To The Future - complete

chapter one

Disclaimer: Casualty is not mine.

Grace had been home three days now. Connie was over the moon, if not a little uneasy, to help get her daughter settled in she was taking two whole weeks off work and that for Connie was completely out of character. Connie knew that this was it, her last chance with Grace, she was determined to show her baby girl that her priorities had changed. She wanted to get this right. For the first time ever Connie Beauchamp wanted more then just work in her life.
They'd spent the first day cleaning out Grace's bedroom, a hoover and a polish and fresh lick of paint.
They had so much to catch up on, chatting the whole time and Connie loved every second. Sometimes she found herself just watching her daughter as she painted, daydreaming and wondering just how she'd got this lucky. Connie grinned as thoughts of Jacob entered her mind.
"What you smiling at mum?" Grace asked.
"I'm just so happy sweetheart."
Grace smiled back at her mum, "So am I." She continued to tell her mum all about her best friend from when she was at boarding school, how they had kept in touch all this time, that she'd like to meet up with her now she was back.
"I've missed Emily loads mum, she's like my best friend ever!"
"Why don't you invite her to stay over?" Connie offered.
"Tonight?" Grace squealed, jumping up.
Connie chuckled. "No tomorrow night at the earliest, this room needs airing first and as long as it's ok with her mum!"
"Thanks mum, your the best! Can I ring her now?"
"Sure, I need to speak to her mum first before anythings final!" Connie shouted after her as she raced out the room.
Connie smiled to herself as she finished off the last of the wall.
...
The morning of the second day they spent getting things ready for Emily staying. After a short conversation the night before with Dawn, Emily's mum, it was agreed that the girls could have their sleepover tonight.
Connie and Grace had been shopping for all the sleepover essentials. Pizza, films, popcorn and sweets.

It's was gone 10pm when the girls had finished watching their second film, so Connie sent them up to bed.
"Teeth cleaned, pjs on, I'll be up in half an hour to check your settled."
"Goodnight mum, I love you." Grace gave her mum a hug.
"Goodnight sweetheart, I love you too." Smiled Connie.
"Night Mrs Beauchamp" shouted Emily as they ran upstairs, giggling and chatting away leaving Connie set curled up on the sofa. The smile on her face slipped a little, she'd needed to tell Grace about Jacob but couldn't help thinking it would spoil everything. These last two days had been wonderful, she was starting to reflex around Grace, she'd stopped feeling so scared that she would do something silly to push her away again.
Connie was pretty sure that Grace liked Jacob, he'd been great with her at the hospital. Maybe she was over thinking things but she didn't want to risk it.