More Than You, More Than Me

Always

2022

Throughout her life Dianne had sadly discovered she possessed not talent at sleeping in. It didn't matter how late she had been up the day before, or how hard she had been working for months, her body would rarely let her sleep past nine o'clock. So she was unsurprised to find herself awake with the dawn on mother's day- apparently the one day she should sleep in. Of course, her fiance Joe gave her ample opportunity to sleep in but she just couldn't manage. Even when she had miscarried and had a d and c the day before she was awake at six am, upset but awake.

The redhead rolled over, yawning, her eyes still shut in false hope that she may just be able to fall back to sleep. As always, she hit a barrier that smelled of a familiar ceaderwood and nutmeg and immediately lifted her head so it left the soft pillow and settled on his chest. Admitting she may not fall back to sleep, despite the occasion, she opened her eyes and understood why she had woken up- the sun was shimmering through their curtains which Joe had forgotten to shut when he had come to bed, having had a late night phone call with 'New York'. He did this regularly, they lived in a house offset from a road that didn't have streetlights. However it was annoying to Dianne who couldn't ignore the sun as he could. He was case in point in that moment, as she stretched a sleepy hand across his chest to setting in the grooves between his ribs- he was fast asleep with a ray of sun almost directly on his face.

"Joey " She tempted, as she always would when she woke up, "Joey, can I have a coffee?"

Joe replied with incoherent mumbles and a great big snore, which Dianne felt rumble through his chest. "Please Joey, it's my day."

"Say again," he croaked and she felt his hand on the top of her head.

"Can I have a coffee, for mother's day?"

"Absolutely," he mumbled, "twen'y mins sweetheart."

Dianne groaned and lightly hit his chest, "I may as well go myself."

"No don't," the hand that was always on her back when she was lying on her side squeezed her tighty against his body.

"Please, I really want one, before El wakes up."

"Just ten more."

"Joseph," she threatened, wriggling from his grip.

"Okay, alright," he said, glanced at his phone which read 6:30 and got up, "happy mother's day Darlin'."

"Thank you," Dianne pulled his hand which was stroking her cheek to her lips.

"Try and fall back to sleep hmm?" Joe knew Dianne had stayed teetering on the edge of consciousness until he came to bed the night before just so she could properly say goodnight and not at five pm when he had entered his office for the meeting.

"That's impossible," she whined, dramatically rolling onto her back.

"Just close your eyes then, pretend to be asleep for the girls."

"They're still asleep no?"

"Doodle was up at five, she came for a wee up here and tried to get me up."

"Oh,"

"I covered your ears so you didn't wake up," he shrugged and left her be with a glance back.

~~~

"Hello!"

"Good morning beautiful girl," Dianne cooed, putting her glasses on so Connie slid into focus. She was holding Eleanore's hand and Joe was following behind with what looked like a tray of breakfast, "hello Eleanore Alice, did you sleep well?"