It takes two

Chapter five

"So you looking forward to starting dancing with Joseph, he was really good in rehearsals, Janette was saying how he was a quick learner." Dianne couldn't help the small hint of pink that crept up on her neck, but luckily Amy didn't say anything.

"Yeah, he's really funny so hopefully we will have a lot of fun too. Great sense of humour." Amy grinned, Emelia coming out of the changing room dressed in her shirt.

"Mama says he's really cute too, she was saying it last night."

Amy gasped, Dianne dead in the face and biting her lip. This was quite the revelation.

"Emelia Rose Buswell! I really wish you would stay Shtum sometimes." Emelia grinned, an innocent smile on her face.

"Whoops, Sorry mama. I didn't know it was a secret. I won't do it again, pinky promise." Amy had to refrain from dying of cuteness, or bursting into tears then and there. Adorable.

Dianne pinky promised, winking at Amy. "It's okay, you didn't know. You are adorable angel. And I'd say that fits, please change back now." Emelia nodded and went back into the cubicle. She had a few attempts and shutting the curtain, seeing her put all her effort into a small task was what made her even cuter.

Amy sighed, jumping on the spot and clapping her hands in awe. "That's so cute!"

"Who, Joe or Emelia?"

///

"How is my prima ballerina?" Joe scowled at Caspar, having decided to pay his best friend, business partner and ex roommate a visit on his free Sunday, before all the Strictly madness would begin. Joe and Caspar had been on quite the journey together, from moving in together way back 2014 and starting up a prank war to owning a talent management company together and both having livelihoods which they adored, it was a journey that had bonded them forever.

"Shut up. Yeah, I'm good. How is my favourite pineapple?" Caspar scowled, messing Joe's hair up a bit. Why was Caspar called a pineapple? His hair.

"Shut up. I'm alright, me and Ambar have been going strong so yeah, I'm fine. She's going into her final year of university, English I think." Ambar was Caspar's girlfriend, and as well as incredibly beautiful she was incredibly smart, ticking all of his boxes.

"Oh nice, Mikey went to uni, didn't he?"

"Yeah, the only one out of our group, but he still can't spell." Both men laughed, flopping onto the sofa in the apartment. Ambar soon joined them, seating herself on the other side of Caspar.

"Hey babe, Oh Hi Joe, Strictly starts properly tomorrow, doesn't it?" Joe nodded, smiling as he remembered who his partner was, the beautiful red head. They had gotten to know each other a bit at the launch show, but he couldn't help but yearn to learn more about her.

"Yep, and I have no idea what dance I'm doing either. I hope it's a ballroom one, that seems to be more up my street than the samba, or whatever it's called, I'm not the best at names."

"Oh, well you'll soon find out. Your partner, are you going to tell us or make us wait?" Caspar looked at Joe with pleading puppy dog eyes, pouting his bottom lip, looking like a child. Joe tapped the end of his nose, grinning. Caspar sighed heavily, sitting back.

"You're so annoying Joe."

"Love you too Mate."

"Anyway, so I remember Byron mentioning a party of some sort, as your birthday is the same day as the launch, what are we thinking?" Ambar joined the conversation, resting her head on Caspar's shoulder. It was lovely for Joe to see Caspar so happy and so comfortable with someone, having seen his journey as a person and knowing that he had truly fallen for Ambar, Joe had described him as smitten, which hopefully wouldn't come back to bite him. He knew that the day he got a girlfriend, he had it in for him from all the boys.

"I'm thinking of having one, I think it would be good. I've never really had a house party, I don't really know what to expect to be honest." Amber chuckled, reminiscing over freshers week, how wild it was. Caspar chuckled too, reminiscing over when Ambar had told him all her stories of said freshers week.

"It will be a night to remember. I mean, back in freshers week, it was wild, but everyone who will attend has jobs and things so I doubt it will be as wild as that, it will be brilliant though."

"Yeah, ill tell the boys and everyone today, give people enough notice. I'll text the Strictly lot too, and while I do, Casp?"

"Yes my twinkle toes?" Ambar burst out laughing, almost falling on the floor but Caspar quickly catching her, preventing any potential injuries, laughing himself. Joe couldn't help but laugh as well.

"One, if you say that again I swear to god! Second of all, may I have a drink?" Caspar sighed, regaining his composure while getting up and heading into the kitchen.

"Cheers mate, you're a legend." While they all chatted and listened to music, just chilled out in general, Joe made the decision to text the Strictly lot.

///

"Oh that's a nice headband, do you want to get it?" Amy asked Emelia, who was trying on a blue headband with a bow that matched her uniform perfectly, admiring it in the mirror.

While in the UK, the strictly professionals were like a cohort of Aunties and Uncles, who all cared for the girl immensely. She was like a miniature version of Dianne, so how could they not love her. She was particularly close to her Auntie Janette and Auntie Amy, both of whom were like her second and third mums. As for dads, Emelia didn't have one but Dianne made sure to surround her with Male role models, people to look up to in different aspects, although not one person seemed to fill those shoes. Yet.

"Yeah, It's very pretty. Mama?" Dianne waltzed over, although Amy wanted to buy it for Emelia, something nice for her best friends little one.

"No don't be silly angel, I'll get it for you."

"Ames, I can't let you do that." Dianne chuckled and tried to get the headband, which Amy put on her head, which made her laugh a little.

"Yes you can, I insist, Right, is there anything else we need to get?" Dianne shook her head, grabbing some hairties which would come useful to both Emelia and herself, before they started to walk.

"Thanks Ames." Amy smiled over at her, the two girls linking arms and bounced off a few metres ahead. Dianne's phone pinged, she checked it quickly and smiled like an adorable child at the name that appeared on screen.

Hey Di, having a birthday/launch party on Saturday and was wondering if you and the pros wanted to come, and hope your day off has been alright. Can't wait to start dancing, - Joe.

"What's up?" Dianne shook her head, trying to rid herself of the red on her skin that was becoming more and more frequent nowadays.

"Joe's invited us all to his birthday and launch party. I'd love to go but what about Emelia, all the babysitters have probably gotten bored of her by now, you know." Amy had an idea.

"My neighbour, Judy, she's amazing with kids, I'm sure she'll be more than happy to watch her if I put a word in. You deserve a night out, especially with you know who." Amy winked, earning a gentle slap from Dianne.

"Oi! You...go and sit in the naughty corner, go on, off you pop." She tried to be serious but failed miserably, and soon enough both women were stumbling to the till in deep laughter, Dianne sighing, half out of breath and half relieved. "And thanks Ames, I haven't been to a party in ages!"