Strong Enough to Break

Chapter Twenty Two

"Are you sure we have to go out today?" Dani called out as she sat on the edge of her bed brushing her hair.

Opie had woken her that morning with a series of kisses placed on her neck and shoulders, telling her they needed to get up and start getting ready for the day because he and Jax had a surprise for her.

She pulled her hair to the side and began to braid it as she inspected herself in the mirror. She was wearing a pair of shorts that stopped just above her knee and a lilac colored shirt with a v neck. Dani tied off her braid with a hair elastic and slipped on some sandals as Opie appeared in her doorway.

"Don't you want your surprise?" he asked her.

"It's not about that. I feel like so much stuff keeps coming up, and it's emotionally draining. I was kind of hoping for a couple days of peace, just hanging out around the house with you." She stood and walked towards him.

"I know it's been a lot lately," Opie replied, wrapping his arms around her. "But trust me, you are really going to like this surprise."

"Ok," Dani nodded, giving him a smile. She moved to step out of his arms so they could go but he stopped her and pulled her in for a kiss.

"Next week, after your court hearing, before you jump into everything you've been waiting to do, we'll pick a day, and we'll sleep in and spend the day however you want, ok?" he offered.

"Promise?" Dani asked.

"Promise." Opie said and kissed her again. Just then his phone started to go off, and he flipped it open to answer it when there was a knock at the door. "Can you get the door? It's probably Jax."

Dani nodded and left Opie to his call and made her way to the door.

"Oh my god!" she exclaimed when she opened the door. It was not her brother that caused her to cry out, though he was standing there too, just behind an older woman with skin tanned from working too much under the sun and wild white curls. "Alice!"

Dani reached out and pulled the woman into the house before launching herself at her in an excited hug.

"Oh, my sweet girl." Alice said as they two women held each other for several minutes. Dani poured all the love and gratitude she felt for Alice into the hug. This was the first time she had ever embraced the older woman and she wanted to make sure Alice knew exactly how much she cared. When they separated a few minutes later both ladies' eyes were misted over with unshed tears. "Let me look at you. I hardly recognize you; you look so happy."

"How did you get here?" Dani asked.

"When we spoke last week, you didn't seem quite yourself, so when I kicked you out of the room to talk with your dear brother, here," Alice said gesturing to Jax, "we concocted this little scheme and he got your other friend here to help. Now be a dear if you don't mind and introduce me."

Dani turned and gave Jax a hug saying, "Thank you," before turning to Opie and doing the same. "Apparently, you've already met Jax, so Alice, this is Opie Winston. Opie this is Alice Martin."

Dani found herself amused that Opie seemed slightly nervous at meeting Alice. Alice on the other hand gave Opie a look like she was sizing him up, reached up to grab him by the shoulders and pressed her cheek to his in a kiss. "It's very nice to meet you, Opie. I've heard some very good things about you."

"It's nice to meet you too ma'am. Thank you for taking care of Dani until she found her way home." Opie replied.

"None of that ma'am business. Call me Alice, and there are no thanks required. She gave me as much as I gave her." Alice looked fondly at Dani.