Ronnie & Danielle

Chapter 11

Danielle Jones sat in her bedroom,the rain dripped from the window as the clouds moved in blocking any sunlight that tried to seep through. The young girl gazed round her pretty bedroom,the endless pile of soft toys stacked on her bed. The photo's and memories of holidays and school trips,stuck up on a corkboard. Danielle was now 18 years old,coping with loosing her mum,the woman that had raised her since a baby. Her father now pottered around the house,not socializing with anyone,wanting to shut the world out. There was nothing Danielle could do to stop the pain of loss,although only thinking about one thing. Her real mother,so many unanswered questions needed to be asked. Danielle got up and walked towards the mirror hanging from her wardrobe,staring at herself. She raised her hand touching her cheek,her nose,her lips,she needed to find her birth mother. After all its hard to face the world when you don't know where your face came from.

After walking Amy to Jack's flat and explaining a thousand times about bottles,and what time she should be fed,the girls were back at the Vic. Danielle had stopped to explain to Stacey that Peggy was due home and that Roxy needed her,Stacey understood assuring Danielle she would be fine on her own. Between the two of them,Roxy and Danielle had cleaned the pub,the empty bottles,the glasses had all been cleared away ready for the punters tonight. Roxy stood behind the bar,hands on hips.

"We make a pretty good team" Roxy grinned as Danielle sat on a bar stall. She looked at Roxy's body language,she smiled realizing the sister's were more alike than she thought.

"Yeah we do don't we" Danielle smiled watching her aunt pour some well deserved drinks for them both. "Do you think Ronnie's gonna be angry?" Danielle asked still feeling bad about not telling her.

Roxy placed the drink in front of Danielle,"Nah honestly she will be fine,just let me do the talking" Roxy downed the drink and wiped her mouth on her sleeve.

Danielle sipped her drink,somehow Roxy managed to calm her nerves making her feel more relaxed. Although the events of yesterday still managed to crush all thoughts of happiness and peace,but with time Danielle was sure it would all be a distant memory.

The Vic doors suddenly came to life nearly being taken off its hinges,"Roxy its me" Ronnie called banging on the door,wondering why the pub hadn't been opened yet. Danielle quickly jumped up and made her way towards the door,seeing Ronnie for the second time as her daughter.

"Hey.." Danielle spoke quietly stepping aside to let her in. Ronnie walked in picking up an empty crisp packet laying on the floor. "You missed one" Ronnie grinned scrunching the packet in her hands. Ronnie wasted no time greeting Danielle,pulling her in for the longest hug.

"Er hello I am here you know" Roxy waved her hands in air wanting to be acknowledged by her sister,Ronnie slowly pulled away kissing Danielle's cheek lightly.

Ronnie walked towards the bar throwing the crisp packet at Roxy,"Why haven't you opened up yet?" Ronnie asked placing her handbag on the bar.

"Because Ronnie,i need to talk to you" Roxy grabbed a glass,filling it with vodka.

Ronnie turned to Danielle taking the drink from her,"Drinking in the afternoon,you really are a Mitchell!" Ronnie grinned placing the glass back on the bar.

Danielle smiled at her mother's words,she was right,she was a Mitchell. No matter what anyone said,she was proud to be Ronnie's daughter,proud to be part of the family.

"What have you gone and done this time?" Ronnie sighed sitting beside Danielle,she took the drink from her sister.

"Right you promise not to get in a huff about it?" Roxy asked knowing this was near impossible,she knew Ronnie like the back of her hand.

Ronnie frowned becoming slightly worried,"Just tell me eh Rox?" Ronnie glanced at Danielle staring into the glass.

Roxy clasped her hands together,"Well Aunty Peggy is on her way home right now,infact she should be here any minute" Roxy grinned hoping for a positive response.

Ronnie glared at Roxy pausing for a moment,"What why!" Ronnie asked.

"Well I sort of told her there was some news to be told and that she needed to come home" Roxy's grin slowly faded as Ronnie continued to stare in disbelieve.

"Did you know about this?" Ronnie turned to Danielle,

"No.." Roxy quickly butted in covering for Danielle, Danielle's pounding heart instantly calmed down.

Ronnie shook her head,"And you didn't think me and Danielle would have wanted to tell her when we were ready?" Ronnie downed the vodka,the burning liquid tricking down her throat.

"I'm sorry alright,but the sooner Aunty Peggy knows about dad the better" Roxy grabbed her sister's glass re-filling it.

The thought of Archie made Ronnie's blood run cold. Evil and viscous,if there was anyway to make Ronnie's life hundred times harder Archie was first in line. Danielle was the most important person in her life now,shielding her from this man was her number one priority.

The rumble of a engine caused all 3 woman to stare at eachother silently,the thoughts of everything going wrong just after something amazing had happened was heartbreaking. Ronnie knocked back the second drink,bracing herself for a boxing match against her father. Roxy walked out from behind the bar towards the door,Danielle sensed her mother's anger and annoyance,she reached out placing her hand in Ronnie's. Ronnie's heart jumped into her throat,the small gesture from her daughter was enough to tell her that she could face anything.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Peggy stepped out from the Taxi,her white summer suit perfectly pressed and ironed,not one strand of hair out of place. Roxy quickly grabbed a suitcase whilst Peggy brushed herself down from the 2 hour cab ride.

"This better be good Roxy,me and your father didn't even get time to have the massage we paid for!" Peggy pointed out clutching on to her fake designer handbag she brought.

"Yeah well lets just get inside yeah?" Roxy pushed the door open for Peggy.

Danielle instantly felt out of place,everyone seemed to know the exciting news but Peggy. It felt almost as if Danielle was rudely intruding,sitting in her pub, sipping on a free drink. Ronnie squeezed Danielle's hand,flashing her a not to worry smile.

"Alright Aunty Peg" Ronnie mumbled,standing up to greet her.

Peggy kissed Ronnie's cheek,only wanting to know why she had been called back to grotty Walford for. The honeymoon had been paid for weeks in advance,it was the only time she was able to get away with Archie so they could spend time together.

"Yes im fine,now can someone please tell me what this is all about!?" Peggy ordered making her way behind the bar wanting authority.

Archie burst through the doors,struggling to carry two heavy suitcases,his sun hat slightly on the wonk. "That Cabbie cost me £80 quid,bloody extausion!" he joked,his smile instantly dropped as the Mitchell's sister's glared at him with hate.

Roxy bravely decided to speak,"Aunty Peg why don't you come upstairs eh?" Roxy placed her hand on the small of Peggy's back leading her to the side door. "Danielle why don't you come with us yeah?" Roxy smiled.

Danielle turned to Ronnie for reassurance,she was worried about leaving her on her own with Archie,she wanted to protect Ronnie and stand up for her no matter what she had done.

"Go on sweetie,it's ok" Ronnie brushed her hand down Danielle's cheek,causing Archie to frown and wonder what was going on.

"Alright sweetheart?" Archie smiled making his way towards Ronnie,his lips pressing against her forehead. Ronnie gritted her teeth,having this man near was enough to make her sick.

Ronnie said nothing but slowly pulled away from her father,"Bet your wondering why your home so early" Ronnie sneered making her way behind the bar distancing herself from Archie.

"What's your sister gotten herself into this time eh?" Archie chuckled taking the sun hat off.

Ronnie smiled,he had no idea what any of this was all about. He had no idea that Danielle was Ronnie's daughter,she decided to play her own game.

"Nothing,you know what Roxy's like always in trouble,even when we were kids" Ronnie forced a smile.

Archie chuckled,"Yeah,you two were such lovely little girls,golden blond hair just like your mother both of you" Archie sat on the bar stall, moving aside the empty glasses.

"Bet you didn't think we'd grow up so fast" Ronnie added staring at this horrid man,he was no father,he wasn't capable of being a loving father.

Archie smiled,"You always were beautiful,my girls!" he said his voice cheery.

Ronnie cleared her throat before speaking,"Dad,where is my Amy buried?" Ronnie blurted out unexpectedly,watching Archie instantly look at her.

"What? Why are you even bringing that up,it was a long time ago V" Archie shifted uncomfortably leaning against the bar.

Ronnie shrugged her shoulders,"Well she was my daughter,i wanna see the grave" Ronnie placed her hands on her hips,challenging Archie at his own game.

"Somewhere in London I think,a small cemetery,i cant really remember to be honest" he told her, his voice full of confidence and certainty.

"Died in the bath you said,right?" Ronnie bit her lip wanting a response,thinking about her daughter sitting upstairs,her baby.

Archie nodded,"Yes,you know what it's like,these things happen".

Ronnie paused,the anger eating away at her heart,her new heart that Danielle had filled. "Except she's not dead is she" Ronnie spoke quietly,coldly.

Archie felt himself panic,"What,of course she is Veronica!" he snapped wondering how on earth he had been found out. His brow starting to sweat,his hands shook a little.

"You were lying,you told me she was dead but you were lying" Ronnie argued watching the man under extreme pressure.

Archie shook his head once again,"No no no,i don't know where your getting this from V,i told you the girl is dead!" his voice becoming louder.

"Danielle,Danielle is my daughter" Ronnie revealed pulling her little girl's locket from her trouser pocket,she opened the locket exposing the picture of herself. "You lied,you told me she was dead!" Ronnie strained holding back the tears.

Archie sat still,he had been found out,the lies had finally caught up with him. He opened his mouth to speak,but nothing he could say could make up for 19 years of hurt and misery.

"Get out,just get out!" Ronnie screamed pointing towards the door.

Archie stood up, he needed to speak to Peggy before she found out,if she hadn't found out already. Ronnie's eyes filled with tears as she watched the color drain from his face,the panic rushing though his body. Footsteps could be heard all the way from the bar,Peggy Roxy and Danielle walked through to face Archie. The years of lies and deceit had been laid out right in front of everyone's eyes.

Long chapter,hope your enjoying this! Loads more to come :) Please review if your reading this, many thanks x