---Hiya! Thanks for the reviews, make me happy happy! Here's another little update for you...
Ronnie thumped down the stairs after having cleaned her cousin up and plonked a cup of coffee in front of him. A worried looking Ben was sitting on the bottom step and Ronnie sat down beside him.
"He'll be ok. Just give him a wide berth for a bit. Don't worry." She smiled, ruffling his hair. He smiled back and thanked her, before racing back up the stairs. She stood up slowly, still wondering what on earth she was going to do. She was just about to open the door to leave when Tracey ran through, shouting her name.
"Ronnie? The police called earlier, but Phil was...unavailable. They've released Roxy's body, you're free to arrange the funeral. Sorry, love." She said with a sad smile. She put a hand on Ronnie's arm and went back to the bar.
Ronnie fell back down onto the step, tears streaming down her cheeks. She couldn't do it on her own, she couldn't arrange her baby sister's funeral. Ever since that night she'd been shoving her feelings under the carpet, unwilling to let them take over. If they did she wouldn't be able to cope, and she couldn't do that to Danielle.
She sniffed back a few more tears and stood up, walking over to the address book that was on the table in the hall. She found the number she was looking for and scribbled it down, praying for help.
Danielle bounced Amy up and down on her knee, giggling along with her cousin. She couldn't believe that all this was actually happening. She was still half expecting a shouting match every time Ronnie opened her mouth. She felt her phone vibrate against her leg and pulled it out of her pocket. A message from Stacey.
He finger hovered over the buttons, debating the pros and cons of reading or deleting it. Before she could stop herself, she opened it, frowning as she read it.
"Hey Dan, Im sorry. Really sorry. You ok? Xxxx"
She hit reply, then found she had no idea what say. She wanted her friend back more than anything, but it was like there was a huge brick wall between them, and Danielle didn't know what to do. She switched the phone off and turned back to Amy, trying desperately to hold back tears.
She felt so lonely. She wished Ronnie would hurry up and get back. As complicated as things were between them, she was now the only person Danielle had. Amy's crying pulled her from her thoughts. She got up and bobbed around with her, singing softly to her.
Ronnie opened the door, stopping as she watched her daughter singing to her niece. She smiled, Danielle was a natural. She felt like hitting herself, why did she let her go through with the abortion? Her smile fell away as she realised once again how much damage she'd done to her baby.
Danielle looked round and smiled brightly at her mother, then noticed her mood. She seemed so sad.
"What's wrong?" Danielle asked softly, walking over to her mother. Ronnie looked up at her, slightly misty-eyed, and tried to force a smile.
"Um..." Should she tell her about Phil? "I have to sort Roxy's funeral soon...and...uh...I don't think Phil's in any position to be helping Peggy right now..."
"What do you mean?" Danielle asked, grabbing her mother's hand and leading her to the couch.
"He's drinking again...Ben found him passed out this morning." Ronnie said, running her fingers through Danielle's hair.
"Oh...what are we gonna do about Archie then?" Danielle said, trying to avoid asking about Roxy. She really didn't want to upset Ronnie.
"I've called Grant, Phil's brother. He's on his way home now." She said, taking Amy from Danielle's arms and pulling her close. She knew it was probably just her imagination, but she smelled like Roxy.
"Where is he?"
"Rio."
"Oh...what...what's happening with Roxy's funeral?" Danielle ventured, lowering her gaze to the ground.
"I, um, I dunno...I don't really want to think about it, you know?" Ronnie whispered, kissing the top of Amy's head.
"I could help...if you want? I dunno...I just want to help..." Danielle mumbled, still unable to look at her mother. Ronnie placed her fingers under Danielle's chin and lifted it, looking into her eyes.
"I know." She kissed her daughter's forehead and stood up. "I have to call the funeral director. You be ok with her for a bit longer?"
"Yeah, course." Danielle smiled. She just wanted to take away all of Ronnie's hurt.
"Have you spoken to Stacey yet?" Ronnie shouted through from the kitchen. Danielle sighed, knowing she had to be honest, Ronnie had been nothing but honest to her.
"No...I dunno what to say."
Archie locked the door behind him, whistling softly as he descended the stairs. He was off out to pick up some dinner for him and Peggy, Chinese he though. He knew she'd rather he went a proper shop, got some food for her to cook for him, but they were on their honeymoon, it was his job to spoil her. He popped into the little shop down the road and picked up a paper, flicking through it absently as he waited in the queue. He stopped on a page near the middle, a small black and white photo catching his eye. It was Peggy. He scanned through the story, a look of horror growing on his face.
He quickly paid for the paper and ran back to the flat. He burst in the door and slammed it behind him, locking it and pulling the chain across. He looked around frantically, shouting Peggy's name.
"Where are you? You stupid..." He stopped when Peggy appeared from the bathroom, drying her wet hair.
"What's going on, Archie?" Peggy asked, mildly amused by his neurotic state. The control freak was losing it. That amusement soon turned to fear, as it became clear something had snapped.
"Who have you been talking to? Hmm? Who have you told?!" He shouted, stalking towards Peggy with the paper rolled up in his fist.
"What? What are you on about?" She asked, frowning in confusion. When he'd left five minutes ago he was sweetness and light, she wondered what had changed.
"Have you been speaking to that daughter of mine? Stupid girl, always meddling in other people's business....who have you told?!"
"What do you mean 'who have I told'? You're the only person I've spoken to in days, it's just been you and me, just like you wanted!" Peggy cried, trying desperately to calm him down. After the things he'd done to his own daughter she had no idea what he was capable of.
"Well you must have told someone...how else would they know? Have you been speaking darling Phil? Is that it?" He fumed, thumping the paper off the back of the couch.
"Know what?" She asked calmly, putting a hand on his arm.
"How else would the police think that you're missing?! It's in the paper and everything...they're looking for you...but there's nothing wrong, right? We're on our honeymoon!"
---Well there you go! Probably won't be able to update over the weekend as I'm working, so I'll try and get another bit up tonight, if not...I'm sorry!! Thanks for reading, Fiona x
