More Than You, More Than Me

Fam-ly

2025

"Mama, where's Daddy and Co-Co and Steve, oh wait I don't know a Steve," she giggled, "just Dada and Co-Co who you talking too, Mama? Mama? Mama?" Ellie asked, tugging on her mum's sleeve. Dianne's only reaction was to put a hand on her daughter's head.

"Sorry, I'll have to go mum, Ellie needs something. Yeah, I'm fine, I don't know, no, we're not just keeping it from you, no, of course not, Joe and I we don't- we just want a surprise this time around. I promise. Okay, yes, of course I'll take it slow, I know, alright, love you too, yes, bye, bye, love you." Dianne looked down at the little body that was spinning underneath the palm of her hand and leaned down, stroking her cheek. She would have liked to have crouched but presently every time she did so it felt like a head and subsequent body was going to shoot right out of her onto the kitchen floor, "say it again, Baby, I was finishing speaking to nana."

"Where's Co-Co and Daddy?"

"Dancing competition sweetheart, remember Daddy telling you last night. They're going to be back late, tiny, do you want some dinner?"

"Dinner? But its morning."

"Whoopsie, mama meant breakfast, eggies, maybe?"

Ellie nodded and pulled up a stool to help her mum make the breakfast. Her job was to butter the toast, which she did a splendid job on, after some slight instruction and sample the eggs when they were done, whilst mummy went for a wee.

"So today we need to go to the post office, alright," Dianne told the little one who was shoving eggs into her mouth with such speed that she apparently didn't need a fork.

"Why?"

"Try not to talk with food in your mouth Darl," she gently reprimanded hearing the Joe in her mind do the same, "anyway, we need to post some invitations."

"Are we having a party?"

"Sort of, Mumma and Daddy are getting married at Christmas. Remember when we went to try on your pretty dress?"

Ellie nodded, "I done. I play now?"

"Can you let your food go down for five minutes, maybe get yourself a drink?"

"Do you and baby want a drink Mama?" She asked, pulling her little stool over to the sink.

"No, I'm alright, I have a drink, thanks for offering though, little one, you're such a good helper."

Ellie agreed with Dianne and carried her cup over to the table, "is the baby moving at the moment."

It was rare for Ellie to acknowledge the baby who was going to arrive within the next two months so Dianne jumped at the opportunity, "yes, just little kicks and swirls, I can lie down in a minute for you to feel them," the little one shook her head and patted the bump, "that's it, well done Elzie."

"I don't think the baby should sleep here," she said seriously, her hand messing with Dianne's belly button that had painfully popped out the previous week.

"The baby won't be sleeping in the kitchen."

"No, I don't think the baby should sleep in our house, at all."

"Oh right, so where's it going to sleep then pumpkin?"

"At the Niamh's house."

Niamh was the childminder who sometimes looked after Ellie and Connie after school. Dianne smiled, stroking the hair on the back of Eleanore's head where it had stuck up a little in the night, "the baby will be your sister like Connie or they will be a boy and be your brother. The baby will be part of our family so they'll live with us, not Niamh."

"But Nana and Pop-Pop are our fam-ly and they don't live with us and Nandad and Nanny Grandad and Nanny don't."

"I know but the baby is different to them, the baby is like you, you grew in my tummy just like this baby, and where do you live?"

"Upstairs."

"Exactly, so, the baby's going to live upstairs too."

"Where?" She asked, putting her head on the bump now.

"In the office. Well in Mummy and Daddy's room right when they first arrive and then into the office which Daddy is doing up at some point," it was supposed to be this weekend whilst Dianne was away with Connie but with them airing on the side of caution, in relation to standing up at dance competitions all day, the task had been pushed back yet again, not that it really mattered- as she had told Ellie- the baby would be up with them for the foreseeable anyway.

"Ooh can I sleep with you too?"

"Just the baby I'm afraid."

Eleanore lifted her head off the bump, huffed, attempted to cross her arms in such a way that reminded Dianne completely of Connie, whined and wriggled away.

That was one thing Dianne at noticed as of late, Ellie was near enough the same age Connie was when Dianne first met her, to a difference of maybe a few months and there were some quiet mannerisms that just screamed Connie. The little sassy streak for a start, it came out in Ellie when she didn't get her way or didn't like what was going on. Then there was the penchant to be independent all of the time, that included refusing help with buttons, buckles and bath time. She was also, in her moments, cuddly and sweet, maybe not to the same degree Connie had been, but certainly at some points. Lastly, she was just as cheeky, in the confines of their home, where she was comfortable, as Connie had been and Dianne was certain she would have pestered in the exact same way had she and Joe not been together.

Aside from the above though, Connie and Ellie were two pretty different people and whether that was a product of genetics, lifestyle, stability, or anything else Dianne did not know.

~~~

"No, don't worry too much, hey, it's just a quick trip to get it checked out, nothing to be scared of Con, it’s not going to ruin any 'careers' or relationships."

Through the phone screen Dianne could see a white wall that indicated a medical room of whatever dance hall her daughter's competition was being held at. She could see her daughter with tear tracks on her cheeks and a pair of hands folded together on her chest over the sparkly Latin dress. There was a hand on her head that she recognised, stroking in a rhythm that was familiar.

Connie shook her head and opened her mouth to reply but just cried. Joe's hand disappeared and his lips appeared, gently kissing her hairline, "come on Con it'll be okay."

"You don't know."

"No, we don't but we need to stay calm and get it looked at, baby."

Connie sighed and Dianne saw the hand in hers squeeze gently. "Nearest hospital is Royal Bournemouth, Callum what are we doing with you?"

"You can't leave him Joseph," Dianne said.

"No, I know. I just mean, his mum and dad are on the way down but we need to get gone so do I bring him with me or leave him with another parent or the coach?"

"Can Cal come?"

"Yes," Dianne answered, "Joe, he's your responsibility."

"I know darling okay, day bye to Mum-" he went to say Mummy but decided embarrassing her was not the best idea when she was dealing with a hurt ankle, "and Ellie."

"Bye doodle."

"Bye."

"Love you dooble."

Connie sniffed, "love you too El."

Joe lifted up the phone and walked outside of the room, "impeccable timing, we've only just got done with one cast," Ellie had tumbled over on nursery sports day and fractured her wrist.

"It might just be sprained, just keep me updated?"

"Yep, and don't you be worrying, we only called because she was all in a tizzy. Keep that baby inside okay."

"Of course. Love you."

"Love you too, enjoy your walk home."

Joe waved until Dianne and Ellie left and then pocketed the phone. "Callum, have we got everything?"

"My bag, yep, Con's bag, yep."

"And I've got my coat, you're wearing yours, anything we leave your coach can grab, I'm going to carry you Doodle, alright, you grab your ice pack whilst we get to the car and then I'll put you in the back so we can keep your leg up. Callum, if you grab the bags and follow, oh here's the keys so you unlock it and open the back door for me?"

"Yep."

"Righty," he leaned down and easily scooped Connie into his arms being careful to not touch her sore ankle, "Callum, could you let your mum know what's happened, get her to meet us at the hospital so you can go home?"

"Yep."

"Yep, yep yep, stop saying yep," Connie teased, balancing the ice pack on her head, suddenly in good spirits.

"Shut it Doodle."

"You don't get to call me Doodle."

"But it's cute."

"Her mum started calling her that just one day and it stuck," Joe explained, adjusting his arm, as they walked down the ramp out into the Bournemouth sunshine.

"I like that."

"Right kid," Joe sat Connie on the middle seat and folded his jumper, which he had left in the car onto the centre console and propped her leg up with the ice pack back on it. Following this he kissed her forehead and stepped back turning to Callum, "front or back dude?"

"Back."

"Good man," he clapped his hand onto his shoulder.

"Hey Doodle."

"Stop Cal. Wait, stop wormy, that's what your sisters call you."

"Seriously," Joe heard him say, as he put their things in the boot slowly, letting them have a moment on their own.

"Mmhmm, what's the story behind it?"

"I can't tell you that."

"I'll text Lilly," Joe saw her hold up his phone in her left hand, her right obviously back in his.

"You wouldn't."

"I would."

"Your story is cute, mine is literally embarrassing and also a bit traumatic."

"I've broken my leg."

"Don't use this against me, do not."

"Yay!" Joe heard a lip-smacking sound and he rushed around to the side of the car, but all he caught was Callum leaning away from her cheek. Perhaps he was going to lose this bet to Dianne after all.

"Ready to go, Champs?"

"Yes, so tell me Wormy."

"When I was seven #*'#&#& dared me to eat a worm."

"Did you?" Connie and Joe asked.

"It was to pick the movie for a whole month."

"You ate it, Callum," Connie hit his arm.

"Yes."

"Oh my god, I am so using that."

"You're not daring Ellie to do that; you know she would."

Connie shook her head, "no, calling him Wormy."

"Then I get doodle, or is there a more embarrassing nickname that I can use Joe."

"That's it I'm afraid."

"Oh well, anyway don't eat worms, I was so sick I wasn't well enough to watch the film so Lils and Poppy won really."

"Don't make Ellie do that, she has my stomach," Joe warned.

"I won't."

~~~

"Mama cuddles?"

Dianne smiled at her daughter, "I would love cuddles, come on let's sit on the sofa."

"No carry cuddle."

Eleanore was petite in size and easy to lift usually but her back was aching and she'd been on her feet cooking Connie's favourite food, meatball pasta, for a good forty minutes. She was going to say no, but the little begging eyes and the knowledge that their new baby would be here soon and opportunities to pick her up and cuddle her would dwindle for a while and then she'd be five and might not want the cuddles anymore.

"Uppa," Dianne lifted her, "oh my little Nelly, I love you."

"Nana calls me that."

"I know."

"I got lots of names," she said nuzzling her head further into the gap between Dianne's head and shoulder, "Eleanore, Ellie, Nelly, Duckie, Elzie, El, Bellie, Daddy calls me boo."

"It’s nice to have lots of names isn't it, its special." Dianne said, letting her rest on the protruding bump, satisfied it was feeling comfortable, the tape helping it still.

"What's your names Mama?"

"Well first if all I'm Mama and Mummy, Daddy calls me all sorts, Dianne is my real name but he calls me Dot and Dotty and then there's Darling and Love and sweetheart. We call you some of them too don't we and Tiny."

"Sunny has 2 names," Eleanore continued, looking at the dog who was never far from Dianne's feet these days. Sunny had taken to curling up on Dianne's feet, putting her nose against the bump, acting as a support dog for all pregnancy related situations. "Noodle is her best name and Sunny is her not best name. Dada calls her dog when she's naughty."

"He does," Dianne chuckled, turning to stir the sauce that was her daughter's namesake's recipe.

"Daddy doesn't have nicknames."

"Not many, mainly Joey, it used to annoy him when I called him Joey but somewhere along the way he started to like it."

"I like cake."

"Random but so do I baba, what type is your favourite?"

"Chocolate like my burfday cake."

"My favourite is lemon."

"Yucky."

"You might grow to like it at some point."

Ellie leaned back and put her hands on either side of Dianne's face, staring at her. She blinked slowly and gave a cheesy grin, "you're so beautiful my mama."

Dianne smiled, wishing she could put her hands on her daughter's face but settled for just one hand on her rosy cheeks, "thank you so much Darly-Warly, that's so nice. You're so absolutely beautiful too chicken. But I am afraid I'm going to have to put you down and continue some snuggles on the sofa or some other snuggles somewhere else."

"Why?" Ellie pouted in such a way that reminded her of Connie at her age, rosy cheeks and fluttering eyelashes.

"My back's hurting Duckle."

"It’s the baby?"

"A little bit."

"Oh okay," Ellie climbed down and patted Sunny's head, as her mummy wiggled her hips and took the sauce off the hob, "I don't like the baby."

"You will sausage, let's go and have our snuggles, are you hungry yet?"

"Nope!"

"Good, come on then, let's curl up on our beautiful comfy sofa and watch a film," she suggested, hearing Joe's voice tell her that she needed a break from standing up. That and if she looked down and tilted a certain way to see her ankles, they would be double the size, considering they were aching like they were. Ellie stood on her feet and held her hands up, indication she wanted to walk on Dianne's feet through to the lounge like they used to. Eleanore's head was against her bump and she was leaning uncomfortably but Dianne still went for it.

They got to the sofa, sat down and then realised she had a full bladder, so setting Ellie up with the remote and Netflix she clambered back up walked to relieve herself.

"Honeys?" Dianne heard forty minutes of napping on the sofa later. Ellie was still sitting against her bump watching the film and sucking her thumb.

"In here," she called, attempting to sit up, "what's the damage," she asked, as Joe arrived at the door, watching her struggle and yawn.

"Just a sprain."

"Phew, thank goodness, crutches?"

"No, she's just to hop."

"Good."

Joe came over and pushed her shoulder down, stroking her cheek where the cushion had left and indent, "keep resting."

"I've made dinner, we didn't eat though, you should have messaged, I could have put the pasta on."

"Don't worry about it, you look tired."

"Joe."

"You do, beautiful but tired."

She rolled her eyes and curled up again, their baby kicking, "they must know you're back," she took his hand from her hair and put it on the bump, "where is she, I want to give her a smush."

"She's just sad Dot, she's in the kitchen."

"Okay."

"She's okay. What is it for dinner and I'll get it on?"

"Mash for Els with her meatballs and we'll have pasta."

"Meatballs okay, I'll see if she wants to join you two."

"Mummy."

"Hi darling, come here," she shifted Ellie up to lean against her chest and patted by her tummy.

"I ruined it for Callum, we got the highest registered score and we might have won but then I-"

"Hey hey, these mistakes happen, and I bet Callum wasn't angry at all."

"Well, no but," she mumbled, stroking Dianne's bump.

"Don't worry okay." Connie nodded and curled up properly, ear against Dianne's bump, hand rubbing gently, bandaged foot dangling off the arm of the sofa. "Tired Suggle?"

"A little."

"Me too. Your brother or sister is kicking my bum."

"I'm glad we can feel them kicking."

"It’s nice, isn't it? Reassuring."

"It’s more difficult to lose the baby now, isn't it?"

Dianne paused to consider her question, trying to form an answer that didn't disappoint but also didn't give false hope, "statistically most miscarriages happen in the early stages, yes but it could still happen but we're nearing the end, aren't we?"

"Yes."

"You don't need to worry, leave it to Daddy and I, but the fact this baby is so wriggly is so helpful."

"Love you mama."

"I love you too Connie," Dianne said stroking her hair, "it's all going to be okay."

I'm so sorry it's been so long. At the moment I spend the whole day on the computer and sometimes bringing myself to write or edit is such effort. Anyway I hope you enjoyed x