"I can't believe you told Alice..." Liv murmured grumpily the next day as she and Rosie walked through the bush, guns in their hands as they went on the look-out for an injured zebra.
"She needed cheering up... even if that was at your expense!" Rosie added cheekily, "Come on, it's Alice!"
"She's our step-mother!" Liv exclaimed, "Seriously if Thabo finds out!"
"You're the one who went Ann Summers love!" Rosie laughed, she went silent before bursting out into laughter once more.
"What?" Liv grunted, obviously frustrated and embarrassed by her step-sister's antics.
"I imagined Thabo as Santa... you know with you as Mrs Claus and everythin'." Rosie giggled as Liv hit her before storming on ahead.
"Let's find your damn zebra... next time I'm staying with Danny!"
Rosie simply laughed and followed Liv, she knew she shouldn't but winding Liv up had always been so easy and oh so much fun!
(x)
Danny sighed as he threw a bale of straw down; he swiftly pulled a knife out of his pocket, knowingly breaking the strings with one smooth swipe of the sharp, silver blade. He quickly pulled them away, throwing them in the bin and shaking all the separate slices all around the pen. As he worked he heard the door open; however he ignored it, uninterested.
"Danny..." Fiona said by means of greeting him before walking up to Ed who was in the office doing paperwork. Danny cursed under his breath slightly as they began their sickly affections. One minute they were on, next off, then they hated each other then they loved each other. He shook his head and cursed once more as he heard the phone ringing. "Danny." He spun to see Fiona walking to him.
"I'll guy whoever it is back." Danny said.
"Sure?" Fiona asked.
"I'm busy." He snapped.
"Ok... I'll tell her. Yeh... Alice, Danny says..."
Before Fiona had even finished her sentence Danny had grabbed the phone out of her hand. She smiled before walking back to the office, grabbing Ed's hand and dragging him out.
"Alice!" Danny breathed, excitement, love and passion rushing through him.
"Hey... Thought you were busy." Alice teased gently, her voice soft.
"Not when you're involved." Danny promised as he moved to sit on the operating table. "How are you? Bump? Charlie."
"Charlie's great, you know what she's like these days, full of confidence." Alice smiled proudly,
"Like someone else I know." Danny intercepted, Alice smiled.
"Bump is getting huge! Seriously... if they come out a midget!" She laughed as she heard Danny sheepishly laughing too, "You will laugh! And as for me... I'm missing you – like hell."
"I miss you too... more and more so each day." Danny sighed, "I love you so much."
"I love you too." Alice told him gently, "And that's why I've made a decision."
"What?" Danny asked, his eyes beginning to fill. Hearing Alice say she loved him... He heard her take a deep breath.
"I'm coming back to Africa. This baby is being born in Africa." Alice told him, a determined tone to her voice. Danny was speechless as one lone tear fell. His throat felt so tight and constricted with emotion, he couldn't speak. "Say something... please." Alice pleaded, her voice cracked.
"I...Alice... You..." He breathed before laughing, "You're amazing."
"I dunno when I'll be able to leave... there'll be Charlie's school to sort and stuff..." Alice trailed off, she heard Charlotte come in through the front door and smiled, home from school and didn't she and Georgina know it.
"Alice... you don't know what this had done for me." His voice cracked, "I love you."
"I know, but I love you more!" Alice beamed, "Anyway. How's your day been sweetheart?"
"Busy as usual, and yours?" Danny asked.
"Lazy." Alice admitted, "I have literally led here eating warm bread, full of butter watching a succession of ITV programmes... Lorraine, Jezza, This Mornings, Loose Women... I even packed in some Antiques Roadshow!"
"Antiques Roadshow?" Danny spat in disgust, "Alice Trevanion I'm in shock!"
"Cheap as chips Danny!" Alice exclaimed, "Wait a minute, Charlie, what are you doing with that... box thing."
"It's the Christmas tree!" Charlotte exclaimed throwing it down on the floor... "Geeeeorgina!"
"Don't throw things on the floor Charlie!" Alice scolded in vain, she sighed as she ran off. "Decorating time in the mansion!"
"I'm surprised she's not hiring people to do it!" Danny laughed, "Oooh you're name is being called!"
"Don't make me go, do not make me go!" Alice pleaded with him, "She will put me through hell!"
"Some of us have work to do sweetheart!" Danny said sweetly, "Look I'll text you... maybe even Skype you later... if I can get Liv to set it up."
"Is she with Rosie?" Alice asked quickly.
"Yes." Danny replied unsurely.
"She'll be glad of the rescue... trust me! Don't ask there's too much!" Alice smiled, "Anyway, gotta run."
"Take care, be careful. Love you."
"You too, no being superman! Love you more. Bye Danny."
"Bye love." Danny sighed before putting the phone down. He placed it back in the office and smiled. He felt lighter and happier than he had in a long time. God, he loved her!
(x)
Later that evening when everything was done (including the zebra which Rosie and Liv had found), the whole household were sat out on the veranda. Thabo was talking to Rosie about the zebra, Liv also listening. Ed and Fiona were watching the wildebeest and Caroline, Dup and Nomsa were conversing by the edge. Danny glanced around... the house was now covered in fairy lights, Caroline had gone a little over the top this year but Danny didn't mind. It was Christmas after all.
"Liv." Danny cleared his throat.
"Yeh?" She asked smiling.
"Please could you get Skype going for me... you know what I'm like with your laptop!"
"Useless!" Liv joked, "Nah sure, come on!"
Danny grinned and followed her as she walked into her room and pulled out her Mac. A present off her Dad to try and get her to come back to England. Like that had worked... free Mac for Liv! She looked at him,
"Where you wanna Skype?" Liv asked him. When he shrugged she grumbled, "You're room."
"Ok." Danny smiled happily.
All too soon Liv had set up and he was involved in a conversation with Alice, Charlotte and Georgina. He felt a Christmas feeing consume him as he saw all the decorations around them and their happy smiling faces. Maybe Christmas would be ok... maybe.
A/N – I know it's mainly dialogue but it's kinda needed :)