Two Birds of a Feather

Flowers of Romance

"It's so nice to wake up next to you" Dianne mused as she snuggled further into Joe's side.
"Mhm" he agreed, his arms tightening around her body.
"It's what I miss most" she admitted, "being able to get a cuddle as soon as I wake up. Sets me up for a good day."
"You've gone all soft" Joe said in a sweet voice, "you've changed miss Buswell."
"How have I changed?! Enlighten me."
"For one, you use bigger words-"
"Shut up" Dianne interrupted, kicking Joe gently.
"Sorry, you used to be...reserved."
"Only because I was worried" Dianne whispered, her voice barely audible as though she was afraid to admit it. "But now I'm not because I have you."
"And it's the best thing."

"Come on sleepy head. Get out of bed!"
"I'm comfy" Dianne whined, pulling the covers tighter. "I need a break."
"You get one soon, but if you want to get the right train, get up!" Instead of getting up, Dianne rolled herself into the duvet this time so she was like a mermaid- there was no way Joe could get her up. Joe walked over to the bed from his wardrobe and looked for the flap of the duvet wrapped around his girlfriend; he found it, pushed it aside and then proceeded to roll Dianne until she was no longer tangled up in the white sheets. Joe's heart exploded as she began to giggle. Seeing the glint of mischief in the Australians' eye, Joe sat on top of her and gently tickled her sides, his hands slipping underneath her top.
"Joeyyyyy, stopppppp." Dianne wiggled and squirmed but couldn't get away. Tears were forming in the creased corners of her eyes as he held her between his knees and continued to let his hands feel the shape of her waist.
"Do you promise to get up, have a shower, get dressed and do whatever you want to your face?"
"Only if I get a massage after the show tonight."
"Fine. Deal?" Joe sat back and held out his hand for Dianne to shake. She shook it with one hand, wiping the tears away with the other. "Deal." Leaning forward, Joe pressed his lips against her forehead for a brief moment before pulling away and leaving her to get ready. Dianne rolled out of the bed and made it straight away. Crossing the bedroom, she picked out her clothes for the day- the usual jeans and a top- and took them into the bathroom, after grabbing her underwear. She showered quickly and dried off before touching up her tan with another layer just to darken it slightly and waited for it to dry, which she got bored of very quickly and, after deciding she was hungry, walked downstairs in some short shorts and a tube top, her top half being dry as she'd done that first. Joe, who was making breakfast downstairs, glanced up at the sight of his now slightly darker girlfriend as she walked through the double set of glass doors.
"What happened to getting dressed?"
"My legs are still sticky."
"Well by the time you've eaten this, they'll be dry and you can actually get dressed. If you don't, you've broken the deal" Joe said in a fake serious voice, putting two plates down in their designated places.
"I'm hardly going to get on a train like this, I'm not a...a stripper?"
"We'll go with that." Joe put a mouthful of scrambled eggs and toast into his mouth, chewed it a couple of times before he spoke again, "besides, you're my girlfriend not Billy no mates-"
"Who's that?"
Joe swallowed. "It's a saying, don't worry about it."
"Oh."
"Anyways" he laughed, "what I was trying to say was that we can't be having any weirdos looking at you. I'd have to ward em off with my big boy muscles."
"You are actually so weird Joseph."

"Ready to go?"
"Yep."
"Good, because your car is here."
"Aren't you coming?"
"Nah. I've decided I've had enough of you and your chocolate stealing antics."
"Hey." Dianne pushed his chest.
"Of course I'm coming silly" he said softly, reaching out and pulling Dianne into his arms.
"You are so annoying."

"I think this is it, yeh. Look, there's a poster for Here Come the Girls." Dianne pointed out of the window to the theatre.
"Okay." Indicating, Joe pulled into a small car park round the side of the building. "I'm going to go to the hotel and check us in. I'll be back here for when you come back from the meet and greet."
"Okay gorgeous."
"See you later baby girl." Joe leant over the middle of the seat, his lips pouting slightly as though asking for a kiss. Dianne obliged and kissed them quickly. Joe waited in the car until Dianne had gone in and messaged him that she was with everyone before he backed out of the car park and headed into the town, having put it into google maps.

After a quick drive, Joe pulled up along side a florist and walked in to the crowded shop. He glanced around, completely overwhelmed by the smell and selection laid out all around him. The woman who owned the shop, a small older lady with a grey bob and round glasses came pottering out from behind her work bench where she had been arranging bouquets and made her way over to Joe, smiling at the expression on his face.
"Are you alright dear? Do you need any help?" She asked in a kind, 'grandmaly' way.
"Please" he sighed in relief.
"Who are you looking for?"
"My girlfriend."
"Any occasion?"
"She's in a dance show at the theatre and I wanted to surprise her with them. She does so much for me and I don't tell her how thankful I am enough." The shopkeeper saw the familiar glow of love on Joe's face. She noticed with a smile how his cheeks seemed to glow at the thought of her and how his eyes lit up.
"What's her name?"
"Dianne." Again, she noticed the soft smile across his face as he said, somewhat proudly, his girls name.
"Okay, well. I think some pink lilies... actually, what's her favourite colour?"
"Red. She's got red hair and always likes to match things to it."
"Hang on. Red hair as in ginger red or red red?"
"Red red. Cherry red."
"And she's a dancer?"
"Yes, on her own tour at the minute."
"You're Joe aren't you?"
"Yes."
"And the woman who makes you so happy and in love is Dianne Buswell."
Joe nodded. "Yes that's the one." His voice was soft and he couldn't control the corners of his mouth turning up.
"Mhm." She nodded her head. "I don't wish to intrude but you could tell. One week you were more distant than usual, the next you were both so happy."
Reaching up to scratch his neck, Joe shook his head and laughed slightly. "Always knew I didn't make a good job of covering it up."
"It doesn't matter" she said kindly, "if it's love, it's love and there's no way of hiding it." She watched the slow nod of his head and twinkling eyes before switching back to 'florist mode'.
"Right. So red flowers?"