Joanne Suggwell One shots 2

Giving Him The Confidence (1)

"Joe, I've got a surprise for you!" Dianne called through the flat, the moment she got home. Her camera was ready to capture his reaction.

"What?!" Joe said, the minute he saw what was in Dianne's arms.

"This is Ella, and we're going to babysit her, isn't she cute Joe?" Dianne said, kissing the baby's head.

"Who's baby is she?" He asked, taking them camera off her so that the video could see what was going on.

"Someone I used to tour with, they've gone for a weekend away and I offered to look after her, isn't she gorgeous Joe?" Dianne said, lifting Ella above her head.

"How old is it, how old are you mystery baby?" Joe asked, holding onto her hand, smiling when it wrapped it's fingers around his thumb.

"She is 6 months old, look she can sit up," Dianne said, taking her over to the couch.

"You're half a year old little baby, that's cool, so do you eat food or drink milk and are you sleeping with us?" Joe asked, still filming Ella, who was gnawing on her hand.

"She only had milk at the moment, well formula and she does sleep with us yes, but in a little cot," Dianne explained, putting Ella back on her lap.

"Which is where?" Joe asked seeing only Ella's nappy bag and pushchair.

"Whoops, I've left it in the hall, can you get it? And the other bits, little El needs her bottle about now," Dianne said, grabbing the baby's bag which had a bottle and the formula in it.

"Uncle Joe is getting your beddy little one and I'm going to make you a bottle. Maybe we can get him to feed you," Dianne nattered away to the baby, as she made the bottle up.

"Who knew a baby needed so much, what's this?"

"That is a baby carrier, I thought we could go on a walk later and it'll be easier than using the buggy," Dianne explained, wondering how she was going to pour the hot water whilst holding Ella. "Can you hold her Joseph?"

"I don't know how," Joe said, stepping back from Dianne who was holding the baby out, laughing at him.

"Yes you do, you saw how I was holding her, do you want to sit down and do it?" Dianne suggested shaking her head at him cowering.

"There we go little Ella, relax Joe, you won't hurt her," Dianne said, after she had sat the baby in his lap.

"Ahh she's crying, why is she crying?" Joe panicked, looking at Dianne.

"She doesn't like waiting, like you, why don't you bounce her or something, do what feels natural Joe," Dianne encouraged, laughing at him panic. He scowled at her but very carefully stood up swaying side to side with Ella. The baby still wasn't calming down and he was stressing more so he followed Dianne's advice and did something that made sense to him.

"Your white dress, sparks words spontaneous, I'll sing from mountain top I am in Love love love and don't care who knows it," he sand the first song that came to mind, from the play he had done nearly a year ago, and grinned when Ella stopped crying and stared at him.

"There you go, want to feed her?" Dianne asked, shaking the bottle that she had got to the right temperature.

"No, you can do that, I'll watch this time!" Joe said, following Dianne to the couch, still holding Ella.

Dianne nodded and took the baby cooing at her. "You're a hungry little bean aren't you, here we go, Auntie Dot's got your bottle," Dianne said, as she put it into Ella's mouth. "So, when you feed her, you have to keep her head above the bottle so she doesn't take in any air and make sure the teit is full if milk, can you see that?" Dianne asked, looking at Joe who was absolutely fascinated.