Come With Me

Chapter 12

Jacob had gone to Connie's house in the afternoon to make up for the night before - he had felt absolutely dreadful, and he knew that he had overreacted massively. He finally plucked up the courage at 4pm to drive down to hers and apologise - he'd planned everything, and he knew that it had taken him a long while, but he needed to be sure on what to say. He couldn't lose her, not after all they'd been through. He knocked on the door, not wanting to just walk in, but when nobody answered, he tried the handle. Fortunately, it opened, and he pushed the door open gently. He was about to speak, but he stopped when he heard a woman's voice hushing in the background.

"Can I get you anything, Gracie?" The woman whispered, and Jacob could tell that it was an older, mature woman. His first instinct was that it was Grace's Aunt, and so he walked around the living room door and knocked lightly.

"Grace?" Jacob stepped back in shock. He was about to apologise for interrupting but when he saw the little girl in floods of tears, he couldn't focus on anything else. "Baby girl what's up with you?" He whispered as she came running towards him and threw her arms around his middle, which was something she rarely did. She still loved her dad, but respected Jacob, and so they never hugged very often, though Jacob was a huge part of her life. "Where's Connie, baby?" He asked, holding the little girl tightly and making sure she was okay.

"Mum's gone," Grace cried, barely being able to get the words out as she was crying so much. "I knew this would happen." Grace cried. "I knew she'd leave me again like she always does because she's so selfish and she doesn't love me and-". Jacob stopped her there before the poor girl ran out of breath, and then knelt down so that he could look Grace in the eye.

"Hey, hey, hey," Jacob hushed. "Connie loves you with all her heart, baby. Trust me, she's told me so many times. It's not your fault she's left - it's mine. I was mad at your mother last night, and she obviously needs some space. She'll come back when she's ready." As soon as he said that, he saw that Grace's Aunt shifted a little uncomfortably, and it gave Jacob the impression that Connie wasn't planning on coming back. He didn't say anything so not to further upset Grace, though not knowing was like a knife in his heart. It looked like she already had one parent that couldn't be strong enough to support her, and so Jacob was determined to stay strong for the beautiful little angel that he considered his own. He carried Grace back to the couch where she cried as he hugged her, and it only took her about half an hour to cry herself to sleep. When they were sure she was asleep, Grace's Aunt sat down in the arm chair opposite, and passed Jacob a cup of tea.

"I think it's very noble of you, being strong for Grace like that. I can see it's killing you not being with Connie."

"Thank you," Jacob replied, smiling fondly at the woman sat across from him. "Man's gotta do what a man's gotta do - you know what I mean? Without Connie, this princess needs stability. If I'm the only one here, I'm more than happy to step up to the role."

"Connie left the pair of you a note - would you like to read it?"

"I suppose I'll have to," he sighed, setting his tea down on the nearby table gently.

"What happened between the two of you anyway? If you don't mind me asking." Grace's Aunt had such a soft voice when she spoke, and it was making Jacob feel drowsy, but it also made him feel like he could trust her. Of course he knew he could trust her anyway - if all had've gone to plan last night, then the woman would be his soon-to-be sister-in-law, though obviously it hadn't worked out like that.

"I proposed to her," Jacob whispered, making sure that Grace didn't over hear. She already had a broken heart - Jacob wasn't going to be responsible for rubbing salt in the wound. "Connie broke down in tears, then took me away so she could tell me something. She hasn't told anyone as far as I know, but she has cancer - stage three breast cancer. There's no point in me trying to hide it too. She's had it for a little over a year, and she's only got a year or so left to live. I snapped at her for not telling me, which was wrong, but I didn't know how to react. If only I'd have come to my senses earlier, and she might not have left." It was at that point that the woman passed a letter forward. It was a little crumpled, and had a few teardrops on the envelope, so Jacob was a little weary to take it.