Part 16
Dr. Troy was anxious to get back to the airport and as Stormy and AJ rejoined them, he said, “It’s time to go, Danni. I thought you were going to pack your things.”
“Dr. Troy, Stormy isn’t going anywhere. She wants to stay with me,” said AJ as he held her hand in his.
“I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing, Mr. McLean but Danni is going home, where she belongs,” steamed the doctor as he reached to take Danni’s hand.
AJ looked at her and nodded encouragement.
Stormy looked her father dead in the eye. “I’m staying with Alex.”
A bomb exploding at that moment wouldn’t have been able to shake the people in that room. They were frozen in place.
Stormy looked at AJ unsure of what to do next.
“Dr. Troy?”
“Did….did you just say….you spoke, Danni,” stammered Dr. Troy.
“Yes, I
did. Daddy, Mama….I don’t want to hurt you but….I love Alex and we want to be
together.”
Hearing his daughter’s voice for the first time in sixteen years, Dr. Troy was no longer the hard man he’d tried to be just moments earlier. He was reduced to tears….tears of joy. He made a move to his daughter to hug her hoping that she would allow him to do that much.
AJ nudged her towards her father letting go of her hand and Stormy welcomed her father’s embrace. Connie moved to the two holding on to each other and they welcomed her into the hug.
As the three stood rejoicing, the door bell rang so AJ moved to answer it giving the family time to take in all that had happened.
At the door, Howie was surprised to find AJ so happy. “Hey, ‘D’!! What’s up?”
“I came to check on you…like you asked. I FULLY expected to find you….”
“In the bottle?”
“Well, yeah.”
“Nah…come on in. I’ve got a surprise for you.”
Entering the living room, Stormy and her parents were sitting now, Stormy beside her father. AJ quickly introduced Howie to the family and then they too took seats.
“You haven’t said a word in sixteen years, Danni. Why now?” asked Connie.
Stormy looked at AJ. “Because if I didn’t say something, I’d lose Alex and I wasn’t ready for that.”
“The question I have is, why haven’t you spoken in sixteen years?” asked Dr. Troy.
“I made Ricky a promise that night…that I wouldn’t say a word about what he was doing or where he was going. The only way I knew to keep from telling you was not to say anything at all. He kept in touch with me the whole time, letting me know how he was and what was going on in his life. He never missed my birthday either.”
“You know where he is?”
“Yes sir but I can’t tell you. I promised him I wouldn’t. Daddy, he loves you, always has but he just couldn’t live up to your expectations any more.”
“He’s the one that took my credit cards, isn’t he?”
“Yes sir, but you remember that check you got…when I was about ten?”
“Yeah, for a hundred thousand. Was that from him?”
“Yes sir. He knew what he did was wrong.”
“Is he okay?” asked Connie.
Stormy smiled, “He’s fine. He’s married now to a really sweet lady and they have a daughter….named Danielle. Daddy, she looks just like you.”
“Wow! I’m a grandfather.”
“Where have you been for the last year?” asked Teresa irritably.
“I’ve been with Ricky. He promised to let you know I was okay. Daddy, Mama….I NEVER meant to make you worry. Ricky was my big brother and I had lived in silence for fifteen years because of my love for him…and my promise. He missed so much of my life and I just wanted to be with him.”
“I’m just glad you’re okay, even if you aren’t telling us the whole story!” Dr. Troy hugged his daughter close.
“I can’t, Daddy. I promised Ricky.”
“I can’t say that I understand completely but I won’t push you. Okay, now about you’re staying here.”
“Daddy, please. I’m twenty-two…you can’t control me any more and you don’t need to take care of me. And I love Alex.”
“Danni, you’ve never been out on your own and you’ve hardly dated.”
“So? That doesn’t mean I don’t know what I want in a man.”
“What are you going to do with your life? Let him support you, like your father did?” snarked Teresa.
“You know….now that I’m talking….I can TELL you exactly what I think of you, Teresa,” snarled Stormy. “At least I can get a man without spre….”
“DANIELLE!” Dr. Troy cut her off. “Teresa, please…stay out of this.”
Connie spoke up, “I told you letting her come along was a mistake.”
“Don’t start, Connie. Danni, I can’t make you come back but Teresa does have a point. What are you going to do with your life now?”
“I want to go back to college and get my degree in teaching or something. I can do it here.”
“She really doesn’t have to work,” said AJ. “I’ll take care of her for as long as she’ll have me.”
“No, Alex. I don’t want you supporting me and I FULLY plan on paying you back for the clothes.”
“You still need to come home to get your stuff, sweetheart,” said Connie.
“I’ll bring her to Virginia next week, on our way out to LA,” said AJ.
“LA?” questioned Dr. Troy.
“I saw this really gorgeous dress last week and Alex bought it for me but we didn’t have anywhere to go where I could wear it until Howie invited us to join him at a movie premiere in LA next week.”
“Christian, if we’re going to make our flight, we need to go,” interrupted Teresa.
Stormy’s dad looked at his watch. “Unfortunately, Teresa’s right. Danni, please…take care of yourself.”
“I promise, Daddy,” said Stormy as she gave her father a kiss on the cheek. “I love you very much!”
Dr. Troy hugged his daughter to him. “I love you too, baby!! I’m so glad you’re okay.”
“I’m fine!!”
“I’ll take good care of her, Dr. Troy,” assured AJ.
Tabitha finally spoke up. “Daddy, can I please stay with Danni?”
“No, you may not!! Danni has a new life to get started on and you’ve got school. You’ll get to see her next week when she comes to visit.”
Tabitha pouted and AJ said, “Tell you what, Tabitha. Over your Christmas break or something, you can come visit with us.”
“Daddy?” asked Tabitha hopefully.
“We’ll see. Before we go, Danni, we have all your identifications and your checkbook. I’ll put some money in your account for you.”
“Thank you, Daddy,” said Stormy gratefully.
“I don’t like the idea of leaving you here but you do seem truly happy with Alex.”
“I am, Daddy. He’s a good man….like you and Ricky,” smiled Stormy as she looked across the way at AJ.
As the group stood, Danni moved to be closer to AJ and he wrapped his arm around her as they walked her family to the door. Good-byes were said amidst tears of joy and reassurances that Danni would be home to visit soon.
