Together

Chapter 34

Connie and Grace were sitting on the sofa laughing with one another when there was a knocking at the front door. "I'll get it!" "Grace!?" She was gone out of the room before Connie had a chance to stop her so quickly followed her out the room.

By the time she got to the hallway the door was open and Grace was smiling proudly. "Brianna what are you doing here?" "Grace told me Jacob was away for the weekend. Thought you might appreciate some adult company." Connie closed the space between them pulling her in for a hug while Grace closed the front door trying to walk away.

"Err, back here you. Do not think that you're off the hook just because I haven't shouted at you about this. You are still in trouble missy-" "Yeah whatever Mum, can we just have fun please?" Connie raised an eyebrow as Brianna tried hiding the smirk that was trying to break on her lips. From further in the house Mia was beginning to create causing Brianna's eyes to light up.

Connie noticed the small glimmer of something in her eyes before nudging her. "Want to see her?" She smiled across at her letting Grace walk into the living room with Brianna while Connie went upstairs to get Mia.

The evening was spent eating junk food and gossiping about Jacob's younger self. "You should have seen him, such a cute baby but take away his bear and you'd know about it." Connie couldn't stop the laughter as she was bent double on the sofa. "N-n-n-no way!" Whenever she managed to contain the laughter she broke out again.

Story after story was shared giving Connie an insight into the past she knew very little about. Grace had disappeared upstairs to get changed leaving Brianna holding Mia. Connie ran her finger around the rim of her glass as she debated on asking something she'd wanted to know for some time. "Brianna?"

Connie looked across at the younger woman who just smiled back. "You want to know why I left when I did?" She scoffed with a smile dropping her head nodding. "Our Mum, she suffered sometimes... You know times became hard, awful in fact. I was the weak one I guess, couldn't stand by and watch so I got out. I ran and left Jacob to pick everything up. I suppose I couldn't face him after that but I missed him like crazy."

Brianna looked down at Mia with a smile. "They're lucky you know. Jacob will never let anyone hurt them. All boyfriends will be fully run down before getting close to them, he used to do it for me. Always made sure I was safe." Connie watched as Brianna rocked Mia gently back and forth causing her to smile. "Is there anyone serious in your life?" "God no... Ever since a bad relationship at 11 years old I gave up with men."

The woman smiled at each other sensing some kind of unspoken agreement to that statement. "I should take a photo of the three of you, send it to him. Show him what he's missing out on." Connie laughed as Grace jumped on the sofa beside her wrapping her arms around her Mum's neck. Brianna sat Mia on Connie's lap before taking her phone.

She smiled at the picture of her brother with Connie on the lockscreen before opening the camera. "Okay smile on 3." Brianna counted down while they posed briefly as she took a few pictures. "There. Send him crazy knowing he left you three here without him."

As the clock turned 12 Connie glanced over to a dozing Brianna. Pushing up from the sofa she stopped beside her. "Come on, I'll show you to the spare room." Brianna sat upright yawning while Connie made sure everything was locked up. "Your house is lovely Connie, I can't believe how big it is!" "Lovely now but trust me it hasn't always been this way."

The women made it upstairs and parted to their rooms. Picking up her phone Connie dropped down to the bed flicking through images of her and Jacob. She paused on one that she didn't think she'd seen before. Sighing she ran her thumb over it, the smile on both their faces captured their relationship perfectly. Always laughing for one reason or another.

Jacob was shirtless with his arms wrapped around her. He had held the phone out pointing towards them as Connie turned her head sideways away from it. Her hair fell over her face slightly as she smiled shyly. The next one Jacob had kissed her cheek as she laughed before she came to one where they were both smiling towards the camera. Everything looked perfect, and for the first time in her life it wasn't just something she was hoping would come true. This picture, the happiness in that photo was her reality.

As she lay awake in bed she tried not to think about what state her fiance was currently in with her staff. She prayed that one of them had enough of a brain to control everything but she didn't hold out much hope on that idea. Rolling over she let a hand fall to the bed beside her where he normally lay. It was silly and she cursed herself for doing it because it was two nights, but this was the first time since they'd been together that one of them wasn't there.

Connie sighed placing her head onto his pillow smiling to herself as she smelt the familiar smell of his aftershave. She didn't realise how long she had spent laying awake thinking about Jacob until she caught sight of the clock. 2:06 and here she was looking an idiot awake thinking. She sighed heavily before closing her eyes hoping that sleep would overcome her.

Just as she was drifting off her phone began to vibrate on the table beside her. When it didn't stop but continuously buzzed she rolled over grabbing it to see Jacob's caller ID. "Ja-" "Connieeeeee why aren't you here?" Raising an eyebrow she lay her head back down listening to his slurred words and whining tone.

"Jacob is there a single cell in your body not made up of vodka right now?" There were some strange noises on the other end of the phone before Jacob's voice came back. "Have I ever said how much I love you?" "All the ti-" "Well I- I love you more than any-anyone else... Would you marry me Connie?" She stifled a laugh looking up at the ceiling. "What's funny? I'm serious." He hiccuped at the end causing Connie to bite her lip to stop her laughing.

"I already agreed to marry you, you idiot-" "YES! Guys, guys! I'm getting married, Connie said she'll marry me. Have you seen her she is gorgeous." Connie listened to the hushed voices of Cal and Iain trying to shut Jacob up. "Mate my head is on fire and if you don't shut up about her I will end you before you have the chance to walk down the aisle." Connie listened as Cal continued threatening Jacob until Iain put him back to bed.

After a while his voice came over the phone again but seemed more serious this time. "I love you so, so much Connie. You've made every dream I ever had as a little boy come true... You're an amazing mother to our girls and the perfect role model sweet cheeks." Connie smiled as a tear rolled down her cheek that she hadn't expected to fall.

Wiping her face quickly she sniffed which didn't go unnoticed by Jacob. "Hey, baby what's wrong? I'm coming home-" "No, no... Nothing's wrong, it's just you. What you said it was lovely. I love you more than you'll ever know." Jacob dropped his head to the pillow closing his eyes as he suddenly became very tired.

Connie could tell from the way his breathing had slowed and how his voice became hushed that he was tired. "I'll always love you-" "Forever..." Connie smirked laying her head down. "Forever." Everything was quiet for a while as they both listened to the gentle breathing of the other. "Connie?" "Mmm..." She was on the verge of sleep as he spoke quickly. "I might have shown everyone a picture of you in your underwear tonight. I love you, good night."

The line went dead before Connie could respond as she looked down at her phone. "Jacob flipping Masters I hate you." She locked her phone dropping it to the bed as she buried her face into the pillow falling to sleep, thoughts of her staff's reactions to his 'pictures' drifting through her dreams.