"Who's the good looking guy that keeps visiting Mrs B?" Robyn asked Lofty who was in the process of sorting paperwork out into two separate piles.
"Good looking? Didn't know he was your type Robyn maybe you should introduce yourself." Lofty replied still concentrating on the paper work but smirking at the stern look on his friends face.
"You don't think that they're a couple do you?" Robyn asked after a moments silence whilst taking some papers from Lofty's ever growing pile and moving them to the pile they should be in.
"Mrs. B have a fella you've got to be kidding, most men would run a mile." Just as Lofty finished his sentence Robyn looked up to see both Zoe and an older woman stood behind him.
"Now you wouldn't be talking about Mrs Beauchamp would you?" Zoe asked arms crossed over her stomach.
"I didn't mean anything by it!" Lofty burst out turning to face the pair.
"You ought to be ashamed of yourselves." the older woman shouted. "Connie is lying in a bed recovering from what could have been a life ending accident and your gossiping about her love life. It's disgusting!"
"Audrey I can only apologise for my colleagues comments." Zoe said softly before turning back to face both Lofty and Robyn "This is Mrs Stachan, Grace's grandmother." Zoe raised an eyebrow to the pair and narrowed her eyes hinting at what they should say.
"We apologise for our insensitivity Mrs Stachan it was only because we know so little about Mrs Beauchamp's personal life." Robyn stated sincerely.
"Well maybe she has good reason to with people like you two filling out your time with gossip. Can we go see her now please Zoe." Audrey's tone was dry and harsh it reminded them of Connie and how she'd talk to them when she was reprimanding them.
"Of course. Lofty, Mrs Beauchamp's notes please." With that Lofty handed the notes over to Zoe who headed towards Connie's bed closely followed by the older woman.
Audrey entered the room which was occupied by Connie and was greeted by both her son and granddaughter.
"How's my beautiful granddaughter?" Audrey said lifting the young girl up in the air and hugging her.
"Grandma I've missed you!" Grace shouted back happily.
"Mother." Sam said with a smile.
"Hello son. How is she?" Audrey asked looking sadly towards Connie.
"She's improving. Were just waiting for her to wake up to see the scale of her injuries."
"And hows this one holding up? She whispered indicating towards Grace.
"I can hear you you know." Grace stated loudly looking up with a frown.
"Just like her mother." both Audrey and Sam said at once making Grace's frown turn into a small giggle.
The sound of the heart rate machine rapidly beeping drew there attention and before they knew it doctors and nurses were surrounding Connie's bed.
"Mum!" Grace shouted. Before she could begin approaching her mother Sam put his hand out to stop her.
"Could you take her outside mother?" Sam asking quickly.
"Of course" Audrey replied worriedly taking Grace by the arm and marching her out of the room.
Sam overheard Zoe tell Rita that an infection had set in which in turn had caused Connie's irregular heart rate. Zoe looked over to Sam who was staring blankly at Connie.
"Sam?" She asked trying to get his attention. "Sam." she repeated. The second time caught his attention.
"Yeah, sorry." He answered quietly.
"Were going to shock her to try and regulate her heart rate." Zoe informed him.
"Yeah anything that'll help."
The paddles were placed on her chest which were followed by a shock. There was a short pause.
"No change, lets try again." Zoe stated. "Shocking."
The beeping slowed and then went back to a steady beat.
"Ok heart rate is regularised. Thanks everybody."
Zoe removed the pads that had been placed on Connie's chest and lifted her gown back up.
"These things happen." Zoe spoke after everyone else left.
"They don't happen to Connie." Sam replied simply. "These things don't happen to her. I've never seen her like this, so vulnerable. Grace is happy to see me but i've not been a proper father to her. I've hardly seen her at all in the last two years. How am i supposed to cope if she doesn't wake up."
"Your her dad Sam, she knows that. She knows you care, she knows you live in America and how difficult it is for you to see her. She understands." Zoe placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's going to be ok."
"I've got so many things running through my head. Things like taking responsibility for Grace if Connie dies. She'd have to move to America with me, make new friends and start a new school. She'd..." Sam's sentence was halted by the coughing of the individual that was lying on bed. Zoe rushed to her side and took hold of Connie's hand that was trying to remove the breathing tube that was in her throat.
"Hey it's ok let me do that." Zoe spoke soothingly. She slowly removed the breathing tube from Connie's throat which in turn made Connie gag and cough.
"Your not taking my daughter to America" Connie said weakly once then breathing tube had been fully removed. Both Zoe and Sam laughed.
"It's good to see you too." Sam said.
"It must have been serious if your here." Connie stated as she tried to sit up. A stabbing pain at the centre of her chest stopped her in her tracks and made her wince.
"Nope no moving, Doctors orders." Zoe said pushing her patient back down onto the bed. "You've got a few broken ribs so i wouldn't move if i was you. You gave us all quite a scare you know."
"Sorry." Connie replied still feeling the pain from moving before.
"How are you feeling?" Sam asked.
"Confused. In pain. Embarrassed. You name it I'm probably feeling it." Connie answered. Her attention suddenly directed towards Zoe. "How's everyone else did they make it?"
"Everyones fine. Ethan was discharged the other day and is recovering well, he's even let Cal move in with him to help him get better quicker. They've all been here for you, most of them have visited everyday since the accident. In fact they've been visiting you instead of working which i had to put a stop to."
"They didn't have to do that." Connie said unsure how to respond to the love and concern she was receiving.
"People care about you Connie you just need to let them." Sam spoke up.
The double doors to the room flung open revealing a very happy looking Grace and a happy looking Audrey.
"Mum your awake!" Grace shouted running towards her bedside. "Do you hurt?" she asked.
"Just a little baby but a gentle hug would be nice." Connie replied giving her daughter a toothy smile. Grace needed no second invitation and enveloped her mother into a hug.
"I was so scared that you wouldn't wake up."
"And leave you to drive your dad mad, never." Connie said tightening the hug slightly until the pain was unbearable. "I love you, you know that?" Connie asked rubbing her daughters back.
"I love you too mum. Did you hear me talking to you when you were asleep?" Grace asked curiously.
"Something about boarding school? My memory is a little patchy but i'll remember. We'll talk about it later." Connie knew what her daughter was talking about but didn't want to bring it up in front of everyone else in the room. They'd know that she didn't know her own daughter was being bullied and that she'd been a terrible mother. Grace released her mother from the hug and jumped down off the side of the bed.
"I'm glad your on the mend Connie." Said Audrey in her not so usual dry tone.
"Yeah glad to see you getting better Connie." Said Sam somewhat awkwardly. He knew she didn't want him to be there and was afraid that she'd send him packing straight away. He cared deeply about her but he didn't know how to tell her in fear of her shutting him down and telling him how stupid he was that he'd ever have a chance with her again. After all he was only a 'sperm donor'.
"Thank you. Both of you" she said looking at Sam and giving him a small smile. Zoe could see the effect that all these conversation were having on Connie so decided to give her the time she needed to recover.
"Ok guys i know you want to catch up and talk but Connie needs her rest now. She's still got a lot of recovering to do." Zoe indicated for the group to leave the room which was received by a number of grumbles from Grace, however, when her mother nodded her head in agreement with Zoe she kissed Connie on the forehead and followed Sam and Audrey out of the room. "Love you mum!" she shouted before the doors closed behind her.
Zoe headed towards the doors too "Great to have you back Connie" she said winking at her colleague then leaving the room.
'Is it?' Connie thought to herself looking down at her injured arm "Only time will tell" she spoke out loud to the empty room before giving into her exhaustion and drifting off to sleep.
Woohoo I had some spare time so decided to conjure up a new chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it!
