For All Eternity

Questions

Dianne kissed Connie's cheek out of the blue. The little one giggled and continued to play on the switch, leaning against Dianne's chest.

The eldest woman was waiting for Elise to get here, having booked her to look after Connie for the evening rather than the afternoon so that she could go and surprise Joe by watching Waitress.

"Why does Elise have to look after me?" Connie asked, switching the device that had taken Dianne a solid 10 minutes to set up.

"I'm going out with my lovely friend Elza and Daddy's working at the theatre," Dianne answered, she had planned to not tell Connie that she was going to see Joe.

"Elsa?"

"No E-L-Z-A, Elza," Dianne laughed make sure to remember to tell her friend that one.

"Oh, shame. So what are you doing?" Connie was back to playing on the game.

"Erm, I think we'll go for tea somewhere and then go to a couple of bars maybe the cinema. I'll be back after your bedtime though. So you must be good for Elise, okay?" Dianne said firmly, just as she had heard Joe do over the months.

"I always be good!"

"I know Dada told me to remind you. Because it's Friday you can have a pudding as well if you want, now before I go," Dianne remembered this rule, Joe having wanted to cut down on her sugar intake even though it wasn't much. He was just being consciously paranoid and she didn't mind going along with it.

"Ooh yay!" She threw the switch next to her and slid off her lap. Once she had hauled Dianne up from the depths of the comfyest place in the house, she walked to the kitchen asking, "what have we gotten?"

"All sorts custard pots, icecream, some triffle thingy. Or I can make you a big hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows," Dianne listed, recalling everything Joe had ordered on Sunday.

"Can I have icecream?"

Dianne nodded and got a bowl out, scooping some in, landing a kiss on Connie's lips before putting it in front of her, anxiously checking the clock, hoping Elise would be here soon.

"Is Elise late?"

"No, why do you think?" Dianne asked, pulling her coat on.

"You keep looking at the clock. And alsoly your phone," Connie pointed out, as Dianne did the thing she had just mentioned.

"Oh. Well I'm checking my phone for messages, we booked our Australia flights this morning and I'm waiting for my family to decide what we're doing whilst we're there. Other than Christmas. Is there anything you want to do squish? That you've learned about in your book that Na-Rina and Mark got you?"

"I want to see the quackers on vat island and swim in the sea. And meet Mia and Billy." Dianne smiled, she wanted to do all three of those things too. She was really excited that not just Joe but Connie as well were coming with her to Australia for Christmas. Excited to show them her stomping grounds.

"Me too, oh that sounds like Elise doesn't it?" There was a key in the door and soon the familiar face of Elise came into the kitchen.

"Hi Connie," she waved, taking her shoes and coat off.

"So we'll be back at about 11, 12. Just text if anything happens. Bedtime is 7:30 if you can manage it, she doesn't need a bath," Dianne said, pointing to things on the list that Joe had written this morning.

"Perfect, I hope you have a nice night," Elise said, settling next to Connie who has momentarily paused eating to listen to the adults.

"Thank you. I'm going now Tiny, can I have a goodnight kiss and a cuddle?" Connie nodded and held her hands up for Dianne. The oldest woman picked her up and held her tightly, kissing her head. Elise watched the interaction amazed to see how much their relationship had come on.