Divergent Roads

Chapter 6

It was strange to look out into the department and see Jacob walking around, attending to patients and talking with the staff.
Of course it was always strange at first, when a new face joined the team, but this was a different kind of strange, because Jacob wasn't exactly a new face to Connie.
Each of the few brief encounters that they'd had since Jacob began working at Holby had been awkward, predominantly work focussed conversations, with very little reference to the past they used to share.
It was almost as though they were both afraid that the other didn't remember it, so to bring it up seemed a silly idea.

"How have you been Con?" Jacob asked casually, as he and Connie manned resus together.
"Connie." Connie gently corrected.
She hated being called that.
"How have you been, Connie?" Jacob corrected himself with a smile.
"Well er Mrs Beauchamp." Connie quickly corrected again.
It was always Mrs Beauchamp. Why was she allowing him to call her Connie in the workplace?
"Fine, thank you." Connie nodded politely, finally answering Jacob's initial question.
"20 years to catch up on and that's all you can give me?" Jacob joked.
Connie gave a nervous laugh.
How was he finding this so easy? He didn't seem to be finding this awkward in the slightest.
"There's not much to say." Connie shrugged, keeping her tone casual.

Jacob glanced Connie up and down. He had to admit, Connie hadn't really changed much.
She still had that undeniable presence about her, a woman of effortless style and beauty. She was still the strong willed, determined woman that he used to know and he wasn't surprised that she had climbed to the top to become clinical lead.
She always had high aspirations and never did let anything, or anyone, prevent her from achieving her desires.

Connie was keeping herself closed off and Jacob wasn't about to push it.
He sensed that professionalism in the work place was of great importance to Connie and clearly a catch up with someone she used to know didn't abide by that rule.
"perhaps we'll catch up another time" was the reply that Jacob finally settled with, earning a nod in agreement from Connie.

Connie adjusted a patient's chest drain.
"So...what brought you to Holby then?" she asked casually.
Jacob smiled to himself.
It was the inevitable question that he had been waiting for; it was only a matter of time.
"I fancied a change of scenery, and the hospital has an excellent reputation, so it seemed a perfect opportunity." Jacob replied, matching Connie's forced casual tone.
"Hmm" Connie studied his face.
Jacob sensed that Connie wasn't completely convinced by his answer.
It wasn't exactly a lie – the hospital did have a good reputation and he did want a change of scenery, but that wasn't the only thing that drew him to Holby City.

"What else is in Holby, that would want to make me move here?" he asked with a hint of playfulness shining in his eyes.
"it's not really any of my interest." Connie shrugged and turned away.