"Why are there so many...song about rainbows, and what's on the other side..."
As he lead her around the room that Tuesday morning, every time they touched seemed to make the butterflies in his stomach float faster, higher and make him feel as though he was floating on air. Even in the times as simple as when their hands would clasp in a ballroom hold, she would feel like she too was floating on air, and that the sky was the limit when it came to how much she loved him, how much they loved each other.
They had truly found their rainbow connection.
"The lovers, the dreamers and me..."
They finished their run sat on a makeshift log with their heads rested on top of each other, Joe taking a deep breath. Weather it would be a sigh of relief or regret, he would soon find out. "That was good, probably the best you've done it."
He sighed with relief. "Thank you, I did notice my frame go horribly wrong in the middle, it'll be better next time, as long as my shoulders behave themselves." Dianne chuckled.
"What you going to do, put them in the naught corner?" Joe laughed but nodded.
"Definitely." He read the clock on the wall, twelve thirty. "Lunch or another run?"
"Another run, and then yes, we will have lunch." He nodded, not too bad. She pressed play on the music before sprinting to her starting position. This dance meant an awful lot to Dianne, to them both, so Joe knew that it was paramount he tried his absolute hardest.
"All of us, under its spell. We know that it's probably, magic..." They were waltzing around in a loose embrace, gazing lovingly into each other's eyes, the chemistry vivid. This was cut short by Dianne's phone buzzing, both of them groaning.
"This happens way too often!" Joe laughed as he went to get some water, seeing his girlfriend walk over to answer the phone. She too was in amusement.
"I hate to say it, but it's true, and it's...the school?" She furrowed her eyebrows, putting the phone to her ear.
"Hello?" After she finished the phone call, she put her head in her hands, a little stressed.
"Emelia's inset day reminder, I forgot." she was clearly agitated that her memory wasn't on her side. Joe went over, wanting to help the situation along. "Do, do you mind if we bring her in?"
Joe shook his head. "Course not. Besides, Zoe is coming for the VT, she hasn't met Zoe before, has she?" Dianne sighed with relief, and also smiled at the thought of Emelia and herself meeting Zoe for the first time. They had told Zoe about them more or less straight away, and she was so excited for her brother, who she had never seen have a relationship, let alone one with someone with a child.
"No, I reckon she'll love her, even I haven't met Zoe. What's she like?" The two stood by the music box, casually holding one of their hands together as though it were totally normal for dance partners to do this.
"She's amazing, she's funny too, and has great fashion sense. You both will love her, trust me."
"I can't wait."
///
"We're back." Dianne exclaimed as the two entered the apartment. Byron had been kind enough to watch Emelia while they rehearsed, and now he was just sat watching some David Attenborough while Emelia did some drawing. Said drawing was short lived when she jumped up to see them both, giving them both hugs in turn.
"You're back! Did you dance good?" They both quickly sat down in the living room, casually cuddling. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, smiling as he felt one of her hands intertwine her fingers with his. It was sweet, and Byron saw it.
"Yes he danced very well, he's becoming a right little dancer, aren't you Joseph?" she smiled over at him, seeing him smile back.
"I hope I am, I'd love us to get really far in the competition." They both watched Emelia go back to her drawing, concentrating like her life depended on it.
"Me too, I think we will. We've got some stiff competition though, Stacey and Kevin seem to be doing brilliantly. They're doing the samba this week."
"Oh are they, not going to lie, I'm dreading the samba. I think I'll stick to ballroom thank you very much." She laughed, remembering to remind Emelia about the inset day tomorrow.
"Angel, do you remember what day it is tomorrow?" She looked up, counting the days on her fingers.
"Wednesday?" Joe and Dianne both laughed. "Is that not it?"
"It is, but tomorrow it's inset day, which means you'll be coming to the studio with us, is that alright?" Dianne asked, before Emelia pouncing on her and giving her a hug. I think it's safe to say Emelia was extremely pleased.
"Yay! I get to see you both dance in the studio!" They both nodded.
"Also, Joe's sister is coming because she's filming something for the show, her name is Zoe. You may have seen some of her videos." She shook her head but grinned.
"Oh okay. I'm very very very excited." She bounced off, back to her drawing. The drawing was taking shape of appropriately, a rainbow. "Can you do your dance?"
"Maybe tomorrow, we're both a bit tired. So what you drawing?" Dianne reasoned, she was pretty tired herself. Emelia held up the paper, all three adults giving approving looks.
"Em is picking me up in ten, shes just left now." Byron had been texting her, half focused on that and half focused on how domestic the atmosphere around him was, delighted for his friend.
"Oh alright. She good?" Byron nodded at Joe, going to get a few of his things from his room, leaving the three of them in the living room.
///
Not long after Byron had left, Dianne had decided to get on the phone to Rina. She had kept her updated on things regarding both Strictly and her relationship with Joe, both delighting her. Dianne was making shepherds pie for tea while Joe tried his very hardest to put Emelia's hair into two plaits.
"G'day Dot, hows everything?" Dianne held the phone to her ear, resting it there with her shoulder.
"Great. Just cooking Emelia's favourite, shepherds pie. Joe's attempting to plait her hair bless him, it's the other strand Joe."
Rina smiled, imagining how Dianne must be feeling in that moment. "That's lovely. To think you guys were partnered on a dance show, and now, well...it's just wonderful isn't it."
Dianne sighed contently, agreeing with every fibre of her being. "It is, very wonderful. Zoe, his sister is coming to film for the VT, I'm kind of nervous." she went quiet at the end, but not quiet enough for Joe not to hear.
"Don't be, you'll be fine love." Dianne was a little more relaxed at his reassuring words, hearing her mum chuckle over the phone.
"I think he heard you."
"I think he did too." "Hows everyone? How's Mia and Billy?"
"Good, Mia is really getting good at her keyboard. Does Emelia have any hobbies at all?"
"She loves her drawing, and I'd love to stay and chat but I am terrible at multitasking." Joe had just finished up plaiting Emelia's hair and now was making his way over to Dianne, reasonably pleased with himself, he wasn't as bad as he thought after all.
"Oh no problem. Tell Joe and Emelia I said hello, and I'll speak to you later." He grabbed a tea towel, beginning to dry up some cutlery efficiently, Emelia bouncing over too.
"Alright ma, love you."
"Love you too." She put the phone down, going over to help Joe with the dishes. "I'll put these away, but where do they go?" He chuckled, showing her where everything went. She put them away, but failed at shutting the cupboards after herself, something she had always done. Joe shook his head, grinning as she came back to him.
Emelia had requested that Joe do bedtime that night, something that warmed Dianne's already loving heart. They had just finished up reading one of her books that she had brought over, and she was cuddled into him and on the verge of sleep, her little eyelids hovering.
He smiled at her, something coming to mind. "Why are there so many, songs about rainbows, and what's on the other side..." He sang softly, feeling her grow a little heavier at the lullaby. As he continued to sing, she drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
"Someday, we'll find it, the rainbow connection, the lovers, the dreamers...and me." He finished, she was now fast asleep, barely moving. He moved off, walking around to kiss her goodnight.
"Goodnight Emelia."
Dianne was laid in bed that night, almost asleep but waiting for Joe to come out of the shower, scrolling through her phone. There were pictures from the girls, texts from Amy, the lot. He soon enough came out, his gleaming white towel hung low around his waist, giving her full view of his upper body, what a sight.
She didn't realise she had been staring until she saw him smirk over at her, he really wasn't making this any easier for her. "Like What you see?"
She smiled shyly. "Maybe just a little." As she said this he climbed into bed next to her, placing his phone down on his bedside table. They both laid their heads down, facing each other. "You ready for tomorrow?"
"Yeah, Zoe said she'd be there around nine." she nodded, resting her hand in his under the duvet before feeling him intertwine their fingers.
"Okay." she said quietly. "I'm going to sleep, I'm exhausted." she kissed his lips for the last time that night, rolling over to face the wall before he cuddled close to her, pressing little kisses to her neck before they both fell asleep contently.
"MORRRNING! We're going to see Zoe today! Woohoo!" Emelia had clearly woken up full of energy, skipping into the room. They both opened their eyes, Dianne removing her head from his shoulder.
"Oh morning angel, next time can you knock please?" Joe woke up in that moment, the two of them sitting up more or less in the same position. Emelia quickly went over to the door, knocking on it. Dianne rolled her eyes, yawning. Joe checked the time, seven o clock.
"Sorry. I'm just really excited." They both smiled tiredly, patting for her to sit on the bed, she did.
"I'm sure she's excited to see you too, have you been awake long?" Joe asked, wondering if she had been awake. She shook her head.
"Only ten minutes."
"Oh not too long then, Shall we get up and get started on breakfast then?" Dianne asked, Emelia nodded and skipped merrily out the door, very hyper considering it was one minute past seven in the morning. The two of them sighed, turning to each other and capturning each other's lips, Joe's hand coming to rest on her cheek, his thumb feeling right where her dimple sat. Meanwhile one of her hands cane to rest on his torso, feeling his skin under hers before they pulled apart.
"Morning." they both said in unison, chuckling before going in for a second kiss.