Wonders of the world

Moving forwards

He hadn't seen her for a few days after her amputation. It wasn't for want of trying and although the operation had gone soundly, her mood had got worse. He'd never seen her like this, he'd known she could be sassy, but this was far worse.

"She's pushing you away; she does this when things get hard," Charlie told Jacob. Himself and Duffy had come up to Cardiff to visit Connie and Jacob could tell how much she meant to the older man.

"This isn't her Charlie... She's so strong and tough,"

"She's just lost her memory and her leg," Duffy told Jacob gently, "that woman is one of the most intelligent, fittest woman I know... And currently she can't work or run... I can understand why she's pissed off,"

"She trusts you," Charlie told him, "you can see that a mile off, you just need to give her a gentle push to get into that rehab gym again,"

He exhaled, walking into her room and turning the light on.

"What are you doing?" She asked, blinking against the bright light,

"You are going to get up and have a shower," he told her, "then the physio is taking you to the gym at eleven and you're going to get up and use those crutches,"

Her eyes met his, "what if I can't?"

"You showed me when you were away that you could turn your hand to anything... You'll only know if you try this... Now get up... "

He smiled as she rolled her eyes and got up onto a pair of crutches, before placing a waterproof bag over her leg and sighing.

"I want to wash my hair but I..."

"Shall I get a nurse?"

She shook her head, "can you help me?"

He guided her carefully onto the shower seat, before kneeling in front of her,

"You are strong," he told her, "you can do this, this rehab... You can do this,"

She closed her eyes as he washed her hair gently. When she was back in her room, she pushed herself upwards and cuddled into his chest, "thank you," she spoke quietly,

He kissed her forehead firmly, "you don't need to thank me,"

She couldn't sleep the early hours of the following morning, and knowing Jacob was working she got up and looked at herself in the mirror. She hadn't really looked at herself since the accident and as she did she was pleased the years had been kind to her. She pulled on some tight jeans and a jumper Jacob had left for her before hopping, initially unsteadily, on her crutches in search of him.

She knocked on his door and smiled to see him sat at the computer, surrounded by paperwork,

"Is this a bad time?" She asked, "I couldn't sleep..."

He winked at her, "never a bad time when you turn up," he smiled,

"Come and sit with me," she asked, watching as he sat beside her.

"That picture on your desk," she smiled, "I remember that, but I have no idea where it was taken,"

He ran his hand through her hair, before reaching for the photograph, "tell me what you remember,"

She sighed, "I remember coming out of the bathroom upset... Michael had text me and I didn't want to talk about it... We hadn't known each other long, but you wrapped me up in your arms and opened the curtain and I remember looking out across the sea at the water and all the islands..." She looked up at him, "the next thing I remember is waking up in bed with you and wondering why my husband had never held me so closely like that throughout the night,"

There was a knock on his door that caused them both to look up, "is it urgent?" He asked, because to him, she was the most important thing at that moment,

"Yes," the doctor nodded and Jacob nodded, "ten minutes?"

"Five?"

"Fine,"

"I'll go," she begun and he shook his head, "I won't be long... I... Why don't you let me take you for breakfast when my shift is finished in an hour?"

She looked at him, "I haven't been out like this..."

"Well let's do it together..."

She nodded, "okay,"

He leaned down and kissed her forehead, surprised as she slipped her hand into his,

"Hurry back," she smiled and he felt his heart rate increase as he caught a glimpse of the old Connie. He handed her a blanket and she took it great fully, a gentle smile on her face as she lay down, and closed her eyes for a while.