Let's Take a Chance

Chapter 7

"Through to week four, look at you!" Luba had said as soon as they'd gotten into their apartment. Dianne had tried her best to show that she was happy but she was still feeling the burden of doubt weighing on her shoulders making proving it more difficult than she planned. She shrugged and walked into her bedroom, dropping her bag on the floor and immediately taking off her heavy makeup. Dianne got ready for bed quickly and curled up under her duvet, Netflix playing through her laptop.

She was still awake when Luba went to bed around midnight. Outside in the hallway, Luba could hear voices coming from Dianne's room and poked her head in to check that Dianne was still awake. Her eyes were met with the sight of Dianne in a ball, tear stains on her cheeks, her lips in a constant pout.
"Di?" She crept in, "did you tell Joe the real reason?"
"No."
"Right, I'm going to drop you off at his tomorrow morning and you can explain to him, he needs to know Di. It'll make it so much easier for the pair of you."
"But Lu-"
"See you in the morning." Luba left the room, closing the door behind her with a snap. Dianne let out a loud groan before pausing what she was watching and putting her laptop on the floor. Closing her eyes, she fell asleep almost instantly.

"Morning!" Luba called when she heard movement from the hallway. Dianne trudged into the kitchen and got herself a coffee straight away, leaning against the wall to drink it.
"I'm dropping you off at Joe's at 11, I've messaged him to tell him so you don't need to worry about it."
"Luba, I can't" Dianne sighed, exasperated.
"Yes you can, it'll be such a relief once you've told him. Trust me" Luba said gently. "You just need to talk to him Di."

"Message me when you want picking up or if you're staying over." They pulled up outside Joe's building.
"I will not be staying over" Dianne grumbled, "we've got training tomorrow."
"Bye!"
"You're so annoying Luba." Dianne didn't move. Luba extended her arm and undid Dianne's seatbelt. Leaning over the small car, she opened Dianne's door. With a groan, Dianne stepped out of the car and onto the pavement. As soon as the door was closed, Luba drove off; she was not going to give Dianne any chance to get out of it.
"Here goes nothing..."

Dianne reached Joe's door and stood outside for a couple of minutes, desperately building up the courage to knock on the door. As she raised her hand to knock, the door was pulled open to reveal Joe.
"Oh hey Joe" she said, a little taken aback.
"How long have you been stood there?"
"A few minutes" she grumbled. 
"Weirdo" Joe smiled, "anyways, come inside. It's cold in the corridor." Joe stepped aside and showed Dianne in. She walked in slowly, left her shoes at the door and followed Joe into the kitchen.
"Do you want a drink Dianne?" He asked from behind the counter.
"Uh yes please, can I have water?"
"Of course." Joe set about getting two glasses from the cupboards and filling them with water. Watching Dianne with a suspicious gaze, he pushed a glass in front of her and sat down on the barstool next to hers. Dianne muttered a "thank you" and took a sip, keeping her eyes focused on the marble swirls on the counter. Joe took a mouthful of his own water before turning to talk to Dianne.
"Please look at me" he whispered softly, "tell me what's going on. I want to try and help you as best as I can." His words were gentle and kind but Dianne remained silent. "Please." Dianne sighed heavily, "it's complicated" was all she could say.
"Okay, well I will try to understand as best as I can so go ahead. I've been worrying about you so much since Friday. You weren't yourself yesterday at all and I want to be there for you."
"You've been worrying?" She stammered.
"Of course I have, why wouldn't I? You mean the world to me Dianne."
"No. Please don't say that" she said suddenly, "Please. I can't mean the world to you. I broke your heart!"
"When did you? You've never done such a thing!" Joe's voice conveyed how shocked he was.
"But I have, when I left."
"You didn't break my heart. The move did, but it certainly wasn't you! None of it was your fault."
"But I still left..."
"You went back to Australia because you needed to Di, I could never hate you for it!"
Dianne cracked. "I'm sorry Joe, I'm so sorry" she cried, tears streaming down her face, "I want it to be like before but it can't be. We've got Strictly to think about now, I might have to go back to Australia or go to different countries. I'm never in one place Joe, it makes this hard. I'd hate for you to put up with me when you could be happy with someone who will always be with you!" Joe took a minute to think about what Dianne had said. Suddenly, it all made sense. The constant changes in affection or moods. Dianne had been worrying about letting herself fall again in case it all went wrong, in case it wasn't like before. After a moments thought, Joe began to speak. "Dianne, we would be the same as before. We may have changed in our own ways but when we are together, we are the same. Silly, stupid, bubbly, happy. It's everything around us that is different. But we can get through it, together. Okay?" Wiping her eyes, Dianne nodded her head. Her shaky breaths were replaced by small sniffles as the tears stopped.

"I felt trapped before" Dianne said as the pair cuddled on the sofa watching the telly. "I was scared, I'm not sure I could deal with another event like Australia again but I don't need to go back, I can support myself in England and I can live here in London."
"With me" Joe muttered under his breath, willing Dianne to have not heard.
"Yes, at some point in the future, with you." Dianne reached for Joe's hand and began to play with his rings, twisting the silver round his fingers. "Because I never stopped loving you" she whispered so softly even she almost couldn't hear.
"Neither did I."