Before Jacob had even had the chance to knock on the door that evening, it was pulled open by a grinning Grace.
"Happy birthday!" She exclaimed, grabbing his hand and promptly pulling him away from the open apartment door towards the car park he had just exited.
"Aren't we going the wrong way?" Jacob asked, glancing over his shoulder at the door.
"I want to show you your present first. Mum wouldn't let me take it into the apartment. Hurry up!" She quickened her pace; eager to show him the thing she had begged her mother to buy.
When they stopped in the spot beside Connie's car, she gave a happy smile. "Surprise!"
"…Am I missing something here?" Jacob asked with a frown, surveying the two bicycles that were in front of them, the largest with a bow resting on the seat.
Her smile fading a little, Grace turned to him, concerned. "...I thought maybe you could teach me how to ride a bike. If you don't like it-"
"It is the best present I think I have ever received, and it would be my honour to teach you, Miss Gracie." Jacob replied, a grin on his face as Grace blushed with happiness.
"Mum thought you might already have one, but I said it didn't matter because you need one for here and one for your house, isn't that right?"
"That's very true!" Jacob replied as Grace led him back inside the apartment, eager to tell her mother that he had in fact loved the gift.
When they entered and Connie was nowhere to be seen as Grace poured his a glass of her favourite drink, Jacob frowned. Noticing this, Grace gave an apologetic smile. "She's on the phone."
"As usual." Jacob replied, making Grace laugh.
"I understand that, guy, but I can't just-" Connie gave a frustrated sigh as he spoke over her again. Stood by the window in her bedroom, Connie gazed out in to the city as she tried to get her colleague off the phone. She was about to begin arguing again when she spotted a figure in the reflection walking towards her. Covering the mouth-piece, Connie turned to Jacob. "You're not supposed to see me like this, I'm not ready."
"You look pretty ready to me, sweet cheeks." Jacob replied softly, his hands slowly untying the ties of her dressing gown. "Have you got something important to say to me yet?"
"Will you go if I say it?" Connie asked, a smile on her face. When Jacob nodded, she stood on her tiptoes to whisper a seductive, "Happy Birthday, Staff Nurse Masters."
"Mm, I've been waiting all day to hear those words in that voice. Don't be long," Jacob replied, hitting her on the bottom before leaving the room.
Connie smiled after him and for a moment forgot she was on the phone.
When Connie made her entrance into the dining room a short time later, she found Grace sitting by herself looking sullen. "What's happened?"
"You took too long and the food burnt." Grace replied.
"I'm sure it's not burnt, I wasn't gone for that long," Connie offered, glancing at her watch. "Where's Jacob?"
"Trying to save his own birthday dinner," She offered grumpily.
"Nothing to save, Gracie!" Jacob stated as he brought three large plates of food through from the kitchen. "Turns out your mother knows herself so well, she set the timer for earlier than it needed to be!" Jacob placed the plates on the table, giving a small nod at the whispered thanks from Connie. "Now cheer up, or the birthday boy is going to get sad."
…
"That's for me. Bye!" Grace jumped from her seat an hour later as Jacob finished the last bite of his birthday cake.
"Where are you going?!" Connie asked as she set a glass of wine down on the table for herself.
"I'm going for a sleepover with Laura downstairs. I'm all packed." Grace offered as she pulled on her backpack.
Connie placed her hands on her hips, and her daughter, making Jacob smile to himself, immediately copied the stance. "Was I going to be asked?"
"Well you and Jacob want time alone, don't you? I thought you'd appreciate me leaving for the night!" Grace frowned.
When Connie seemed unable to form a reply, Jacob finally stood up. "I'll see you tomorrow for that riding lesson, so don't stay up too late."
"I won't. Happy Birthday, Jacob." Grace offered him a smile, glanced at her mother and then rushed to the door, shutting it with a bang behind herself.
"Since when did she become so like me?" Connie asked herself out loud.
"She's got that hair flick down to a fine art." Jacob mused, picking up Connie's wine before taking her hand to lead her through to the sofa.
"I do not flick my hair." Connie replied, flicking her hair. When Jacob raised his eyebrows, Connie offered a smile, taking her wine from him to put it on the table. "Well, what shall we do with this sudden alone time?"
"I have a few ideas…" Jacob smiled, his hands resting on her waist.
Connie's lips brushed against his as she murmured, "Well, surely you should be the one to pick tonight."
"Why's that?" Jacob asked, his fingers beginning on the buttons of her shirt.
"It's your birthday." Connie replied.
"I have been thinking about this moment all day." Jacob smiled as the buttons were finally undone and she shimmied out of her skirt. "Did you have this on at work?"
"Mmm-hmm." Connie replied, twirling for him to show off the lingerie she had on. "Would you like your present?"
"I have a feeling this is going to be my favourite birthday ever." Jacob replied as he followed Connie towards the bedroom, grinning at the briefs she wore which said 'happy birthday' on the back.