Dark clouds started to thicken in the sky, looming and threatening rain. Roxy walked out from Ronnie's flat, a large bag slung over one shoulder and phone pressed to her ear. She shut the door firmly behind her and walked back towards the Vic.
"No, look I want someone out today…is it really that hard to understand?" Roxy spoke determinedly down the phone, snapping at the inept and unhelpful woman who continued to drawl at her.
"Fine tomorrow. Yeah, whatever. I want someone there before ten. I'll be there to let you in. By ten o'clock." She continued to snarl down the phone. She just wanted to sort out the bloodstains in Ronnie's flat before Ronnie got home. But everyone was useless. Roxy snapped her phone closed and wrapped her long coat around her as the clouds drew in yet further, blocking any warmth out from the Square.
Roxy had already spoken to Stacey, told her to go to the hospital without her. That she needed to sort Amy. It was true in a way. The truth about Danielle's identity made her feel more protective over her own daughter. She had taken Amy out of her cot the second she had returned to the Vic and ended up falling asleep still holding her to her chest. But Roxy also wanted to sort Ronnie's flat for her. She didn't want there to be any reminder of what Danielle had done, seeing it once was hard enough. She didn't want Ronnie to dwell on it more than she already would, and Roxy knew she would.
But there was also another reason for Roxy's reluctance to go back into the hospital with Stacey. She didn't want to see Danielle. Roxy felt awful about it but she couldn't stop the feelings. Danielle was just some kid, a slightly full on but sweet girl who looked after Amy. But now she wasn't. Now she was Ronnie's daughter. That was hard enough to get her head around and that much she was happy about. But what she had seen when she had gone into Ronnie's flat. The image of Danielle and Ronnie both covered in Danielle's blood wouldn't leave Roxy. She felt uncomfortable just thinking about Danielle now. Danielle wanted to kill herself. Roxy didn't want to see her because she wanted to be able to care and be an aunt, but she didn't know how to act. She felt uncomfortable at just the thought.
Danielle suddenly held this power over Ronnie as well. There were very few people that had that. And Roxy was afraid that if either made a wrong move then both of them would be broken. And Roxy didn't want to put her foot in it by mistake and say something that could affect Danielle. She felt like she would have to walk on eggshells, Danielle was fragile. Danielle's fragility and tenuous mental state worried Roxy, she didn't want to see her because she didn't know how to handle someone like that.
Roxy paled slightly as she realised that she had pretty much voiced this opinion to Stacey in her traumatised state as they had arrived back on the Square. It hadn't exactly gone down well. Stacey knew from experience the stigma that was involved with anything like this. Jean had suffered hugely from it and with Danielle being Stacey's best friend too, she was possibly the worst person for Roxy to have blurted it out to. She worried about what Stacey might have said about it to Ronnie and Danielle. Roxy thought to herself, trying to work out her own resistance towards Danielle. It wasn't that she didn't care or thought less of her. But she saw her differently now, she couldn't help feeling that Danielle was dangerous, not to anybody else but to herself. She didn't want to treat Danielle differently but at the same time perhaps it was just concern that she would ruin everything, that she would say or do something to Danielle and end up hurting her.
Roxy sighed as she walked down Turpin Road, her eyes set in a glower, tired, fed up and just sick of people. She hated being the responsible one. Roxy was a free spirit, responsibility didn't suit her and even though she cared deeply and wanted to help, it showed in her face that all her helpfulness had severely diminished her mood.
Roxy could feel people's stares boring into her as they watched her. The whole wedding saga was the hottest gossip of the Square. Add to that the ambulance at Ronnie's flat with not Ronnie but Danielle emerging unconscious and it culminated in stares, whispers and not so subtle jibes. Some people were being subtle and others were flat out wanting her to hear them. Roxy felt anger towards Ronnie and Danielle for making her feel like this. Their issues had put the whole family into the spotlight.
"Yeah Ronnie probably tried to kill her or mess her up for what she said at the wedding…she'll turn up dead I bet. That old cow and her slapper of a sister probably planned it together." Roxy turned around quickly as she heard the claims. She saw Lucy Beale smirking at her, obviously proud of herself.
"Shut your face you little brat. Or you want to come and say that to my face yeah?" Roxy snapped back. She wanted to yell out to the whole of Walford that Danielle wasn't mad, she really was Ronnie's daughter. And Ronnie didn't hurt Danielle, it was all just a big mess.
Instead she just watched Lucy falter as she threatened to approach her, the girl turned on her heel and walked away.
Rain began to fall in heavy splatters and Roxy was practically boiling over with anger and frustration about the whole situation. People would learn the truth soon enough and they'd feel guilty, just like Ronnie. Roxy felt ashamed for her blame of Danielle and Ronnie but she couldn't stop her selfish streak from coming out. She was angry at them for getting themselves into this mess and angry at them for getting her mixed up in it all too.
As she made her way past the club to turn onto Bridge Street she heard her name being yelled. She considered just giving whoever it was the finger and telling them to stick their gossip where the sun doesn't shine. But as the voice boomed again she turned around slowly, her scowl set on her face like stone.
"Oi, where's Ronnie?" Jack barked angrily at her. Roxy almost flinched back as he growled out his words.
"What haven't the rumours reached you yet?" She replied sarcastically, loudly enough for anyone around them to hear. She shot an icy glance at Bianca and Mo who were busily engrossed in obvious talk about Ronnie and Danielle and were daring sickened looks her way. Mo scurried off quickly when she realised she had been caught by Roxy. Roxy felt disgusted, Danielle had been staying with the Slaters, she trusted them and they weren't even asking about her, just using her as good material to spread around.
"What, about the ambulance or about that kid mucking her around? Either way I don't care this is about the club." Jack snarled in Roxy's face. She wasn't used to Jack talking to her like this, at least not since Christmas. She wasn't in the mood. Not for any of it.
"That kid is her daughter and Ronnie is in hospital with her now. Ronnie's in a complete state, Danielle could have died. So now is really not the time Jack." She dug the heel of her hand into her eyes as she spoke. Truly sick of all the hassle.
"Well tell her I'm sorry alright? But what the hell happened in the club last night? The office was trashed and the only person who was in there was Ronnie. So tell her she can pay for it to be sorted. And she can clean up her own mess." Jack felt angry towards Ronnie, partly for the office and for her refusal of him at the wedding. He knew he should be worried and feel sympathetic towards what she was going through but he instinctively resented Danielle. She felt like another obstacle. Another thing taking Ronnie away from him. He knew that if Ronnie had her daughter back then she wouldn't need anything else. She wouldn't need him.
"Jack, she's in hospital taking care of her daughter. Can't you just sort it out?" There was an almost whining tone in Roxy's voice as she just wanted to forget about everyone else, even her sister and Danielle and just go home.
"No, this is Ronnie's problem not mine." He turned abruptly and left Roxy standing there as he made his way back into the club.
"Yeah thanks Jack! And Amy's fine by the way." She yelled after him sarcasm lacing her words, knowing he wouldn't hear anyway.
She looked down to Bridge Street where she was heading and saw all eyes on her. She stared them down as she hastily made her way towards the Vic. It was raining in earnest now and it just made her mood worsen. She had managed about four hours of sleep at the most before she had been woken by her daughter's cries then spent the rest of the day with Amy or out trying to sort things for Ronnie. It was exhausting.
Roxy walked into the Vic, defiantly ignoring any looks or whispers that grew from her presence before she left the street. She had time to yell at them later, she reasoned, when she'd sorted herself out. She walked to join Peggy behind the bar in the empty pub and poured herself a large glass of vodka, knocking it back in one gulp before starting on another.
"Slow down darling," began Peggy, putting her hand on Roxy's arm. "You heard any more from Ronnie love?"
Roxy sighed and smiled towards her aunt. Peggy was putting on a brave face after the truth had been shown about her new husband.
"Yeah I spoke to her a little while ago. Danielle's awake. She was still out of it when I spoke to Ron though. She said she'd talked about a cat and then fallen back to sleep." Roxy breathed out her words as she walked around to sit by the bar. She smiled slightly, the relief present in her over Danielle's improvement.
"Aw poor darlin'. She'll be back home with Ronnie soon just you see." Peggy said.
"Yeah, I hope so. Will you watch Amy for me in a bit? I'm going to take Ronnie's things in for her." Roxy ran her fingers around the rim of her glass before knocking back her fourth vodka.
"'Course I will. You go and take care of Ronnie. She needs to keep herself well too. Get her here for some proper food and sleep. And Danielle when she gets home, well she'll get a proper Mitchell family welcome." Peggy beamed, though her smile didn't reach her eyes. Everyone was suffering. Archie being everything Ronnie had said, Danielle being Ronnie's daughter, the suicide attempt. All of it had rocked the family's foundations.
"Thanks Auntie Peg. I'll try and get Ron back but I don't think she'll leave. You know what Ronnie's like when she digs her claws into something." The two women exchanged a smile at Ronnie's maternal instinct, and her stubbornness.
"I'm going to grab a shower and see Amy, then I'm heading off." Roxy moved from her seat and climbed the stairs. She made a note to herself to pick up some makeup and magazines from her room. She was good at the girlie things. She would make some proper time with her niece. And hopefully give Ronnie time to get herself sorted.