Chapter 8

It was exactly three weeks until Christmas and Connie couldn't wait to finally see her daughter again. Things seemed to be going well for the clinical lead but she should have known that things were never perfect for long.

She woke that morning with her head still resting on Jacob's chest and his arm resting around her waist. Smiling to herself she took a deep breath as her eyes adjusted to the light filtering into the room.

It was almost 10 o'clock but neither of them had to be in work today. It was only the second time that Jacob had stayed at hers and it was still strange to wake up with someone. Connie moved from Jacob to sit up as he woke up after feeling her move. "Morning sweet cheeks, what time is it?" Connie smiled looking back at him "Morning, 10 o'clock why got places to be?"

Jacob smiled as he sat up to pull Connie back with him. "Unless you're coming too then can't think of anything else to do." She smiled as he leant above her and kissed her. They parted and Jacob moved the hair from her face before smiling just looking down at her. "You really don't know how beautiful you are." Connie felt herself blush and looked away from Jacob. It had been a long time since anybody complimented her and even then she was never sure if any of them had ever meant it.

The day passed with not much getting done. Connie had tried several times to get up and dressed but somehow she'd ended up back in bed every time. Jacob seemed to have some kind of power over her and she found herself struggling to ever say no to him. When she had eventually got up and changed she wandered downstairs to find several missed calls from Sam on her phone.

Connie re-dialled the number and waited for him to answer. Upstairs, Jacob was lying back in the bed and looking about Connie's room. He'd never really had the chance, both times they came up here they'd kind of been in a rush and he wasn't in the position to really look at anything other than Connie.

Now that he did he noticed that everything was so tidy, immaculate almost. There wasn't much about other than a few photos. Jacob rose from the bed to have a look at the frames that stood on the windowsill. The first was of a small girl, Grace he assumed when she was younger. The other was an image of several people. Connie stood in the middle with a smile on her face and the same girl standing in front of her. Beside Connie there was an older slightly rounded man with a pair of glasses sitting on his nose also smiling. Crouching next to Grace was a man with black hair with his arms wrapped around the smaller girl. He didn't recognise either men but he'd never seen Connie looking so happy.

He put the photo down and decided to wander back downstairs after pulling on his clothes. Entering the kitchen from the hallway he was faced with Connie's back sitting at the table. She wasn't speaking or moving at all so Jacob moved closer and rested his arms around her waist only to feel her hands settle on top briefly before moving him away and standing up.

"Everything okay?" "Why wouldn't it be?" Jacob looked across at her as she began putting things into her bag. "Connie, come on you are clearly not fine." She didn't stop to answer him or even acknowledge him. "I've got to get into work, there's been a problem so I need to go in early… Just lock the door when you leave and put the keys in my office when you get in." She threw something towards Jacob but as he caught it he missed Connie walking out of the kitchen. Before he could even think about catching up with her he heard the front door close and the car engine start.

Connie walked into the ED to be greeted by Zoe and Tess looking at her with a confused expression. "Connie? I didn't think you were in until this afternoon-" "And I didn't think you were in charge of my rota." She continued to walk until Ethan noticed her and began to ask something. "Mrs Beauchamp-" "Dr Hardy find someone else to help because I'm really not in the position to drop everything and help a junior doctor who should really be capable of doing something for themselves."

Ethan stopped in his tracks as Connie pushed open her office door and slammed it behind her. She clenched her jaw tight before sitting down at her desk as her phone started ringing yet again. Grabbing it she took one look before turning it off, putting it into her bag and dropping it to the floor. She picked up some paperwork and began going through it all while everyone else outside began talking. "Is everything okay with Mrs Beauchamp? She seems particularly aggressive today."

It was almost 3 o'clock as Jacob walked inside with Cal. Connie was standing at the nurses' station and looked up to see the pair walking in laughing. "I'm glad you finally decide to show up Dr Knight and in such a happy mood seeing as you started over 2 hours ago."

Cal looked towards her and started to talk. "I thought-" "I don't care about your pathetic excuses and ridiculous explanations Dr Knight!" He tried speaking again but was cut down by her. "Just get changed and start work, this is your last chance. I don't appreciate my doctors choosing when they do or don't turn up."

Jacob looked between them before moving forwards. "Connie-" "Staff Nurse Masters this is nothing to do with you and I'd appreciate it if you didn't try and make excuses-" "His daughter was unwell. He left a message for you that he would be running late." It was as though she didn't listen to him as she spoke again in the same raised voice. "Like I said I'm not interested in the excuses, just to get to work the both of you."

Connie began walking away as Jacob let Cal walk towards the staffroom while he went after Connie. "Woah, seriously are you still going to tell me there's nothing wrong with you because this is not you-" "Just because we've slept together don't think you somehow 'know' me." She pushed open her office door and slammed it behind her in his face. He opened it and walked in as she turned around to face him. "Get out before one of us regrets what happens and I'm sure it won't be me."

Jacob narrowed his eyes as he looked across at Connie. "Come on Connie you can't just bite off people's heads like that for no reason-" "Seriously just get out of my office Staff Nurse Masters and stop pretending as though you can solve everything because you can't can you!?" He stood there silently for a moment. "Stop pretending as though you're some amazing gift that knows everything because you don't."

He went to turn out of the office before dropping the keys onto her desk and reaching for the door handle. "Connie-" "Jacob, please just leave me alone." He took a deep breath before deciding to walk out of the office with no idea what the hell had happened in the space of a few hours between them.

Connie sunk down against the closed door before playing the message again. Hello Connie, it's me. I wanted to tell you in person, well over the phone but seeing as you can't answer right now… Grace decided she wants to stay here for Christmas, she wanted to talk to you herself but I figured it would be better if you heard it from me first. I'm sor-" She cut off the recording as the tears began to roll down her cheeks before she threw the phone to the other side of the office, letting her head fall into her hands.