Page 34 of Rhythm Of Redemption

“No,” Lou shook her head.

Dani leapt to her feet, embracing Lou tightly. “Thank you. And I've been thinking …”

“Oh no,” Lou teased. “Whenever you say that, it never ends well.”

Dani's eyes sparkled with excitement, her radiant smile melting Lou's heart. “Ha, ha! I meant about what I want to do,” Dani clarified.

Lou was caught off guard by the unexpected revelation. “Okay,” she responded, savouring the precious moment of holding her daughter in her arms.

“I want to go to art school,” Dani revealed.

“Art school?” Lou repeated, surprised by the revelation.

Dani nodded eagerly. “I've looked online and … What?” Dani's voice trailed off, sensing her mother's hesitation.

“Nothing.”

Dani took a step back, a sudden chill filling the space where her warm body had been. “You're going to say no, aren't you?”

“No, it’s just come as a bit of a surprise, that’s all, and I need to think about it,” Lou explained.

“There you go again. I'll have to think about it, which always means no,” Dani sighed.

“I'm not saying no. I just need time to think about it,” Lou assured her.

“But I'm sixteen. I'm old enough to make my own decisions,” Dani insisted.

Lou approached her daughter, her arms reaching out to her. “But it’s not as simple as just enrolling. I need to weigh everything up and explore the options.”

Dani pulled her arms away, stepping back and out of Lou's reach. “There you go again. What about me? Don't I have a say in what I want to do with my life?”

“Yes, of course, but there are other considerations, such as the costs involved,” Lou explained.

“I'll ask Dad to pay,” Dani countered.

Lou couldn't help but let out a wry smile. Good luck with that, she thought.

“God, I hate living here, in this prison,” Dani exclaimed in frustration.

“Dani-” Lou tried to interject.

“No wonder he left. You're such a killjoy,” Dani muttered, her words laced with resentment.

Something inside Lou snapped, consumed by a wave of anger and frustration. “Your father didn't leave because of me,” she seethed, her voice filled with venom. “He left because he was having an affair. And don't expect him to pay for your college because any day now, Truda is about to give birth to your little brother or sister.” The words escaped her lips before she realised, fuelled by the heat of the moment, a mix of bitterness and betrayal twisting her tone.

Regret washed over Lou immediately as she witnessed the impact of her words. She wished she could take them back, erase the pain she had just inflicted on her daughter. “Dani … I'm so sorry,” she pleaded, through her anguish. “I never meant for you to find out like this.”

Dani's stare pierced through Lou's soul, filled with an overwhelming and pure hatred. Lou's heart sank, her stomach churning with a sickening sensation. “I hate you,” Dani spat out, the words laced with venom, before swiftly fleeing from the room.

Lou stood frozen; her heart shattered into a million pieces. What had she done? The weight of her daughter's hatred crashed down upon her, overwhelming her with guilt and remorse. Steve's hollow promises to tell Dani about the impending arrival of her half-sibling replayed in Lou's mind, like a broken record of disappointment. He had repeatedly avoided the topic, offering flimsy excuses to postpone the inevitable conversation he needed to have with his daughter.

Lou's day had descended into a swirling abyss of darkness and despair, with her daughter's intense hatred aimed directly at her. Yet, no matter the depth of Dani's animosity, Lou's self-loathing surpassed it, consuming her with an even greater intensity.

Chapter sixteen

Logan's steps faltered as he entered the kitchen, the echoes of Lou and Dani's argument still ringing in his ears. Lou sat at the table, tears streaming down her face, her body quivering with emotion. Pulling out a chair, Logan quietly took a seat beside her. Without a word, he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, a gentle reminder that he was there for her. The weight of their shared silence spoke volumes, offering solace in a world of chaos.

“I suppose you heard?” Lou's voice quivered; a delicate tremor that matched the tremble of her fingertips as she brushed away the tears. The vulnerability that danced in her eyes and clung to her cheeks exposed the rawness of her emotions. Her words lingered in the air, carrying unspoken layers of meaning that seemed to resonate within the space between them.

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