Chapter 4

Here's the next update! Will be posting 2/3 chapters at a time up until Christmas as long as I remember to! Hope you enjoy this, and please keep reviewing to let me know what you think :)

The alarm began ringing from the side of the bed telling her she needed to get up. Rolling over she stopped the alarm before glancing up at the time. The clock read 4am in glowing red letters through the darkness of the bedroom.

Connie lay on her back staring up at the ceiling wandering when her life became so dependent on the hospital and her work. Moving from the partially warm bed she wandered through to the bathroom to begin getting ready.

By 5am she was traipsing down the stairs of her house to pick up the paperwork she had left down there from the night before. She threw her phone into her bag before grabbing her keys and heading to the door.

The drive to work was quiet and she was there within 20 minutes. Sitting in the car she looked towards the entrance assuming that the place would be empty with only the night staff remaining. Before getting out of the car she looked back down to her phone which was sitting in her lap. It was a month until Christmas and she had wanted to have Grace home but couldn't seem to get herself to ask either her daughter or Sam.

Sometime while she was sitting there a figure had emerged from the department and stood beneath the shelter by the wall. He looked up and noticed the sleek silver car sitting in her space before realising someone was still sitting inside.

Connie looked up from her lap and glanced out of the window to see Jacob standing by the wall. Once he realised she knew he was there, he began walking forwards towards the car. As he neared it she dropped her eyes again looking to the photo of Grace on her phone.

Jacob got closer to the car and wandered towards the passenger side, opening the door and carefully climbing in to sit beside her. Connie was looking out the front window with her keys in her hand tapping it against the wheel. She could feel his gaze resting on her before looking out the front as she was.

Strangely it was a comfortable silence between the pair as they sat there seeing as he had just gotten into the bosses car. "So then, what's got you so wound up that you're sitting out here?" A small smile passed her features before she began playing with the keys in her hand. "Come on Connie, you can talk to me you know…" She finally let her eyes move to look at him and he saw something which he never thought he'd see in her, fear.

She opened her mouth to talk before closing her lips again and thinking about what she was about to say. Jacob realised the phone sitting on her lap and nodded towards it. "Expecting a phone call-" "No… Yes… Kind of. Grace, my daughter, I've been trying to talk to her but things are busy for her over there. Never a good time for either of us." Connie forced a smile but he could see through it.

Jacob noticed the look returning to her face as she moved her gaze to the keys she was playing with in her hands once again. "So what are you doing here so early sweet cheeks, I thought you're shift didn't start until 7?" Connie spun the keys around and caught them in her hand closing her fist around them. "I've got paperwork to be getting on with and it's coming up to the departments busiest time of year. Anyway, I thought you're shift started this afternoon-" "Rita phoned, someone was sick so they needed me this morning."

Connie nodded before moving her eyes from him again. "Best not make a habit of it, people might start thinking that you actually do some work here!" She moved her eyes sideways to look at him as he smiled. "How about I make a deal with you?" Connie raised a perfectly arched eyebrow and faced Jacob. "You do remember who you are and who I am don't you?"

Jacob ignored her and continued undeterred. "I won't come in early for shifts, if you agree to let me take you to dinner tomorrow night." Connie sighed and dropped her head to one side. "I don't know, I really don't think it's a good idea do you?" Jacob smirked before a smile landed on her face too. "What?" "You deserve to be happy and have some fun, you know Connie. All I wanna do is give you something to do, distract you from whatever it is you're so upset about."

She rested her head against the head rest, eyes resting on his. Neither were willing to move but neither knew whether it was a good idea to carry on how they were either. Jacob decided to bite the bullet and he slowly began moving closer. Connie watched as he neared her, not moving from where she was and keeping her eyes locked with his.

Jacob was only inches away from her when he phone began to ring. He stopped where he was looking down at the ringing device as Connie coughed before biting her lip. Connie looked to her phone and her expression changed as she answered the call. "Hello baby it's so good to hear your voice." Jacob watched on as Connie spoke before resting a hand on her arm. "I need to head back inside before Rita wonders where I've gone, I'll leave you to talk." Connie watched as Jacob slowly moved from the car and headed back inside.

Connie spoke for ages with Grace and all the while it was slowly getting lighter outside. "Are you looking forward to Christmas baby?" "I can't wait to see you Mummy, I miss you so much-" Connie didn't speak but froze listening to her daughter. "Sweetheart listen, I'm really busy with work right now… I'm just not sure if coming home for Christmas would be-" "But you promised me Mum, you always promise me but never do it."

The phone call ended and Connie felt no better after having spoken to her daughter. She wanted her home for Christmas and had been waiting for the opportunity for her to come home, but as soon as it was there she couldn't take it. Something always stopped her from doing the things that would ultimately make her happy. It wasn't until she sat there in the confines of her car that she really realised that.

As realisation slowly sunk in for her, she picked up her phone again and dialled another number. While waiting for the person on the other end several thoughts ran through her mind, not just about Grace but people back here too. "Hello Connie I thought you just spoke to Grace?" "I did but it's you I need to speak to right now…"