When two paths cross

Thirteen

"I love it in here Joe. It's so nice." Dianne said as they waited for her food. Joe had ordered an English breakfast sandwich and Dianne had ordered avocado on toast.
"I'm glad you like it. I wanted to treat you a bit also bring you somewhere cute and that people aren't likely to see us." He laughed.
"Yeah, I really like it. And I like how we won't end up bumping into people." She said, "can I be serious for a moment?"
"Of course, you don't still feel anxious do you?"  Joe asked, it wasn't normal for Dianne to turn serious.
"Oh no I'm good now, I just wanted to say that I do really like you. I know we joke around a bit and act like best mates, which I love but I do really like you, I do feel stupid saying it but I do." Dianne said, she kept looking down as she spoke, a little embarrassed by her little outburst.
"You know what, fuck it." Joe said, causing Dianne to look up at him. "I was gonna wait another few weeks or so but I can't, will you, Dianne Buswell, become my girlfriend?" Joe asked, Dianne gasped, she hadn't been expecting that.
"Yeah." She said quietly as she started to cry.
"Oh bless you, come here." Joe said, Dianne got up and moved to the otherside of the table where Joe was sat, he tapped his lap which she sat down on. "Why the tears?"
"I don't know, I'm just really happy. You've helped me so much without realising Joe. Honestly, I know I come across really confident but I was so scared about starting a new school and moving to a new country but you've helped me so much, you made me feel as if I should be here. Thank you." Dianne said quietly, Joe didn't get to witness the vulnerable side of Dianne very much but when he did he felt very privileged.
"Of course, you little cutie. Look the foods being brought over, your all good right. My precious girlfriend." He said making Dianne smile, she nodded and went and sat back down on her seat.

Once they had both eaten their lunch and had a walk around the village Joe decided to take Dianne up to his grandparents.
"What are their names again Joe, what should I call them? Sir and Mrs whatever?" Dianne asked as they got into the road where the house was.
"Richard and Carole but call my grandad chippy not Richard. And then he'll definitely love you, he had a stroke last year so he's not as chatty as he used to be, or as mobile so if he's quiet it's fine." Joe told her. "Are you still cold?"
"Yeah, sorry you must be freezing I've stolen your jacket." Dianne said about to take it back off.
"Nah keep it on, I'm fine. And nan will probably have the fire or the heating on." Joe told Dianne, he wrapped his arm around her and they headed up the driveway to the house.

"Oh Joseph! What a nice surprise, and whos this lovely little thing?" Carole asked as she opened the door.
"This is Dianne, shes my best friend and girlfriend." Joe said making Dianne blush.
"Oh how lovely. It's nice to meet you Dianne, I'm Carole."
"Hi, nice to meet you too." Dianne said, Carole led them into the living room where her husband was sat watching the snooker on the TV.
"Richard, Joseph and his girlfriend are here! Say hello." Carole told her husband.
"Oh Joseph! It's nice for you to stop by, now let me see her." He said pushing Joe out the way so he could see Dianne.
"Oh gorgeous, you've done good Joe. Hello, I'm Grandad chippy. You can call me, granddad chippy." He said making Dianne laugh.
"G'day I'm Dianne." She said as she shook his hand.
"An Australian! Oooo! You two sit, I'll put something different on the tv, you won't want to watch snooker!"
"Oh no, you can keep it on. I love snooker." Dianne said, shocking Joe.
"You what?" He laughed as she sat down next to him.
"Yeah, I used to watch it on the tour bus, me, Briar and James, one of the older guys, we used to watch it all the time." Dianne said as she turned her attention to the TV.
"You know, you don't fail to shock me. Nan did you hear that? Grandads got a snooker friend." Joe laughed as his nan came back in with a plate of cakes and biscuits.
"I heard. I did hear tour bus, what's that about Dianne if you don't mind me asking?" Carole asked as she sat down.
"Yeah, so I'm a dancer, professional. I toured the world last year on a dance show called burn the floor, it's usually all adults but I got scouted at my dance show. They had come to see if they wanted any of the older ones, the ones in their 20s but decided they wanted me which was nice." Dianne said, "you don't mind if I have a cake do you?" She asked as she watched Joe take one.
"Of course you can have one darling, that's what they're there for. That's amazing, touring the world at a young age. What styles of dance do you do? Is it ballet?" Carole asked, very interested in the red headed Australian that her grandson had brought over.
"I do some ballet, but no I'm a ballroom and Latin dancer. So what you would see on, oh what's it called here, Joe the dancing with stars but over here?" Dianne asked.
"Strictly come dancing." Joe said, "you go to that dance school, how do you not know the name." Joe laughed, Dianne shook her head laughing.
"Yeah that, I just forget Joe. We just call it SSS I don't know what it stands for." Dianne laughed.
"Wow, Dianne you must be very talented. Are you smart as well? Joes always been very smart." Carole said, she was starting to become very fond of this Australian.
"Joes so smart, I'm not really. I struggle a bit but I'm getting their." Dianne said, she knew she struggled with some things at school but she also knew that she worked in her own time and would get it eventually.
"Shush, he just hit a backspin, it's not looking good Dianne." Chippy said, making Dianne look up and watch the tv.

It was a few hours later and it was starting to get dark outside, Joe and Dianne were still at Joes grandparents, after Carole had insisted on making them dinner.
"Dot, we're going to have to go soon, otherwise it will get really dark and we're walking for an hour." Joe told Dianne, she nodded.
"Oh Joe, we can take you back. I'll drive you back if you want. Grandads asleep so it's fine." Carole said.
"Are you sure nan, because we can walk." Joe told her.
"I will take you both. Get your shoes on and we'll go."

Once they got back to Joes, they thanked his nan and headed into the house.
"Nan told me! Welcome to the family Dianne, officially." Tracey said as they headed in and she gave Dianne a hug. "Theirs no point taking shoes off guys, we'll go and drop Dianne off at home."

"See you tomorrow gorgeous."
"See you."