Linda disappears with Ollie in tow
HE’S SCARED THAT THEY BOTH MIGHT GET HURT...
Mick’s left terrified this week, when alcoholic Linda disappears with their son Ollie in tow. Relations between the couple are at breaking point as they struggle to cope with Linda’s drinking, particularly when Mick fails to defend his wife from local gossip.
He’s deeply ashamed of her behaviour and sceptical when Linda refuses to go to rehab, promising she can limit and control her drinking at home.
However, with so many broken promises between them, Mick reacts with panic after Linda takes Ollie out of school without telling him.
“Mick is terrified – Linda is out of control at the moment,” says our Walford insider. “It’s completely unlike her to take
Ollie out of school on a whim and disappear. Given the awful situations she’s got herself in while drunk, Mick’s desperate to find Ollie and make sure that he’s safe and sound.”
The Carter clan is in turmoil thanks to Linda’s problems, and Mick can’t seem to get through to her. Living in a pub isn’t helping Linda, who can’t escape the temptation to drink. In a bid to distract herself, Linda suggests that she and Mick take Ollie out for the day to enjoy some quality family time. However, their plan falls apart when Linda discovers something that destroys her good mood.
In the past, Linda had Mick and her family to lean on in times of trouble. Now she’s isolated in a lonely world of booze and has no anchor. The divide between her and Mick is breaking her heart, but Linda can’t stop making things worse.
“This isn’t the first time Linda has just disappeared and left Mick distraught and terrified at home,” warns our spy. “He’s a broken man right now, and all this worry is causing him to have serious anxiety issues. There may come a point where he has to choose between Linda and Ollie, leaving her to put his son first and keep him safe. It’s difficult to
Mick is a broken man – all this worry is causing him to have serious anxiety issues”
believe that it’s come to this for the Carters!”
When Linda finally returns home safe with Ollie, she’s shocked by how furious Mick is and how much upset she’s caused both him and Tina. She doesn’t understand why she’d need permission to take Ollie out for the day or why nobody seems to trust her to care for him properly. Her reaction shows the disconnect between Linda and reality as she continues to deny the extent of her problem. Will the troubled woman see sense before something terrible happens?