Chapter Twenty Four

Lizzie's head was pounding as she opened the passenger seat to Oscar's car and slid inside. He sat beside her and then glanced across at her. She scowled avoiding his eyes, until she realised that he wasn't moving, so she turned to glare at him. That got her a grin, which was infuriating, so she managed an aggressive, "don't!"

Oscar snickered as he started the car, then drove down the seat. They'd stopped at the third set of traffic lights, before he asked, "so you had a good night then?"

She took a deep breath, then nodded, "yes. Your sister is great company."

They'd gone to a sports bar, and found a booth in a secluded corner, there a rather pretty young boy served them food and far too much alcohol until they were kicked out at closing, one in the morning. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been out so late, or the last time she'd felt so relaxed. But in the cold light of the following morning, she felt like shit, and she'd been amusing Nate for the last two hours with the headache from hell. She wanted to go back to bed, but unfortunately that wasn't happening, and until she had to endure Mr Smug, and whatever he wanted to discuss. She was happy with silence when she was working at a full one hundred percent, but hung over she had no idea how she'd deal with anything sensible.

Oscar couldn't stop his eyes from darting across at Lizzie at every opportunity, despite how rough she looked; she was relaxed and happy in a way. That pleased him.

"So you enjoyed your night?"

She seemed to contemplate that for a long moment, and then grunted, "yup. It was fun...I had fun."

He gripped the steering wheel and nodded, "good."

She cocked her head to look at him, he could feel her gaze on him, so he glanced across, "what?"

Shrugging she closed her eyes for a moment, "just thought you'd be too busy ragging me over the hangover."

He laughed, "I'm not a monster! And you don't have enough fun."

That caused her eyes to pop open, "what?"

Again he laughed, "look, I may not have known you very long in the whole scope of life, but I know that you aren't exactly making the most of your life. Yes you're grieving, but I KNOW that you aren't the type who was living life before that."

He watched as her lips tightened into an almost angry line and he sighed, "you take that as a criticism, typical."

Silence reigned over the car until he pulled up at the small diner that was his favourite food place in town, small rustic, homely, everything that Krystal had hated, but he knew that Lizzie would love it instinctively.

Sure enough as he opened the door she gasped, then turned to him, "I love it. Why has it taken you this long to bring me here?"

He grinned as Angela the regular waitress came towards them, "hey Oscar. Haven't seen you in a while. Table for two?"

He nodded, "thanks Angela."

The table they had was in the window, overlooking the lake, it was a hidden gem as the place was quieter than it all honestly it should be.

Angela, a middle aged Jamaican woman who had once told him that her father had been friends with Bob Marley, handed them menus. "Can I get you guys coffee?"

Lizzie gave a gentle nod, Oscar laughing looked up at the waitress, "coffee for both, but what about one of your hangover remedies for my friend here?"

She nodded, "coming up."

When he smiled watching her retreat, he felt Lizzie's eyes on him, "bloody hell Oscar, talk about embarrassing me."

Smiling he shook his head, "not the intention, but they do a special cocktail here...for the regulars."

She scowled as she read the menu, her head dropped and he wanted to laugh again, but it wasn't the right time, he was here trying to explain things to her, not taking the piss.

Angela returned to the table with two mugs of coffee and the glass of tomato juice complete with its secret ingredients. He'd had more than a few hangovers helped by the concoction.

Before he could speak, Angela leaned close to Lizzie and whispered, "it's a dream, a house secret, but everyone swears by it." She tapped her nose, hinting that it was all a little secretive, and Oscar sighed with relief.

Lizzie in response smiled at her, "thank you so much. So Oscar here is buying me breakfast, what's the most expensive thing on your menu."

Oscar smiled at her cheeks as Angela burst into laughter, "I like you sister. A lot! Steak and eggs...may be a little much for a sensitive...disposition."

Lizzie smiled, "I'll manage that, medium rare."

"Good choice...and for you Mr Oscar?"

"Suppose I should have bread and water after that."

The food was good, and arrived really quickly. Lizzie seemed to find her energy and joie de vivre over the course of it too, and she finally started opening up again, telling Oscar snippets of information from her night out with his sister. And Oscar had to mentally admit that them being on the same page again was what he wanted. A large part of him wanted to sample more with her, but he needed this closeness, this confidence. He had to take his time to push this to another level. That was blatantly obvious.

Lizzie ate the last piece of steak and licked her lips; Oscar watched that motion so intently that he almost missed her words, "so you wanted to talk?"

He almost choked on his own toast, partly because she was being forceful again, but mainly because his body was reacting to that lip-licking. Taking a slug of coffee, he nodded, "I wanted to apologise...again."

She rolled her eyes, "Oscar, this is old news. We shared a kiss...both had a different take on it, that's it."

He nodded slowly, unsure that it was that easy.

"I don't one hundred percent agree with that, but I like this..." he gestured between them. "I like us being friends."

He saw tears well in Lizzie's eyes as she gave a watery smile, "it's important to me too, I don't think I'd have got through the last few weeks without you."

He reached out and squeezed her hand, "rubbish, you are the most sensible, brave and strong woman I've ever met, you could deal with ANYTHING."

And he knew that he wasn't paying lip service, that was the truth, she just managed to adapt to any situation, to see the big picture when he was focussed on himself...she was amazing, that's why he was enamoured with him. He admired his sister, for her values and beliefs, the person she was. But Lizzie was like her in some ways, but a million times more dynamic, more strong...more everything.

She was flustered now, blushing, and that made him smile, "you don't believe me?"

She shrugged, "I don't feel brave, I feel terrified all the time."

Running his thumb across the back of the hand he still held, he gave her another smile, "that's life, Lizzie. I feel like that every day..." He didn't add that was only since she and Nate had entered his life. Prior to that life had been easy, predictable, and looking back...boring. He didn't have that now.

"So we're friends again?"

Oscar looked at her, seeing the furrow between her brows, the concern in her eyes and squeezed her hand once more, "always."

They had six more days in the States, Oscar had to head back to his head office in Manhattan for two of those days, but Lizzie and Nate stayed with Freya and Coop and relaxed. There was more skating, trips to the park, and nice family dinners. Something that neither of them was used to. And Lizzie had to admit that it was special to feel part of a family, both Freya and Coop were great and welcoming hosts.

The final night of Oscar's sojourn to New York City, Freya announced that Coop was babysitting, and the two girls were having another and final night out. Lizzie was relieved, enough time had passed from the previous one that she'd almost forgotten how awful her hangover had been.

As she was almost ready, her phone beeped. She smiled to see Oscar's name on the display, he'd been so attentive since their 'almost' encounter and the subsequent falling out. He text her at least half a dozen times to check on them both and to let her know what was happening, friendly and caring. Just what she wanted. She reminded herself at least half a dozen times a day.

"Hear that you're off out on the town...remember I'm not there to sort out your hangover!"

And he followed it up with a winking emoji! Shaking her head but smiling at the same time, she penned a quick reply.

"I'm sure that you believe that, as I recall it was Angela. And I know where she lives."

She'd barely finished dressing when he replied once more.

"Oh, your harsh words are like a knife to my heart. Am I that replaceable?"

Grinning she penned a reply before tossing the phone into her bag.

"Do not ask questions you are not prepared to hear the answers to! Adieu!"

Being a weekend, the Sports Bar was busier than the previous time they'd visited. But there was a booth in the corner free, so they made their way over, and grabbed a menu each from a waitress who passed. The bar did the greatest ribs and wings that Lizzie had tasted, so it was a no brainer. A bottle of wine, and they were both settled.

"So you're all set to leave in two days?"

Lizzie frowned, "I suppose so. Though it'll be strange going back home, without Janis."

Freya sighed, "you're so brave."

Shaking her head, she reached to fill their glasses, "no. Not really. It's been really helpful having Oscar around though, distracting Nate. I just fear that going back to the house will set him back a bit."

Freya sipped her wine thoughtfully, "that's true. But at least you've had this trip, a chance to step away from it all."

Lizzie was grateful for that, "thanks to your hospitality. You've all been amazing."

"Pah," she batted that compliment away. "Elena's loved meeting her cousin, and we've loved having you all here. So what happens next week? How long are you off work?"

She shrugged, "I'm not sure, I mean I need to make sure that Nate is sorted, and work and school aren't the best mix. I don't really know what to do..." She looked down for a minute, for as long as they'd been away, she was able to forget that she was broke after the funeral expenses, all her savings wiped out. She'd managed to pay her mortgage this month, but she couldn't abandon her job, how she'd juggle things she didn't know.

"Are you ok?" Freya's voice pulled her from the cloud of self pity and doubt and she smiled.

"Sorry, left all my problems behind, Freya."

She smiled sympathetically, "is there anything I can do?"

The wine had relaxed her, and loosened her usually tight lips. She wasn't used to sharing her problems or her emotions; she usually kept things to herself. But as she looked at Freya she found herself talking, and she couldn't stop.

"Janis was one of those people who wafted through life and took. She never expected anything to go wrong." She sighed, "Oscar not wanting her for long term was probably the only 'NO' she ever received." Freya's eyes were wide as she took in that.

"And to be honest, my parents gave her everything she wanted, she lived away for ten years, and they bailed her out, time and time again." She toyed with her wineglass wistfully. "I wasn't jealous...I don't hate her, I never did. When she came home with Nate, he was two, and probably ever cuter than he is now. I fell in love...and she slipped into her usual role. Of sitting back and letting everyone take care of her...and him. Namely me."

"Bloody hell Lizzie, what a nightmare!"

She sighed, "she didn't pay me a penny of rent in over two years, and she just prioritised her own private life...over mine. I was the babysitter." she sighed, closing her eyes for a moment, "but none of that was a problem, I have loved every moment that I've spent with Nate over the years. But she left nothing."

"Nothing? No future for Nate. What the hell did she do with all her money?"

Lizzie drained her wine, then watched as Freya refilled the glasses, "she lived for the day. She never envisaged dying, and there was no money for her funeral...they're not cheap, then there are her credit card bills...all against my house. I'm in the middle of trying to fight those because she used me as a guarantor initially as she had no credit history. It was years ago, so I'm fighting that...but hey, there, in a nutshell is the hellhole that is my family."

Freya groaned, "what an absolute nightmare, so you HAVE to work?"

She nodded, "my savings are all zapped, and I'm pretty much broke."

"What about your parents? Can they help out?"

Again Lizzie nodded, "they could, but they don't offer, and I would never ask."

Freya opened her mouth to reply, then visibly paled, "shit..." She mumbled the word under her breath and Lizzie flinched, she couldn't remember hearing her swear in the time she'd known her. Turning she followed her eyes to the bar where a group of very glamorous women stood, if you liked fake boobs and tan.

The tallest in the group, blonde, perfectly made up and wearing a mini skirt and short top that left nothing to the imagination, approached.

"Freya!" She stressed the second syllable until the name sounded different, strange. "Long time no see!"

Freya's smile was pasted on, Lizzie could tell, and she looked nervous, her eyes darting all over the place, "hi Krystal!"