More than Secrets

Headaches and Memories

DANI'S P. O. V.

I woke up on my 18th birthday with a splitting headache.

Probably because you cried all night.

"What?" I turned around, thinking I heard someone talking to me.

I'm in your head, doll.

I freak out and fall out of bed, landing in a crumpled mess on the floor. Holy crap, now I'm hearing voices in my head too?

Just my voice. I'm Juno by the way.

"You're not real," I say covering my ears.

Yeah, that's not gonna help... and here I thought you were a smart one.

"Go away!" I yell.

Ryan comes into my room and looks around. His eyes land on me laying on the floor next to my bed. "You okay sis? I heard you yelling?"

"Uhm, yeah... bad dream," I laugh nervously. God, please don't tell me I'm going crazy.

I shower and get dressed in a pair of jeans and a cute, flowy red top, then head downstairs, trying to forget about the voice in my head.

You can't just "forget" about me... I'm part of you, Dani.

COLLEEN'S P. O. V.

"Do we really have to tell her now? It will spoil her whole day, Richard." I plead with my husband who's pacing a hole in my carpet now.

He stops and furrows his brows at me. He sighs heavily. I can see he's just as torn up about this as I am.

We barely slept a wink last night, knowing what awaited us today.

My beautiful baby girl is 18 today. She's no longer a minor, therefore she needs to know the truth.

I sigh and clutch the envelope in my hand closer to my chest as memories of the night she was born come flooding back into my mind...

... Flashback: September 14, 2002 ...

THIRD PERSON P. O. V.

The rain is pouring down outside as Colleen Carstens snuggles up into her favourite armchair by the fireplace, to read a book.

She's interrupted by the doorbell ringing and heavy pounding on the front door at the same time.

Colleen quickly sets her book down and goes to open the front door.

"Lorna?"

She's surprised and more than a little confused to see her best friend from high school standing on the threshold of her front door.

She hasn't seen, nor heard from Lorna in close to 10 years. In fact, the last time she saw her was at their high school graduation.

"Colleen. I need your help... Please," Lorna pleads with her breathlessly as she slides down to the floor.

It's then that Colleen notices Lorna's very round belly, poking out through her soaking wet coat... and something red dripping down her legs.

"Lorna, oh my God! You're bleeding!" Colleen says in a panic. "Richard!" she turns and yells up the stairs, as she grabs her coat and throws it on.

Her husband comes down the stairs with a small, giggling child on his shoulders. He freezes when he reaches the last step and sees Lorna on all fours by the front door. He looks at his wife with wide eyes.

"Richard, I'm taking Lorna to the hospital, she's pregnant... and she's bleeding!" Colleen says as she grabs her handbag and car keys. She reaches down to help her friend to her feet, but Lorna gently pushes her hands away.

"I can't go to the hospital. They'll find me there... They have trackers," she cries out in pain and clutches her belly. "Oh Goddess, please, my baby's coming now... You have to help me, please!" Lorna grabs ahold of her friend's hand and looks at her with desperation. "You are the only person I can trust, Colleen."

Colleen can see the terror in Lorna's eyes. Whoever she's running from must be dangerous. She locks eyes with her husband and they both nod in agreement.

...

8 gruelling hours later and the piercing cry of a newborn baby fills the Carstens home.

"It's a girl!" Colleen says with a wide smile as she drys the baby with a clean towel and hands her over to Lorna.

Lorna holds the baby in her arms and smiles down at her with tears in her eyes. The baby is a splitting image of her. Hazel eyes and dark hair.

"Daniella," Lorna says. "Her name is Daniella."

She kisses her baby for the first and last time, before handing her back to Colleen.

Richard starts on the tidying up process while Lorna goes to get cleaned up in the guest bathroom.

Colleen rocks the baby to sleep in her arms. It has been so long since her and Richard had had a baby in their home. Not for the lack of trying though, but after 4 miscarriages, she'd given up hope on ever conceiving again.

After a while, the baby becomes restless in her arms and Colleen goes to ask Lorna if she wants to feed the baby or if she would like Richard to drive to the store to buy a tin of formula, but Lorna is not in the bathroom... or anywhere else in the house. She's gone.

Colleen goes to check the bathroom again and notices a small envelope perched on the window sill now, with "To Daniella on your 18th Birthday" written on the front.

... End of flashback ...

"Happy birthday, Dani!" Richard's voice brings me out of my thoughts.

I turn and see Dani coming into the living room. I quickly stash the envelope behind a cushion on the couch.

"Thanks dad," she says with a big smile as she hugs him, then turns to me. "Everything alright?" she asks me.

I plaster my best fake smile on my face and go to hug her. "Everything is perfect, my dearest Dani," I whisper in her ear.

Richard furrows his eyebrows at me, noticing that I no longer have the envelope in my hand. I shake my head at him not to say anything about it.

"Okay, well I'm off to school now. I can't wait to test drive my new baby!" Dani squeals and jumps up and down in excitement.

We both laugh at her. I can't help but want to tear up. She looks exactly like Lorna.

"You better buckle up young lady!" Richard warns her.

She rolls her eyes, but smiles and nods at him.

We watch from the bay window as she climbs into her car.

Jane comes bounding down the stairs with her backpack, yelling her goodbyes to us and hopping into the passenger seat next to Dani.

I sigh. Jane and El are still not talking to one another, but I did tell El very sternly that she's not allowed to lock Jane out of their room anymore.

"Teenage boy drama?" Richard asks.

"Yip," I reply, then add, "I'm sorry, I couldn't give Dani the envelope."

My husband pulls me close to his side. "It's okay, darling. We'll leave it for after dinner, alright?"

I nod and hug him back tightly.