One Moment In Time- Joanne Oneshots

1934

Tennessee, USA

"Is that alright to go now boys?" Joe asked the group looking at the plough attached to the horse. 

"Yes sir," said the team of three unanimously. 

"Right well, get that going and do as much as you can today. Dianne said supper is at six,"

The group got on and Joe headed back to the farmhouse. Joe owned a small farming plantation with some cattle and a few fields. There was only a small team of farmhands working with him but they managed to be quite successful in selling their produce in the markets. It was here that Joe and his wife Dianne had settled down after life in the city. 

Joe wandered into the kitchen to find his wife preparing vegetables for lunch. Her hand cradled the nearly fully grown bump as she worked. Joe couldn't quite believe her beauty as she just stood there working to herself. He shook his head and smiled. 

"Why are you just stood there?" asked Dianne, without turning round.

Joe walked over and wrapped his arms around her. "Sometimes, it astounds me how I always seem to love you more than I did yesterday," he said kissing her lightly.

"If you love me that much, you can peel these. The baby is kicking my bladder," laughed Dianne as she handed him the potato peeler. Joe smiled as he watched her waddle out of the kitchen to the bathroom. He couldn't wait to be a father, see his and Dianne's child for the first time. There had been some doubts about whether they would be able to afford a family as America attempted to rebuild after the Great Depression. But as they had one successful harvest after another, they decided that the time was definitely right to expand. 

Dianne walked back into the kitchen and tried to take the peeler from Joe.

"No my love," he said kissing her forehead. "You have a sit down,"

Dianne nodded gratefully and sat at the kitchen table. "I am not looking forward to the labour,"

"I wish I could do it for you," said Joe. He thought for a minute. "Are you sure you want me there?"

"I didn't at first," said Dianne honestly. "I didn't want you to see me in that state. But you can't miss the birth of our child Joseph,"

"I wouldn't miss it for anything. And I promise not to make any terrible jokes," he said sincerely.

"Hallelujah!" laughed Dianne giving her husband a hug. 

"I should probably go see how the boys are getting on," sighed Joe releasing his wife from their cuddle. 

"Hurry back to me," said Dianne placing the potatoes in a pan ready to be boiled. 

"Of course," smiled Joe.

//

"And just one more push Dianne and... ah they're here!" 

Dianne let out a sigh of relief as the pain instantly evaporated. She had been holding her husband's hand in a vice-like grip and wasn't surprised to see him immediately stretch his fingers as soon as she let go. She heard the sound of her baby crying and couldn't contain a sob. It was the sweetest sound she'd ever heard. 

"Congratulations! You have a baby girl," said the midwife, cleaning the baby with a fresh muslin. As soon as the baby was cleaned, she was passed immediately to her mother who had tears streaming down her face. 

"We have a daughter Dianne," said Joe in disbelief, snaking his arm around her shoulder and lovingly kissing his wife's forehead.

"I can't believe it," whispered Dianne. "Look at her little face, do you think she knows me?"

"Of course she does," reassured Joe. "You just gave birth to her,"

"Hi baby," said Dianne touching her daughter's hand. The baby grabbed at her mother's finger and Dianne gasped at the rush of love she felt towards her. 

"She's so perfect," said Joe, completely in awe of his wife and baby. 

//

1936

"Joe be careful!" shouted Dianne from inside their farmhouse. She could see her husband helping their two-year-old daughter, Eliza, onto one of the new ponies that they had recently acquired for the farm. She was quite a confident child with no fear which made Dianne both very proud and very worried whenever she wasn't around to watch her.

"She's fine Di!" Joe called back, showing he had one hand on their daughter's back so she wouldn't fall and another on the reins of the pony so that he wouldn't suddenly canter away. 

"Look at me Mama!" giggled Eliza from her position on the pony. 

"Wow baby," called Dianne. 

Dianne managed to persuade her family to come in for some lunch and while Eliza ate, Joe read some of his European newspapers. He raised his eyebrows at his wife at the concerning headline but she shrugged her shoulders. Should there be conflict, America would surely not be dragged into the foray. But then, Dianne thought, what if we are? What if her Joe had to go and fight in a war miles and miles away and they never saw him again? The thought was simply too painful to bear so she shook it away. 

Later that night when they were in bed, Dianne brought up the topic again. 

"If there was a European war like there was twenty years ago, it won't affect us will it?" she asked snuggling into her husband's body. 

"I'm sure it won't," he said kissing her forehead. "It shouldn't anyway,"

"It's just what if you did have to go off and fight? What would Eliza and I do without you?" she said, beginning to panic. 

"Darling, I'm not going anywhere. I promise you that even if I did have to go that I would always come back to you. If it would reassure you, I'll start showing you a bit more about the running of the farm. Then if I hypothetically have to leave, then you'll be sorted," said Joe. He was more concerned about the content in the newspaper than he was letting on, but he couldn't show it. Not when it could unnecessarily panic his wife. 

"I love you," murmured Dianne. Joe smiled, she was falling asleep. 

"I love you too my darling," he said kissing her head. "More than I did yesterday,"

Author's Note- Again, not the best thing I've ever written. I didn't have a lot of ideas for this one but I wanted to just write something lighter and fluffier for a change rather than a massive storyline in every single one. Still, I hope you enjoyed it!