Hey guys- I just want to thank you all for the lovely reviews I received for the last chapter, I am really glad that you's are still enjoying this story. Dodger5339- I have took your comment on board about what the agency would have told Danielle and hopefully this might come to light in a future chapter.
Thank you all once again- happy reading xx
"I'm pathetic, look at me no wonder you were so ashamed" Danielle hung her head deeply into her shoulders finally understanding her mothers past rejection. Ronnie couldn't believe her ears as her daughter spoke those words - guilt riddled her body as she realised the extent she had emotionally scarred her beautiful baby.
"Danielle look at me, please" Ronnie pleaded choking back the tears, she placed her hand to her daughters face, stroking her cheek as if memorising the delicate touch of her baby's skin, she guided her hand to her daughters chin, lifting her tear stained face and looked her directly in the eye.
"Danielle I need you to listen to me, can you do that?" Danielle nodded feebly noticing the determined tone in her mothers voice.
"Danielle I need you to know, I could never be ashamed of you never, you are everything I want my daughter to be, everything I wish I could be…." Danielle looked at Ronnie, she had never seen her so open, exposed but here she was, saying and doing all the right things.
" Baby, I am so sorry for all the pain I have caused you but I promise to tell you everyday how proud I am of you and how much I love you" Ronnie prayed she hadn't over stepped the mark with her fragile daughter but all fears subsided as Danielle wrapped her arms tightly around Ronnie's waist "I love you mum" Danielle whispered loud enough for Ronnie to hear, a smile crept on her face while tears brimmed in her eyes- " I love you too baby, you are my world".
"Danielle I know your in there, you cant keep ignoring me, I am your best friend" Stacey had being banging on Ronnie's flat door for just over five minutes "I am not leaving until you talk to me" with that the front door swung open to where an extremely agitated Ronnie appeared with a hand on her hip.
"She doesn't want to see you Stacey" before Ronnie could finish her sentence Stacey had managed to barge past her and ran up the stairs to the front room.
"what the hell are you playing at Danielle, you just left me last night, you didn't come home and then just left me to open the stall on my own"- Stacey stopped abruptly noticing the scratches of hardened blood which where clearly visible on Danielle's pale face.
"what have you done to her" Stacey screeched pointing the finger at Ronnie who remained silent but was making tracks toward her daughter wrapping her arms tightly around her as an offer of strength and support.
"Danielle you don't have to stay here come home yea, you cant let her hurt you again" Stacey rambled on trying to make sense of the situation, Danielle looked petrified but not of Ronnie of her.
"Maybe you should just go Stacey" Ronnie spoke with a pitch of determination, "Danielle will give you a call when she is feeling a bit better" Ronnie offered a small smile of comfort for the bewildered girl.
"no I am not leaving until she tells me what happened, Danielle tell me, what happened, Did she do this to you. Danielle tell me what did Ronnie do?" Stacey pleaded with her friend trying to figure out exactly what had happened all the while sending threatening looks in the direction of Ronnie.
As she spoke those last words Stacey seen Danielle's face redden with pure anger, she recognised that look, she had seen that look in her eyes once before - that night in R&R when Danielle had forced her up against the wall.
"I decide when, I decide how and if you go anywhere near her I'll rip your head off"
"Ronnie has done nothing" Danielle screamed breaking away from her mothers loving embrace.
"well something has happened to you, has she said something, what have the bloody Mitchell's done this time eh…" Before Stacey could finish her verbal attack on the Mitchell's Danielle finally broke under her friends torment, "I was Raped!" her voice cracking through the screams, before giving into the tears which once again consumed her and falling straight back into her mothers arms, who protectively embraced her preparing to shield her from the world.
Stacey's mouth fell to the floor as she tried to consume what Danielle had just said, flashbacks of the night before raced through her mind- Danielle flirting with a tall lad and then him forcing her to kiss him but when had it happened……
" you left me alone with that creep.." Stacey remembered her friends words from the night before.
"Dan, I am, I ……so sorry… I didn't" Stacey stuttered struggling to form any sort of a reasonable sentence.
" Maybe you should go Stacey, Danielle is tired and needs some rest yeah?" Ronnie stroked Danielle's face wiping away the tears that remained falling before kissing her forehead and standing to usher Stacey toward the door.
" No I'm not going anywhere… Dan talk to me, come home yea?" Stacey pleaded pushing Ronnie away trying to reach out to her friend.
"Home, I am home Stace, now just go please" Danielle whimpered, giving Stacey a pleading look with her tear stained eyes, she didn't want anyone else there to see her like this.
Stacey nodded knowing she couldn't push Danielle any further even though she needed answers, " ok, I'll go but you know where I am yeah?………….. I'm sorry Dan"
Stacey hung her head as Ronnie guided her toward the door- "Not a word to anyone, ya hear me Stacey, Danielle doesn't need anyone else knowing or talking about her again alright" Ronnie stated ensuring she would protect her baby against anymore heart ache.
"what do you take me for Ronnie, she is my best friend, the last thing I want is to cause her anymore heart ache - you've done that enough" Stacey sneered, glaring at Ronnie.
Who did she think she was, playing the doting mother - it was a joke but Stacey knew better than to stand in the way of Danielle's happiness after everything that happened.
Ronnie threw Stacey an almighty glare ready to defend herself but Stacey carried on- " you better look after her Ronnie, she loves you and if you hurt her again I'll …" Ronnie sighed rolling her eyes at Stacey's rambling, "the last thing I am going to do is hurt her, I am going to do everything in my power to help her through this Stacey… I promise."