Thinking Out Loud

Chapter 9

"It's a shame about that house in Shere, that would have suited us perfectly," Dianne said. They were driving to another little village outside of London called Old Amersham. After seeing the house in Shere, they had tried to put an offer in but it fell through; someone had offered more. Both of them had been upset about it but they had recently found another house and had arranged to look around.
"I guess it just wasn't meant to be," she said sadly. Joe recognised the change in her voice immediately and stole a glance at her as he drove, shocked to see her eyes pooling with tears.
"Are you crying?"
"Yeh, I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm all emotional," she giggled. Dianne blotted away the tears and turned to Joe with a grin. "Maybe I'm due on my period?"
"Maybe," Joe shrugged. "Or maybe you're just over-sensitive." His eyes creased at the corners as he winked at Dianne. It was obvious he was joking but for some reason she still got annoyed.
"I am not!" Dianne turned her back to Joe slightly, leaning on her hand that was propped up against the window.
"I was joking," Joe said softly in the hope she was also joking- but she wasn't.
"It wasn't funny," she snapped. Joe had been raised with a sister and knew when he should stop. He leant back in his car seat and carried on the hour drive to Old Amersham, in silence.

"Di, is that it?" Joe asked. He pointed to a small road leading away from the main one. "It should be Charter Drive?"
"Yep, that's it," She chirped, her mood having passed quickly. She was suspiciously hormonal and it hadn't gone unnoticed. Joe indicated and turned onto the smaller road, following it until he reached a cul de sac at the end. Spotting a for sale sign, he pulled up outside of the house and turned the engine off.
"Shall I just message the owner to make sure they are here?" He said, "or shall we just risk it."
"Risk it. I'm bored."
"Okay," Joe chuckled, "let's go." He jumped out of the car and, after locking it, walked round to meet Dianne as she waited for him on the pavement. The pair walked up to the front door with wide smiles; the house looked perfect. At least, it did from the outside.

"Thank you so much." Joe shook the hand of the owner after their tour. As soon as they had stepped through the front door, Joe and Dianne had fallen in love with it immediately. The two lounges were comfy and peaceful, the kitchen was light and airy, the garden was just right with a conservatory joined onto the back room. The upstairs had four bedrooms. The master bedroom was bigger than their one at home and had an en-suite. The other three bedrooms were of a decent size, the two upstairs bathrooms were fully equipped, and there was a toilet under the stairs. Everything about the house was perfect for them, and it was within their price range. They left hand in hand, the wide smiles they had when they walked in even wider.
"I love it," Dianne breathed as soon as they were in the car. "I really really love it."
"So do I," Joe nodded, "I prefer it more than the other one in Shere, if I'm being honest."
"Yep, it's even better and that was pretty perfect," she agreed, nodding her head slowly. "But, I'm starving. And exhausted."
"Oh um, do you want to stop somewhere on the way home to get some lunch?" Joe asked, putting the key into the ignition and starting the engine. "Or shall we cook when we get in?"
"I need a nap, my eyes are hurting." The exhaustion had hit her like a brick and Dianne couldn't understand why she was suddenly so tired. She had had the same amount of sleep as ever, and they hadn't really done anything strenuous- it just didn't make sense to her.
"Well, how about you have a nap on the way home and then I'll cook for you when we get in, hows that?"
"That sounds great," Dianne muttered as her eyes drooped to a close. "Wake me up when we get home." And with that, she was asleep. Joe turned the radio on but kept it quiet just so he wasn't sat in silence and began the journey home. He was just as confused as Dianne felt about her sudden lethargic behaviours.

"Dianne, we're home." Joe gently shook the redheads shoulders to wake her up, but to no avail. "Dianne, wake up gorgeous. I can't carry you in."
"Huh?" She croaked, opening her eyes. "What?"
"We're home."
"Oh right." Dianne sat up and un-did her seatbelt. She opened the car door and slipped out of it, groaning as her eyes adjusted to the light.
"Are you alright?" Joe asked.
"Yeh, I've just got a headache. That's all."
"I think you're getting ill-"
"No," she shook her head, "I don't think it's that."
"What do you think it is then?" Joe felt his heartbeat begin to race. Was she about to say what he thought she was?
"My period is two weeks late, I think I'm pregnant."
"Oh." Joe swallowed thickly, not knowing what to do next. "What do you want to do?"
"Eat," she said abruptly.
"Don't you want to know?"
"Yes, but I'm starving and I'll get hangry on you," she warned, running a hand over her stomach.
"Okay. I'll cook and then I'll buy a test."