Magical - Mollie and AJ's Strictly Story

Part 19 - Nana's mirror

I love this mirror. I have looked at, and spoken to you in it, for my whole life. Every time we came to visit. The reflection has changed over the years, but the mirror remains exactly the same. And right now, I have the biggest grin on my face.

We are at Nana's house. I'm thrilled to see her, it feels like it has been ages. Because she finds travelling more difficult now, combined with the long periods of sitting still that would be involved, she hasn't seen me dance on Strictly. So we've bought Strictly to her house in Hull. Her hugs are still the same, even though she seems much more fragile than I remembered. Her wit is as sharp as it ever was though, she was cracking jokes as soon as we arrived.

Another reason that I'm so ecstatic is that bringing him here to meet my nana feels like such an important moment. I knew she would like him, but it means so much to introduce them to each other – they both mean the world to me. I can't stop smiling at her reaction to us when we arrived. She's so warm and welcoming, and well, he's just charming. I think he was possibly as excited as me. He has such a respect for the elder generations. He has told me about his nana with dementia. She was quite the dancer when she was young, and physically she is still very healthy, so he says. It is her mind that struggles. He says the best gift you can give to someone with dementia is your patience and time. Such wise words. It must be so hard to watch someone you love drift by in a permanent state of confusion.

We talked for ages on the train here. He is possibly the most caring travel companion I have ever had the pleasure of a journey with. He carries the bags, he makes sure I'm safe and comfortable first, he shows pure joy about wherever we are going. It felt like going away on a first mini-break. Except we are technically just friends. Friends who sit holding hands on the train. A male friend who lets his female friend snuggle up close to him and fall asleep with her head on his chest while he wraps his arm around her. A male friend who wakes his female friend up by gently kissing her forehead. A female friend who can't imagine a better place to wake up or a better way to be woken up.

I can hear him chatting away to Nana-Eileen now – the conversation seems to be flowing easily between them and I've heard her giggling like a schoolgirl at least three times. I swear she's flirting with him. I so hope I'm like her when I get to the grand old age of 93.