Our Little Secret - Harry Lewis, Wroetoshaw

Chapter 24

Olivia let tears spill from her eyes, Harry now greatly concerned "I'll get a flight home, I'll look now. I'll speak soon okay. Please give mum a hug"

"Will do. Love you Liv" he sniffed

"Love you J" Olivia whispered, clicking the end call button

"Liv what's wrong?" Harry asked

"My dad. My dad" Olivia managed to get out

"What? What about him?" Harry quizzed

"He died" Olivia sobbed

Harrys face dropped, he didn't say a word just pulled Olivia into a tight hug and rocked her back and forth as she sobbed loud gut wrenching cries into his damp chest.

—
Olivia lay in bed staring at the wall, she couldn't muster up the energy to do anything, she didn't want to talk, she didn't want to look at her phone, she just wanted today to end. Harry had called Gib to tell him that they wouldn't be out for dinner and in fact would be heading home soon. Harry felt at a loss for words, he hadn't really dealt with grief recently and the thought that someone he cared so deeply about could be in so much pain broke him in ways unimaginable.

He stood at the doorway of the room looking at the ball underneath the thin sheets that he knew was his girlfriend.

"Liv? I got us a nandos delivered"

Olivia didn't reply, she just slightly moved her head to signify she was listening. Harry sat down on the bed with the bag of food and tapped her gently on the shoulder.

"Please eat something. I know it's the last thing you want to do but I don't want you to starve"

She turned round to face him, her eyes swollen and red and pushed herself up so she was sitting facing the food.

"Thanks" she murmured

Harry gave her a feeble smile as she took a chip " Flights are booked for 8 tomorrow morning, it's the earliest I could get. I got you a connecting flight to Guernsey and I'll go back to the flat, pick up some clothes and I'll come after"

"Harry you don't need to do that. You'll be knackered, I'll have some clothes left in my mum and dads" she replied, her words faltering at the last part, lip quivering

"No. I want to be there for you and your mum and Jamie too. I really liked your dad" Harry insisted

"He really liked you too" Olivia whimpered before breaking down again

Harry placed the food down on the side table and wrapped his arms around Olivia, she continued to cry as he stroked her hair, she cried for so long that Harry wasn't even sure when she stopped as they both fell asleep. He woke up without her in his arms and panicked, until he saw faint plumes of smoke coming from the balcony.

Outside, Olivia sat with a cigarette burning in her hand, the loud sounds of the busy street below her, everyone else's life had not been affected in the way hers had today. Or had it? Was it maybe even worse? Despite being in such a beautiful place, she couldn't help but think of how cruel and horrible the world was. Harry opened the door and joined his girlfriend outside.

"You stopped for a bit" he said nodding toward the cigarette in Olivias hand

She shot him a look that said 'don't test me' which Harry received loud and clear "Sorry" he mumbled

"I remember the first time my dad ever caught me smoking. It was after a school formal. I think I must have been around 16 and Jess stole two off of her auntie Anne. We were round the back of the school, just where you used to come pick me up, and we thought we'd be safe. Jess took one draw and hated it, but I had already tried it and didn't mind it so I took hers too. I was halfway through the second when my dads car pulled up round the back. No parking spaces round the front of the school. I tried my best to put it out quickly but he knew what I was wearing and Jess too. He dragged me into the car and I was grounded for 3 months"

"You wore a purple dress that night didn't you" Harry said

"Yeah. I think, yeah I did" Olivia nodded

"I remember" he smiled

"What? How?" Olivia asked

"Because I liked you for a lot longer than I admitted" Harry blushed "I remember saying to my mates, 'Olivia looks banging tonight' and they all said 'She wouldn't go near you with a ten foot pole' they didn't realise I only had to wait another 2 years"

Olivia smiled for the first time since the phone call, a genuine smile. There was something about Harry that could make her happy no matter what the circumstances and she knew that even going into what could be the hardest few months of her life, that Harry would be there for her and she was eternally grateful for that. She stubbed out her cigarette and put a chewing gum in her mouth before crawling over to Harry and wrapping her arms around him, he pulled her into his lap and put his arms around her back, holding her tight, and if he couldn't shield her from the worlds horrors then this would just have to do.