Lean on Me

Part One - Chapter Twenty-Two: Dragging Things Out

Fernando sighed annoyed looking at his estranged wife, he couldn’t believe that she was dragging this out and he wished that there was just some way that he could force her hand in the signing of their divorce papers.

“So Mrs Torres you are refusing to sign the divorce papers on the grounds that you think your marriage can be saved?” the lawyer said looking at Olalla, she nodded her head with a small smile on her face as she looked at Fernando hopefully; she didn’t seem to understand why Fernando wasn’t going to give her another chance.

Fernando rolled his eyes annoyed as he glared at Olalla, he knew what she was trying to do; if she forced this to go to court and won them around then he would be forced to attend counselling for a marriage that he didn’t want to save.

“Of course, I know what I did was wrong but I’m hoping that Fernando can find it in his heart to forgive me,” Olalla said watching her estranged husband, she needed him in her life if she wanted the best for her unborn child.

Fernando was already paying her £280 a week in child maintenance for Nora and Leo, who would be staying with Fernando 2 to 3 nights a week from once their divorce had been organized.

“I can’t forgive you for what you did Olalla, you not only betrayed my trust but have nearly destroyed my career for this other man,” Fernando said shaking his head, he had Cassidy now and he wasn’t about to take a backwards step with his estranged wife.

Olalla blinked softly as she looked at her lawyer, she had been selfish but she wanted to make things right and she hoped that he would let her.

“Olalla I’ve already agreed not to blame the breakdown of our marriage on you… it’s time for us to move on,” Fernando said, he hadn’t cited her affair as the reason for their divorce, he had been cheating on her with Cassidy even if she didn’t know that he had found someone else but he knew that it was maybe time to tell her.

“Olalla… I’ve found someone else and I want to move on,” Fernando said watching her closely, he knew that this wasn’t going to be easy for her and he hoped that she would let him go; he watched as she stared at him shocked that he had been able to move out without a thought about their marriage.

“Someone else?” Olalla squeaked as Fernando’s lawyer looked at him, Fernando had warned him about his relationship with Cassidy and he knew that it would change everything for them when it came out and Fernando wanted to be the one to tell her.

“She works at Chelsea…” Fernando said preparing to break the news to Olalla, he doubted that she would be pleased to hear that he had met someone at the job that she had forced him into.

Olalla stared at him trying to wrap her head around what he was saying, she had never thought that he would move on like this; she rested a hand on her bump.

She was twenty-one weeks pregnant and she had a sinking feeling about why their reason of divorce had been put down to a break down in marriage and not because of her affair.

***

Cassidy looked up from her laptop hearing Fernando coming home, she furrowed her brow concerned as she saw the look on his face; she set the laptop down as the footballer entered the living room.

“How was it?” Cassidy asked climbing off the coach and moved towards her boyfriend, she offered him a weak smile as she looked at him as he moved to sit next to her; he ran a hand through his brown hair, he had taken a risk and he hoped that it would pay off.

“She’s still refusing to sign the papers,” Fernando said annoyed glancing over at his girlfriend, he had just played in an international match against England and he didn’t need this.

Cassidy ran her fingers through his hair, it was getting longer and she was surprised that he had stayed with the sort of same hair colour.

“I even told her that I was seeing someone and she still won’t sign them,” Fernando said annoyed, he had already talked about to her about telling Olalla that he was seeing someone even if it meant that it got out to the press; he didn’t want to hide his relationship with Cassidy forever.

Cassidy rested her head on his shoulder as she allowed Fernando to pull her close, she was fifteen weeks pregnant and Fernando was thrilled that things were going well for them.

***

“So I have Nora and Leo this weekend and I was thinking that you could join us?” Fernando asked hopefully helping Cassidy prepare dinner, the two of them were having chicken stir fry with spring greens and noodles so that they could start balancing out Cassidy’s diet while she was pregnant.

Cassidy looked at him checking on the chicken, she knew that Fernando didn’t want to leave her out but she knew how special the time he had his children were and she doubted that Olalla would be pleased if she discovered that she was around.

“Do you think that is a good idea?” Cassidy asked as she stopped what she was doing while Fernando stirred the noodles, he nodded his head as he glanced at his girlfriend of eight months and smiled at her; she was becoming a big part of his life.

“I do… if we are going to be together then they need to get to know you before we move to the big house,” Fernando said smiling at Cassidy, he had already sorted out how much of his fortune that Olalla would take and he knew that there was a chance that she would lash out now that he had someone else in his life.

Cassidy crossed her arms as Fernando moved to get the plates, this wasn’t going to be easy and he hoped that Cassidy would warm to the idea of meeting his children.

“Por favor,” Fernando said smiling at Cassidy softly and wrapped his arms around her, this was a big ask but he hoped that she wouldn’t deny him this; he wanted his children to meet her.

“I don’t know… it’s a big step,” Cassidy said softly looking at him, she was nervous about meeting his children with Olalla; she was sure that they wouldn’t like her and nothing Fernando said would convince her otherwise.

“I know but with everything that is going on… I think it would be a good idea,” Fernando said resting a hand on the bump that was slowly starting to form, he smiled at her softly pulling her close; she was important to him and he wanted to spend more time with her.

Cassidy watched him wondering if he had another motive in asking her to spend time with him and his children; she didn’t want to get under anyone’s feet.

Fernando pressed a kiss to Cassidy’s lips, he had to be honest with his girlfriend, she deserved the truth and he was sure that she would be okay with what he had planned.

“I just want to force Olalla’s hand a little… Juan thinks it’s a good idea and if we are seen about it would be easier for us later on,” Fernando said preparing to tell Cassidy the story that he had prepared with Juan that would help them when the press learnt about her.

Cassidy took a deep breath, she truly didn’t want to meet Olalla right now; it was only going to upset the other woman and she didn’t want that.