It takes two

Chapter twenty six

She shook her head, knowing she was right. "Your health is more important. We can rehearse later if you feel better, but as of now we're getting you home."

He nodded, too sick to argue. "Fine. But can we rehearse later if I'm well enough?" She smiled, appreciating his ethic and nodding.

"Yeah. Right, I'm just going to do the music." She wandered off, Joe's eyes following her for a second. Once they had their coats on, they left the studios arm in arm, Joe slightly downtrodden that they wouldn't rehearse as much, but deep down he knew that it was for the best.

///

"I may be grown up, but I still hate medicine."

Dianne chuckled, seeing Joe put the cold medicine away before joining her on the sofa again, the two having been watching the strictly series so far in hope to cheer up the mood.

"Oh I do too, but it does the trick I suppose." He leant his tired head on her shoulder, feeling her gently massage his scalp.

"Yeah. I suppose."  He sighed, looking around the apartment, it a little messy but he was too tired and sick to stress about it. "I hate being ill, and taking up rehearsal time."

She smiled, feeling him kiss her shoulder softly before turning his attention back to the screen. "As sweet as you are, you won't be able to dance on Saturday if you don't rest now, you'll just feel worse." He nodded, them both switching over so he head rested on his shoulder.

He put an arm around her, looking lovingly down at her. "Thank you Dot. For, for this."

She smiled. "It's fine, what are girlfriends for?" He chuckled, kissing the top of her head before exhaling, content despite his ill state. "Anyway, I'm going to make a tea, want one?"

"No thank you, I'll stick to water." She nodded, getting up and wandering to the kitchen. "Close the cupboards please." He smirked. She scowled, purposefully not shutting the cupboards.

"Wow Dotty." He shook his head, seeing her come over and plonk herself next to him afterwards, admiring her. Out of the three an a half billion women on the earth, this fine Australian specimen was his, a true blessing.

"Whatcha looking at?" she giggled, he didn't rid his grin, shrugging his shoulders.

"You."

///

The rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing, watching films and just passing the time before Dianne had to pick Emelia up from school. Joe hadn't gotten much better, in fact he just stayed the same much to their discontent.

They were now just laying on the sofa, both engrossed in an episode of Peaky Blinders, Joe feeling himself drift off to sleep. Dianne's phone soon pinged, a reminder that three o clock was upon them, she stood up.

"Right. I must now love you and leave you as it's three, you going to be ok?" He nodded, standing up too. He walked over to her, in need of a hug which she gave warmly, feeling him bury his head into the crook of her neck.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I might go try and sleep it off for half an hour though, do you think Em would mind too much?"

She rolled her eyes. "Don't you worry about Em, you go and rest up. I'll be back in around forty minutes."

They embraced, rocking in each other's arms for a few moments before she headed off, Joe yawning and going into his bedroom where he laid down, more or less instantly crashing out.

///

"Mama! I thought Emily was picking me up?"

Emelia was surprised to see Dianne there and not Emily, but definitely wasn't whinging. She hugged her Mum's knees before they walked out the gate hand in hand, passing all the other parents and children as they commuted.