Losing Andy (A Saving Andy Story)

Chapter Four:

Chapter Four: 

Tense. That would be the word that Olivia would use to describe the atmosphere at their table in the small cafe. She glanced around at her father, her father's former best mate, and her former best friend and almost rolled her eyes in amusement. 

She knew that if anyone had answers to the questions that she's been holding in for years, it was the man who was currently sitting across from her. It was the man with the tired blue eyes who was watching her carefully. The one person who knew her mother better than anyone else did.

Louis sighed while her tapped his fingers on the mahogany table nervously. He didn't know what this sudden meeting was about, but he hadn't hesitated to agree when Harry had called him wanting to meet for lunch. 

"What are we doing here?" Holland questioned, breaking the thick silence that had engulfed the pairs of fathers and daughters.

With that question, it was Harry's turn to sigh. He knew that he had to ask. He knew that he had to know. He was also scared of the answers. He didn't know which answer would be more disappointing.

"How is she?" Olivia replied before her father even had the chance to open his mouth. 

She didn't have to say a name for everyone to know exactly who she was referring to. 

"She's good. She's leaving tomorrow to go on a vacation with El." Holland answered coolly, not giving the Styles girl a good enough answer.

Olivia went to snap at the younger girl, but her father held up a hand letting her know that she needed to stand down. This was his fight, at least for now.

"Louis, we used to be best mates once, and I still care a lot about you and your happiness. So if you still care about me at all, I need you to answer one question. Is Carson my daughter?" Harry blurted out, knowing that if he held it in any longer he would lose his nerve as well as his chance to know the truth.

"What he means is, Carson has green eyes. Niall and my mother both have blue eyes. How could it be possible that their child has green eyes?" Liv added, as if anything needed to be clarified.

Louis stared at his former bandmate in shock. That was the last thing that he had expected when Harry had offered a father/daughter tea with him and Holland.

He sighed and bit his lip before shaking his head.

"I don't know." Louis answered curtly.

Of course, he had always had his suspicion that Carson wasn't biologically Niall's, but by the time he had the courage to bring the subject up with Andy, Carson was already five and attached to Niall.

Andy had admitted that when they first brought Carson home from the hospital that Niall had been furious about the color of his alleged daughter's eyes. He had demanded a paternity test. Andy told Louis about how she had talked him down until she had him convinced that it didn't matter. That Niall could raise Carson regardless, that she didn't need to know.

The brunette mother later admitted to Louis that she regretted that decision. She wished now that she knew for sure. She realized that it wasn't fair to Niall, it wasn't fair to Harry, and it wasn't fair to that little girl. She had been selfish, and that was something everyone was going to have to deal with for the rest of their lives.

"Louis, don't protect her. You have to tell us." Olivia protested, just like Jimmy did all of those years ago.

"Liv, I really don't know. Andy and Niall don't even know, but you have to think, Harry, if this is something you even want to do to that little girl. She's spent her entire life thinking that Niall's her father. She thinks that Andy hung the stars in the sky. I know that Andy screwed everyone over with this. She knows she did." Louis admitted, hoping that he wasn't saying too much and betraying his best friend's trust.

Harry sat back in his chair and though over what Louis had said. Was this really something he wanted Carson to go through? Could he really wreck a family even if it was an illegitimate family?

"Olivia, if it were you, would you want to know?" Harry whispered.

Olivia hated feeling like she was put of the spot like she was right now. Because no matter what Olivia said, she wasn't Carson. She was older than Carson. Liv's family was already broken. She had already lost faith in her mother. Did she want that for her little sister? No. She didn't.

Liv wished that she could look at Andy the was that Carson does.

"No." Olivia finally choked out.

"Holland, what about you?" Louis asked his daughter, trying to take the presser off of Liv who looked like she was about to break right in front of them.

Holland didn't think about it as much as Olivia did. She didn't have to.

"Yes. I would. If you came in and told me that El was my mother, I would be thrilled. But on the other hand, El is my mother. Biology doesn't matter. El is the one who's there when I cry. I talk to her about boys. I talk to her about my friends. And Carson doesn't know Harry like I know Eleanor. Carson had an amazing relationship with her mother. If I had that with Sara, I wouldn't want anyone to take it from me." Holland answered, now having the debate internally that Olivia was having.

Harry was realizing that there wasn't going to be a clear black and white right thing to do. Either road he chose would have consequences.

"Harry, talk to Andy or Niall. Don't just approach Carson." Louis advised hoping that he wouldn't go behind Andy's back.

"I'll talk to Andy. I just need to think about it. I'm leaving in the morning for a business trip for a few days. When I get back, I'll make the phone call." Harry decided, looking at Olivia for her support.

* * * * * * *

Liv looked at herself in the mirror later that night.

She was standing in her bathroom with her long brown hair framing her face. Her blue eyes were shining. Her skin was pale. It was obvious that she was her mother's daughter, and Olivia hated everything about Andy that she saw in herself.

And she hated that she felt that way. She hated that she thought so lowly of her mother. She hated that she wasn't surprised that she may have been lying for Carson's entire life about who's daughter Carson was.

As Olivia looked at herself, she grew sadder and sadder. She was a pretty girl, there was no denying that. She had gorgeous parents, so of course, she and Arran were attractive as well.

The sound of a light knocking brought herself out of her thoughts and back to the present. She wiped the tears from her eyes, tears she hadn't even realized had fallen, and pulled herself together.

She opened her door to find her little brother staring back at her.

Arran had a habit of sneaking into her room whenever he had a nightmare, or he couldn't sleep.

"They're fighting." He whispered to his sister before climbing into her bed and making himself comfortable.

Olivia just sighed before nodding her head and climbing into be bed beside her brother.

Bree and her father had been fighting more and more lately, and Liv had to wonder if it was because of her mother. She had to know if he had told Bree about his suspicions about Carson. She had to know if Bree knew that her father was still in love with her mother, regardless of everything that she had done.

She had to know if Bree knew that Harry could never love her like he loved Andy.