Two's Company, Three's A Crowd.

Walking Away Ch 22

Este arrived at Danielle's place early the next morning.

"Hello." Alana said as she answered the buzzer,

"Hi Alana it's Este. I've got hot coffee and freshly baked bagels."

"Woohoo a girl after my own heart, come on up." Alana replied, buzzing Este in.

Este managed to open the door without dropping anything and made her way up the stairs, knocking on the sisters apartment door.

"Oh my god you are a true angel," Alana said once Este entered the apartment, she grabbed the bagels and made her way into the kitchen to get some plates.

"So how'd you sleep?" Este asked,

"Not bad thanks."

"That's good. So is Danielle awake yet?" Este inquired,

"Nope still sleeping, want me to go wake her up?" Alana offered,

"No let her sleep a bit longer."

"Mmm something smells good." Lillie said as she walked into the kitchen,

"Este brought us coffee and bagels."

"Oh that was really nice of you Este, but babe I'm sorry I've got to run, early morning meeting today." Lillie explained.

"Well lucky I got the coffee to go." Este said handing a cup to Lillie.

"Thanks Este. Well I better go, I'll call you later today babe." Lillie said before kissing Alana goodbye,

Alana continued to stare at the spot where her girlfriend had just been, a dreamy look on her face

"Earth to Alana." Este laughed tapping Alana on the shoulder,

"Isn't she just the most gorgeous girl you have ever seen." Alana sighed,

"She seems pretty special, I'm happy for you Lans."

Alana smiled, "Yes she is."

She grabbed some cream cheese from the fridge and started to spread it on her bagel. Then picked up her coffee and walked out into the living room plonking herself down on the couch. Este followed and sat down next to Alana.

"So are we fired?" Alana asked,

Este not expecting the question almost choked on her coffee,

"Ah where did that come from?" Este asked once she had stopped coughing, "Whatever gave you the idea I was here to fire you?"

"I don't know, I guess after seeing Danielle like you saw her last night, knowing she was drunk and not sick and yeah that I had been covering for her, I just thought you were here to give us our notice. I mean if I was you that is what I would be doing, getting rid of the damaged goods, throwing the trash out so you no longer have to deal with it." Alana replied.

"Friends don't drop their friends like hot potatoes when the going gets rough Lans."

"Yeah but we are also your employees and I know you've been receiving complaints from the customers over D's cooking lately."

"Dani's obviously going through something right now. So like I wouldn't be a proper friend now would I, if I didn't do everything in my power to try and help her."

Alana threw her arms around Este's neck and hugged her hard,

"Thank you Este."

They heard a door shut and then running water,

"D's up." Alana said letting go of Este's neck.

Twenty minutes later a freshly showered, semi sober Danielle walked out and into the kitchen,

"Morning D, feeling any better?" Alana asked but got no response, "Este brought over some fresh coffee but it's probably cold by now."

Este picked up the last cup of coffee and walked into the kitchen, she smiled at Danielle before heating the brown liquid up in the microwave.

"It won't taste as good as when it was freshly made but should still taste alright." Este explained as she handed the cup of coffee to Danielle, "So ready for that talk now?"

"Thanks for the coffee but you've wasted your time coming back over Este." Danielle told her as she moved past Este, "I've got nothing to say to you."

"That may be the case Dani, but I can assure you I've got something to tell you, hey don't go walking away whilst I'm still speaking to you." Este said raising her voice slightly.

Danielle stopped and turned around to look at Este,

"Last time I checked this was my place and I'll do as I damn well please in my own place."

"D come on Este brought us coffee and bagels and is here to help you." Alana explained trying to squash the tension suddenly filling the air,

"Yeah well no one asked her to, now did they." Danielle sarcastically replied.

"Dani you're right. No one asked me, but I'm here because that's what friends do. Friends turn up when you don't want us around, but need us. We've known each other for almost a year now, I mean that's longer then some celebrities' marriages or even their careers." Este laughed, "And look I have to admit, it has been very tiring trying to get to know you Dani, you have constantly kept your walls up, but every now and then you did open up to me a little. I honestly just thought by now I had done enough to earn your trust, proven to you that I have got no ulterior motive besides just wanting to be your friend. But I guess if you can't even open up to your own sister and tell her whats going on then there's Buckley's chance of telling me."

"Come on D please tell us what's going on, you totally scared me when you left the other night, but more then that, it hurt the way you just left me. Please talk to us D, tell us what's making you drink so heavily and causing you to freak out." Alana begged,

"Just drop it Lonz," Danielle told her, "I've got a massive headache so I'm going back to head."

"OK Dani since you clearly don't want any help from a friend right now, let me speak to you as your boss. From now on I expect you to turn up on time to work, to be sober before and during work hours. Start performing again in the kitchen, I don't want to hear any more customers complaining about the quality of food being served. No more calling in because you have been out all night, I suggest for now it would pay if you stopped going out and just concentrate on saving your job, as this is your one and only warning, because one more fuck up Dani then I'm sorry but there will no longer be a job for you at the Wire Grill." Este told her.

Danielle didn't reply, just walked down to her bedroom and closed the door behind her.

"I'm so sorry Este, I really thought this time she would have opened up to us both, especially after the last couple of days. I don't know what else to do. But thank you for coming over to try and help, and for not firing us, and for bringing coffee and bagels." Alana cried,

"You've got nothing to be sorry about Lans, we just need to give Danielle some more time and hope that soon she will be ready to come and talk to us. I just hope bringing the big boss hand down like I did will at least make her reduce her drinking for now. I really would hate to lose my best chef."

I hope you enjoy the update, really sorry for such a long delay between chapters. As always thank you for reading. Please feel free to vote and leave a comment, I always appreciate the feedback :)