Chapter Fourteen

Lizzie looked around her eyes slightly rounded at the 'rooms'. She'd expected a bedroom, but she was shown a whole apartment, an open plan kitchen/lounge, a large bedroom and a bathroom. Far bigger than she imagined.

Turning to Freya she smiled, "this is amazing, thank you."

Freya lowered herself to the arm of the sofa, "no problems, I lived here when I arrived...I hasten to add it's a bit nicer now, internal design isn't Mitchell Cooper's best talent."

She looked at her quizzically for a moment and Freya giggled, "I've never called him Coop...Though I'm the only one that doesn't...other than his mother!"

Lizzie chuckled, "I see."

The other woman studied her intently and it almost made her nervous, and it was a long time before she spoke, "this must be really hard for you...an over enthusiastic family descending on you."

There were those damn tears again, she gave a shrug, "it's great for Nate."

Freya studied her again, then reached out to squeeze her arm, "there has to be a way to make this work, to make it fair, don't you think?"

Was there? She'd tried to think it through, but there was no easy solution to make the three of them happy. "I'm not sure, someone is going to be hurt Freya, and I imagine that it's going to be me."

With that she disappeared to investigate the bedroom and regain control of her emotions.

They sat around the large table, Elena and Nate and the four adults tearing into take out pizzas and chicken wings, bottles of beer mounted up, and they were all talking boisterously. Except for Lizzie. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye, she was quiet, reserved...but then he, Coop and Freya were so close, so familiar with each other that their banter was natural. Nate had slipped into things really well too. It just left her. What should he do, push her? Single her out and make her talk? Or just leave her to her own thoughts. As he was about to do the former and opened his mouth as he looked in her direction, his phone rang, and pulling it out, he spotted Krystal on the display. Giving an apologetic smile, he waved the phone as an excuse, then disappeared outside to take the call.

Suddenly it was all a little more awkward for Lizzie. Nate chattered along happily, and Elena was a chirpy little girl too, but in reality she was having dinner with two complete strangers now that Oscar had left. She hadn't missed Freya rolling her eyes and saying the word "Krystal" with a tut...that must be the girlfriend. She was stupid to forget about that.

So instead of a pleasant evening chatting, getting to know the couple she sat with, she was relieved to see Nate looked exhausted as he finished his food. With time differences it would be after midnight back home, so his poor body had no idea what was happening. Lizzie offered her arms when his eyes suddenly welled with tears and he jumped into her embrace.

"You tired monkey? It's been a VERY long day," he tried to protest that he wasn't tired, typical boy. So she smiled at him, "well I am shattered, would you mind if I went to bed?"

He studied her for a moment, then nodded, "ok."

Coop and Freya stood and Lizzie hated the awkwardness, so she smiled, "thanks for dinner, and your hospitality. I'll be more awake tomorrow."

Freya beamed, "there are so many things I want to do, take you...come down whenever you wake up? And remember we have a five month old...sleep is not a thing we have here."

Lizzie stroked Nate's head as it rested against her shoulder and smiled, "thanks, you are amazing!"

Outside she turned towards the garage and the short set of steps that led to the door into the rooms above, only to spot Oscar sat on the bottom step, his phone plastered to his ear, his face animated.

Spotting her his eyes widened, "I've got to go; I've TOLD you I'll see you later."

Even Lizzie from her position a few feet away could hear the screeching emitting from the handset as he tried to end the call. But without any real hesitation he disconnected the call.

Smiling despite that he stepped towards them, "you ok?"

His eyes wandered over his son as Lizzie nodded, "he's shattered, long day..."

It was so stilted, so awkward, they both knew who he'd taken that call from, but Lizzie knew there was no reason for her to have an opinion; they were nothing to each other.

"Sorry to disturb your call," she offered, trying to pass him.

But he didn't let her, instead, he stepped in front of her, "no, I'M sorry for abandoning you when you've just arrived..."

She smiled, "your sister is a great hostess."

As she made to finally move on, he stooped to kiss Nate's cheek, the boy was almost asleep in her arms, "you need help getting him to bed?"

She shook her head, "I'll be fine, I'll see you soon?"

He grimaced, "I've got to go to call to see my boss tomorrow - it's a few hours away, so I'll be off most of the day, I was hoping that I'd be around for a day at least. I'm sorry."

"We'll be fine. Don't worry."

Oscar had watched her carry Nate up the stairs, wrestles with the door, and then watched the door closed behind her. Then he looked at the phone in his hand, he was tempted to throw it against a wall, frustration washed over him. He had at least hoped that the first twenty four hours would go like clockwork; instead he had his boss and bloody Krystal invading his time.

Storming back into the house, he wanted to scream, but instead he was literally confronted by the grinning face of his two year old niece, as she ran towards him.

"Cle O!"

He laughed, before he left she it had sounded like a grunt, now she was almost pronouncing Coop's name for him, 'Uncle O.' And he scooped her up into a bear hug.

"Isn't it your bed time?"

She nodded as Coop said from across the room, "she wanted a goodnight kiss first."

He gave her a rather elaborate and loud kiss on the forehead as she giggled, "good night my darling girl, you be good for Daddy?"

She nodded again as he placed her down on the ground, and then she ran across the room to her father. Leaving Oscar to turn to the sofa, and the knowing gaze of his sister. Groaning he spun on his heel and grabbed a beer from the fridge, but his sister was still waiting for him after that.

"You didn't tell me Lizzie was so beautiful."

She stared at him after he lowered himself opposite her.

His heart quickened and he felt heat rise up his neck, he tried to appear nonchalant, shrugging, but all Freya did was lift a questioning eyebrow.

"I fucked her sister Frey; do you think she'd be ugly? You know me...they HAVE to look good."

He said it to shock her, as she was usually such a prude, but it made her burst out laughing, "and exactly who are you trying to convince of that? So Krystal is a stripper...you only go there because it's stress free for you. But her..." She nodded in the rough direction of the garage. "Lizzie's not like that...are you screwing with her?" Then she blushed, "no, you're not..."

He slammed the beer on the table between them, "NO. I am neither screwing her, nor screwing with her. She's the legal guardian of my son...that is where this goes. Krystal is my girlfriend and I'd appreciate you remembering that before you slag her off. She is a dancer, NOT a stripper."

Freya's knowing smile was driving him insane, "whatever you say brother. But you watch out for Lizzie, she isn't ready for your games."

"I want to spend time with my son, that is all this is. Lizzie is his guardian, so she comes too. You work that into whatever situation you want."

Freya laughed, "you bro are protesting too much!"

Standing up he stormed towards the kitchen tossing the empty beer bottle into the fridge, "piss off sister dearest."

Again she shrugged, "I just hope you know what you're doing..." He reached for his jacket and she laughed again, "the way Krystal has been kicking off since you left...I suggest you wear some sort of box on you nether regions...before her stiletto pierces one of your little boys."

Oscar was furious as he stormed into town. He didn't like what Freya was hinting at. He had nothing but honesty in his discussions and actions with Lizzie, she knew that, yet his sister...he shook his head. NO, he had no idea what she was trying to suggest.

Though she was right, Krystal was livid on the phone, and that was before he had actually hung up on her. She may well try and maim him. That was why he was going to the club where she danced, the chances are she wouldn't try and kill him there in front of her colleagues, boss and the customers she danced for. But there was no guarantee.

It was dark already though it was only a little after eight o'clock. The club Krystal danced at didn't get busy until maybe ten pm, but he was hoping that there was going to be a bachelor party or two enjoying the ambience, that would be ideal.

Jonny, the door security, a huge guy with the broadest shoulders he'd ever seen nodded at him as he approached, "Oscar, long time no see."

"Been away for a couple of weeks...again." That was at least a regular occurrence.

Jonny nodded again, "she's been really grouchy since you been gone...be careful."

Oscar grimaced, then high-fived the man before entering the club.

Three women were dancing on podiums around the room, gyrating in various states of undress. This was an exotic dance club, but he wasn't lying there wasn't complete nudity, not on the main stage anyway. There were private rooms where girls entertained groups or individuals, and there, it was up to the girl what she did.

Since he'd got together with him, Krystal had sworn repeatedly that she would never strip, she danced, she teased, but her skin was never completely bare. He wasn't really that bothered, but she was insistent,

Crossing the dark room he smiled at Paula the manager who was stood behind the bar.

"Is Krystal here?"

"Just getting changed, I'll buzz her for you."

She reached to her right for a handset, and then spoke into it for a moment.

"She's on her way."

He thanked her, and ordered a beer. He'd taken one sip when he felt her approach. He turned slowly, then smiled at her.

"Don't you dare grin at me, bastard!"

With that she slapped him clean across the cheek. There were only maybe thirty punters in the bar, but that was too crowded, plus the heavy base music was difficult to converse over, so he growled at her as he dragged her by the elbow across the room to one of the private booths.

"What the fuck Krystal?"

She marched past him, hands on hips and snarled back, "what the fuck is right. You went to your sister's for dinner, then you disappear for over two weeks...not a call."

He shook his head, "I called, I left you messages. Don't be this bitch."

That was like petrol on a naked flame, if she'd had feathers, she'd have ruffled them at that moment, in the seconds before she launched at him, punching and shrieking.

Oscar took a couple of blows to the body, before he wrapped his arms around her and wrestled her, kicking and shouting, to the corner of the room. Plonking her down on the seat he kept his arms around her and hissed at her.

"What is wrong with you? I go away a lot!"

She didn't answer, but she stopped fighting for a moment, so he added, "honestly, it was outside of my control."

Shaking her head vehemently, she snarled at him, "your boss called the following morning looking for you."

"Your home?"

She shook her head, "your apartment, I went back there after work...if you were away with work, then why did your boss want you?"

Oscar hadn't intended to tell her about Nate like this, she wasn't exactly reliable not to keep it from the boy, "it was personal...family. I didn't have chance to tell you."

She stepped back, her red-painted lips pulled into a pout, "but Freya didn't know either..."

He rolled his eyes, "she wouldn't tell you without asking me first. Look Krystal, I don't want us to fight...but I've had a rough few weeks..."

That saw an immediate change in her demeanour as she stepped back towards him, she was wearing a short tight skirt and a frilly blouse that displayed her braless cleavage perfectly. Two weeks ago that would have got him rock hard; they'd be having the perfect reunion here in the private booth.

But as she slid her arms around his neck, he wasn't sure he felt anything for the woman he's spent four years with.