16. CHRISTMAS PARTY

It's been several weeks since Dan went back to university for his second trimester. I got a call a week ago from Dan saying that I should come to Leeds for his Christmas party thing, he's been missing me or something? I agreed, which looking back was a pretty stupid thing of me to do. I might six months pregnant, but I'm not gonna miss out on seeing Dan. Sadly we established that Lana couldn't tag along, there's there's no room for her or a blow up mattress. So sure, we have each other, but we're now missing our daughter...which sucks.


But Dan got his own way, so now we both dance opposite each other. I throw my arms in the air, kinda doing the bat jive, while Dan does his weird chicken dance. I can't help but laugh while he then gives up dancing and stands still, but I shimmy to the music.


"If I was a rich girl I'd have all the money in the world." I awkwardly sing while Dan shakes his head. I guess he isn't too impressed with my Gwen Stefani impression.


That's when the song changes to one of my favourite's of all time.


"No I don't want no scrub, a scrub is a guy who can't get no love from me..." I then preceded to bite my lip while Dan looks at me with a really strange look. I wonder what he's thinking about? Something must've came to his mind...oh my god! What I'm embarrassing him in front of his new friends?! Jesus, that's not my intention. Okay...maybe I can save Dan from getting embarrassed.


I'll go to the bar and get myself a glass of water. But I still can't resist asking, just in case if he is thinking about something different. Dan's always thinking about new things...his mind is very imaginative and creative.


"What?!" I shout in his head considering this place is really loud. I've never been to a club before...and Dan literally works here. It's so weird.


"This song...I really like it."


"Babe. Tell me this isn't your first time hearing TLC?! Me and Lana always used to sing it." There was a few months where I couldn't be arsed to go to school so I stayed at home with Lana, but my parents wasn't impressed. They forced me to go back to school in the end...which sucked.


"I heard your rendition of it...but this is fucking amazing." Wow.


"Sorry I didn't impress you with my amazing singing skills." I joke, only that I am actually a tiny bit offended. But I'm also proud that Dan's coming out of his shell. I've always wanting him to stop kissing my feet every time I take a step, and it looks like my man is giving me some room. He can be so...patronising without knowing.


"You should cover it sometime...on your piano thing." I'm always forgetting what it is.


"Keyboard." Dan whines while I laugh, feeling a little stupid that I somehow forgot what a keyboard is.


"Smarty pants." I laugh while Dan wraps his arms around me.


We don't kiss or do anything romantic, not even in the pretty blue-purple neon lights. We hug hug one another...which feels really sad. "Thank you for being here. Literally everyone else has their girlfriends by their side...and I couldn't stop thinking how my wife and daughter are in London. I just..." Dan shrugs like he doesn't know what to say next, but by his body language and the tight hug...he's clearly upset.


"A house around this area can't cost more than sixty or seventy thousand, right?" I try doing the maths in my head, even though I've missed out on a shit ton of education.


"Babe..." Dan stops hugging me whilst I shake my head.


"Look at you Dan. You're fucking depressed, you joined a dangerous diet fad"—as soon as I mention something about his dramatic weight loss Dan scoffs—"and your missing your family, just as much as we miss you. I'm fucking moving me and our girls to Leeds. We'll even rent out an apartment if it's cheaper...it's just while you finish university." London will always be our home, but at the moment my home is where Dan's is.


"Okay?" I hold the side of his cheek for reassurance.


"We'll go to an estate agents tomorrow, together." I nod my head while Dan hugs me again.


"I really thought I could do this, babe. I really thought that I could completely isolate myself away from you and Lana. I can't. I don't think I ever can." If he wants to become a singer then he'll have to tour...we'll be apart again. I hate to admit it, but I know we will. My baby has a good voice, just like our girl. They're going places, I know they are.


That's when the DJ puts on "that stupid fucking ABBA song." I can't help but laugh.


"Oi, that's our stupid fucking ABBA song." With that I pull Dan to the dance floor. I need to lighten the atmosphere up...thank god for our accidental first dance song.

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