Chapter Seven

Their evening had ended difficultly; both had experienced a lot of hurt and anger, at each other, and the actions of Janis before she'd died. Oscar knew that Janis had purposely kept him out of Nate's life, and that hurt. There was no reason for that, other than the revelation that Lizzie had hinted at the night before, that Janis may have wanted more from him. She hadn't said as much, and he was good at reading between the lines. Usually. Had he got this so wrong?

That troubled him, until he'd met Krystal he hadn't had a relationship, and that was the beauty of her. She was an exotic dancer...an almost stripper. She loved attention and being in the limelight more than anything. They partied hard, but she wasn't clingy or demanding. But their relationship had been well established when he'd met Janis and slept with her...on two different trips about a month apart.

He wasn't proud of himself; he had a woman he was with, a woman he had offered some sort of commitment too...then at the first opportunity he had strayed. Had fun with Janis. But back then he knew that Krystal wasn't monogamously committed to him that had come later.

But he'd got Janis wrong. What he thought was a woman wanting fun, a good time...temporary, it now seemed may have been holding out for more. Had he misjudged both women? Was he a complete bastard?

He had called Krystal when he got home, and several times after. But she didn't answer. Now early morning, wasn't the right time...she was a late sleeper at best. He'd have to wait until the evening.

He had a few emails from work, but generally no agenda for the morning, and for some reason he couldn't get Lizzie out of his mind. She'd been distraught the night before. Yes, they'd argued. But beyond that she was doing something he couldn't imagine, planning her sister's funeral without any help.

Oscar glanced at the clock, Nate would be in school. So he jumped into the car, if she was home, he could offer to help her. It wasn't much, but it was all that he had.

Much to his relief, when he rounded the corner he spotted her car outside the entrance to her home. Parking behind it, he locked his own car, then strode up to her front door. He rapped his fist against the glass, then waited as he spotted someone moving behind it.

Lizzie had found the morning so difficult, something about opening up to Oscar the previous night had made the last week suddenly seem real. Janis was dead, she was stuck in what could potentially be an awkward custody battle for her nephew who she loved beyond belief, and a battle over a funeral with her parents. The pain that she knew was being staved off with how busy she was, had now become a constant feature, and she could barely function. She'd managed to get Nate to school, but since then she'd sat at the kitchen table with the pile of papers that needed urgent attention...and cried. She couldn't believe there were any tears left. But there were, and they just kept falling.

She almost missed the knock at the door, but something made her question the silence, as she entered the hallway she spotted the silhouette reflected through the glass door.

Uncaring of anything, she pulled opened the door, and had to focus for a moment, she rarely wore her glasses, bur her eyes were too red for contact lenses, but her glasses were grimy, greasy, she had to squint to see who it was. Then she grimaced as Oscar came into focus. Before she could glance in the hallway mirror, to see how dreadful she actually looked, he stepped into her personal space. He looked amazing, his blonde hair pulled off his face, his fitted shirt hugged his chest and shoulders, his jeans were worn, but fresh, clinging to his strong thighs and that firm arse that she couldn't help but notice every time he was in her presence. Janis had such good taste.

"Shit. Lizzie, are you ok? Damn...I'm sorry, I shouldn't have argued with you last night...this is my fault."

She gave a half smile, "not at all. I've been in a bubble. It was always going to burst, and yep...it's just finally caught up with me. What's wrong?" She swiped at her wet cheek, "why are you here?"

He shrugged, "last night, you were talking about organising the funeral...I wanted to help you out."

She gasped at that, and when she swayed, he reached and steadied her, "you sure you're ok?"

He almost manhandled her into the lounge then sat her down. Lizzie was aware of the grey shapeless joggers, her oldest hoodie...and she was sure her face was even more insipid than her clothes. She felt like death, and she knew she looked worse.

"Sorry, I just feel like I've been hit by a bus."

He sighed, wiping the hair from her face, "hmm, you look a little like that too." with a smile, he pushed her back on to the sofa, then lifted her legs so that she was reclining. "Let me make you some tea, then you can tell me what you need me to do."

She opened her mouth to protest, but he silenced her, and she slumped back against the cushions. It was a long time since anyone had taken the responsibility from her. She'd had to do everything for herself, and when Janis has arrived, she'd just sat back and let Lizzie do everything for her and Nate too. She didn't realise how wonderful it felt to give up the reins...even if it was only for a few minutes.

Oscar hadn't felt so concerned about a person before. Lizzie had been overwhelmed with grief from the moment he'd met her, understandably. But she had a smile, a sparkle in her eye. Today she looked as though she'd been through an old fashioned mangle. Her pale flawless skin looked grey; her hair lacked its usual lustre. Her glasses surprised him, she looked like a teenager in them, but they just added to it all, the picture of despair. Everything about her seemed sad, devastated even, and it tugged at his heart.

He wanted to push her in the direction of a shower in the hope it would help her. But he wasn't sure she was up to it. Instead, he handed her a mug of tea, as well as a box of tissues, "it's normal, you know, to be upset."

She shrugged, "it feels like someone has pulled the rug from under me, I can't stay upright."

He perched on the chair across from her and sighed, "and that's allowed, I want to help you with this, with whatever you need."

She sipped at the drink then nodded, "I have to contact her bank, her pension company... anyone that she owed, or owed her money."

"Don't the solicitors do that..." he groaned, "you are a solicitor."

Lizzie nodded, "there is so little left for Nate that I don't want legal fees eating into it."

"But she's your sister, this isn't a job."

She nodded again, "a friend is running searches, but I've got the list that I know about in the kitchen."

He spent the next hour phoning various finance companies, as she watched him from heavy lidded eyes on the sofa. It was a complicated business and he was only glad that he could lighten the load a little. As they were just wrapping up, the phone rang. Oscar had been using it to make the calls, so he tossed the handset to her.

"Hello?"

Her slightly enthusiastic greeting faded as she heard her mother's voice dictate down the phone line at her.

"Father Matthews can have the service a week Monday, then we can lay her to rest near your grandparents."

Lizzie took a deep breath, trying desperately to control her fraught emotions. Any other day and she'd cow to this pressure, but she wasn't in the mood for that. "Mother, I have told you this already. Janis had a will; she's having a humanist service in our local crematorium. They've confirmed this afternoon that it will be a week tomorrow, at two pm. afterwards there will be refreshments at our local pub."

Her mother snorted, "Humanist? Pub? No, no, no."

Lizzie ran a hand through her hair, "mother, it is what SHE wanted. That is all that matters."

"She is OUR daughter. We WILL have a say in this."

As she opened her mouth to reply, Oscar snatched the phone from her and she could only gasp as she listened to the one sided conversation that ensued.

"Mrs Breen, I'm sorry. Your daughter is a little fraught at the moment. I'm finalising the funeral details."

His eyes didn't leave Lizzie's as he fought a smile, "who am I? My name is Oscar, and well I'm a friend of your daughter's and I'm helping Lizzie deal with everything she has to. There's a lot to do you know?"

He poked out his tongue at the direction of the mouthpiece and that made her giggle, however inappropriately timed that was. "No Mrs Breen, I am not being flippant, but if you'd like to help out..." He listened intently, then added, "no I'm sure it is very difficult for you. I mean that's why I'm helping; it's too much for Lizzie. But you can make the date...next Friday?"

Within moments he was smiling, layering charm and buttering her mother up perfectly.

"Ok, see you then Mrs Breen. I would look forward to meeting you, if the circumstances were different."

Ending the call he tossed the handset onto the vacant sofa, across from them then smiled, "she'll be here...and you won't take any more shit from her, you hear?"

Lizzie gave an awkward smile, she was feeling warm inside, her heart was pounding, no one had ever stood up for her before, and it felt strange. First he was doing things for her, helping her. Now he was fighting her battles, literally. And he was one of the only people she knew, other than Janis who wasn't fazed by her mother. She admired his bravado, but there was a fact he hadn't considered, "just remember, you haven't met her yet."

"True, but she will be eating out of my hand, and if necessary, I will be a physical barricade between you and her. Ok?"

She stared at him for a long time.

"What?" he asked, returning her stare.

Lizzie shrugged, "just not sure why you're doing this for me."

"That's easy. Indirectly I am a part of this family; Janis was the mother of my child. I have a role to play here. And you are getting swamped, being a step away...I feel the obligation, but not the same emotion." He sighed, "I'm devastated for Nate, and for you. But me and Janis...you were right, we barely knew each other, so it would be wrong of me to mourn my own grief. I can help without it breaking me; I can do that for you both."

She smiled, "you're too kind." He was many things that she couldn't put into words, and she couldn't help but wonder whether this was him buttering her up, lulling her into a false sense of security.

That made him laugh, "I am anything but."

Much later Oscar made his way back to the house he was renting. He'd spent a little time with Nate, but he felt they all needed some space.

Since he'd back in the UK, he'd taken up a compatible phone account; the only person from back home who had that number was his sister, and Coop. When he got back to his rental home he found his US phone, and because he hadn't checked it for a while, he grimaced at the messages flashing on the screen. The first message was from Krystal.

"You didn't tell me you were going overseas. You can't keep disappearing on me Oscar; we are supposed to be in a relationship. Not a dictatorship. That means that you tell me things and you are here for me, when I need you. I am working tonight, so call me before seven if you are bothered to talk to me."

He groaned, she was angry, he hated that. But there was nothing in the message that hinted she was concerned about him disappearing, her worry that he was ok. Just the annoyance at him abandoning her. That seemed to pretty much sum up their relationship. He groaned, he had a few hours to call her before work. The next message was a cold call message...something about insurance, but the third message made his heart beat faster with panic and dread.

"Hi darling, it's your mother. I've been calling your house all week; Freya said you're overseas but was a little bit cagey. Does that mean you're home and aren't able to visit us? We do understand that you can't always spend time outside of work...but if you can...we would LOVE to see you. Call me darling. Love you!"

His parents.

The only thing he hadn't thought about in any detail. His parents loved their grandchildren, they would be ecstatic to learn of Nate...once they got over their disappointment at having not known sooner. But they were an added complication; he had no idea how this situation was going to play out. He wanted Nate...more than anything else in his life. But his son had a life, family...could he just take him away?

He wasn't sure.

He didn't want to let his parents down, and if this didn't work out, then how would they cope with that? There were so many variables, and so many people who could get hurt. It had been so much more simple when it was just him and Krystal. No one needed, or expected anything from him. Now, the list was growing.

He picked up the phone and called Freya, she'd know what to do...and if not, then she'd understand.

"Hey bro, how goes it?"

Oscar rolled his eyes, even though she couldn't see that, she was a million miles from the geeky teen he remembered from his youth. Since she'd married Coop she had slowly taken on Americanisms, slang...and even pop culture. If he wasn't so fraught he'd laugh at her greeting.

"Mum called...left me a message."

Freya was silent for a moment, "I haven't said a word to her. I swear."

He sighed, "I know. She doesn't know anything...but she's guessed I'm here. They want to meet up."

"Sheeez. What does that mean? Are you going to tell them, about Nate?"

He ran a hand through his hair as he contemplated that, "I don't know. What if this doesn't work? I'll upset them, I'll get their hopes up...I can't do that to them."

"And what about yourself? If you don't get to spend time with him it'll break YOUR heart. Maybe having our parents on side will help you deal with whatever happens. They love you. They'll help with whatever happens, as will me and Mitchell, you know that."

Freya was the only person who refused to call Mitchell Cooper, Coop.

"You think I should tell them."

She sighed, "I can't tell you that. How has it been with him?"

"Cool. I've spent time with him every day, and that's amazing, but I know that his Aunty brought him up, seems she's more of a mother than Janis was. And she's broken Frey, Lizzie that is, she's organising a funeral for her sister, her parents are useless, she's got the world on her shoulders, and I want to take that boy from her."

"He's your son. He deserves to know that."

"And she's his aunt. How can I take everything from her?"

Freya chuckled, "if you could see my smile now, bro, you'd be amazed. You're growing up and I love for you thinking of this Lizzie. But you also have to realise that you have a role here. You are a father, and that is more important than anything else you've ever done!

"Look Mum and Dad. They may seem distant, but they are on your side. You'll see. That little boy needs to know that there are people out there who care about him, ok?"

The emotion was almost destroying him, "I just want the best for him."

She literally gurgled along the phone line, "Oh big bro, you might just be making me cry!"

Hanging up eventually, he looked at his handset for a long moment, then connected a call to his parents.