November 2030
'How was dance darling?' Dianne asks, as the young girl opens the car door. 'Ruby?'
'Yeah, it was fine.' Dianne observes as she unties her bun, running through it in an attempt to untangle her hair. Dianne senses that something is off, she's unusually quiet, but she doesn't press it as she runs to the shower silently, as soon as the car stops.
'Oh, you're back.' Joe smiles, as Dianne comes and sits close to her husband. 'I didn't hear you or Ruby come in.'
'Ruby didn't say much.' She worries, she was usually loud and always talking, recently she had been off. Dianne and Joe put it down to hormones, she was at "that age". This was different, they couldn't place why she was so off.
'How was dance?' He asks, his eyes fixated by something on the TV. 'She had street today, right?' Dianne nods slowly.
'She does ballet on a Tuesday and Street on a Thursday.' She used to do more, she gave up ballroom in the May before she left primary school, claiming she didn't enjoy it and she wanted her Saturday's, so she could spend more time with her friends. Dianne didn't say anything, but deep down she was so upset. She knew that she couldn't live through her children, but she would have liked her to keep up, just for a bit.
Then in year seven, she gave up tap and modern, giving her a free Wednesday evening. She claims to love street jazz, and she enjoys ballet. However, Dianne is starting to doubt this. She doesn't want this to be true, she wants her daughter to learn to love dance, the way she used to-do when she was little.
When she was three, she begged her parents to let her take up ballet. It just escalated from there, and then Theo joined and now all three did some sort of dance lessons. It was expensive, but that was why they worked. 'Is Maddie in bed?' She's met with a shake of the head. It was only 7:30, but she should be going to bed soon. 'I'll go and say goodnight.'
Her daughter is playing on her bed with some barbie dolls. 'You alright Maddie?' Her daughter looks up, startled. 'I've just come to say goodnight, daddy will be in to read you a story in a bit.' She nods, looking at her mum as she picks up the clothes. 'I'll wash these.' She tells her, motioning to her dance kit. 'Night, night baby girl.' She places a gentle kiss on her head.
Her daughter comes out of bathroom, walking towards her with a frown on her face. 'Mum.' She says, coming over and sitting with her. 'Mum can I talk to you?' Dianne nods, noting that her daughter seems serious. 'I've been asked to join a team.' She tells Dianne, for a moment her heart skips a beat for a moment, she watches as a look of excitement passes her face.
'Oh, did Miss Gemma ask you be on the team?' She watches as her daughter bites her lip, shaking her head.
'We had a scout at hockey practice on Monday.' She says, Dianne knowing that her daughter loves hockey. She took it up in year seven, and had made the school team, neither parent knew if she was any good, all they knew is that she enjoyed the sport, spending two Saturday's a month going to compete, or to watch the older teams compete. To Dianne, it was madness. 'And they spoke to coach Hudson, and they want me to trial at their club.' She says, all but squealing, handing over a leaflet. 'I want to quit dance though.'
'Sorry?' She asks, as if she's misheard.
'I want to quit dance.'
'No.'
'Why?'
'Because you love dance.' Her mum tells her, 'you love it, hockey is just a phase.'
'No mum. I don't. I've tried to tell you for months that I hate it, but you tell me it is good for me.' She accuses. 'You keep telling me that I need to give it a proper go, but I've done it for six years.' Dianne is tongue-tied, she doesn't know what to say to her daughter. 'You can't stop me doing this.' She tells her, as she leaves the room.
Before long, Dianne is sobbing over her daughters' ham and cheese sandwich. She doesn't know why she is crying, she blames the fact that she is on her period. 'Hey, what's happened?' Joe asks, coming into the room after saying goodnight to Maddie, he wasn't expecting to see his wife in tears. 'Dianne?' He pulls her in close, like he would if she were one of his children.
'It's Ruby.' She sobs.
'What's happened to Ruby?' He asks, trying to hide the concern in his voice, the state is wife is in it must be serious. 'Di?'
'She wants to quit dance.' Joe tries not to laugh, as he starts to gently rub her arm. 'She got accepted for this hockey thing.'
'Well that's good.' He still doesn't see the problem, this certainly doesn't warrant the sobbing from his wife. 'She likes hockey.'
'But I don't want her to quit dance.' He sighs, starting to understand Dianne now. To him, it's not a big deal, to her, however, it was.
'She's twelve.'
'Exactly, she doesn't understand.'
'You don't want her to resent you?' He tries. 'She loves hockey, and this could be a great opportunity for her. Even if she doesn't play professionally, she loves the sport.' He tells her, gently trying to persuade her that her daughter choosing hockey isn't the end of the world. 'And if she regrets it, she can always go back. Now stop that crying.' She giggles a little.
'I feel stupid now.' She says, wiping her eyes. 'Your right, she can always go back.' Joe nods.
'She may hate playing it professionally and decide she loves dance, this isn't the end of the road.' He reassures her. 'Anyway, we still have Maddie and Theo.' He jokes, 'Come on, let's go and tell Ruby that we fully support her in her change to hockey.'
'But I don't.'
'She'll get bored of hockey within three months.' He promises her. 'And then she will come crawling back to dance.' He beams. 'Crawling back to you, ever thought of calling when you've had a few?' He sings.
'You, Joseph Graham Sugg, are a nerd.'
'But I'm your nerd.' He grins, opening the study door to face his twelve-year-old daughter.
A/N Thoughts? Also I have a new book up (unrelated) if you fancy checking it out!
