Early next morning, while it was still slightly dark outside, Cheryl was awoken by a light knocking on the bedroom door. She groaned as she rolled over, pulling the cosy duvet up over her more as it had slipped off during the night, hearing another knock. “...Cheryl love, are you awake?” Joanne’s quiet Geordie accent spoke from the other side of the door.
“Yeah...come in!” Cheryl whined, rubbing her eyes, feeling tired still after speaking to Tre until the early hours of the morning.
“Morning sweetheart...I've made you a nice cuppa” Joanne smiled as she entered the room, handing Cheryl the mug as she sat up in bed.
“Aww thank you Jo...you’re a lifesaver! I’m knackered!” Cheryl grinned, taking a sip of the coffee as her stepmother chuckled, sitting on the edge of the bed.
“Was that your fella you were talking to last night?” Joanne smirked as Cheryl yawned loudly.
“Oh yeah sorry, did I wake you up?” she replied, worried that she had been speaking too loudly.
“No, no pet! ...I just guessed it must have been when I said night to you last night and you were sat here smiling away to yourself and then when I woke up a couple of hours later to go to the bathroom, I could still hear you giggling away!” she explained cheerfully as Cheryl bit her lip.
“Haha!... we just always start talking about really random things and then before we know it, it's like hours have passed or something... he was going on about how he can’t understand how if we all evolved from monkeys and stuff we still have monkeys today... I can’t even remember how we even started talking about that but it literally went on for a good hour!” Cheryl giggled as Joanne burst out laughing, shaking her head.
“Oh God I think yav found someone just as crazy as you pet....I didn't think it was possible! ...He sounds like a poppit though, bring him up next time please!” she continued chuckling as Cheryl grinned back, taking regular sips of coffee to wake her up.
“Yeah I will...now that I know dad isn't gonna torture him!” Cheryl rolled her eyes, sitting back against the pillows.
“Aww chez, you know he just worries about you...he felt bad about going off it at you last night. He did quietly tell me he could see Tre was making you happy” Joanne whispered as they heard Garry coming up the stairs.
Cheryl smiled sweetly as her dad popped his head around the door. “Alreet sleepy head?!” he grinned as he looked over at his daughter and wife sat chatting on the bed.
“Yeah but I’d rather go back to sleep than catch a flipping flight!” she replied grumpily, making the other two chuckle. “...Nice dressing gown dad!” she joked, winking at Joanne as Garry looked down at his Homer Simpson robe, smirking.
“Coming from you sat there in your Mickey Mouse pyjamas...how old are now Cheryl?” he playfully replied as she stuck her tongue out at him, making him laugh. “Our Gary phoned to say they are going to pick you up from your sister’s so I’ll drop you off there in a bit OK?...do you want me to make you a bacon sarnie pet?”
“Ooooo yes please!!!! I’m just gonna go and have a shower first!” she beamed as she jumped out of bed, kissing her dad on the cheek as she made her way to the bathroom.
Once Cheryl had showered and changed into her dancing clothes as she had to go straight to rehearsals from the airport, devoured her bacon sandwich which she had covered in tomato ketchup, much to the amusement of her dad, it finally reached the time for her to go. She already hated having to say goodbye to Joanne, who hugged her tightly at the door as Garry went to put her case in the car. “Keep safe pet OK...and don’t leave it too long this time!” Jo mumbled as she rested her head over Cheryl’s shoulder with her arms wrapped tightly around her.
