The pair walked into the Vic hand in hand,to the locals the Mitchell's were still red hot news and the gossip of the square. Ronnie kept her head held high as she led her daughter to the bar,she was used to people not liking her,after all she was the ice queen of Walford. No longer did she want to be that horrible person everyone thought she was,she wanted to be someone that Danielle was proud of,not some miserable hard faced cow that everyone hated. Things were still processing in Ronnie's mind,thoughts of her father mainly,she wondered if anyone else had seen or even spoke to him. The sooner he was gone from London the better,he didnt deserve to live his sad pathetic life around his family.
"Are you ok? Are you sure this isn't too much?" Ronnie asked not wanting to push Danielle into a family she wasn't ready for. Being such a control freak Ronnie found it hard that everything was on Danielle's terms but nothing was impossible anymore,if Danielle wanted time than Ronnie was willing to give her aslong as she needed.
Danielle shook her head as they made their way towards the side entrance,she watched her mother give Tracey a nod and a small smile. "Im fine I just..i want them to like me" Danielle admitted hating herself for feeling so shy.
"Baby they will love you,your family" Ronnie said with her hands firmly on Danielle's shoulders. She wanted nothing more than to make everything better and ok between them,it was going to take time but Ronnie knew that she would die for Danielle if it meant her not hurting.
Danielle nodded although she still wasn't convinced,to Peggy and the rest of the Mitchell's she was just some girl that cleaned the pub toilets. Now she was suddenly apart of the family wanting nothing more than to be accepted by everyone,not wanting any special treatment just because she was Ronnie's daughter. "Just tell me when you want to go,and we can go" Ronnie promised leading Danielle up the stairs.
"Roxy must be in the shower" Ronnie smiled hearing the water running in the bathroom,Danielle trailed behind her mother and walked into Amy's bedroom.
The nerves slowly vanished as she caught site of her beautiful cousin,for so long Amy was the only Mitchell's she could trust. Danielle looked around the decorated room,the yellow walls and the pretty mobile hanging from the cot,somehow Danielle felt a jab to the stomach if only she kept her baby she thought. "Hey..hey Amy remember me?" Danielle whispered leaning over the cot and tickling the baby's tummy.
Ronnie watched the sweet scene unfold as Danielle picked Amy up out of the cot and layed her in her arms,she was a natural. It was obvious that Amy and Danielle had formed a strong bond through nights of babysitting,Amy seemed so very content in her cousins arms. "i'll make you a drink" Ronnie smiled leaving Danielle alone with Amy,giving her some space.
Danielle smiled at Amy's big eyes beaming up at her,the little smile on her face melted her heart,she already loved Amy so much. "You remember me dont you..yes!..im your cousin,your big cousin" Danielle grinned rocking side to side gently.
* * * * * *
Ronnie grabbed three mugs from the kitchen cupboard whilst the kettle boiled. It was such an amazing feeling just knowing her daughter was in the other room. Determined not to waste a second of being miserable Ronnie wanted to cherish and remember every moment with her child,to look forward and face the future together. She smiled hearing the bathroom door unlock and a fresh faced Roxy bounded through the kitchen,stopping in her tracks,surprised to see her sister.
"Ron,what are you doing here? Wheres Danielle?" she asked leaning against the door frame.
Ronnie turned,"We thought we would pop in to see you and Amy,Danielle is with her right now" she nodded her head towards the door and turned to put the teabags in the mug.
"Oh right,well i'll go see my niece!" Roxy laughed so excited at the thought of all the nights out and trouble her and Danielle could get into. They already had some kind of relationship and although Roxy did feel a little guilty for using Danielle all them times,she wanted to make it up too her.
"Rox,i need to talk to you quickly" Ronnie said pouring the hot water.
Roxy closed the kitchen door behind her raking a hand through her hair,"Yeah what?" she asked squinting as the sunlight poured through the small window.
"I bumped into dad in the corner shop" Ronnie folded her arms tightly across her chest,she stared at her baby sister suddenly stiffen up at the mention of Archie.
Roxy shrugged her shoulders quickly hoping Ronnie wouldn't read her like an open book,in order to convince her sister Roxy knew she had to think quick. "Oh right,well what did he say?" she asked feeling her heart beating in her chest.
Ronnie sighed,"I caught him talking to Danielle,i dont know what he said but im pretty sure what he was trying to do" she explained pressing her lips together,her face a blank canvas as she spoke about her father.
Roxy flicked the hair away from her face,"Why dont you just ask her what he said?" she replied trying her hardest to come across as innocent and naive as possible.
"She said nothing,i dont want to push her.. I just .. I know what hes like and the moment he finds a weakness he puts his foot in the door and before you know it hes back in everybody's lives!" Ronnie ranted dropping her hands by her sides and clenching her fists tightly.
Roxy took a step forward,she hated lying but she knew how Ronnie felt about their father,nothing but complete hate. The thought of an argument with her sister was something she wanted to avoid all together,a little white lie was sometimes the best thing to do. "Look I know he hurt you alright but he hasn't won Ron,you have! You have Danielle back and shes all yours" Roxy smiled her voice soft and reassuring.
Ronnie nodded slowly,her little sister was right and in order to enjoy time with Danielle she had to forget about Archie,he wasn't worth thinking about. "Your Right" she admitted stepping forward and wrapping her arms around Roxy. It seemed Danielle had taken away all the hurt in Ronnie's life,she was even beginning to forgive Roxy for her betrayal,nothing mattered anymore except her and her baby.
* * * * * *
Jigging Amy up and down she walked across the landing,glancing at the kitchen door she gathered Ronnie and Roxy were in there talking,carefully opening the living room door she entered with Amy trying her hardest to grab her hair. "Your beautiful aren't you? Yes you are" Danielle said softly letting her cousin lay across her shoulder. Danielle couldn't wait to watch Amy grow up,to be there for her through everything. Walking across the room she found herself staring at the photographs on the mantle piece. Old family members and then of course loads of Ronnie and Roxy,they looked happy together sipping cocktails with sun hats on. Danielle wondered if Ronnie ever really thought about her,if she really missed her as much as she said she did. Amy soon snapped Danielle out of her daydream and gave one all mighty scream,"Oh come Amy,shh" Danielle bounced up and down trying to calm the screaming baby down.
"What is all that noise for!" Roxy shouted opening the living room door,she grinned at Danielle and walked over. "What you crying for eh? She didnt sleep much last night" she explained as Danielle handed her over.
Ronnie strolled in behind placing a drink on the coffee table,"I wonder where she gets her lungs from?" she joked watching Danielle turn her back to look at the pictures again.
Roxy managed to calm her daughter down,she peered over Danielle's shoulder trying to look at what embarrassing picture she was holding. "If you think that outfit was bad I'll have to dig some more holiday ones out for you,Ronnie wore some terrible clothes back then" she laughed.
Danielle felt a smile creep onto her face as the playful banter began,her worries suddenly vanished and she felt herself relax,"Oh really,well you will have to show me" she replied carefully putting the picture back in its place.
"Don't listen to her,Roxy hardly wore anything when we used to go out!" she joked back enjoying the warm scene between the three of them.
Danielle walked over to the armchair and sat herself down,she looked up at Ronnie perched on the arm. "Must get abit crowded for you and Amy,all living up here" she noted looking around the room trying to take in every detail.
Roxy sat down whilst cradling Amy in her arms,"Yeah it can be,Phil and Aunty Peg dont mind us though" she explained watching her sister stare adoringly at the blond girl. "We will all have to have a drink together or something,celebrate!" she smiled trying to untangle her hair from Amy's grip.
Danielle looked up at Ronnie then back to Roxy,"Yeah,that would be great!" she said with much enthusiasm and confidence. "I will invite my dad and brother,no doubt he will bring Stacey aswell" she beamed excited at the thought of all the people she loved spending time together.
Roxy nodded,"Thats settled then,you'll come Ron yeah?" she asked.
Ronnie rolled her eyes at the stupid question,"You couldn't keep me away,anyway it will be nice to get to know your dad and brother abit more" she kissed the top of Danielle's head resting her hand on her shoulder.
Not the most exciting chapter but I thought it was important for Ronnie and Roxy to talk about Archie. Please review and I really hope your still enjoying this story!