The four stood nervously outside the door and then Dani walked in, closely followed by Scott, then Kirsty and lastly Kane. No one was in the living room.
"Mum! Dad!" shouted Dani.
"What is it, Dani?" shouted back Shelley.
"Can you come down here, please, it's important."
A few moments later, Shelley and Rhys came down the stairs. After taking a moment to register all the people in the room, the anger on Rhys' face was evident.
"What the hell is he doing here?"
"Dad.." intervened Kirsty.
"I told you not to bring him here again, Kirsty, get him out...NOW!"
"But dad..."
"NOW!"
"Dad, can you just listen to us, please? Kirsty, Kane, Scott and me, we all need to talk to you both."
"Together?" cut in Shelley.
"Yes."
"And you're ok with him being here, Dani?"
"I'm not going to lie and say I'm ok but that's why we're here."
"I don't understand."
Rhys wouldn't take his eyes off Kane. The anger he felt everytime he saw him was just as great as his love for his wife and his kids. He remembered all too much how Kane destroyed Dani, how he made her life a living hell. He was angry because he wasn't there for his daughter when she needed him.
"Well, as you know, I was at Scott's, and Kirsty was at Kane's."
"Yeah...?"
"They came to Scott's house and I, em, well I got a bit worked up..."
Scott grabbed Dani's hand to reassure her that he was there. Both Shelley and Rhys noticed this.
"Oh yeah...emm...me and Scott, we've decided to give it a go, see what happens because I really need someone just now and he's offered to be that someone for me."
Rhys turned his attentions to Scott.
"You hurt her, you'll have me to answer to."
"I wouldn't even dream of it, Mr Sutherland. Not after everything Dani has been through, I like her and she likes me, we're just going to let it go from there."
Kane coughed and soon Shelley and Rhys were staring at him and Kirsty once more.
"Mum, we went to Scott's because we wanted to sort this out with Dani. I love Dani, she's my sister, of course I do but-"
"But nothing Kirsty, it should end there. He raped her, or don't you know that?! What makes you think he's not going to do it again?"
"DAD! Can you just hear her out? It's things like this that are going to make this situation worse...if that's possible."
"What I was saying is that I love Dani because she's my sister but I also love Kane and I know that's difficult to understand, it's difficult for me too because I can see that he has changed but I know how much he hurt Dani, I know how she felt when he..."
"Ok Kirsty...anyways, what we've decided is that we're going to do a mediation. All of us, not just me and Kane this time."
"I don't know if that's such a good idea."
"Why not?"
"Things will be said that won't be liked."
"It's kind of the whole point, mum, we need to get these 'things' out in the open."
"Have you spoken to Flynn yet?"
"No, not yet, I wanted to come here first, just to let you know, not to ask your approval because our minds are made up already."
"If you're adamant, I guess there's nothing we can do."
"There isn't."
Everyone said their goodbyes and the four made their way to the Drop-in Centre. Flynn was all for the idea, glad that Kane, Kirsty and Dani were doing something to sort out their situation. He was also glad that Dani and Scott had found each other, maybe it would make things a wee bit easier.
*****
It was the day of the mediation. Kirsty was still at Kane's, she had thought it to be best that she stayed with him up until the actual day. She was nervous as hell, as was Kane but he wasn't showing it as much. Kirsty was pacing up and down the room, trying to prepare herself for what was going to happen in the next half hour. Kane was just sitting quietly, not quite knowing what to say or what to do. This was much worse than the last time because this time, he actually cared. Kirsty was going to be there and he was ashamed of what was going to be revealed.
Dani was in just as much of a state as Kirsty - if not more. She was rocking back and forwards on the couch, just like she had in Scott's house when she had just seen Kane with Kirsty. Scott was meeting them at the Drop-in Centre, he'd promised to be there for Dani and so far his promise had been kept.
"Dani, try and be positive about this."
"Positive? How can I be positive when I'm terrified? I don't think I can deal with this anymore."
"I was against the idea in the first place but now I think it will do some good. You have to face up to this or else it will never go away."
"It won't EVER go away, mum."
"I know that, sweetheart, but this should make it easier. Let's go."
Shelley and Dani left for the Drop-in Centre, leaving Rhys behind..at Dani's request. She didn't want anymore slanging matches between her dad and Kane, she just wanted to get this over and done with.
As they entered the Drop-in Centre, they saw that Kane, Kirsty and Scott were already there.
"Are you ok, Dani?"
"Mmm."
"I'll be waiting out here for you, ok?"
"Scott, can't you come in with me?"
"If you'd like me to be there."
"I would, I really would...it's just that Kirsty has Kane and I don't really want to be on my own."
"Of course I'll come in."
"Thank you...mum, can you wait here for us?"
"Sure."
"Ok, guys, you ready?" Flynn asked gently.
All four walked in sombrely.
"Right, I know you're all nervous but we've all come here to achieve something today. What we want to achieve is different for us all, so we need to establish that first. Scott, let's start with you. I know you didn't think you'd be in here but if you could just get us started..."
"Ok, sure, well, even though I haven't known Dani that long, I felt a connection with her when I found her that day on the beach. I really want to make things easier for her, that's what I hope happens from today because a few days ago, I saw the state that Dani was in when she saw Kane...and it upsets me to see her like that. I want to move on with my life, with Dani with me."
Dani smiled over at Scott, she knew this was the real thing, Scott would be there for her.
"Thanks Scott, that was really good...Kirsty?"
"Ok, well, em, I'm not here to hurt anyone, I want you all to know that. I know that seeing Kane is inevitably going to hurt people but it's how I feel...anyways, today...what do I want to come from today? I guess, I just want to be able to love my boyfriend without it killing my sister everytime she sees us."
"Hopefully we can do that for you, Kane?"
"I want to be able to say sorry and have it mean something. I want to be able to love Kirsty like she loves me, without the guilt of what it's doing to Dani. I want to be able to live like any other couple in love does...I want to stop hurting people, I just want to be with Kirsty."
"And finally, Dani, what about you?"
"I just want to move on. I can't be living in the past anymore with all the...with all the hate and all the fear, I need to start over. I don't want to stand in Kirsty's way, I want her to be happy but it's so hard, so hard to forget."
"Ok, I understand that, I get that but the first thing I have to say to you Dani is that you will never forget. As tough as it sounds, it's true. What happened to you will never go away, it's something that's always going to be there. Whether or not you choose to deal with it is your choice but if you don't, it can affect your life forever."
"Mum! Dad!" shouted Dani.
"What is it, Dani?" shouted back Shelley.
"Can you come down here, please, it's important."
A few moments later, Shelley and Rhys came down the stairs. After taking a moment to register all the people in the room, the anger on Rhys' face was evident.
"What the hell is he doing here?"
"Dad.." intervened Kirsty.
"I told you not to bring him here again, Kirsty, get him out...NOW!"
"But dad..."
"NOW!"
"Dad, can you just listen to us, please? Kirsty, Kane, Scott and me, we all need to talk to you both."
"Together?" cut in Shelley.
"Yes."
"And you're ok with him being here, Dani?"
"I'm not going to lie and say I'm ok but that's why we're here."
"I don't understand."
Rhys wouldn't take his eyes off Kane. The anger he felt everytime he saw him was just as great as his love for his wife and his kids. He remembered all too much how Kane destroyed Dani, how he made her life a living hell. He was angry because he wasn't there for his daughter when she needed him.
"Well, as you know, I was at Scott's, and Kirsty was at Kane's."
"Yeah...?"
"They came to Scott's house and I, em, well I got a bit worked up..."
Scott grabbed Dani's hand to reassure her that he was there. Both Shelley and Rhys noticed this.
"Oh yeah...emm...me and Scott, we've decided to give it a go, see what happens because I really need someone just now and he's offered to be that someone for me."
Rhys turned his attentions to Scott.
"You hurt her, you'll have me to answer to."
"I wouldn't even dream of it, Mr Sutherland. Not after everything Dani has been through, I like her and she likes me, we're just going to let it go from there."
Kane coughed and soon Shelley and Rhys were staring at him and Kirsty once more.
"Mum, we went to Scott's because we wanted to sort this out with Dani. I love Dani, she's my sister, of course I do but-"
"But nothing Kirsty, it should end there. He raped her, or don't you know that?! What makes you think he's not going to do it again?"
"DAD! Can you just hear her out? It's things like this that are going to make this situation worse...if that's possible."
"What I was saying is that I love Dani because she's my sister but I also love Kane and I know that's difficult to understand, it's difficult for me too because I can see that he has changed but I know how much he hurt Dani, I know how she felt when he..."
"Ok Kirsty...anyways, what we've decided is that we're going to do a mediation. All of us, not just me and Kane this time."
"I don't know if that's such a good idea."
"Why not?"
"Things will be said that won't be liked."
"It's kind of the whole point, mum, we need to get these 'things' out in the open."
"Have you spoken to Flynn yet?"
"No, not yet, I wanted to come here first, just to let you know, not to ask your approval because our minds are made up already."
"If you're adamant, I guess there's nothing we can do."
"There isn't."
Everyone said their goodbyes and the four made their way to the Drop-in Centre. Flynn was all for the idea, glad that Kane, Kirsty and Dani were doing something to sort out their situation. He was also glad that Dani and Scott had found each other, maybe it would make things a wee bit easier.
*****
It was the day of the mediation. Kirsty was still at Kane's, she had thought it to be best that she stayed with him up until the actual day. She was nervous as hell, as was Kane but he wasn't showing it as much. Kirsty was pacing up and down the room, trying to prepare herself for what was going to happen in the next half hour. Kane was just sitting quietly, not quite knowing what to say or what to do. This was much worse than the last time because this time, he actually cared. Kirsty was going to be there and he was ashamed of what was going to be revealed.
Dani was in just as much of a state as Kirsty - if not more. She was rocking back and forwards on the couch, just like she had in Scott's house when she had just seen Kane with Kirsty. Scott was meeting them at the Drop-in Centre, he'd promised to be there for Dani and so far his promise had been kept.
"Dani, try and be positive about this."
"Positive? How can I be positive when I'm terrified? I don't think I can deal with this anymore."
"I was against the idea in the first place but now I think it will do some good. You have to face up to this or else it will never go away."
"It won't EVER go away, mum."
"I know that, sweetheart, but this should make it easier. Let's go."
Shelley and Dani left for the Drop-in Centre, leaving Rhys behind..at Dani's request. She didn't want anymore slanging matches between her dad and Kane, she just wanted to get this over and done with.
As they entered the Drop-in Centre, they saw that Kane, Kirsty and Scott were already there.
"Are you ok, Dani?"
"Mmm."
"I'll be waiting out here for you, ok?"
"Scott, can't you come in with me?"
"If you'd like me to be there."
"I would, I really would...it's just that Kirsty has Kane and I don't really want to be on my own."
"Of course I'll come in."
"Thank you...mum, can you wait here for us?"
"Sure."
"Ok, guys, you ready?" Flynn asked gently.
All four walked in sombrely.
"Right, I know you're all nervous but we've all come here to achieve something today. What we want to achieve is different for us all, so we need to establish that first. Scott, let's start with you. I know you didn't think you'd be in here but if you could just get us started..."
"Ok, sure, well, even though I haven't known Dani that long, I felt a connection with her when I found her that day on the beach. I really want to make things easier for her, that's what I hope happens from today because a few days ago, I saw the state that Dani was in when she saw Kane...and it upsets me to see her like that. I want to move on with my life, with Dani with me."
Dani smiled over at Scott, she knew this was the real thing, Scott would be there for her.
"Thanks Scott, that was really good...Kirsty?"
"Ok, well, em, I'm not here to hurt anyone, I want you all to know that. I know that seeing Kane is inevitably going to hurt people but it's how I feel...anyways, today...what do I want to come from today? I guess, I just want to be able to love my boyfriend without it killing my sister everytime she sees us."
"Hopefully we can do that for you, Kane?"
"I want to be able to say sorry and have it mean something. I want to be able to love Kirsty like she loves me, without the guilt of what it's doing to Dani. I want to be able to live like any other couple in love does...I want to stop hurting people, I just want to be with Kirsty."
"And finally, Dani, what about you?"
"I just want to move on. I can't be living in the past anymore with all the...with all the hate and all the fear, I need to start over. I don't want to stand in Kirsty's way, I want her to be happy but it's so hard, so hard to forget."
"Ok, I understand that, I get that but the first thing I have to say to you Dani is that you will never forget. As tough as it sounds, it's true. What happened to you will never go away, it's something that's always going to be there. Whether or not you choose to deal with it is your choice but if you don't, it can affect your life forever."