Emmerdale : Bleeding Love (Ross Barton/OFC fanfic)

That Time When... The Beginning

Lawrence White placed the morning paper to one side and reached for his coffee. It was Friday and the family were all gathered around the breakfast table.

"Chrissie, what time is Olivia arriving?" he asked his daughter who was seated directly opposite him.

"She said she'd be here around lunchtime," Chrissie replied.

Olivia was her half sister. After Chrissie's parents divorced her mother remarried and had two more children, Olivia and Tom - who was tragically killed while working in Thailand only twelve months before. Chrissie's mother had died three years earlier and now Olivia's father had passed; it meant that Chrissie, her younger sister Rebecca and Lachlan were the only family Olivia had left.

"I'm looking forward to seeing Aunt Ollie again," said fourteen year-old Lachlan. She was young and cool and, unlike his Aunt Rebecca, always made time for him. "It's been forever since we last saw her."

"Well, since she moved to London it's been difficult to arrange family get togethers," Chrissie said to her son.

"Hmm," mused Lawrence. "It's not going to be easy on her. So soon after Henry's death. We need to keep her spirits up. Which means no family drama," he said, looking at the three people seated around the table.

"Asking for a lot around here," Lachlan muttered as he dug into his bowl of cereal.

Chrissie pinpointed her son with a look, then turned to her father. " I agree, Dad," she said. "She's been through so much this past year. Too much. Right now she needs some calm in her life."

Robert Sugden, Chrissie's fiancé, cleared his throat and helped himself to another slice of toast. "Did she mention how long she'd be staying?" he asked casually.

Chrissie slid her fiancé a knowing look. "My sister can stay as long as she needs to." She took a sip of coffee. "I don't want any trouble between you two. So try to be nice to her, Robert. Please."

"Or stay out of her way," Lawrence suggested.

"She's going to be living here so that could prove difficult."

Chrissie sighed. "Robert..."

"Fine. I'll try my best. Tell her to do the same," he said. Whether Olivia would bother trying with him would remain to be seen. He didn't know why he had to try in the first place, it wasn't his problem Chrissie's sister didn't care for him. He'd never given Olivia any reason to dislike him. The only thing he'd ever done was fall in love with her sister. But, for Chrissie, he would try to get along with her for the duration of her stay.

Lachlan finished his breakfast and got up from the chair. "Who's driving me to school today?" he asked grabbing the backpack at his feet.

"I'll take you," said Robert wiping his mouth on a napkin.

"Have a good day, sweetheart," Chrissie told her son. "And try to stay out of trouble."

Her son just smirked at her. It wasn't his fault that most of the kids at school hated him. Coming from a wealthy family didn't always have its benefits. Robert bent to kiss his fiancée on the cheek and he and Lachlan left. After they'd gone Chrissie rested her elbows on the table, cradling her coffee between her hands. She let go of a heavy sigh.

"What is it?" Lawrence asked with a slight frown.

"Ollie."

"She'll be fine," said her father, understanding. "The important thing is she's going to have her family around her and that's what she needs most of all right now."

"I know," Chrissie murmured. "I just wonder how much more she has to endure. She's so young, Dad. It's not fair. No one should lose both their parents and their brother before the age of twenty-five."

"No," Lawrence agreed. "Which is why she's going to need her big sister to be strong for her."

"And I will be," Chrissie said with a nod. She drew herself up. "Oh, I can't wait to see her. Like Lucky said, it's been too long."

"Olivia will be just fine. She'll settle in nicely around here. You'll see." He reached for the coffee pot. "Now, more coffee?"

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[Bleeding Love] COPYRIGHT. © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Debra Jay 2015