To be honest, she'd momentarily forgotten it was there.
"I didn't do it on purpose, Con." He protested. "The question was a shock – to me!" He added in a slightly accusing tone. "You seemed perfectly comfortable with it!"
Connie shrugged. "Grace has never known us be together – she was bound to ask something like eventually. I wasn't expecting something quite so blunt – but that was purely to see what reaction she would get!"
"And that's it?"
"Well what else were you expecting, Sam?" She commented.
"You were alone with her when I went to get the pizza. She said she wanted to talk to you..." He trailed off.
"Ah – so you think that we were plotting against you. Glad to see my reputation is still intact!" Connie chuckled. "No, Sam – I had no idea she was going to ask that. We didn't do much talking actually. She just gave me a hug – sorry to disappoint you!"
Grace finally reappeared at this point. In truth, she had hurried back with the water, but when she heard that her Dad seemed to be over his coughing fit, she had chosen to wait outside the room to give them time to discuss her question.
She had predicted that her Dad would be un-nerved by it, whilst her Mum – the unflappable Connie Beauchamp, would not be fazed in the slightest. She had been right.
Deciding that her parents had now had ample time to recover from the question, she returned and handed Sam the glass of water. "Here you go, Daddy."
"Thanks sweetie." He muttered, taking it from her.
But Grace wasn't finished yet.