Sorry for the delay guys, just revision and art coursework really have got the better of me of late. Hope you enjoy this chapter and theres definitely more too come but seriously keep the reviews coming!
Ronnie hurriedly sat back in her seat in utter angst as the 9.45 train to Telford lurched horribly to stop, violently dragging her and her daughter forward with it. Why did I ever agree to this, this is Danielle's thing she has to do, not mine Ronnie glanced over to the teen sitting beside her, see she doesn't need me she looks perfectly fine .Ronnie had been trying to assure herself the whole journey that turning back alone leaving her daughter to meet Joel, by herself, was the best thing for everyone. But unfortunately for Ronnie this was not the answer she knew in her heart of hearts, Ronnie had to see her daughter through this - this was the one, last possible thing she could do for Danielle before she turned twenty and inevitably grew apart from a relationship that had so late on developed. Sighing, Ronnie took one last sip of her black coffee placed the empty cup down heavily and heaved herself to the trains aisle, "You sure your okay with this-" Danielle added to the silence, wary of Ronnie's behaviour at present "Yes I'm fine Danielle its just revisiting the past is really not good for my sanity Ive found in recent years -". Ronnie's ever growing anxiety about seeing Joel after all these years was beginning to take its toll on her patience and therefore she had no control over venting it out on Danielle.
"Right then we'll take the first taxi we see - just think Ronnie, how great this day is going to be!" Danielle swung her arms in excitement as she hopped off the train, Ronnie smiled as her daughter looked back at her and when her daughter turned she felt herself crumble. This is going to be hell, utter hell , an actual fate worse then death Ronnie couldn't get the unbearable worry out of her mind it was as if her daughter wanted her to die of embarrassment and awkward inadequacy, Joel was married, had children hell he probably had a golden retriever called Buddy - the lot. How was she honestly going to look in comparison to that she questioned herself critically. "There's one! Quick Ronnie - we really don't want to be late do we" Danielle honestly looked as if it was her first Christmas as she ran full pelt towards a black cab, for her this must be like the last piece of the puzzle coming together , for her anyway Ronnie resentfully thought, narrowing her eyes at just thinking about what was to come.
The taxi journey over to Danielle's family home was an uncomfortable journey in more than just one way, their over packed bags had barely fit so that caused problems in matters of space and nerves had just about filled the remaining gaps so ultimately room for conversation had been total demolished. Ronnie was indeed actually pleased and filled with greatest of delight as she approached the detached home labeled "No.9, The Jone's residence". But after fully inspecting the house Ronnie's jaw dropped to the ground, she reckoned up the house to have least five bedrooms and with a conservatory out the front Ronnie felt herself suddenly clam up fast and all the armour she had dismantled from four weeks ago piled back upon her. She could never have given her daughter this lifestyle growing up. "I'll get the fair Danielle, how much is it-" Ronnie felt more then obliged to pay after seeing the place she would be entering in less then a minute, Danielle's home, home where her daughter had grew up - without her - this daunting thought of absence haunted Ronnie more then anything in the world.
"Oh, okay Ronnie only if your sure though - I know you didn't really want to come or anything-" Danielle's previous beaming smile had now totally vanished and was replaced with a rather wary and cautious one "My treat aye-honestly I don't mind let me do this at least" Ronnie replied airily peering over Danielle's shoulder as the Jone's front door slowly opened.
"Danielle! How are you my love? Come here and give your dad a hug - Aww look at your head darling is… - Ronnie here I presume she is - yes?" Danielle nodded back to the blonde woman paying the taxi driver and smiled "Yea she's just paying the fare- she's a little worried about the meeting Joel thing - is he here? she added quietly. "He's inside having a brew, I told him to wait inside just in case of you being overwhelmed by the situation" her dad answered lovingly, although Danielle could tell he was hiding a secret resentment to her birth parents coming together as he swallowed extremely hard and turned around sharpish .
Once Andy had taken the bags from the boot and fully acquainted himself with Ronnie he lead the two women inside attentively. "You have a - lovely, marvelous home here, so family orientated -" spoke a memorized Ronnie glancing around everywhere once inside, her eyes darted at all the pictures hung on the walls of her daughter and another boy. "Well I've tried my best to maintain it since Dani's mum passed away last year-" Danielle looked back at her mothers reaction to the sentence just spoken by her adoptive father, she looked rather taken a back but Danielle couldn't tell if it was just being here that made look like this or whether it was the words. "Come through to the kitchen, now Joel here has just sampled some of my lasagna I made earlier and has lived on since, so if you'd care to have some you may-". Andy walked in through the kitchen door and left them sideways on opening up a full view of the dining table in doing so. It was there, on the end chair he sat. His whole face lit up with pure joy as Danielle entered the room first, Ronnie closely followed her but chose to hang back slowly to take in the sight of seeing Joel for the first time in twenty years. His dirty blond, wavy hair still flopped effortlessly down by his earlobes, his eyes flashed a royal blue through the room casting out a glistening shine. He looked in great shape, he still had a flat tight stomach but with broad manly shoulders to compliment it, the only thing Ronnie could criticize was his overly happy attitude in seeing Danielle he didn't even see her as a baby so why is he so happy now ?
As Ronnie realized she could no longer put off the inevitable she came into full focus of the room, bright eyed and beaming smiles Ronnie put on her best "Im here to please" face. She took Joel's hand and shook it firmly yet tenderly "Ronnie - its, its been awhile-" he smiled and winked gently at her. "I suppose it has Joel, I suppose it has-" she answered back in a gentle tone.
After an hour of Danielle laughing awkwardly at Joel's jokes, smiling at him when he complimented her and giggling when he told stories of him and Ronnie back in the day it began to dawn on everyone how tired they all actually were. "Shall I show you two to your rooms- Dan you'll be in your room obviously and Ronnie you'll be in the guest bedroom- Joel I know your over at the B and B but you can kip on the sofa if you'd rather-" Andy said in rather forced tone, it was crystal clear he was only putting on this loving caring act to look accepting in Danielle's eyes Ronnie thought to herself. Joel peered up at Ronnie, he had only looked at her once when they had greeted each other three hours ago and replied sheepishly "No no Andy I should really head over I would hate to become a burden" he ended with a soft baneful joke but it was evident everyone was thankful for his decision. Danielle shot up as fast as lightening giving Joel an extremely child like hug, Joel was far more approachable than Ronnie had ever been to Danielle and it was hard Ronnie to watch what it could of indeed been like. She winced at the thought and reluctantly stood to say goodbye "Andy Im sure Ronnie can see me out- you two can stay put" Joel added shortly after Danielle and him parted, he looked warily over in Ronnie's direction, it had been so long he thought we need a proper goodbye.
Ronnie walked cautiously behind Joel as they left awkwardly together what the hell was he playing at Ronnie hissed in her mind they had nothing to say to each other, well she didn't any way. "Listen Ron-" Joel turned round on Ronnie eyes staring straight at her, Ronnie looked blankly back at him but only for a second before she bowed her head smiling "Im sorry I was never there, honestly, it's a major regret in my life, too much has happened since, for me and you- and well I just hope there's no bad feeling there between us - I did love you after all Ron". Ronnie looked up and confidently cleared her throat and dryly replied " I felt the same but er- you know water under the bridge now anyway, cant go back and change things can we" she ended her sentence sounding a little too sad for her liking and her true feeling were beginning to reveal themselves as for her too, regrets lingered. They both smiled light heartedly as Joel clutched the door and began stepping out, "Goodbye Ronnie Mitchell" and with that to Ronnie's utter surprise he heavily pressed his lips to hers and Ronnie's eyes shot wide open in fright.
As Joel pulled himself away from a wide eyed Ronnie he simply smiled in response and after regaining his regular tall man posture he closed the door lightly behind himself leaving the woman he had loved memorized.