Two Become Three- A Joanne Story

Huggles and Snuggles

"Dinan!" Connie said, as Dianne stepped out of the lift.

"Hi Connie," Dianne said, crouching down for Connie's hug. Connie ran forward and jumped into Dianne's arms, laughing as Dianne lifted her and spun her around. "Where's your Dad, Connie?" Dianne asked, shifting the little girl onto her hip, picking up her bag.

"In the flat," she pointed at Joe's front door. Dianne walked forward and pushed the door open.

"Boo!" Joe jumped out, making Dianne step back in shock and scream.

"Joe, I could have dropped your daughter," Dianne said pushing him, both him and Connie laughing. "And you monkey," she turned to Connie and tickled her tummy, "are meant to be on my side."

"Sorry Dinan, Daddy made me do it but it was really funny, you nearly fell over," Connie pointed out between laughs.

"Hi, how are you," Joe asked, giving Dianne a quick hug.

"I'm good despite having a heart attack, what about you? Bet you're sore today." Dianne said, as Joe shut the door behind her, taking her bag off her.

"A little, come on in, Connie and I have been baking and we've got some cakes to decorate." He said, and Dianne put Connie down.

"Daddy, you should have kissed her," Dianne heard Connie whisper to him, as he held her hand back into the kitchen, "at least her cheek."

"Connie," Joe said warningly, as he looked over her head to Dianne who had her eyebrow raised. Joe rolled his eyes at her, and grabbed Connie, "come on then, if I kiss her cheek then you have to too."

The three of them paused, in the doorway into the room. Joe rested Connie on his left, as he pressed a quick kiss into Dianne's dimple, for not the first time, "mmmmwah" he said for effect. He held Connie out in front of him and let her kiss Dianne. "Is that okay Connie?"

"Lip?" Connie asked cheekily. Joe just laughed and turned Connie to him and kissed her on the lips. "Noo, Dot." Connie said, pointing at Dianne who was a little red from Joe's kiss on the cheek.

"Don't push your luck Con," Joe said, putting her on the counter. "Apron," he said, putting a pink apron over Connie's head.

"Where do you want Dianne to sit then Connie?" Joe asked, knowing his daughter would have an idea for her.

"Next to me, on this side," she said, pointing to her left.

"Alrighty, are these what you've made Connie?" Dianne asked, having recovered from the momentary head rush that the kiss brought. Connie nodded and picked at one of her cakes, sneaking a few crumbs.

"So what do we have to decorate?" Dianne said, sitting down on the stool next to Connie, Joe in the middle.

"Well, we routed through our cupboards and grabbed all of the decorative bits that Zöe has left behind. And we've obviously got the stuff from the box." Joe explained, gesturing to the various sprinkles and decoration in the table.

Dianne nodded and all three of them got on to their decorating. Connie was done in 20 minutes and ran off to play with her dolls leaving the two grown ups decorating pink cakes in silence. Not an awkward one though, it was amicable and peaceful.

"Here," Joe said, as he noticed Dianne struggling with a pot of sprinkles.

"Thanks. You've got icing on your face," Dianne whispered, reaching her clean hand up to touch Joe's face where the icing was. She wiped it away but remained staring at him, lost in his eyes.

"Can I kiss you," Joe repeated the words from the previous Thursday, his hand on her leg.

"Quickly," Dianne responded, and closed her eyes as he moved closer. She felt the pressure of his lips on her's and smiled as his hand moved from her leg to the back of her neck.