What Should Have Been

Part 29

Connie got up from her desk wandering to the door, glancing back once. "I mean it... No mess, no noise and no causing trouble... Both of you!" Sam smiled innocently as he looked to Grace shrugging. "I have no idea what you're insinuating Mrs Beauchamp-" "I'm insinuating, Mr Strachan, that you and that delightful daughter of mine are lethal together."

She had moved from where she was stood beside the door to lean forwards on the desk. "No trouble. Got it?" "Perfectly... On one condition though..." He leant back in her chair watching as she arched an eyebrow with a hand on her hip. "And that would be?" "You, me, dinner, bed, tonight..." "What do you think this is some sort of golden box of dreams Sam. Cause any problems in my department and you'll be sleeping alone for a week, that's what you'll get."

Connie forced a sweet smile as he had done earlier before leaving the office. Sam bounced Grace up and down on his lap as she laughed. "Mummy says you're always messy-" "Does she now?" Grace nodded as Sam raised an eyebrow. "Well, how about we get our own back on Mummy?"

Several hours later Connie wandered over to the nurses station taking a seat while glancing at some folders. She looked up when she felt someone's eyes on her but saw nobody about. Sam and Grace were along the corridor behind the wall watching quietly. Connie moved some folders to see a toy spider placed between them. Rolling her eyes she dropped the folder down again, getting up and moving down the corridor.

Sam and Grace stared up as Connie stood over them. "Really?" He smirked as Grace giggled away before they were interrupted by a high pitched scream, followed by Lofty throwing the folder back down to the desk. Connie rolled her eyes as Sam and Grace ran off laughing. "Seriously?" She threw her hands in the air giving up and returned to cubicles.

"So then princess, what do you want to do now?" Sam swung her hand back and forth as they wandered back across the car park from the ice-cream van. Grace managed to get it almost everywhere except her mouth making Sam laugh the entire time. They sat on the bench in the sun enjoying their food until Connie stepped outside desperately looking around.

She visibly relaxed when she saw them sitting together on the bench. Connie wandered closer as Sam looked up and smiled at her. "Hey-" "Hey yourself... Feeding my daughter more junk, like she needs it?" He smirked as she sat herself down across his lap watching Grace make a right mess. "So you've covered noise, and mess... Thanks for listening Strachan."

Connie rolled her eyes leaning forwards wiping the corners of Grace's mouth. "Baby you're a state-" "Sam says it doesn't matter." She turned to him with raised eyebrows. "Did he now?" Connie laughed shaking her head. "Want some?" Sam offered her the ice cream with a smile hoping she'd forget her original question.

She placed her hand over Sam's eating some of his ice-cream before he lifted it up slightly so that it smudged on her nose. He laughed as she whacked his chest with a smile while wiping it from her face. "You infuriate me-" "You love me Beauchamp." "Forever using it against me-" "Too right!" She laughed lifting a hand to his chin before leaning in and kissing him with a smile on her lips.

Grace continued eating before Connie parted from his lips. "Clean my daughter up-" "And why should I do that?" Connie levelled her eyes at him, hovering just above his lips. "Clean my daughter up and I might just make it worth your while." He watched her hungry eyes with a sly grin before capturing her lips in his. Connie moaned against his lips softly before pushing a hand to his chest. "I need to get back, I just wanted to check you were alright."

Sam nodded letting go of her waist as she stood up. "Be good Grace-" "Yes Mummy, I love you." Connie kissed her head gently before disappearing inside. "Let's get you cleaned up sweetheart." Grace nodded taking his hand before skipping back inside with him.

In her office he cleaned her up before they spread out on the floor colouring. Soon enough they were both bored and Grace was laying on the floor with her legs in the air. Sam was in a similar position with his legs resting up on the sofa. "Want to play a game?" Grace sat up spinning to face him. "Yes!" "How about hide and seek? You hide and I'll seek."

They got up moving into the empty corridor from before as Sam turned his back to count. "1, 2, 3, 4, 5..." "Sam-" "Hey Cal everything alright?" He continued talking as Grace ran along the corridor back into Connie's office. She pulled the door to her cupboard open climbing inside before shutting it on herself.

"Alright, sounds good thanks." Cal wandered away as Sam turned around realising Grace was no longer there. "Grace?" "Hey you... Where's Grace?" Sam smiled looking to Connie before pointing to the door. "In the toilet, said I'd wait out here." "Okay, I'll go in and check-" "No! I mean, I'm looking after her... I can manage Connie."

She looked at him suspiciously before nodding. "Alright... I should be another hour or so then we can go." "Okay." He nodded eagerly as she kissed him quickly. "See you soon-" "Yeah." He looked around her trying to find her before standing up with a smile. Connie frowned turning away ignoring the strange attitude, dismissing it.

Sam soon ran off up the corridor trying to find her daughter. "Grace? Grace... Grace are you here?" Room after room, door after door, he found nothing. No trace of her at all. Slowly his panic began to build as he asked several staff if they'd seen her about. He bit the bullet knowing he'd have to come clean.

He searched the department before seeing Connie. "Finish cubicles one and two please-" "Con..." She turned to look at him not seeing Grace. "Sam?" "I lost her-" "WHAT?" She looked at him not quite understanding what they'd been doing. "Grace, I can't find her-" "What do you mean you can't find her!?" She stormed past him walking along the corridor before he caught up to her. "We were playing hide and seek and-" "Who the hell plays hide and seek with a four year old in a hospital!?" "Me?" "Clearly."

Connie rolled her eyes as they separated looking in cubicles, store cupboards and the staffroom. They stopped several members of staff asking them to keep an eye out for her. Connie moved to her office followed by Charlie, Sam and Robyn. "I swear to god Sam I'm going to kill you!" "I didn't mean for this to happen Con, I'm sorry." She sat down with her head in her hands before Sam tried to talk again.

"Shh-" "But-" "Stop." She listened carefully before standing up and moving him out of her way. Connie placed a hand to her cupboard door pulling it open to see Grace laying on her back humming to herself. She smiled up at them seeing Sam behind her mother. "You lost, I win." Connie turned her glare on Sam letting go of a breath. "You best hope wherever you hide gives you invisibility Mr Strachan because when I'm finished with you, you'll wish you hadn't been found."

Charlie and Robyn left the office as Connie helped Grace out of the cupboard. She ran straight into Sam's arms with a laugh while Connie packed her things away. "I really am sorry, I didn't mean to lose her." Connie felt his hands on hers as she looked up at him. "Let me make it up to you?" She tried to remain angry but she struggled to around him.

Gradually her face warmed as Sam moved his hands around her waist. "Sorry..." He kissed her gently before lingering above her lips. "I promise... It will never... Happen again..." "It best not." She smiled leaning into the kiss this time before looking to a sleeping Grace. "At least you tired her out, I guess that's something." He smirked taking Connie's hand as they left the office heading back to hers for the evening.