Through the Dark | ✓

Thirteen

Dani slowly opened her eyes, noticing the room was completely dark. She grabbed her phone, 7:36pm, she had taken a 1 hour nap.

She got up from her new, king size bed and wondered outside.

"Dani? I was just coming up to tell you dinner is ready" Ethan startled her.

She placed a hand over her chest, "you scared me" she laughed.

A smile appeared on his face, "sorry I didn't mean to."

They walked into the dinning room, where Michael was already seated.

"Danielle." He greeted.

"Mr. Harris, how are you doing?" She asked as she sat on the chair.

He smiled, "much better, thank you. Are you liking your room? If you want any adjustments let me know."

"It's perfect actually, I love it." She nervously begins playing with her fingers, "I'd really like to thank you for allowing me to stay at your home."

Jeffrey and a woman enter the room with the food. "It's no problem."

They place a plate in front of her containing finely, sliced turkey, mashed potatoes and corn. "Thank you, umm..?" She looks confusedly at the women.

"Joy" she shyly smiles.

Danielle smiles up at her, "Thank you Joy, I'm Danielle, but I like being called Dani" she extends her hand to Joy, who carefully takes it.

She was the only female employee of Mr. Harris, so it was a surprise to her when Jeffrey had told her that Danielle was moving in. She had been working for the family when Mrs. Harris was pregnant of Ethan, so she knows everything there is about this family.

Herself and Jeffrey exit the room, taking the empty trays.

Danielle was not used to having people cook for her since she did all the cooking in her house. She felt sort of uncomfortable, like she didn't belong. She was now living in a mansion with two men she didn't know.

–

"We have to find her Joanne, she can't just leave us like that." Jack paced around their bedroom, "oh when I get my hands on her, she will regret leaving."

He wasn't able to see what car that stupid bastard drove away on, but he did see his face, and that's all he needed to find him.

"Why don't we just let her be? She finally left, we don't have to take care of her any longer. One less mouth we have to feed." Though Joanne hated her first daughter, she knew what her husband was capable of.

"That's not the point." He stood in front of his wife, "she can report us to the police for what we did to her"

Joanne's eyes opened in fear, "you must find her," she whispered. He smiled at her approval.

–

"I think that's some good progress for one night." They had been working on the sketch of the drawing.

Dani smiled at the canvas, "I really like how our ideas of broken home came together."

They decided on a house being burnt and a dark shadow surrounding it. It will look better once they add the watercolor they decided on.

"We should go to sleep." She suggested.

"What classes do you have tomorrow and what time?" He stood and placed the materials they used on his desk.

Dani helped with the canvas, "I only have the drawing class tomorrow."

"Me too, well you should get your rest, today has been a long day." He doesn't know why, but he slowly approached her and gave her a hug.

She was surprised and shocked all at once, but she hugged him back. "Thank you for allowing me in your home Ethan, this really means a lot."

Ethan smiles, "you're very welcome" he slowly parts from the embrace. "Now, goodnight, see you tomorrow."

"Night" she blushes. He watched as she exited his studio.