Police seek witnesses in hit-and-run death
Local businessman charged with murder
Court transcripts reveal how jealousy turned deadly as young father-to-be slain in cold-blooded killing
Breaking: hostage negotiations stall as factory siege continues
Two die in factory inferno horror
Olivia scrolled through the seemingly endless catalogue of online news articles on her phone, devouring as much information as she could find about Liam and Tony. She was alone in the flat, lounging on the sofa as she searched for answers; but the more she found out the more she began to regret ever asking the question.
"Damn!" Startled by an incoming call, Olivia dropped the phone and scrambled to answer it before it went to voicemail. "Mum!" she gasped as she answered just in time.
"Hi, my darling," Suzy greeted her daughter; although she had lived in America for many years, her voice still held the faintest hint of an English accent. "How are you?"
"I, umm, I'm good."
"Are you sure?"
"It's just…" Her defences immediately falling with her mother, Olivia sniffed back the tears that would come, no matter how hard she tried to blink them away, "it's a lot, you know."
"I know," Suzy's voice was soft, a comforting maternal sound for Olivia. "Listen, why don't I fly over–"
"No."
"Livvy, please, I can tell you're struggling with all this."
"I'm fine."
"I don't believe you."
"Mum!" Olivia cried in frustration. "I told you, I'm fine!"
"I know you, Liv, you're my daughter. And I know you're not fine."
"Actually, I'm Carla's daughter."
"Liv." It was just one small word, but even Olivia couldn't miss the pain in her mother's voice at this rebuff.
"Mum, I need to go, there's someone at the front door."
"But–"
"Love you, mum."
"Love you too, darl–"
But Olivia had already ended the call and was watching the door intently, listening to the sound of footsteps climbing the stairs.
"Hi?" The young man with curly black hair who entered the flat stared at Olivia in confusion.
"You're Simon," was her reply.
"Yeah," he agreed, his brow furrowed as he tried to place her. "Who are you?"
"I'm Olivia."
"Oh…" Simon shrugged, her identity still a mystery to him. "Nice to meet you. So… who are you? And why are you in my dad's flat?"
"Olivia," she repeated her name. "You know Carla?"
"Of course I know Carla, she's me step-mum."
"Well… she's my mum."
"What?"
"I'm sorry, I thought…" Olivia didn't know what to say, or how to explain her existence, "I thought your dad would've told you."
"I've been away," Simon explained. "Just got back. I… wow!" He slumped down into an armchair and leaned forward, his head in his hands as he tried to wrap his head around Olivia's declaration. Looking up at her, he studied her face; she must be telling the truth, he surmised, why else would she be here, in his dad's home, acting as if it were her home. "You better tell me everything."
"This waiting is driving me crazy," Carla exclaimed, pacing her office as Peter watched her from his seated position.
"Try to take your mind off it," he suggested weakly.
"Easier said than done. I can't concentrate on work, which, I might add is very bad timing now that that turncoat Sarah has gone, and Jacob has quit."
"You were only saying this morning how well Stephen was working out."
"And then when I go home," Carla carried on, ignoring Peter's interjection, "all I see is Olivia looking at me with those eyes."
"Looking at you with her eyes?" Peter laughed. "God forbid."
"Very funny," Carla scoffed. "She's just got so many questions, and I don't have any answers. None that she'll like anyway."
"I'm sorry," offered Peter lamely.
"Oh, what am I like."
"What now?"
"All this talk about how I'm feeling and I haven't asked how you're coping with everything." Coming to a stop behind Peter's chair, she draped her arms around his neck and, with her fingers gently stroking his chest, she kissed his cheek softly. "I know this can't be easy for you and," kissing him again, "I want you to know how much I appreciate your support. So, tell me," pulling up a chair close to him, she sat down and looked into his eyes, "how do you feel about… about Olivia?"
"Love," he leaned forward and gave her a quick peck on the lips, "you know I'll always have your back."
"I know you will," Carla said, "and I love you for that. But what I wanted to know is how you feel. I mean, really feel. I want you to be honest."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Umm… yes?"
"Okay," Peter nodded; "complete honesty?"
"Please."
"I still don't understand how you kept this secret from me for so many years. After all we've been through together, I thought I knew everything about you."
"I'm sorry."
"Do you remember when we first got together?"
"Of course."
"Si took against you from the off."
"He thought I was a monster," Carla reminisced; "I don't blame him, in his eyes I was a monster, a… witch who drove his mother away and tore his family apart."
"But you never gave up on him," Peter said. "You always tried to do the right thing by him, even when I couldn't see right from wrong, when all I wanted to do was win the war against Leanne, even if it hurt Si. I do know how hard that was for you, putting up with his endless tantrums and all that hate."
"What else was I going to do," Carla shrugged. "He's your son."
"And Olivia is your daughter," Peter stated. "So… just like you never gave up on Si, I'll never give up on Olivia."
"Aww, baby," Carla kissed him again. "Thank you."
"Carla Barlow?"
"Yes." Carla pulled back from Peter and looked up at the newcomer to her office, a man carrying a motorbike helmet in one hand and a large buff envelope in the other.
"Delivery for you."
"Thank you."
Carla quickly jumped up and signed for the delivery, the logo of the laboratory tasked with carrying out the DNA tests on Liam junior and Olivia emblazoned on one corner leaving her in no doubt of its contents.
"This is it," she said, holding the envelope gingerly as if it were a bomb ready to detonate.
"Do you want me to come with you?" Peter asked.
"Thanks, baby, but this is something me and Liv need to do by ourselves."
"Si!" Carla greeted Simon enthusiastically the moment she walked into the flat and saw her step-son. "Welcome home. How was your course?"
"Yeah, it was fine," he replied. "Learned a lot."
"Good. You can tell me all about it tomorrow at work. So…" Carla glanced nervously from Si to Olivia. "I see you two have met."
"We have."
"Have you told him?" Carla asked Olivia.
"Didn't have much choice, did I?" she replied, the hint of sarcasm in her voice hard to miss. "He had no clue who I was."
"I'm so sorry," Carla said, "that wasn't your responsibility. And Si, oh Si, I'm sorry you had to find out like that. Your dad wanted to tell you in person, you see, and not over the phone."
"It's okay," Simon waved off her apology. "It's cool, she's cool."
Olivia beamed with happiness at Simon's approval, but her smile faded when she noticed the envelope in Carla's hand. "Is that…?" Olivia asked, suddenly nervous.
"Yes."
"What is it?" Simon asked innocently.
"Test results," Olivia explained. "You know…"
"Oh," Simon jumped up from his seat as he realised the implications of what was happening. "In that case, I'll leave you to it."
"Thanks, Si," Carla smiled at him gratefully. "Come round for your tea tonight, yeah? Your dad will want to spend some time with you."
"Sure," Simon agreed before turning to Olivia. "Good luck."
"Thanks."
"Oh, and, umm…" he smiled at her, "welcome to the family."
With the sound of Simon's footsteps on the stairs fading, Carla sat on the sofa and turned to face Olivia.
"You ready?" she asked the girl who, so strong and brave in travelling across the world to find her parents, now looked like the scared child that she still was.
"Can I open it?"
"Oh…" Carla reluctantly handed over the envelope, "sure."
Olivia took the envelope, ripped open the closure and retrieved from within the single piece of paper that had the power to change her life forever.
"Well?" Carla finally asked when the moment of Olivia reading the results stretched from seconds into what felt like an eternity.
Olivia looked up at Carla with tears in her eyes and replied, "Not a match."