Wait For Me

Angering The Boss

As weeks passed, it was impossible for things to remain secret with the mood swings that Connie seemed to experience. One moment she would be talking quietly, the next you could hear her three floors away. Everyone was quickly learning to give her a wide birth, allowing her the space she seemed to need... Everyone but Jacob that was.

"Morning sweet cheeks-" "It's Mrs Beauchamp, and what do you want?" He took a step forwards smirking while watching her chilled response. "A word with my fiance?" "Well I'm busy and you have work to do-" "I'm on a break actually." Jacob took a seat on the sofa causing Connie to release a heavy breath as she gathered up her folders.

"Where you going?" "Anywhere you're not." Rolling his eyes he stood up as she stepped around the desk with a pile of folders. "Con-" "You might be alright with sitting around, but if you're going to be persistent in trying to distract me, and quite frankly, piss me off, then I'll find somewhere else to work." Pushing past him, she continued out of the door without a glance back.

Jacob rubbed a hand over his face releasing a sigh before leaving her office shutting the door behind himself. "That sounded, fun?" Jacob glanced to Charlie with a shake of his head as they strolled through the corridor. "She's barely giving me the time of day right now, even at home she's either doing work or in bed. I get that she's stressed, but how am I supposed to help if she won't even talk to me?" Charlie placed a friendly hand to his shoulder as he smiled gently. "Leave it with me."

The morning passed slowly, and finally she was able to get through her work without distractions or interruptions. Leaning back in the chair, she glanced about the empty conference room before a small smirk crossed her features thinking of a previous time that she had been using this room. While she was sidetracked, a knock at the door snapped her from her trance. Coughing gently she called out as she moved from her chair to wander towards the large windows overlooking the department.

"Thought I'd just check in with you, see how you were getting on." Connie refused to look over her shoulder to him as she heard the concern within his voice. "Fine." Charlie nodded walking back to the door, only to push it shut gently. "You might get that past others, but not me." Releasing a slow breath she lifted a hand to her forehead before dropping her arms to either side as she turned around slightly, Charlie watching her still.

"Jacob send you?" She stepped closer with a small roll of her eyes, her annoyance getting the better of her. "I don't need a babysitter-" "And I don't enjoy being one, not to a fully grown adult anyway." She let the anger fall from her face as she sat down in the chair she'd been occupying not long before.

Reaching a hand forwards, Charlie covered her hand as she was ready to open another folder. Taking hold of hers gently, his voice was soft. "Talk to me, what's wrong?" The genuine care within his voice caused the tears to sting the back of her eyes. Trying to fight them away she swallowed deeply before forcing her words out. "I'm fine Charlie-" "This... You, tell me otherwise."

A stray tear rolled down her cheek causing Charlie to move from his chair and crouch beside her, his arm instantly around her shoulders. "Hey come on, you don't have to pretend around me, or Jacob." She released another breath before sniffing slightly. "What if I can't do this again? I mean look how it all turned out last time." "Connie-" "Charlie I was ready to give up on Grace, ready to stop trying. Then I couldn't make time for her, lost her and then when I had another chance I almost messed that one up too." "But you were different then."

She scoffed looking around the room as she shook her head. "What is it you said to me, a leopard never changes it's spots-" "Guess it's a good thing you're more of a tiger then-" "You know what I mean." "And you know what I mean. Before you did it all alone, as though the world was against you. Now, you still like to think that, but the reality is you couldn't have more people around you if you tried."