Two Become Three- A Joanne Story

Reunited, Recovery and Recording

"Morning," Joe whispered, walking back into his bedroom, feet firmly planted into slippers. He soon realised that his companion wasn't awake still, resulting in him, rather awkwardly, getting back into bed, balancing hot drinks and dishes.

It felt sort of surreal in that moment. For any number of reasons. Firstly, he was in a bed with a woman who he loved who promised she loved him. A woman who didn't know him 4 months previous.  A woman who gracefully danced into his crazy single parent life with no ulterior motives and open arms, ready for him and all his baggage.

Next, well, just the previous day he had been in the final for a TV show that was the most popular televised program in the UK. He had got to show the nation how much he had improved, how much better he had got at dancing. And most importantly he had got to do it with the same woman who was fast asleep next to him; the love of his life.

Today would be the day the world would learn of this love, the day that his whole experience on the show would become just a little clearer and he was so ready.

And last, the most trivial of all; he had woken up before his girlfriend, which was rare and unheard of when his little wasn't in the house.

"You're thinking hard," Dianne muttered, closing the eye she had just barely opened.

"I'm so happy," he smiled, rubbing her bare back.

"Good, me too," she smiled shuffling herself a little closer to him.

"I get to see my girl today, I get her back for ages," she could hear the happiness in his voice. The childlike excitement of getting his child after nearly a week.

"Good, I miss her too," Dianne said, rolling over to kiss par of him that happened to be his leg, "you smell of biscuits."

"Fake tan me love, fake tan," he answered her in a Yorkshire accent which tipped her into a spiral of melodic giggles that filled him nearly to the brim with happiness. Of course the only thing that could fill him up would be Connie's.

"I love you,"

"I love you too, coffee?" He helped her sit up and held a mug that was covered in rainbows in front of her.

"I love you," she took the mug, kissing his cheek.

"Never gets old, ever. I thought we could be all cutesy and share breakfast. I don't know about you but I'm not all that hungry," Joe showed her the plate that had 3 slices of toast, each with a different spread.

"Same, we had that big maccas order last night so I'm still full," Dianne agreed and took a jam slice.

"Cheers my dear," Joe said, bashing a marmite piece into her's.

~~~

"Oh my goodness I missed you," Joe said, lifting Connie up into a tight hug. He put a nose to her head and  breathed in her scent that he had missed so much. Dianne beamed and filmed, wanting to capture all of the moments for Joe.

"I missed you too Daddy," Connie sniffed into his shoulder.

"Grandad said you stayed up to watch, what did you think of my dancing?" Joe asked, carrying her back to the car to fetch Dianne.

"I loved it, Auntie Stacey won, and you and Dot came next," Connie explained and then spotted the very person she had just mentioned.

"Dot!"

"Hi Darlin', are you ready to show me your Grandad's?" Dianne asked, having hugged her.

"Yep, you can come and see my room, come on, because Grandad's lunch will be ready soon," Connie said, and pulled her into the warm house.