More Than You, More Than Me

No Use Crying Over Spilled... Coffee?

2019

(Edited after I posted...) I have just realised this may be a bit confusing. This chapter is based on the first time Connie met Mark and Rina. It might help to read the passage below from my chapter 'Communication' in For All Eternity, in order to help you understand what's going on!

'This naturally pushed Rina to think about the little girl who was much lighter than her parents. Connie didn't seem to have a care in the world past what flavour Mark's surprise icelolly was, how Rina had known she liked Peppa pig and whether Santa would be able to deliver presents to their house. This, Rina noted, was an almost stark contrast to when they had first met Connie. The first day she and Mark had met Joe's daughter, 2 days into their trip, she had just come back from visiting her grandparents and had apparently had a funny run in with her maternal grandmother. Joe had explained it in a disjointed way but Rina found out that that had been the first contact Connie had had with anyone on her mother's side of the family since the court case when she was a baby. He had explained how apparently this grandmother had seen his mum and daughter, crossed over the high street and fallen to her knees crying at Connie's feet. The whole situation had naturally spooked Connie and brought up a lot of questions that she had never asked before. Questions that a five year old should never have the opportunity to consider let alone ask. Rina remembered feeling so sorry for the tiny little girl who took more than a few days to warm up and smile. Connie was grieving the last time they saw her, but to today she seemed to be light an airy just the way a 5 year old should be. This time the grief was in someone else's eyes.'

Hope this helps...

"Bye love. Take it slow," Dianne said, kissing her boyfriend gently, still adorned head to toe in pyjamas- well, his comfy clothes that she had strategically stolen and merged into her own. This morning it was a nirvana shirt and a pair of his pyjama bottoms, tied tightly so they sat on her hips. Joe, who was, in contrast, fully dressed, had a deep frown on his usually light face, indicating, to anyone that looked at him, something wasn't right. Or rather, something was causing him a great deal of concern. "Take it slow, and hold her tight as possible. She knows you love her. We'll be more than alright," she reiterated, kissing his slender cheek this time, squeezing his hand. He nodded and let go, sliding a lemon coloured bag, with a bold smiley face onto his shoulder. The father turned to look back at his girlfriend once more giving a small wave, as the lift ticked into place and the doors opened wide.

"Come on universe," Dianne mumbled, on her way to make a strong cup of coffee, Joe now whizzing down to the carpark, "please let her be okay."

Coffee, was about all she felt like she could manage, she missed her little Connie so much already, especially because she had gone straight from tour to New York with Joe to collecting her parents from the airport. It had been at least two weeks since they had seen each other, so hugs were a given need, but especially when one considers the, quite frankly, brutal ordeal she, their little Connie that is, had gone through the previous day. Hence, Joe was on his way to get her so he'd be there when she woke up from an apparently nightmare infested sleep, a day earlier than originally planned.

"Morning Dot," her mum said, entering the room with a towel on her shoulders, drying her hair.

"Hi mum," Dianne sighed, her half-drunk coffee gone cold in her endless spiral of worried thoughts.

"Oh, what's up, Darl?" Rina instantly knew there was something wrong with her daughter, not to mention the boy who had been attached to her hip at every moment, pretty much, was curiously nowhere to be seen or heard.

"Connie. Yesterday, something happened, not like physically, she's fine but Joe's gone to get her. I don't, I," Dianne stuttered out, faltering as she wasn't sure how much she could or should explain to her parents.