Five months later, Connie was 9 months pregnant, had been married for four months, and was feeling extremely downhearted. She was constantly tired, constantly ill, and the tablets that she was supposed to be taking for the cancer put the baby at risk, and so Connie refused to take them. One morning, she was so ill that she didn't feel like she could get out of bed, and Jacob had suggested that they all spend the day in their pyjamas watching movies. As Connie woke up at around 10am, Grace and Jacob were sat on the bed, watching her quietly. Jacob asked Grace to leave so that he could speak with Connie, and she went downstairs for breakfast in understanding.
"Good morning, Mrs Masters," he smiled. Since their wedding a few months ago, Connie's preferred form of address had been Mrs Masters, as it made her smile every time. However, not this time.
"I'm getting worse," Connie whispered, weakly.
"I know, baby. But you've got to hang in there."
"Jacob, I need to ask you something."
"Anything, baby," he whispered, moving up and wrapping his arm around her.
"If anything happens to me before this little one is born, then please promise me you'll put the baby first. I'll put a DNR in place - promise me that you won't let them bring me back." Jacob's heart sank. He couldn't promise her that - could he?
"Connie, how can I promise that? Putting the baby first, yes, I can agree to that. But if they think they can bring you back, then how can you expect me to sit there and watch you go?"
"Because if you do, you'll know that you made me happy one final time. Jacob, that means everything to me - please." He nodded, though he knew it was going to kill him, and promised her what she wanted.
"If it comes to it Connie, then I'll tell them." She thanked him, and then they snuggled up together. "You'll be okay, Con," he assured her, though she knew now that her time really was running out, and her cancer wasn't waiting.
Grace came back about five minutes later, and the three of them watched television, while eating junk food by the ton. By the end of the day, Connie was fast asleep on Jacob's chest, and his hands were resting across her bump.
"Is mum going to die soon?" Grace asked as the film drew to a close. She spoke quietly so not to wake Connie, and the sad tone in her voice caused Jacob to feel even worse.
"We knew it was coming, sweetheart," Jacob said, and tried his best to comfort Grace. She soon decided that she'd prefer to go to bed, and so Jacob said goodnight while moving Connie slightly to tuck her in beneath the quilts. He then stripped down to his boxer shorts, and folded his clothes quietly over the chair. As he turned around to climb in next to Connie, he noticed that she was awake. He passed her a nightdress to change in to and she took it gratefully, slipping it over her delicate frame. She didn't sleep with her underwear, but sometimes felt a little better being covered by a thin sheet of material. This was mostly because of Jacob - she could quite happily sleep naked, but when she did, she always felt the urge to touch him, and for him to touch her, and so since they couldn't reply have sex, Connie just wanted to make sure that she wasn't teasing him.
"I'm never going to get tired of seeing those abs," she whispered, and he sauntered across to her slowly.
"They're all yours baby," he replied, and climbed in beside his wife, hugging her tightly.
"You were right," Connie whispered, as they turned out the light and lay in silence. "Spending a few months married to you was definitely better than spending years without you. You've been my anchor, Jacob."
"Hush, baby," he whispered softly. "You've still got time. Don't say goodbye yet."
"I'm just making sure you know how much I love you." She snuggled back into his chest, and he kissed her neck a couple of times.
"Of course I know," he whispered. "I've known since the second I met you that you felt as strongly for me as I felt for you."
"Words can't describe it. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone, and don't let my daughter hear me say that. You've supported me constantly, and stood-" she coughed a couple of times, and he rubbed her back softly, awaiting her to finish. "And stood by me when I didn't want to stand up for myself. I wouldn't be here now if it weren't-" she kept on coughing, and he continued to rub her back to help her along. "If it weren't for you." She managed to groan, before coughing a few more times. Jacob passed her a bottle of water that they'd brought up the night before, and she had a quick drink before settling back down into his arms.
"Just for the record," he said. "I wouldn't be here without you either."
"How so?"
"Well, you literally saved my life that time I was speeding and crashed my car. And when my sister died, I was on the brink of suicide." Connie knew this was hard for Jacob, as he rarely spoke about how depressed he was at that time - he was deeply ashamed. "You pulled me back from the edge, Connie. You gave me a reason to live, and you helped me do just that. You might have been dying, but you gave me life. I'm just sorry I couldn't return that favour." When he'd finished speaking, he expected a reply, but there was just complete silence. He looked across at her; "Connie?" She didn't respond, and he looked at her. She looked so peaceful - she couldn't possibly be gone. He prayed to God that she hadn't slipped away from him so suddenly, and so he whispered again; "Connie?" He shook her slightly and she stirred, opening her eyes, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Sorry, I was listening," she replied sleepily. "Just a little tired that's all."
"No, I'm sorry. I thought you'd-" he couldn't say it, but Connie knew exactly what he meant.
"I'm not going just yet," she whispered, and then they both fell into a peaceful sleep together, not knowing how many more nights they'd get to spend like this.
When she woke the next morning, she was thankful that she was still in his arms. The arms of her precious husband. She rolled over to face him, her bump aching a little, and looked up at his sleeping face. She didn't know what she had done to deserve this man, but she knew that she had never been happier than when she was when she was with him.
"See something you like?" He asked as he woke, realising that she was looking at him.
"Just my beautiful husband," she smiled, planting a delicate kiss to his lips.
"Do you feel well enough to get up today?" He asked, returning a kiss.
"I don't think I could cope with another day in bed," she laughed, and followed Jacob downstairs for breakfast. Grace joined them about five minutes later, and they all had crumpets as a treat. "So what do you want to do today?" Connie asked, taking a bite of her crumpet. "We could spend a day shopping if you'd like Gracie."
"Don't push yourself too hard, Con," Jacob warned, looking across at her. She gave him one of her famous death glares, and assured him that a bit of shopping would do her no harm.
"I'd love to, if it's okay," Grace replied, and went upstairs approximately 10 minutes later to go and get changed.
"You sure you're up for this, baby?" Jacob asked, wrapping his arms around her. Connie nodded, and pulled him a little closer.
"I know what else I'm up for too," she whispered, pulling on his trouser zip. He smiled and stopped her, and kissed her cheek softly.
"I know what you're doing, Con," he smiled. "You want us to do it one final time and you don't want to disappoint me, and I'm honoured, but baby, I don't want you for sex right now. I want you to love, and to protect." She couldn't deny that that was what she was trying to do, and she smiled as he took her in his arms once more. "I don't need sex to know how much we love each other. I need you to just be the same, gorgeous wife that you have been since the day we got married, and I'll be set."
Their day out was fun - Connie took Grace to a huge shopping outlet and they bought loads. They were in their penultimate shop and had left Jacob waiting outside as he was tired of clothes shops, and Grace was scouring the aisles for a specific new coat.
"Mum, what do you think of this?" Grace laughed, wearing a hat. She turned around, but she couldn't see Connie, and walked over to where she'd last seen her. "Mum?" Grace called, taking the hat off. She heard a moan from behind one of the clothes racks, and Grace ran round immediately. Connie was grasping the top, and was clutching her chest in pain. "Mum! Mum, what's wrong?"
"It's the cancer, sweetheart," Connie managed to pant, even though it was extremely difficult to breathe.
"I'll get dad," Grace said, and pulled out her phone.
"No!" Connie protested. "I don't want Sam to know about this. Just get me Jacob."
"That's what I said!" Grace said, and she rang Jacob. "It's mum. We're in the middle of the shop - left hand side. Come quick, please." Jacob was there not long later, and was fretting over Connie.
"The baby's okay," Connie breathed. "It's just me. Jacob, help me. I don't want to die." Connie was crying now - she was so scared, and she could barely breathe. Though she knew this has been coming, it didn't mean that she was ready for it. Jacob hugged her, and an ambulance arrived shortly, so Connie was carried into the back. She was given breathing apparatus to help, and both Grace and Jacob sat anxiously as they watched her deteriorate. Grace held her mother's hand on the way to the hospital, and she was so scared that she felt unable to cry.
"I can't lose you mum," she whispered. "Please don't leave me. I'm not ready." Jacob hugged Grace, and they both watched as Connie just lay on the bed in front of them. "I love you so much. Please don't go, mum."