It was 12pm in the afternoon. The Sutherland household was ghostly quiet. It
wasn't like there was no one home, three people were at home, Shelly, Rhys and
Dani. Shelly stood at the kitchen table, half-heartedly preparing some lunch.
Rhys sat at the telly, not really watching but pretending too and Dani lay on
her bed in her room. Her eyes were closed but she was not asleep, she wished
she was asleep, then it wouldn't be so hard. A knock on the door was heard by
the two elder Sutherlands, Rhys went to answer it. It was Josh.
"Mate, you're not welcome here at the moment."
"Rhys, who is it?" called his wife.
"Josh."
"Let him in, he didn't do anything, Dani told me herself."
Rhys reluctantly opened the door and offered Josh a seat. He declined.
"I'm only here to make sure that Dani is ok, I don't think I'm her
favourite person right now so she won't want me staying."
"I'll go get her and see if she will come down. She's not been down at all
since she came home last night though so don't get your hopes up."
Shelly left the two men on their own. The silence was awkward. Rhys was very
protective of Dani, despite the fact that she was his eldest daughter, she was
perhaps the weakest. She acted like she was the strongest but this was just a
brave front that was easy to see through. Josh was also very protective of
his girlfriend. He knew that she was fragile and he hated seeing her upset but
he knew he had more to come. It was going to be a rough ride but he would be
there.
A few minutes later, Dani came down the stairs behind her mother. She had on
a golden nightgown over her pyjamas, it was the same nightgown that she'd worn
on the day that Kane had assaulted her.
"Hey, babe, I'm just here to see if you're ok."
"I'm fine."
"When you're ready, Dani, come and see me."
"Ok."
"Bye then and I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault, it was me..." Dani was close to tears.
"Later."
Dani had been cold with Josh but she much preferred that to crying her eyes
out infront of him. When he left, she could no longer hold it in. She fell into
her mother's arms and wept, silently.
Shelly guided her shaken daughter to the couch where her husband sat. They
shared a sorrowful look. Both were distraught that there daughter was so upset,
they didn't know what to do to comfort her.
"Dani, honey, do you want to tell us what happened?"
"It's just so weird, mum."
"Do you want me to leave you girls to it?"
"No, dad, please."
"Ok."
"In your own time..."
"I can't even talk to you's about this but me and Josh were going to take
things further. We were ready, you know, well I thought I was ready. Please,
don't blame any of this on Josh, it isn't his fault. He continually asked me if I
was sure and if I was ready and I always said yes because I thought I was.
But then when it came to it, my head was just filled with Kane. He was there, he
was everywhere. He doesn't go away, why...?"
Both parents were stunned at what their daughter told them. It was basically
what they had expected but to hear it come out of her mouth, her voice so weak
and feeble was heartbreaking.
"Dani, I don't know, but from what you've told me, I think you need
counselling."
"Mum, I..."
"I know we thought about it at the time and you said you didn't need it but
it's clear now. You're not over what he did to you. It's the only way forward
that I can see."
"Ok...but where, when?"
"I'll take you down to the drop in centre and we'll go through it with
Flynn. Don't worry about him, he knows what he's doing."
"Ok, but I have a relationship to rebuild first."
Dani left the couch to go and get changed.
"Shelly, do you really think this is wise?" asked Rhys.
"What do you mean?"
"Dredging it all up again, is that really going to help her?"
"It's already there, Rhys...you can't dredge it up if it never went away in
the first place. She's been hiding it, to herself as much as others.
Counselling will help make it not so hard."
"You know best."
"In this area, yes, I do."
The two remained silent for a while, until Dani came down. She looked nervous
and her parents gave her a reassuring smile.
"Dani, he'll understand, he's a good guy."
"I hope so, mum, I really do."
Dani left the house and began the short walk to Josh's caravan. When she
knocked on the door, no one answered. She went to the back of the caravan and took
the spare key out from under a rock. She looked inside and Josh wasn't there.
She'd try the Diner. On her way to the Diner, Dani met Hayley. They stopped
to talk for a while.
"Hey Dan!"
"Oh, Hayley, hi, I was miles away there."
Hayley was surprised to see Dani dressed in trousers and a jumper instead of
her normal skirt and t-shirt. Her hair was also tied back and it never was,
something was up.
"Are you ok?"
"Why wouldn't I be? Has Josh said something to you?"
"Josh? No. Why?"
"Nevermind."
"Dani! You know you can tell me if something is bothering you."
"I know, I know, but I really have to find Josh just now, do you know where
he is?"
"Yeah, I've just saw him go down to the beach."
"Ok, thanks, I'll catch up with you later."
"Yeah, later."
Hayley was puzzled by her friend's secret keeping but she walked away,
sensing that Dani and Josh needed some time alone.
Dani continued on to the beach and saw Josh staring at the ocean. Normally he
was surfing in it but it was blatantly obvious that he had other things on
his mind, Dani knew just what.
"Hey."
"Dani, hi."
"I want to apologise to you, Josh. Even though you say it wasn't my fault
last night, it was because I told you I was ready when I wasn't. Then this
morning, you were so sweet to come over and I was totally off with you, I was
really cold, you didn't deserve that, you don't deserve that."
"No need to apologise, Dan, I know you've got other things going on."
"Hopefully not for much longer."
"What do you mean?"
"My mum and Flynn are going to try and arrange some counselling for me. I
never took any at the time, I probably should have but I thought I could deal
with it and I can't. I'm not ashamed to admit that I need help anymore."
"That's great, Dan."
"Yeah...I'm just worried."
"What about?"
"Facing it again. I've been storing all the emotions and feeling away for so
long now, it's going to be tough."
"You'll get through it, Dan, you're a fighter."
"It means a lot to me that you're behind me in all of this. Most guys would
just have given up on me but not you."
"That's because I love you, Dani. You don't give up on those that you love."
"You're so sweet!"
"I try my best!"
"Seriously though, thank you."
"It's not a problem!"
"Ok, well, I have to go now, we have to go and see Flynn."
"Good luck."
"Thanks."
Dani gave Josh a little peck on the cheek and returned to her home. Her
father was at work in the kiosk but her mother was at home, doing some paperwork
from the Drop-in Centre.
"How'd it go with Josh?"
"Great, he's fantastic."
"That's good. Do you want to go and see Flynn now?"
"Emm..."
"We don't need to go just now, just whenever you're ready."
"I can't put it off any longer, let's go."
"Ok."
They left and headed to the Drop-in Centre. They were greeted by Flynn who
knew why they had come. Shelly had previously phoned him telling him about Dani
so he was prepared.
"Ok, do you want to start looking through the names of counsellors."
"Emm...well, I had an idea on the way down here."
"What?" asked both Shelly and Flynn.
"Perhaps, you, Flynn, could counsel me? It's just that, I don't really want
to go through the whole thing with someone new and strange and you already
know my story. And we know each other so that's better, is it not?"
"Well, really it's up to you and your mum, Dani, but I'll be willing to do
it, if that's what you want."
"Mum?"
"Up to you, honey."
"Ok, then, let's do it."
"How about 10am tomorrow, it's really the only time I'm free this week."
"That's fine by me."
"And me."
"See you then."
"Ok, bye!"
Dani got up but Shelly stayed, she had some work to do. As she was leaving,
Flynn called her back.
"Dani?!"
"Uh huh?"
"Don't worry about this, we'll take it easy."
"Thanks, Flynn, thanks a lot."
wasn't like there was no one home, three people were at home, Shelly, Rhys and
Dani. Shelly stood at the kitchen table, half-heartedly preparing some lunch.
Rhys sat at the telly, not really watching but pretending too and Dani lay on
her bed in her room. Her eyes were closed but she was not asleep, she wished
she was asleep, then it wouldn't be so hard. A knock on the door was heard by
the two elder Sutherlands, Rhys went to answer it. It was Josh.
"Mate, you're not welcome here at the moment."
"Rhys, who is it?" called his wife.
"Josh."
"Let him in, he didn't do anything, Dani told me herself."
Rhys reluctantly opened the door and offered Josh a seat. He declined.
"I'm only here to make sure that Dani is ok, I don't think I'm her
favourite person right now so she won't want me staying."
"I'll go get her and see if she will come down. She's not been down at all
since she came home last night though so don't get your hopes up."
Shelly left the two men on their own. The silence was awkward. Rhys was very
protective of Dani, despite the fact that she was his eldest daughter, she was
perhaps the weakest. She acted like she was the strongest but this was just a
brave front that was easy to see through. Josh was also very protective of
his girlfriend. He knew that she was fragile and he hated seeing her upset but
he knew he had more to come. It was going to be a rough ride but he would be
there.
A few minutes later, Dani came down the stairs behind her mother. She had on
a golden nightgown over her pyjamas, it was the same nightgown that she'd worn
on the day that Kane had assaulted her.
"Hey, babe, I'm just here to see if you're ok."
"I'm fine."
"When you're ready, Dani, come and see me."
"Ok."
"Bye then and I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault, it was me..." Dani was close to tears.
"Later."
Dani had been cold with Josh but she much preferred that to crying her eyes
out infront of him. When he left, she could no longer hold it in. She fell into
her mother's arms and wept, silently.
Shelly guided her shaken daughter to the couch where her husband sat. They
shared a sorrowful look. Both were distraught that there daughter was so upset,
they didn't know what to do to comfort her.
"Dani, honey, do you want to tell us what happened?"
"It's just so weird, mum."
"Do you want me to leave you girls to it?"
"No, dad, please."
"Ok."
"In your own time..."
"I can't even talk to you's about this but me and Josh were going to take
things further. We were ready, you know, well I thought I was ready. Please,
don't blame any of this on Josh, it isn't his fault. He continually asked me if I
was sure and if I was ready and I always said yes because I thought I was.
But then when it came to it, my head was just filled with Kane. He was there, he
was everywhere. He doesn't go away, why...?"
Both parents were stunned at what their daughter told them. It was basically
what they had expected but to hear it come out of her mouth, her voice so weak
and feeble was heartbreaking.
"Dani, I don't know, but from what you've told me, I think you need
counselling."
"Mum, I..."
"I know we thought about it at the time and you said you didn't need it but
it's clear now. You're not over what he did to you. It's the only way forward
that I can see."
"Ok...but where, when?"
"I'll take you down to the drop in centre and we'll go through it with
Flynn. Don't worry about him, he knows what he's doing."
"Ok, but I have a relationship to rebuild first."
Dani left the couch to go and get changed.
"Shelly, do you really think this is wise?" asked Rhys.
"What do you mean?"
"Dredging it all up again, is that really going to help her?"
"It's already there, Rhys...you can't dredge it up if it never went away in
the first place. She's been hiding it, to herself as much as others.
Counselling will help make it not so hard."
"You know best."
"In this area, yes, I do."
The two remained silent for a while, until Dani came down. She looked nervous
and her parents gave her a reassuring smile.
"Dani, he'll understand, he's a good guy."
"I hope so, mum, I really do."
Dani left the house and began the short walk to Josh's caravan. When she
knocked on the door, no one answered. She went to the back of the caravan and took
the spare key out from under a rock. She looked inside and Josh wasn't there.
She'd try the Diner. On her way to the Diner, Dani met Hayley. They stopped
to talk for a while.
"Hey Dan!"
"Oh, Hayley, hi, I was miles away there."
Hayley was surprised to see Dani dressed in trousers and a jumper instead of
her normal skirt and t-shirt. Her hair was also tied back and it never was,
something was up.
"Are you ok?"
"Why wouldn't I be? Has Josh said something to you?"
"Josh? No. Why?"
"Nevermind."
"Dani! You know you can tell me if something is bothering you."
"I know, I know, but I really have to find Josh just now, do you know where
he is?"
"Yeah, I've just saw him go down to the beach."
"Ok, thanks, I'll catch up with you later."
"Yeah, later."
Hayley was puzzled by her friend's secret keeping but she walked away,
sensing that Dani and Josh needed some time alone.
Dani continued on to the beach and saw Josh staring at the ocean. Normally he
was surfing in it but it was blatantly obvious that he had other things on
his mind, Dani knew just what.
"Hey."
"Dani, hi."
"I want to apologise to you, Josh. Even though you say it wasn't my fault
last night, it was because I told you I was ready when I wasn't. Then this
morning, you were so sweet to come over and I was totally off with you, I was
really cold, you didn't deserve that, you don't deserve that."
"No need to apologise, Dan, I know you've got other things going on."
"Hopefully not for much longer."
"What do you mean?"
"My mum and Flynn are going to try and arrange some counselling for me. I
never took any at the time, I probably should have but I thought I could deal
with it and I can't. I'm not ashamed to admit that I need help anymore."
"That's great, Dan."
"Yeah...I'm just worried."
"What about?"
"Facing it again. I've been storing all the emotions and feeling away for so
long now, it's going to be tough."
"You'll get through it, Dan, you're a fighter."
"It means a lot to me that you're behind me in all of this. Most guys would
just have given up on me but not you."
"That's because I love you, Dani. You don't give up on those that you love."
"You're so sweet!"
"I try my best!"
"Seriously though, thank you."
"It's not a problem!"
"Ok, well, I have to go now, we have to go and see Flynn."
"Good luck."
"Thanks."
Dani gave Josh a little peck on the cheek and returned to her home. Her
father was at work in the kiosk but her mother was at home, doing some paperwork
from the Drop-in Centre.
"How'd it go with Josh?"
"Great, he's fantastic."
"That's good. Do you want to go and see Flynn now?"
"Emm..."
"We don't need to go just now, just whenever you're ready."
"I can't put it off any longer, let's go."
"Ok."
They left and headed to the Drop-in Centre. They were greeted by Flynn who
knew why they had come. Shelly had previously phoned him telling him about Dani
so he was prepared.
"Ok, do you want to start looking through the names of counsellors."
"Emm...well, I had an idea on the way down here."
"What?" asked both Shelly and Flynn.
"Perhaps, you, Flynn, could counsel me? It's just that, I don't really want
to go through the whole thing with someone new and strange and you already
know my story. And we know each other so that's better, is it not?"
"Well, really it's up to you and your mum, Dani, but I'll be willing to do
it, if that's what you want."
"Mum?"
"Up to you, honey."
"Ok, then, let's do it."
"How about 10am tomorrow, it's really the only time I'm free this week."
"That's fine by me."
"And me."
"See you then."
"Ok, bye!"
Dani got up but Shelly stayed, she had some work to do. As she was leaving,
Flynn called her back.
"Dani?!"
"Uh huh?"
"Don't worry about this, we'll take it easy."
"Thanks, Flynn, thanks a lot."