Sleep had always avoided Veronica Mitchell, whether it was because of too many bad memories, or too many worries she had never been sure. Xmas was almost here and with Archie desperate to play his many manipulating mind games everything seemed a stretch too much, besides, in reality what was it all for? What was there to get up for in the morning? It was proof more than ever, that this festive season, would be more painful than the rest.
Grabbing her glass of water from her bedside table, Ronnie rummaged through the draw to find paracetamol to cure the ever faithful, morning headache.
Archie Mitchell was always the main cause of her pain, and she hated that man with all her might, she had never managed to detach him from her life, because his main source of worming his way in was through her sister. There was no way at this point to make Roxy see sense he was too quick, too calculating, too conniving and he always seemed one step ahead, and what annoyed Ronnie the most was that he could read her like a book. The mask, the very one Ronnie wore every day was starting to crack, emotions were seeping through, and it was all down to him.
Ronnie knew full well what tonight was about, it was going to be the bash of the year, the annual Christmas Eve party, everyone was invited, and not going was out of the 'Mitchell' question.
Exciting her flat and walking through the square on towards R&R, Ronnie was amerced in her thoughts, a lot had been on Ronnie's mind of late, especially with it being Christmas only this year hit her harder than any other she had experienced, and she had no idea why. Strange dreams had been plaguing her as well as hallucinations, things had been going missing, and small reminders, things from her childhood had all been crashing together and making Ronnie paranoid.
She thought back to when all of this started, and she couldn't help but blame it on the usual suspect, yet again Roxy knew how to torment her sister, but Ronnie doubted she meant to turn her into a paranoid wreck.
2 weeks prior
Sat in the kitchen of the Queen Vic Ronnie stirred her tea, smiling at the gorgeous form of her niece.
Roxy: "Right ok, now I know this may sound silly, but I watched this programme last night on the telly and it got me thinking"
Raising a quizzical eyebrow Ronnie was wondering just what her sister could conjure up next
Ronnie: "What's that then!"
Roxy: "Ronnie i wanna go see a psychic"
Ronnie: "What! Why on earth would you want to go and do that, they are nothing but a waste of money!"
Roxy: "Yeah well i knew you were going say that, so i booked us in for 3pm this afternoon, besides it would give us some time to spend together"
Ronnie: "You did what! Of all the cheek, Roxy I do not want to go and speak to a crazy person about my past life, if I wanted to do that I would go over to the Slaters and have a conversation with Jean!"
Roxy: "Well tough, you're going, whether you like it or not and besides it will be a laugh!"
Being roped into seeing a physic did not excite her in the least, Ronnie couldn't believe how insensitive her sister was, stupid and thoughtless however Ronnie had always been a sceptic, the majority of the time always laughing at the silly stories and never believed them, and just why should she believe it now? Listening to the calming music inside the main room of 'Mystic Haven' Roxy was fiddling with all the tarot cards and candles.
Roxy: "Ay Ron, it's a bit like Mystic Megs place in it!"
Ronnie: "That's because it probably is Mystic Megs place"
Ronnie sat down thoroughly miserable, things like this never interested her in the slightest, and for some strange reason she was nervous.
Just then her thoughts were interrupted by a slightly plump lady with green eye shadow.
"Would one of you two like to come in now?"
Ronnie stood up sharply
Ronnie: I'd like to get this over and done with as quickly as possible please.
Walking into a separate room, Ronnie sat down on a wooden chair, the room was filled with candles that were all lit and the place stunk of vanilla, she felt the need to take off her jacket and relax her shoulders, she needed to get rid of a tense feeling that had plagued her since she walked through the Mystic Haven door. Just then the woman, whose eyes had been shut the entire time, opened them sharply. Ronnie gave a slight jump and she turned her head to the side, back and forth. She asked Ronnie to politely shuffle tarot cards and place them in an order of 4. Once they were laid out in perfect order she once again closed her eyes.
Ronnie's heart starting racing, she knew who she wanted to communicate with, but at the same time she couldn't bare it.
The lady opened her eyes and grabbed Ronnie's hands
"There is someone who is directly connected with you; she seems to have passed not that long ago"
Ronnie portrayed no emotion, she didn't want to give anything away, and besides she didn't know anybody who was directly connected with her who died recently!
"She tells me you have been searching for someone, and for some reason, you stopped looking a few months ago"
Again a mask, forever hidden emotion
"This person who I'm talking to she keeps saying she's sorry, she's frantic, she needs you to know that she was forced into doing what she did, and that she did the best job she could."
This was all so confusing; this woman was making no sense at all
"She says, she knows you would have done a brilliant job, but you have to look at what's in front of you, and try not to reflect so much on the past"
"Now 14, why 14? She keeps repeating the number 14, does this have any significance to you?"
Ronnie wanted to be sick, how could this woman know this? There was no way she could know. Afraid she couldn't get the words out Ronnie nodded.
"She keeps repeating, that she did the best job she could, and she hopes you will be proud"
With confusion ready to boil over Ronnie couldn't contain herself
Ronnie: "Proud of whom? who even is this person!"
The mystic lady smiled, it was a knowing smile, like she knew a secret but couldn't disclose it, and perhaps she knew the message was too much for this already fragile woman, or maybe she knew that she would discover all when the time was right. But what she did disclose was what Ronnie needed to hear.
"She's withdrawing now, but she left you with one final message and that is, keep searching, what you wished for, is round the corner".
Ronnie stood up and thanked the woman before leaving in a hurry, she had to get air. She opened the door when Roxy came round the corner.
Roxy: "What do you think you're doing?"
Ronnie: "I'm getting a cab, I'll see you back at the vic!"
Roxy: "Ron, are you ok!"
Ronnie: "Yeah Ron I'm fine honest, just a bit much that's all, go in and see what she says!"
Two weeks went by and Ronnie had always felt on edge ever since, she was so confused by the ladies words, and also by the spirit talking to her. Who was it supposed to be? Ronnie's mother had left straight away after her baby was born. She was apparently in Australia if it was her then why didn't dad say anything? Bringing it up after advice from a spiritual lady would make her sound crazy, especially if she probed Archie over it, she supposed that something's are just better left unsaid.
However that day made her question everything so much more, Ronnie had always been a sceptic but she knew her dad was capable of anything, surely not informing them of their mother's death would be a stretch too far, and then there were the comments that made no sense. It just couldn't have been true. However there were some pieces of evidence that stuck out, like the number, but Ronnie decided she could have just guessed, numbers always mean something to people, But then there was the last message, it did scare her a bit, that last sentence wouldn't have been so bad, but it was the way in which the mystic lady stared at her. It was like she was burning it into her very soul.
Still heading over to R&R she had no recollection of who was passing by as Ronnie was so into her thoughts. However she switched on when she spotted her father heading towards her, immediately she stiffed up and turned her guard on.
Archie: "Hello V, you coming to the Christmas party tonight?"
Ronnie: "Do i have much choice"
Archie: "Well you always have a choice in the matter V, just never had much strength to carry it through"
Ronnie: "I'll be there, but it won't be for you, just Roxy ok"
The mention of Roxy added an extra pinch to Ronnie's point, it never failed.
Archie: "Well i hope you come with your best face on, remember, you never convince your old dad!"
The laugh that finished his spiteful sentence always ran a chill down Ronnie's back, but this caused Ronnie to walk with vengeance, the end was coming, it was in the air, she could smell it.
Walking through the market stalls and finally reaching her destination was R&R, Ronnie's safe little haven, one thing that she could throw herself into and be proud of.
Walking into her office, everything smelt like bleach, the whole place stunk of it, the new cleaner always wafted it around like it was a new perfume. It was very disruptive.
After listening to ADELE on repeat for the last hour and countless DJ bookings, and then the overlook on takings, it was decided that a deserved Vodka and Diet Coke was most defiantly on the cards. Things were looking bright for the small club, and with a massive New Year bash that will be the biggest Walfords ever seen, and takings that were surprisingly high, things were finally starting to look up.
Ronnie made her way to the bar and filled up her glass of Vodka with just the perfect amount of Diet Coke, being a good barmaid was bread into her, and constructing a good drink was her art.
Interrupting her pleasant thoughts were the sound of subtle and gentle steps making there way towards her, Ronnie didn't bother to look up, after all Walford was a small place, always the same people, never really a different face.
Ronnie: "Where closed"
When there was no reply, Ronnie looked up and took a sip of her drink.
The strange figure couldn't be clearly seen in the dim light of the club, and it took a few moments for Ronnie to focus in on the stranger. For a second she was safe in the knowledge that this was Jack, but as her eyes focused, he was too fair to be Jack, and finally his face came into the light, and in that clear instant, shear astonishment was all that Ronnie knew. This was a face from the past, one that was locked away in the deep part of her memory that can only be erected in the darkest of moments, a face that she dared to find again, in hope of discovering the truth but failed at the final hurdle. The face that promised her the world, but couldn't deliver. And finally, and possibly hardest of all, the face her baby girl inherited.