Toto and the Boys III: Dannie

Chapter 10

A piece of the past…

“Until when?” George demanded angrily.

“Does your mother know?”

“Until I can make it on my own. Until I can get Tessa out of that house,” she answered George. “She doesn’t have to know. She’ll think I am lying,” was her answer to Jackie.

The three of them fell silent. Dannie could only pray with her eyes open as memories of the previous night flashed in her mind.

He would sometimes make her do things any child should not ever go through.

When she was small, she thought it was his way of loving her as her father. The things he did to her made her uncomfortable. Later, they made her feel dirty.

She had wanted to tell her mother, but made threats.

He’d touch Tessa, too, he had said. And he’d kill all of them. The same words over the years had caused her fear.

So she kept her silence.

Until that day she could no longer bear to be quiet. She had to tell someone or she’d go insane.

George had an idea, but it was still a shock. Jackie had started crying hysterically.

George was already talking about plans but she was not listening. She was thinking of Tessa. Her sister had to be safe first.

PRESENT DAY.

It was all or nothing for Troy my boy. And we both knew we’d be in trouble the moment Dannie woke up.

She wouldn’t stay asleep for long, Troy, I told him.

And I was right. Dannie baby slowly came awake and she did not move for quite some time, blankly looking through my windshield. The sky was getting dark. I counted until she moved her head to look out her side of the window, a frown slowly sneaking its way in her beautiful face.

Oh, baby, if you only know…

Troy almost turned to stone when he noticed Dannie waking up and looking out the window. His eyes were fixed on the road like glue and I saw the movement of his throat as he swallowed in anxiety.

“Troy, where are we?” Dannie baby, the ever innocent child, asked.

“Somewhere north, I guess” Troy answered, obviously trying to sound normal. Oh, you have thought that far, didn’t you? Let’s see how FAR you’ve come prepared for what comes next, my boy.

This time, Dannie baby was sure he was up to something and she was starting to look angry. “Troy, where are we exactly?”

“We are actually on our way to Dumaguete,” he answered.

Okay, that was fast. You shouldn’t have told the truth while driving, buddy. Not safe at all.

But Dannie was not the hysterical type so she took a few seconds to calm herself, taking a deep breath and slowly exhaled. Her hands were balled into fists. “Let’s turn around now, please. I want to go home.”

Troy gulped once more but guessing on the speed of my wheels, we were not going to do any U-turn. “Danica, hear me out first—”

“Stop the car now, Troy.” Dannie’s voice was strong and cold by then.

Okay, so I am just THE CAR now. Great, DANICA.

“No,” Troy said, shaking his head. “We’re going to Dumaguete. You need a break. I need a break.”