About a month or so after Sam and Grace's sudden unannounced departure, Connie received a text from him, asking if he could ring her that evening. It was strange – she often spoke to Grace on the phone – and by email, text or Skype, but she hadn't really spoken to Sam since they'd left. She was sat in front of the TV with a glass of wine when her phone rang...

"Hi, how are you?" he asked to her surprise – she had been expecting him to launch straight into why he was ringing. Something to do with Grace probably – or maybe to do with her going to Aspen with them at Christmas. If she was honest, she had been expecting to have to discuss the arrangements for Aspen at some point – though not this soon

"Fine." She answered. "How are you?" If he was going to do the 'niceties' then she was not going to be out-done.

"Fine."

"Ok." Connie agreed – wondering why he had actually rung. So far this conversation seemed pretty pointless to her – though she unexpectedly found it quite pleasant listening to his voice. However, it was his next statement after a long pause, that almost made her drop her glass of wine in shock.

"I miss you."

'I miss you' Was it really Sam on the other end of the phone? "Are you drunk?!" she responded curtly. Surely, he must be...

"No." He sounded slightly hurt that she obviously hadn't believed his heartfelt confession – but then, he only had himself to blame after the way he had left.

She hesitated, still not really believing that he was sober and of sound mind. "Then why are you acting weird?"

"I'm not." He protested. "I just miss you."

"So you said." she exclaimed. "But you left me, remember!" Maybe he'd just had a bad day at work. Grace had told her that he was working a lot.

"I know...I'm sorry."

Connie nearly dropped her glass again. Did he – Sam Strachan, just apologise to her?! "It's fine. You were getting on my nerves anyway!"

"Course I was." He sighed – that was exactly the kind of response he had been expecting from her, but he knew it wasn't true. He had realised from the way she had reacted to his impromptu departure that she had actually been enjoying spending time with him. He'd realised too late that it hadn't just been about Grace. She would not easily admit to missing him though, he knew that too. "So...what have you been up too?"

"Work." Well, what else was she meant to say? They'd didn't normally engage in small-talk – if that's what this was.

"Is that all?"

He sounded disappointed – but, why would he be? What exactly had he been expected her to say? She didn't really have 'friends' and she never went out anywhere that wasn't work-related. The only people she really spent time with outside of work were himself and Grace – and he knew perfectly well that she couldn't do that now. "Yes...I'm off tomorrow, but Grace told me earlier, that you're working – so shouldn't you be going to bed?"

"You're not my mother!" He retorted, cross at her bossy comment.

Connie snorted at his comparison of her to Audrey Strachan. "No, I should hope not!"

"Whatever!" Sam retorted again. "You don't like her, do you?"

"Who?"

"My Mum!" he clarified.

"Oh, you noticed!" Connie exclaimed sarcastically.

Sam sniggered. "She doesn't like you either!" He responded before he could stop himself.

"Great! Thanks for telling me." Connie remarked. Seriously Sam? She thought. Tell me something I don't know! "I don't want to talk about your mother!"

"Why did you bring her up then?" he shot back.

"I didn't Sam – you did!" She pointed out.

"Whatever." He was annoyed now - with himself for falling into her trap.

"That's your favourite word at the moment!" She commented.

"Whatever." He repeated mechanically.

"Exactly my point!" She sniggered – delighted that she'd managed to catch him so successfully – not once, but twice!

"Oh, shut up!"

"Go to bed, then!" She responded without hesitation.

"No, I'm having too much fun annoying you at the moment!"

"Strangely Sam, I'm not annoyed with you." She answered. It wasn't really that strange. They both really enjoyed these kind of 'conversations' they had under the pretence of winding each other up. It was the way they flirted – without actually admitting to flirting with each other.

"I'm having fun not annoying you then!" He snorted, not wanting to be out-done.

"Ok – if that's what makes you happy..."

It did make him happy, but he still wanted to know how she was under all that bravado. He paused. "What makes you happy?"

The sudden change of tone to their conversation caught her off guard. She had been happy before he had taken off with Grace – she had been happy with him and Grace. She had had them and her job – she didn't need anything else. But now... "I haven't really thought about it." She lied.

Possibly he suspected that she was lying - probably. "There must be something." He probed.

"Work." She answered – not wanting him to delve any further.

"Seriously?" his voice was thick with scepticism.

"Well, what else have I got?!" she retorted crossly. "You took everything else I had."

There was a silence whilst Sam swallowed a lump in his throat. "You've got me and Grace."

"Have I?" she replied. "I mean – really?" She didn't like where this conversation was going now.

"Of course, you have." He repeated. "But you didn't want me before I left.

Yes I did! Her mind screamed as she answered, her voice wavering slightly. "That hasn't changed."

He knew she was lying now. "Course not – and I don't want you either." He addeed. Of course, that was a lie too.

"Course not!" She snorted. Why did you ring me then, Sam?

Sam sighed. "I'll admit it – if you do!"

"Fine – whatever!" Connie retorted loudly.

He smiled to himself – that was the closest he'd ever got to getting an admission from her that she wanted him. "Favourite word, darling?" He commented, relating back to her earlier comment.

"Shut up!" She exclaimed as he chuckled delightedly.

"This is fun, isn't it?" He remarked. "Come on, Connie – admit it, you're enjoying it too!"

She kind of was. She really was. "If you say so, Sam."

He thought back to their earlier conversation. "You said Grace told you I was working tomorrow?" He paused, this was probably going to sound a bit...cheesy. "So...you ask her about me, then?"

"Yeah – why wouldn't I, Sam?" She replied. Because I care.

"I...I just thought after the way I just left...you wouldn't want to know..." He trailed off.

"Well, I did kind of push you away..." she muttered. She cleared her throat, pulling herself together. "Anyway – Grace would probably find it a bit odd if I didn't acknowledge your existence."

"Right." He agreed. "She said you were coming to Aspen for Christmas?"

Here we go, Connie thought, this is where he tells me not to bother going – to make some excuse to Grace because he doesn't want me there or he finds the whole idea awkward... "Yeah."

"That's great." he answered brightly.

"Glad you think so." He sounded genuine – did he really want her there? She wasn't sure. "It's certainly put you high in the 'Daddy' stakes!" She added. referring to him renting a place in Aspen rather than letting her join them.

He chuckled lightly. "Jealous, Con?"

"No." She sighed. "I just didn't think you'd want me there."

"Well, I couldn't really say 'no', could I? - Gracie wants you there."

Connie scoffed to hide her disappointment – for a second she had actually thought it had been his idea to invite her – and though it meant a lot that her daughter wanted her there, she had already known that. What she wanted to know now, was that, despite what he'd previously led her to believe by the way he'd left, Sam wanted her there too. Obviously, he didn't. "Great. So, you don't want me there – you're just worried about damaging her opinion of you if you say 'no'." She retorted bitterly. "Thanks Sam! That makes me feel really special!" She went to hang up – a fact which he'd clearly realised.

"No!" He exclaimed hurriedly. "I didn't mean that! Please don't hang up, darling – I want you there too."

There was a pause as she debated whether or not to hang up on him anyway – but the anticipation was just to much. "Really?" She asked eventually.

"Yeah." he briefly closed his eyes, relieved that she hadn't hung up on him. "I'm really looking forward to it, Con."

Yeah, me too, Sam" She agreed.

There was a pause. "So...urm...Grace said that you're mentoring Ethan?" Clearly, Grace spoke to her Dad about Connie too.

"Yeah." She giggled. "Why – are you jealous?"

"No." He answered. "I think it's nice of you."

Connie sighed with slight exasperation. "I am nice, Sam!"

"I know."

"Ethan was struggling – he needed a distraction." she explained, when there was another pause.

"Do you?"

"Do I what?" She backtracked – trying to work out what he was asking.

"Do you need a distraction?"

"Maybe. Probably." Was he actually worried about her? "I just hope I can do a better job with him, than I did with you."

"What do you mean? - You did a great job with me. I'm a brilliant doctor." Sam responded, before realising just how arrogant he sounded. She was bound to pick up on that.

But Connie didn't – at least, not directly for that comment. Instead she just sighed and added "...and reckless...and arrogant...with a massive ego...does it not occur to you that I taught you to be like that?"

"Ouch!"

"Yeah – hurts me too, Sam!" she remarked, lighting the mood.

"Well – I'm glad you've got the distraction though. I don't like the thought of you being lonely..." Not that she'd admit it if she was, he thought.

"Pity that didn't occur to you before!" she exclaimed.

"I know, Con. I am sorry – and I do miss you."

"I miss you too – both of you!" Had she really said that to him? "Get some sleep, Sam – you've got work in the morning!"

"In a minute, but first..."

"What?" She asked.

"Phone sex?" He suggested innocently.

"Piss off!" Connie retorted – though she couldn't help being a bit amused by his brazen request. Only Sam Strachan!

He chuckled. "You're itching to give me a slap now, aren't you! - it's a pity you can't reach!"

"Yes I am." She agreed. "But I can wait until Christmas!"

Sam sniggered. "Love you too, darling! – I'll ring you tomorrow. - and I can't wait for Christmas! I don't mind getting a slap...as long as I get a kiss afterwards!"

"You arrogant git!" She retorted, giggling. "You'd better think yourself lucky that I like kissing you, hadn't you! Sweet dreams, Sam!"

He chuckled. "Very sweet!"