"Ollie." Annie said softly as she poked her brother awake.
"Annie what's wrong?" Ollie asked her rubbed his eyes sleepily.
"He's still here." Annie said quietly.
"Who?" Ollie said wearily, not in the mood for mind games so early in the morning.
"Your dad." Annie whispered, as if saying his name was a sin.
With that, Ollie bolted upright.
"He is?" Ollie said surprised.
"I saw. He was asleep on the sofa. He snores a lot." Annie said as she giggled slightly.
"Just like you then." Ollie said playfully as he tickled Annie, before getting up and throwing a pair of t-shirt and joggers on.
"Ollie!" Annie whined as he grinned at her.
"Right, time for breakfast. What do you fancy?" Ollie asked as Annie climbed on his back, a routine that had begun when Annie was a baby.
"Pancakes!" Annie screeched into Ollie's ear.
"Okay, but must you shout so? I'm pretty sure I'm now deaf in one ear." Ollie said playfully as they entered the kitchen.
"Sorry." Annie apologised as she climbed off from Ollie's back.
"It's fine, I'll cope." Ollie said as he started finding ingredients for breakfast.
"Ollie..." Annie began as she sat down at the table.
"Yes Annie?" Ollie replied.
"When do you think I'll meet my dad?" Annie asked curiously.
"I honestly don't know. I've got in touch with his daughter, and she's going to message me later. I promise as soon as I know anything I will let you know." Ollie reassured his sister.
"I have a sister?" Annie exclaimed.
"You do. And a half-brother." Ollie added.
"What are their names?" Annie asked as she watched Ollie cook.
"Your sister is called Lauren, and your brother is called Oscar." Ollie replied as he served up Annie's pancakes.
"Thank you!" Annie replied gratefully as she quickly tucked into her breakfast.
Just then, Ollie's phone buzzed with a message.
It was from Lauren.
Don't shoot the messenger, but dad is on his way to Walford. I mentioned Annie to him briefly and he absolutely flew off the handle and he's determined to meet her, no matter what the cost. I'm not sure what state he'll be in when he arrives so keep Annie safe. Give her a hug from me!
"Shit." Ollie swore as he started pacing around the room.
"Ollie, what's the matter?" Annie asked, wondering what had upset him.
"You know how I said I'd let you know if I heard from your dad?" Ollie said.
"Yeah." Annie replied.
"He's coming here, today." Ollie announced as Annie's mouth dropped open in shock.
"Seriously?" Annie replied.
"Deadly serious." Ollie said firmly as he continued to pace around the room.
He was dead. Toast. His mum was going to kill him!
"Morning." Mick announced as he entered the room, instantly snapping Ollie out of his thoughts.
"My dad's coming here today!" Annie announced, proud as punch.
"Max is coming here?" Mick spat angrily.
"Please don't get cross at Annie." Ollie said quietly as he bit at a hangnail anxiously.
Annie instantly knew what was happening and quickly ran off.
"Where's she gone?" Mick asked as Ollie shrugged, as he sat down at the table and continued to rock back and forth anxiously.
"Here." Annie said softly as she placed the ear defenders in his hands.
"Thank you." Ollie said softly as a tear rolled down his cheek.
"It's okay." Annie replied softly as she kissed Ollie's forehead before retreating back to her room.
"How does she know what to do?" Mick asked as Ollie shrugged.
"She's seen me have meltdowns before and struggle to cope, I've never hidden that from her. It's nothing to be ashamed of, it's just a part of me. One day, she must've been 5? I had a melt down, downstairs and she instantly knew what to do. Ring the bell, ask for help and close up." Ollie said quietly as he started to calm down.
"She's so much like mum though. She has mum's eyes that glimmer in the sun, her dimples when she smiles and she has mum's laugh. She's honestly the best bits of mum." Ollie smiled slightly.
"Really?" Mick asked as Ollie nodded.
"She loves her family, fiercely. She's extremely protective of me and vice versa. She loves reading, and she loves it when Frankie and Lee come to visit." Ollie chuckled.
"Lee dotes on her, honestly it's pretty adorable. When he's here it's like I don't even exist." Ollie chuckled.
The two were then interrupted by Tracy.
"There's someone downstairs. Says it's important?" She asked as Ollie's eyes widened.
"Shit." Ollie swore.
Max was here and one thing is for sure. Their lives will never be the same again.
YOU ARE READING
Hearts aren't meant to hurt like this
General FictionAn EastEnders story. Ollie Carter is 16. All he's ever wanted since he was little was for his dad to come home. On the eve of his 17th birthday-Things change forever. His family is suddenly fractured and everything he once knew, is gone. Follow Ol...
