Change of Heart

Part 1

I'm sure he does everything to get on my nerves. He just lingers, waits for me to say something. I mean he might as well be goading me across the department trying to get me to respond. I don't know what he's expecting, but whatever it is he won't be getting it. Not from me anyway.

She looked up from what she was writing as a small crash came from the living room. Getting up she looked to her daughter who was quickly scrambling up onto the couch. "Gracie, what have I told you about being careful?" The little girl sat with her legs close to her chest, nervously looking towards her mother. "Sorry Mummy."

Sighing she picked up the mess before kneeling beside the sofa, a hand reaching around Grace's waist. "It's okay sweetheart, just be more careful next time okay?" She nodded, her curls bouncing around her shoulders before Connie pulled her daughter from the sofa into her arms, tickling her waist. Her laughter echoed loudly through the otherwise quiet house.

"Mummy... Mummy stop!" Her laughing continued as Connie leant over her daughter before lifting her into the air. Connie's smile beamed up at her before she bought her back down into her lap placing a kiss to her cheek. Grace took hold of her mother's cheeks before kissing her back. "I love you baby-" "I love you Mummy."

Grace was quick to hug her before breaking away and returning to what she'd been doing before making a mess. Connie watched her silently for a moment, she'd grown up so much in the last year she could hardly believe she was halfway through her years at nursery. Soon enough she'd be in school and the real fun would begin. Tantrums and arguments over homework, never ending problems with getting up in the mornings and she was sure she'd have her fair share of girlfriend problems.

Easing herself up from the floor, Connie ran a hand through her daughter's hair before wandering off into the other room once more. Closing the diary she'd been writing in, she slipped it back into the drawer firmly locking it before pulling over some paperwork she'd bought back from work.

It had become a routine, the work never truly seemed to end. Ever since she'd taken on the role of clinical lead in the emergency department, everything else seemed to take a back seat. After all, the only other thing she had was Grace since her relationship hadn't worked out.

Jacob had come into the department like a whirlwind over a year ago now, and instantly she had found herself attracted to him. Things had slowly moved from one thing to another until she felt almost obligated to accept his advances, just to put him out of his misery. That was just the beginning for them, she'd since found herself an entirely different person with him.

But that all changed after a tribunal two months ago. Accusations were thrown between doctors and decisions were made, some that had a longer lasting effect. Connie and Jacob called time on their relationship, and since she hadn't held back with her ruthless rule over the department. Yet it didn't matter what she did, she could never entirely switch of the emotions she once showed so clearly for him.

Rubbing her hands over her face, she looked around seeing the room was now plunged into darkness. Glancing to her watch she saw the time before swearing under her breath and darting up. In the living room, Grace lay tucked under a blanket fast asleep.

Connie perched on the edge running a hand through her hair with a heavy sigh. She often let time slip away but it was something that had started happening since Jacob hadn't been coming round, reminding her of the important things, keeping her grounded.

Scooping her daughter up from the sofa, she felt her shuffle in her embrace burying her head into her neck. Connie smiled holding her close as she moved upstairs, switching the hallway light on. Moving into her daughters room, she turned the gentle fairy lights above her bed on. Placing her into bed, she sat on the side for a while just watching her.