Thanks for the reviews, hope you all had a great Christmas! This will probably be the last update for a couple of weeks as I have some exams and need to revise for them so I hope you enjoy it!
The next thirty minutes passed in a blur for Danielle; the continuous love showed by the Mitchells and entertainment they provided her. However her nerves were still prominent, particularly because nobody had mentioned presents or a cake. Its not that she didn't want them, it was just she wasn't sure what the 'Mitchell way' of doing birthdays was; did they open the presents in front of everyone? Did they save them? Did they study facial expressions like Gareth used to do? She just wanted to impress them but she wasn't sure how, she hoped that maybe Ronnie would pick up on her reservations but it had only been two months, did she know her daughter well enough?
Still, Danielle was content cuddling her cousin as the rest of the Mitchell's played on the Wii console; her nerves about forgetting how to look after a baby evaporated as soon as she saw her cousin, she felt her whole face glow with happiness. Her eyes never left her cousin as Amy's eyes slowly closed and she felt the heavy breathing from her cousin's mouth gently reaching her hair. She smiled to herself as she thought about how perfect Amy was, just hoping that when she had her baby, it would be as perfect as Amy. Her eyes scanned the room as she looked for Roxy, wondering where to put Amy; she had been in the Vic enough times to know where Roxy's room was but she didn't want to intrude on a space that wasn't hers. As she stood up from the sofa, she felt the Mitchell's turn to watch her, as if studying her every move, before she vaguely remembered Ronnie telling her they were just sorting some food out in the kitchen.
In the kitchen, Ronnie and Roxy were both preparing some party food, like sandwiches, crisps and chocolate buns and conversation quickly turned to Danielle and her actual birthday tomorrow.
"I was thinking Ron, me and Amy would come over tomorrow at about 1," Roxy said as she broke off some chocolate before eating in.
"I want it to be just me and Danielle Rox. I told you." Her protestation was just like a child's, determined to get her own way.
"Well I want to see her open her present; I'll give it to her after lunch," Roxy replied, popping another piece of chocolate into her mouth.
"Roxy," Ronnie hissed at her sister as she snatched the chocolate from her hand, "Stop eating all the chocolate. And I don't want to put any more pressure on her; you know how shy she is. I want it to be just me and her ok?"
"What about what Danielle wants?" Roxy hissed back at her sister, annoyed at how over protective Ronnie was becoming.
Before she could reply, the door opened and there stood Danielle cradling Amy in her arms, a slight smile visible on her face.
"I got her to sleep," she said unaware of the arguing present in the room a few moments ago, as she made her way over to Roxy. She carefully handed over a sleeping Amy parting themselves once more.
"Thanks Dan, you're a star! I'll be back in a minute," As she left the small room, she glared at her sister, raising her eyebrows before grinning at her niece and kissing the top of her daughter's head.
Placing the food she held in her hands on the table, Ronnie made her way over to her daughter, seeing how adoringly Danielle had looked at Amy; she had no doubts in her mind that Danielle would make a great mum. She placed her hands around Danielle's torso, pulling her in close. Her daughter didn't protest and simply moved as Ronnie did, mirroring the steps that she took.
"Is everything ok sweetie?" The whispering voice of Ronnie still sent small impulses of love down Danielle's spine. She turned her head to face Ronnie and nodded as they stared into each other's eyes. "Oh, I forgot to mention earlier I've booked you in for a scan. 7th July." Danielle felt her eyes absent-mindedly scan the room as Ronnie spoke; she didn't want anyone knowing who didn't have to at this stage. Feeling her daughter tense up, she moved her hand up and down Danielle's arm attempting to comfort her; worrying that Danielle was worried about the scan. "I'll be there with you every step of the way baby, don't worry,"
Making eye contact again, Danielle gave Ronnie a questioning look which was instantly returned by a state of confusion across Ronnie's face; unable to decipher what was running through her daughter's head.
"7th July? Isn't that your birthday?"
Ronnie felt her whole face break into a smile, it was the best birthday present she could have ever asked for. When she rung up the hospital she had been desperate to make the appointment on that day, just to spend it with her daughter doing something that was irreplaceable.
"I wanted to spend it with you Danielle. Me, you and this baby," Ronnie moved her hand over to Danielle's stomach, a small, almost unnoticeable bump, protruding from it. "I'm so proud of who you have become Danielle, I can't believe you are twenty!" Placing one last kiss on her head, Ronnie reluctantly pulled apart from Danielle as they heard Roxy return.
"Ron, have you not sorted the cake out yet?" She questioned as she reappeared sighing at her sister's lack of motivation.
Her eyes wide open, Ronnie stared at her sister, "I've been talking to Danielle, I'm just about to sort it out ok?" Her last remark sarcastic at her sister's need to organise everything, including everyone else's actions.
"No, no let me. You go and sit down with Danielle in the lounge and I'll bring it in," Roxy smiled a rather large fake smile at Ronnie before smiling a genuine smile at Danielle, who had now moved to the door way and was adjusting her top to cover her stomach, afraid somebody would work it out.
Ronnie walked over to her daughter, taking her hand in her own as the left the kitchen. Before they entered the lounge, Danielle pulled Ronnie back hoping her mother would stop before she pushed the door open.
"R…Ronnie?" She pulled her hand out of Ronnie's before coating one of her hands in the other. "Wh…what do I do?"
Stepping forward, Ronnie tucked a piece of hair behind Danielle's ear whilst wondering what her daughter was on about. "What do you mean?"
She felt ridiculous asking this but the nerves were building up inside her causing her to feel physically sick; she wanted to get everything right. "Th…the cake!"
Ronnie couldn't help but laugh at how cute her daughter was, as she ran her fingers through Danielle's hair, "You blow the candles out!"
A smile creped across Danielle's face, amused at her mother. "I know that! But…I…I've never been to a 'Mitchell' party before, it…it might be different…" She said shyly before biting her lip, apprehensive about what Ronnie's reply would be.
"Danielle, you're a Mitchell too," Danielle felt her heart flutter as her mother spoke and as she felt her face been cupped in Ronnie's hands. "Just do what you always do; be yourself, they love you for it!"
She smiled back at Ronnie who instantly smiled back before joining their hands and making their way into the living room, where they sat on the sofa, Ronnie's arm wrapped around the back of her daughter. Danielle laid her hand on top of Ronnie's which was placed on her knee whilst talking to Stacey, on the other side of her. Glancing at the clock, Ronnie was wondering where Roxy had gotten to. Surely it doesn't take five minutes to sort out a cake?
"I'm just going to check on Rox, sweetie," She rubbed her thumb up and down Danielle's thigh before standing up, whilst her daughter tore herself away from her conversation to nod in Ronnie's direction.
With a gentle push, the door of the kitchen swung open to reveal everything Roxy had been trying to hide. Ronnie raised her hand to her mouth as she gasped,
"Rox…the cake!"
Across the kitchen, the chocolate cake made especially for Danielle had been dropped spreading across the floor, the candles rolling across the floor and the perfectly decorated cake broken, lying next to the fridge. Roxy turned to face her sister, scared of what might happen, before cautiously replying,
"It was Albert orite!"
