Two Become Three- A Joanne Story

Daddy's Under The Weather

Dianne hurried down the path to a white door, clutching the piece of paper in her hand. She had no coat on, and was shaking but the circumstances that had lead her to be there were less than ideal, do the cold November weather would have to do. When she reached it, she hastily knocked on the door and stepped back, waiting, a ball of nerves.

"You must be Dianne, for Connie, Joe rang ahead?"

"Oh yes, I'm sorry I'm so late, it's been a little hectic," Dianne said, stepping in from the cold, she looked around, "where is she and we'll get out of your hair?"

"Oh no bother, she's fallen asleep watching the TV, I think she's still a little under the weather, didn't eat a great deal." The older woman said, gesturing to Connie who was asleep on a beanbag.

"Bless her, how much extra do we owe you for staying late?" Dianne asked, as she signed the register. She hadn't even realised she had referred to herself and Joe as we, it had just slipped out naturally.

"Nothing, it's on me, do you want to pick her up and I'll get her stuff?" She asked, getting Connie's bag that had been waiting on a table for half an hour, the little girl already had her coat on.

"Are you sure you won't take anything? You've been waiting an extra hour," Dianne pointed out, as she crouched down and picked Connie up, laying her on her shoulder.

"Seriously, don't worry."

Dianne held her free arm out for the bag, Connie was so light she was easy to carry one handed, "thank you ever so much."

"Not at all, see you," Connie's afterschool club teacher waved.

"Bye," Dianne said and hurried back up the path, trying to get Connie out of the cold as quick as possible.

"Dianne?" Connie asked, as she woke up in the car.

"Hi sweetheart, we're nearly home." Dianne explained, stroking her hair.

"Where Elise or Daddy? No one got me from afterschool club," She asked yawning, leaning on Dianne's arm.

"Sorry about that Poppet, Daddy isn't very well, I think he's poorly like you," Dianne told her, she was filled with worry.

"Is Nanny with him then?" Connie asked, she was waking up a bit more.

"No, Nanny's at home, I'm going to look after you and him tonight, is that alright?" Dianne asked her, starting to gather her stuff as the driver turned into the complex.

"Yeah, so is Daddy sickie?"

"I'm afraid so darl, he might be asleep when we get in," Dianne warned her, as she lifted Connie out of the car.

"I tired, can you lift me?" Connie stopped walking, letting go of Dianne's hand.

"Of course baby, how are you feeling today, is your belly still sore?" Dianne asked, remembering what Mrs Callun had told her earlier.

"A bit, so does Daddy have a grumpy belly too?" Connie asked, pressing the button in the lift.

"I think so, it's quite upset, are you hungry?" Dianne was trying to gauge how she was feeling.

"No, I didn't eben eat my snack," Connie told her, holding onto her neck.

"Oh no, you're appetite seems to still be gone, did you eat your lunch?" Dianne asked her, as she unlocked the apartment, Joe was upstairs. Connie shrugged her shoulders and got down.

"I find Daddy," Connie said, starting up the stairs.

"Quietly Connie, he might be asleep remember, try not to wake him up." Dianne said, as she opened Connie's lunch box to see she hadn't eaten much. This unfortunately meant she needed to go and speak to Joe.