As their shift for the day was over and the bakery was closed up for the night, Greta had decided to act out on her word. Mr.B allowed the girls to use the empty lot for a talking session, just as long as they promised to lock up once they were finished, and of course, they said they would. So, with the building all to themselves, Greta and Dani sat in a booth with a cup of hot chocolate in front of each of them.
"So, this dream you had...What was it about?" Greta asked, careful to bring the topic up as she watched her best friend closely.
Dani gave her a small smile. "It's okay, G. You don't have to act so cautiously...I think I'm ready to talk about it now."
Greta held up each of her ears, which caused Dani to snort at her childish-like antics before she shook her head.
"Okay...so...to make a very long story short...I saw Grandma Neenie in my dream," Dani began.
Greta's eyes widened at her friend's words before she gave the girl a sad look as she placed her hand over hers. Although Dani had been her only grandchild, Janine had treated Greta, Hans, and Mikey as if they were her grandchildren as well, which made her death all the more heartbreaking as not only had Dani lost her, but her friends had lost her also.
"What did she say?" Greta questioned softly.
Dani took a deep breath before she willed herself to answer as her grandmother's voice popped into her mind.
You killed me...YOU KILLED ME!!
"She said...She said that I was-... She blamed me, Greta...She told me that I'm the reason she's dead," she choked out. "And then...then Henry was there and he-... I tried to help her...I wanted to help her so bad but I couldn't and she called me selfish and then he-"
"No, no, no, hey, shh, D. It's okay. It was only a dream, it's okay," Greta softly said as she had gotten up to sit on the other side of the booth and comfort her friend as the girl had started to cry.
Dani let out a sob and shook her head. "He killed her again and he made me watch...I couldn't do anything, Greta. She thinks I didn't want to help my own grandmother!!"
"Dani, no...No, no, she doesn't think that at all," Greta said while rubbing the girl's arm. "Dreams aren't always a reflection of your reality. You're not the one to blame for Nana Neenie's death, D. No one's ever blamed you...but I understand how you've put it on yourself."
Dani frowned at her words, but the blonde continued before she could ask what she'd meant.
"I understand because...because I blamed myself for what happened to Hans and me," Greta said.
"Greta," Dani said as her frown deepened.
Greta shook her head. "No, D...I was the one who suggested we go inside that house. Even after Hans had told me how bad of a feeling he had gotten from it, I still insisted we go in because of how excited I was to see it," she said and wiped a tear from her cheek.
Dani pouted and squeezed her hand, which caused the blonde to give her a sad smile.
"That one mistake changed our entire lives forever," she said with a sniff. "If I had never gone in...If I had just listened to Hans, he wouldn't be the way he is now..."
Dani shook her head and said, "G, you can't blame yourself for that. You were just eight years old!! How were you supposed to know she was going to do that to you two?!"
Greta gave the girl a look. "Just like how you were supposed to know that a wolf had evil plans to kill a little girl's grandmother..?" she countered back, and a feeling of realization flashed over Dani before it was replaced by anger.
"You can't do that to me! It's not the same!!" she said.
Greta shook her head and said, "But it is, D! We were both young and naive and had no clue of the evils in the world. We were both raised to believe that everyone in this town is good and that nothing bad ever happens. We weren't the ones with the malicious plots, Dani. We weren't the ones who went after young children and used their innocence against them. It wasn't us, it was them, and it's time you start believing that."
The frown returned to Dani's features as she said, "But-"
"I know, D...I know, but you can't keep blaming yourself for something you couldn't have possibly thought would happen! You know Nana Neenie wouldn't have wanted that...and you know damn well she wouldn't blame you either!!" Greta said. "I'm so sorry about your nightmare, but that's just exactly what it was. A nightmare and it held no weight to the actual truth. You were never the one at fault Dani. And you never will be."
Dani furrowed her brows as she thought over her friend's words...and of course, she was right. Everyone had been right the entire time, but she'd been too stubborn to believe it. It wasn't her fault, and it had never been.
Dani frowned as she stared down at her mug. "He's made me believe it," she tearfully said. "He told me my mom must be happy she has another chance to raise a child that won't kill another family member."
"What?!" Greta asked with widened eyes. "Dani, that's horrible! And it's not true! Oh God, come here."
"I know it's not true," Dani mumbled with a sniff. "But Frankie-... He's never going to know her. They'll never get to know each other and it's because I-"
"Dani."
The girl sighed at the warning in her friend's tone as she looked away in shame.
Greta sighed. "Oh, Dani. I wish he hadn't put it in your head that you're at fault. I wish you could see that you aren't and that Nana Neenie would never put you to blame either. We know you never meant for that day to happen because we know you didn't know that it could happen. There's no one to blame here but that rotten wolf bastard."
Dani wiped at a tear that fell from her cheek and said, "I miss her, Greta. So much. I try to do what Mikey said when we were little, but it hardly works anymore. I just want her back so bad."
Greta frowned as her best friend began to cry and she tightened her hold on the girl and kissed her head, whispering soft reassurances as she rubbed her arm in comfort. "Let's talk about something else, yeah? Do you have any other topics on your mind that you need to let out?"
Dani smiled a small smile as she sniffed and nodded lightly. "There is something else actually...and I think you're going to like it."
"Oh?" Greta asked with raised brows as she handed the girl a tissue.
"Yeah," Dani said after blowing her nose. "I um...I've been thinking a lot about this and...well...I think I'm ready to get back together with-"
A loud squeal cut Dani's words off as she cringed at the sound.
"Oh, I knew it!! I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!!!" Greta exclaimed as she bounced in her seat with a broad smile on her face.
"What in the world is your guys' obsession with Mikey and I's relationship?!" Dani questioned as she grabbed another tissue.
Greta scoffed. "Um, one. Your mothers planned it before you were even born, and it happened," she started, which caused Dani to raise an eyebrow. "And two, I predicted this happening in first grade!!"
Dani furrowed her brows and tilted her head as she asked, "Didn't we meet you when you were in the first grade?"
"Yep," Greta answered with a smirk.
"You two were so cute the way you were always holding hands," she then gushed, which caused Dani to groan in embarrassment.
"We kept that up until we actually started dating," she said with a laugh. "But then again, I did hold Hans' hand all the time...Does that mean we would look cute together?"
Greta narrowed her eyes and said, "You're not funny."
"Eh, I don't know, G," Dani said with a shrug. "What do you think of Hani? Sounds cute, right?"
Greta scoffed again and shook her head. "Over my dead body."
Dani shrugged again and said, "And there was also that whole Jack Nichols debate...You know, I honestly don't see how people can't comprehend the fact that males and females can be best friends without having romantic feelings for each other...I mean...Look at you and Mikey."
Disgust washed over Greta's features as she said, "Ew! That'd be like dating my brother!"
"Exactly," Dani said with a smirk. "You're best friends of the opposite gender with absolutely no romantic feelings for each other."
Greta clicked her tongue. "This isn't about me! This is about you and Mikey riding off into the sunset together!!"
Dani snorted and said, "I highly doubt that. Plus, I said that I was thinking about it, not that I would. There's a big difference."
"Aww, what?" Greta asked, and Dani narrowed her eyes. "Why just thinking? Why not go for it?!"
"I can't just act like what happened at the party didn't happen, G," Dani mumbled.
Greta frowned and said, "Dani, what you decide to do with your body is your business. You two were broken up. You had every right to move on in any way you wanted. You're not a bad person for doing exactly what he told you to do."
"But I wasn't even doing it to move on," Dani said. "It was all out of spite because my seventeen-year-old self just couldn't understand the fact that being in a relationship just wasn't the best thing for Mikey at that time, and I feel horrible about it because I know that once he finds out, he's never going to see me in the same way again, and I can't-"
"Dani, stop it. You're overthinking things. Mikey would never even think to start hating you for anything," Greta said. "He's going to be mad about it, yes, because it happened with the little weasel, but he won't be mad forever. Because, like I said, you did exactly what he told you to do. No matter who it was with, it's still your body, and you are the only person who has complete control over it."
"He's going to think that there's something there when there never will be," Dani said with a sniff. "And that's what I hate most about it all, because no matter who else I was with, I was always only thinking about him."
Greta nodded and said, "Exactly. And Mikey will understand that because it's him you're going to end up with. You're both still really young, Dani. You're allowed to see other people. It's normal. It's life."
"I must sound so pathetic, huh?" Dani asked. "I know he did it for a good reason, but he's the one who broke things off the first time, and here I am worrying about what he'd think of me after he did so...But you're right. It is my body, and whoever I choose to share it with is my choice...Even still, I could've at least gone to Travis."
Greta laughed as Dani smiled before joining in.
"See! There you go! Now you're getting it!" she said. "These were your choices to make, and they're still your choices now. And if there's anyone that deserves happiness, it's you two."
Noticing a certain look in her best friend's eyes, Dani tilted her head and asked, "There's something else, isn't there?"
Greta sighed and said, "It's just...you two have been through so much...you especially...and whenever you two are with each other, it's like none of that even matters anymore. People can literally see the happiness you two give to each other, D. That's why everyone's so stuck on you two being together."
Dani's eyebrows furrowed as she took in Greta's words. "Wow," she said and shook her head. "I guess I never thought about it like that...Mikey does make me happy. Extremely happy, and these last few years of us being apart have just felt...empty. And I know that we've gone back to being friends, so it's not like he's left my life completely, but it just doesn't feel the same, you know?"
Greta raised an eyebrow and said, "I mean...it's not like he hasn't been trying to get back to the way things were."
Dani narrowed her eyes, which caused the blonde to raise her hands in surrender.
"Just saying."
Dani sighed and said, "No, you're right. He has been trying, but I've been so ashamed of myself that I've been pushing him away again...I'm surprised he's even still willing to be with me again at this point."
Greta scoffed as she took a sip from her mug. "Are you kidding me?! He calls me almost every night, gushing about how pretty he thought you looked during the day! And don't you dare think I don't know about that almost kiss, missy! I could practically hear him smiling through the phone!"
Butterflies fluttered around in her stomach as Dani's cheeks burned with embarrassment, and she asked, "He told you?!"
"Of course he told me! At least someone still remembers their best friend duties!"
Dani snorted as Greta shook her head, a playful look shining in her eyes as she then said, "Dare I say it, but I think you're starting to lack on the job!"
"You're ridiculous!" Dani said with a laugh as she joined in.
"But seriously, D, you should go for it," Greta then said. "You deserve this happiness. You both do. And that's all I'll ever want for you guys."
"Aww, G," Dani said with a smile. "You know you're a big part of that happiness too, right? I don't think either of us can imagine what our lives would be like if we hadn't walked up to you that day at recess."
A wide grin spread on Greta's features as she held up two of her fingers and said, "Sisters Forever?"
Dani nodded and said, "Forever and ever," as she hooked their fingers together.
✧
Finally getting home for the night, Dani entered the house feeling much better than she'd felt before leaving.
Although her talk with Greta helped with getting her feelings out, there were still lingering thoughts of blame pointed at herself for what happened to her grandmother. Of course, Dani had realized that she wasn't the one to actually act on her grandmother's death...she was still the one to lead Henry to her grandmother's home, which ultimately resulted in the day ending the way it had.
Their talk had also helped Dani further realize that maybe getting back together with Mikey wasn't such a bad thing after all. He did make her happy, and she'd missed him a lot more than she was willing to admit.
A smile grew on her face as Dani heard those familiar little footsteps rushing to where she stood and bent down just as he came into her line of view.
"Ellie!!" Frankie happily exclaimed as he jumped into his sister's arms.
Dani squeezed him back just as hard and kissed his head. "Hey, bud! How was your day?" she asked while picking him up.
"It was fun! I got to make ice cream with Ms.Daisy!! Do you want to try some? It's chocolate and it's really yummy!!" Frankie told her with a wide grin that warmed her heart, and she couldn't help but smile back.
"Sounds good, bud!... But I think we should eat dinner first before eating anything sweet. I heard Daddy's bringing pizza home tonight!" Dani said and watched her brother's face light up even more at the information.
"Pizza! Pizza!" Frankie exclaimed as they walked down the hall towards the living room.
Dani snorted as she set him down to his feet and said, "Your obsession with pizza is insane."
Frankie giggled as he ran off to his art table while Dani sat down beside their mother on the couch, who smiled at her daughter in greeting.
"Hey, babydoll," Michelle said while bringing the girl into a side hug.
"Hi, Momma," Dani softly greeted back and cuddled into her mother's side.
"How are you feeling? David told me about what happened this morning," Michelle asked in a softened tone while rubbing her daughter's arm.
Dani shrugged and said, "Much better now, I guess. I had a talk with Greta about it, so she helped with getting those feelings off my chest."
"That's very good to hear, sweetie," Michelle said with a smile and kissed her daughter's head. "But, I'm still your mother. And you're still my baby, which means I'll always know when something else is bothering you...So spill."
Dani pulled away from her mother's side to give the woman a look of disbelief as she said, "What are you, a mind reader?"
Michelle raised an eyebrow. "Daniella Janine," she said in a stern tone that caused the girl to sigh.
"Okay, okay...It's nothing really, I just...I have this...this feeling," she said and shook her head. "But I'm sure it's nothing."
"If it were nothing, you wouldn't have spoken up about it," Michelle said with a frown. "What kind of feeling, baby? Tell me what's going on."
Dani sighed again as she looked down at her hands. "I just...I feel like something bad is going to happen," she finally revealed and looked back up to her mother. "I don't know how...or when...or even what it is, but...I just know it's going to happen."
"And how long have you had this feeling?" Michelle questioned, the worry never leaving her eyes as she held her daughter's hand in comfort.
"Since...Since my visit with Henry," Dani mumbled while looking at the ground.
"Dani baby...look at me, sweetheart," Michelle said, which caused the girl to meet her gaze. "That man is staying right where he needs to be, okay? He's not going to harm a hair on your head as long as I'm still here."
"But you don't know that, Momma," Dani said while shaking her head. "What if he somehow escapes? What if he...What if he comes after Frankie?! Or...Or-"
"Shh, shh, shh Dani baby," Michelle cut her daughter off. "You stop that right now, do you hear me?"
"But-"
"No, no, no," she immediately said. "Nothing is going to happen to you. Or Frankie...or anyone else, alright? We're not going to let that happen."
Dani sighed before nodding her head as she said, "Okay, Momma."
"Okay," Michelle repeated and pulled her daughter into another hug.
Dani frowned as she hugged her mother back, with the dreadful feeling failing to leave her body as she stared down at the floor.
✧
After an interesting dinner that consisted of Frankie telling his family a play-by-play of his favorite movie Elmo's Adventures in Grouchland, they were now all currently sitting at the dining room table eating Frankie's chocolate ice cream that he had insisted they all try.
"Frankie, this ice cream is so good, bub!! You made it all by yourself?!" David asked his son after taking a spoonful.
Frankie proudly nodded. "Yep! I did!!... Well, maybe not all by myself...Miss Daisy helped me mixed it together, but thanks, dada!!" he said with a grin.
Dani snorted as her mother and step-father laughed at his answer.
As she got up to get more whipped cream for her ice cream, a voice from the television caused her to pause in her step.
"This just in...Henry S. Wolff has been released from prison."
The sound of a bowl shattering to the floor filled the kitchen as it slipped from Dani's fingers.
Her stomach twisted as her blood ran cold at the newscaster's words.
He'd been what?