A Siblings Advice

Grandad Chippy's family Christmas (Part One)

Tracey's POV:

"Hi mum! Fair warning, Santa Sugg, aka Joe is coming in behind me and he has an entire sack full of presents, you might want to hold the door." Zoe chuckles, crossing the threshold of her nana's house and giving me a tight squeeze as she bounds off in search of the rest of the family. Following quickly behind her, Joe drops the huge bag of presents and pulls me into a bear hug, pressing a kiss on my cheek as he moves. "I know I seen you a few weeks ago but it feels like forever mum, happy Christmas!" he grins, glancing behind him to pull his seemingly timid girlfriend through the front door. Noticing her shy behaviour, I step around my lanky son and open my arms to her, grateful when she accepts quickly, nestling into me as I make eye contact with Joe. Shrugging lightly, he grabs the sack again and leads Dianne through to the living room, where everyone else has gathered, ready to start the festive celebrations. Without hesitation, Dianne makes her way over to dad's chair, curling up beside Chippy and greeting him with a cuddle, chatting animatedly to him while Joseph did the rounds, chatting to his cousins, who he hadn't seen since last Christmas and as such, hadn't met the beautiful redhead yet. Noticing that he was glancing round for her, she leans into Chippy, "Chipster, I better go, your Joseph is looking for me I think. You'd think with bright red hair, he would be able to spot me in a crowd. I'll be back Chippy!"

Watching my children interact with each other, teasing and joking with their cousins and extended family, I can't help but feel a sense of pride. Approaching their thirties, Zoe and Joe are both happily loved up this year, cuddled into their significant others and planning to spend Christmas together this year. Poor Joe, despite not having been together that long, being separate for the holidays had be challenging for the couple with Joe becoming a zombie due to the time difference and the reality shock of not having his girl beside him for the first time in 14 weeks. Catching my eye, Zoe gestures for me to follow her into the kitchen as she leaves her place beside Dianne, who then shuffles closer to Joe. "You alright Zo? What's up?" She hovers in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room, so she can keep an eye on the hussle in there. "Mum, have you noticed something off with Dianne? She seems very quiet today or something, I've asked Joe but he said she was fine in the car and she might just be tired. Can you try and get her alone and see while I grab Joe? He's so much better with emotions but he can still be totally oblivious, as well we know." she rolls her eyes, her compassion and caring nature towards her little brother and his girlfriend warming my heart even more. Giving her the nod, I head back in and wave to Dianne, beckoning her over. "Hey Lady Di, can you give me a hand for a moment? Joseph, sit where you are, this is a job for girls love." Leading her by the hand into the kitchen, I set about making us some coffee and a little plate of biscuits, the way dad taught me to.

Dianne's POV:

Travelling to Wiltshire, its our very first Christmas together and we are Australia bound in just a few days but firstly, Christmas with the Suggs. Despite being a couple last Christmas, I had already planned to go back home and spend the holidays with my family and it seemed quite rushed for Joe to travel to Oz with me...everything was still very new to us and we were still figuring things out. He has never hidden the fact that Christmas is a big deal to him, one of the only times that he can take some time off and spend time with both sides of his family- often choosing to split Christmas between his mum and his dad, as well as grandparents, aunties and cousins etc- as opposed to my crazy family, who spend the few festive days all under one roof. It'll be the first time I've met all of Joe's family too, I've met his Nan and my favourite, Chippy, but not his aunties and cousins and I can't shake the nerves that have suddenly washed over me...what if they don't like me? What if i'm not good enough? With a hand carefully placed on my thigh, Joe draws me from my thoughts, " You alright me lover? You've been quiet on the drive up, not like you is it?" He chuckles, stroking my leg gently with his thumb as we head up the driveway of his nans house. After the chaotic morning we have had and an unplanned, last minute flight change, Joe is already stressy so the last thing he needs is my own silly worries; smiling widely, I peck him quickly as we unbuckle, "Of course, i'm just tired Joseph, that's all." Bouncing out of the car, I force a smile and grab our bags, heading to the door where Tracey and Zoe wait to greet us. Pulling me into a bear hug, Tracey's mothering instinct must have taken over as she hugs me tighter, rubbing my back in a circular motion while Joe continues in, playing "Santa Sugg".

Spying Chippy, sat in his usual armchair, I beeline over to him, instantly curling up beside him and chat excitedly about everything and anything, taking a moment to appreciate his smile as he takes my hand in his. From the very first time I Met Grandad Chippy, he made me feel at home with him and getting his blessing, confirmation that I was part of the family, was probably the biggest milestone in our relationship. For me anyway..."Has anyone seen Di? Where's she gone?" Joe mutters, eyes scanning the  room for me, yet still managing to miss me. "Chipster, I better go, your Joseph is looking for me I think. You'd think with bright red hair, he would be able to spot me in a crowd. I'll be back Chippy!" I grin, rising off his chair and weaving across to slide in behind Joe's body, almost hiding behind him as he introduces me to his cousin. Settling beside him, i'm only there for a few minutes before I spy Tracey waving me over, wanting me to join her in the kitchen for something, girl time she told Joseph when he tried following me.

"Dianne darling, how have you been sweetheart? It feels like so long since we have been able to have a proper chat, I've missed you! Have some coffee and a biscuit dear! How are things with you and Joe?" she presses, a glint of excitement in her eyes as she sits in front of me, reaching across the table to pat my hand as she pushes a plate of biscuits my direction. "I know! I'm so sorry we didn't get more time with you when we were filming the other day, its my fault, I was stressing over choreography before hand and Joe was trying to calm me down and afterwards, Joseph was so tired bless him, we went home and crashed out on the sofa. I think he forgot how much we do in a day of strictly." Listening to stories of "Thatcher Joe" coming home from work and crashing out of Tracey's sofa, I can't help but laugh because he really hasn't changed since back then, he is still the same adorable, lovable joker that he is now. Despite my attention being on Tracey, I can hear him laughing and messing around with his family, teasing Zoe and Chippy, "Excuse you Grandad Chippy, that is MY girlfriend you are fawning over, mine I say! You can't have her, I love her." and my heart becomes a puddle. "Hear that Dianne, you have made my son that happy, just listen to him doting on you in there, you've really made our family complete Di. Christmas is usually the Zalfie show, with Joseph just teasing from the sidelines but my word, he is so much happier, so much more confident this year! You are amazing our Dot, besides Joe, you have made Grandad Chippy's family Christmas complete, I seen the way he was dancing with you earlier." Looking sheepishly at the table cloth, I can't quite bring myself to meet her gaze for some reason, suddenly very anxious that I had over stepped my boundary or something, intruding on their family Christmas.

"Dianne darling? What's going on love? You are very quiet and timid today and I can't help but wonder if we have done something? Has Joe?" The kindness in her voice, draws my head up so I am now facing the woman who has come to be a mother to me, someone I can go to when I miss my own mum. "Oh god, no not at all Tracey! You are all so welcoming and Joe's amazing as always, he really does look after me. Its just...I feel like i'm imposing on your Christmas. Your family time and i'm really sorry. I did say to Joe that I would stay in London, leave you to it and not interrupt but he was having none of it, he begged me to come and I couldn't say no to him. I'm so sorry Trace." I mutter, twisting my rings round my fingers nervously as she reaches over to take both my hands in her own. "Dianne Buswell, look at me! You ARE family my love, as much family as everyone else in this house. You have made Joe so much happier, you are the sister Zoe never had and Dad? Chippy hasn't smiled as much, hasn't been as involved as he is when you are around. His health hasn't been great as of late but the second you came in, he became lively once again, desperate to dance with you because like the rest of us, he loves the bones of you! You might not share a surname, but you are as a big a part of this family as anyone else. I get the feeling that you are going to be around here for a very long time, you two are in it for the long run. Now, dry those beautiful eyes sweetheart, lets join our family again." She grins, wiping my eyes with her thumb and kissing my forehead. Joe bursts through the door, just in time to witness the end of our interaction, very confused as to what is going on. "Do..Dotty, are you okay? Mum? What's going on?" Running his hand through his hair, he struts over quickly and takes me into a   bear hug and brushing my hair back from my face; reaching up to kiss him sweetly, I smile once again, a true smile now, "Don't worry Joseph, I had a bit of a moment with your mum there but i'm fine. She just reminded me how much I truly love you. Now, lets go spend some more time with our family, I promised Chippy another dance."

Our family.