Danielle had always felt a bit awkward whenever Stacey had left her alone with Jean. It wasn't that Jean wasn't a nice person, it was just that you never knew what she was going to do next, she was unpredictable and that scared Danielle. The day she'd been left to keep an eye on Jean, the day she'd put the heater in the room, the day that Ronnie had phoned her asking her to work... Danielle knew she should stay with Jean but the moment she insisted she go, Danielle sprinted upwards desperate just to spend anytime with Ronnie that she could. Jean didn't mind being left alone, Danielle was a sweet little girl but there was something about her that made Jean feel nervous and she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
Ronnie knocked on the door feeling apprehensive, there must be something wrong for Roxy to send her that text. Impatiently waiting, she was tempted to just throw open the front door and run in but before she could the door slightly creaked open and Jean popped her head around.
"Hello" Jean smiled, there were certain people she felt a bit nervous around and Ronnie was one of those. Something about that look of confidence and steely determination.
"Can I come in and speak to Danielle, Roxy's with her right?" Ronnie rushed, stepping forward slightly giving the impression that even if Jean said no she'd simply burst past which of course made Jean feel even more uncomfortable.
"Sure thing" Jean smiled, keeping her happy face on and opening the door "everything alright Ronnie?" She asked trying to figure out situation because right now she was feeling confused.
Ronnie didn't even bother with an answer she simply rushed up the stairs taking them two at a time to get to Danielle. Jean stood and watched for a minute before moving into the living room to watch the snooker.
Roxy had put Amy down on Stacey's bed and she was blissfully playing with her feet whilst Roxy held on tight to Danielle. The minute the door creaked open Roxy looked up to see her sister looking worried, Roxy felt instant relief Ronnie will know what to do she thought.
"Danielle..." Ronnie started moving forward, she could finally see Danielle's pain, it was highlighted and oh so obvious. This was more than just an argument or disagreement Danielle looked as if she was fast losing grip on everything around her.
"Did you make her come?" Danielle asked Roxy, moving out of her arms and looking upset and appalled that Roxy would do that to her.
"She's your mum" Roxy gave a gentle smile and took hold of Danielle's hand but Danielle quickly ripped it back.
"I don't want her here" Danielle whispered, her eyes wide she looked like a lost little girl and that broke Ronnie's heart.
"Baby, come on i'm here yeah and we can talk about whatever you want to talk about" Ronnie promised, moving so close she was practically by Roxy's side now and she made an attempt to reach out and touch Danielle.
"Go away" Danielle growled, sounding like someone else all together it was a fierce anger that shocked both Ronnie and Roxy.
"Tell me what i've done wrong Danielle, I keep trying but its never good enough!" Ronnie cried, she was feeling desperate now and she couldn't control this situation, couldn't control Danielle. That link that went from one heart to the other didn't just carry the love and adoration it was also a direct feed to their pain and unhappiness and it was coming so fast from Danielle, filling Ronnie up to the point where she thought she might just explode.
"Get out! Get out!" Danielle raged, she was standing up now, screaming in Ronnie's face. Ronnie sat taking it all but refusing to move even an inch.
"You need to talk to me!" Ronnie shouted grabbing hold of Danielle's arm, Danielle recoiled like she'd been given an electric shock.
"Leave me alone!!" Danielle screamed, bashing her clenched fists against Ronnie, Ronnie simply stood and took every hit. Her eyes begging and pleading for Danielle to just talk to her. Roxy couldn't take anymore, she barged in between the pair and held Danielle back.
"Ron will you just take Amy downstairs! I'll sort this!" Roxy demanded, she was worried for Amy who had stopped playing and instead was listening to all of the loud noise looking scared and distressed. Ronnie hesitated for a second but then walked over to the bed and gathered Amy up into her arms before leaving the room. She turned around one last time before she left and watched as Danielle collapsed into Roxy's arms and she wished that it was her arms Danielle wanted wrapped around her and protecting her.
Ronnie made her way down the staircase, soothing Amy as she walked. She spotted Jean at the door of the living room looking around nervously, the minutes she saw that Ronnie had seen her she darted back in the room. Ronnie sighed and pushed the door to the front room. Jean indicated for her to sit down and the pair sat in an odd, awkward silence watching the snooker.
"It's not easy being a mum" Jean smiled, trying to comfort the distressed looking woman that was sat next to her. "Sometimes Stacey won't even speak to me, she'll just walk on past and that will be it."
Ronnie nodded silently, she wasn't really paying attention but she appreciated the effort. Amy wriggled in her arms, still distressed by all the shouting she had heard.
"Danielle's suffering... Keep an eye on her Ronnie" Jean warned.
"How do you mean?" Ronnie questioned, she was paying attention now, now she was hanging off Jean's every word.
"I've seen that look before Ronnie" Jean nodded "that place they sent me to, to get better. There were people just like that..."
"Danielle's not crazy" Ronnie insisted, realising her present company she suddenly figured she should probably use a more politically correct term "Sorry... She doesn't have mental health problems Jean she's just upset with me."
"It was there before that Ronnie." Jean smiled nervously before getting up to walk away "I must be getting on, i'll burn my fish fingers."
Ronnie sat not quite sure how to move from the Slater's sofa, she was pretty sure her legs were shaking far too much to be able to support her so she sat still and tried to make Jean's words disappear.
