Lean on Me

Part One - Chapter Twenty-Three: Nora and Leo Torres

"Nando?" Cassidy hissed worried Fernando laced his fingers with hers and started to lead her towards the front door to his former home where Olalla now lived alone; Fernando had allowed her to have the house since he was living with Cassidy now.

Fernando chuckled looking at her for a moment before he rang the doorbell, he had handed back his keys to the house and he had no interest in just walking into his former home in case the other man was now living with her.

"Hola," Olalla said cheerfully opened the door, she paused shocked spotting at Cassidy; she hadn't expected Fernando to bring his new girlfriend with him to collect the children for the weekend, she furrowed her brow wondering why she recognised the brunette.

"Hola, are the children ready?" Fernando asked trying to ignore the look of pain that flickered through Olalla's eyes, she nodded her head stiffly as she glared at Cassidy for a moment; she couldn't believe that he was doing this to her.

Cassidy nibbled on her lip as she allowed Fernando to hold her close, she was glad that she had decided to wear baggy clothes to cover her baby bump; she doubted that Olalla would be pleased if she knew that Cassidy was already having Fernando's baby.

Cassidy was wearing an oversized grungy knitted jumper and black leggings with quilted panel paired with black zip back heeled boots and a black wool coat with leather sleeve since it was getting a lot colder now and she knew that she had to look after herself.

"Why don't you come in?" Olalla said stiffly allowing Fernando and Cassidy into her home, she glanced at the brunette as she tried to work out how she knew her.

"Papa," Nora said excitedly hurrying forward and into her father's arms, she had missed Fernando and she was thrilled that she got to spend the entire weekend with him and her brother.

Fernando hugged her close glancing at Cassidy, he knew that the children had met the brunette before but now she was meeting them in a new capacity as his girlfriend and not his friend.

"Nora you remember Cass," Fernando said standing with his daughter in his arms, he looked at Cassidy as Nora smiled happily at the sight of the brunette; she hadn't seen her in images and Nora could remember how much fun she'd had when the brunette was around.

Olalla swallowed realising that this woman knew her children, she rested a hand on her ever growing bump knowing that Cassidy posed a threat to the life that she wanted back.

"I'll go and get Leo," Olalla said sharply making Fernando look at her, he knew that this wasn't easy for her but if things had gone the other way, Olalla wouldn't have hesitated to rub her happiness in his face if George hadn't left her when he had.

***

Cassidy smiled as Nora chatted happily with her, this meant a lot to Fernando that they were getting along; he had yet to tell the two year old that he was with her and he hoped to do so soon.

Fernando reappeared carrying Leo, he was surprised how big the eleven month old was and he was pleased to see that Leo was doing well and he hadn't missed to much; he hated that he couldn't be with his children all of the time.

"So Cass and I were wondering what colour you would like your new room when we buy a house," Fernando asked sitting down on the couch, he ignored the look of warning from his girlfriend knowing that she didn't like what he was saying.

The couple were still looking into houses and Fernando knew what he wanted, he wasn't going to wait long after his divorce was finalised.

Nora tilted her head looking at her father, she knew that her parents weren't together anymore but she had never thought about her papa never coming home.

"You aren't coming home?" Nora asked softly as Cassidy allowed the little girl to approach her father, this was hard enough for them and she didn't want to make it worse.

Fernando shook his head softly sitting his children on his knee, he this wasn't going to be easy but he would do anything for them and he was aware that he had to be honest with them.

"Papa won't be living with you or your madre anymore... I'm going to be living with Cassidy now," Fernando said carefully broking the news to his children, he knew that this wasn't going to be easy for them but he didn't want Olalla filling them with false hope; Nora looked at her father sadly, her mother had told her that Fernando was coming home.

"I will always love the both of you... but things have happened and it means that I won't be living with your madre anymore," Fernando said trying to think about how to explain what was happening to them, he knew that Olalla wouldn't do it because she still hoped that they would fix things.

"Is it because of George?" Nora asked softly making Cassidy look at Fernando, she wasn't sure how he would react to the mention of the man that had affectively destroyed his marriage and the life that he'd once had.

Fernando took a deep breath looking down at his daughter, it hurt him that Nora knew about the man that Olalla had cheated on him for and he knew that this wasn't going to be as easy on anyone.

***

"I think that went well," Cassidy said preparing for bed, she looked at Fernando who nodded his head as he closed their bedroom door; the children were sharing the extra bedroom and were sound asleep now.

Cassidy sighed watching her boyfriend, she knew that he was hurting and she didn't blame him; Olalla was making things difficult by trying to give the children false hope about the future.

"I can't believe the children knew about him before I did," Fernando said shaking his head, he sat down on the bed as Cassidy stopped what she was doing and looked at him; she sighed moving to wrap her arms around his neck and kissed it softly.

Fernando closed his eyes allowing her to hold him for a moment, he knew that Olalla was making a mess of this and he wasn't sure what could be worse; he sighed before shaking his head and turning his attention to his pregnant girlfriend.

"You okay?" Cassidy asked running her fingers through his brown hair, she watched him concerned knowing that today hadn't been easy for him; she knew that Olalla wasn't going to make it easy now that she knew that Fernando had really moved on.

Fernando nodded his head before he kissed her softly, he wanted nothing more than for this all to be finished; he knew that there was only going to be more trouble if Olalla didn't sign the divorce papers.

"I just want this to be finished... I don't know why she's trying to drag this out," Fernando said shaking his head as he wrapped his arms around her, his fingers brushing against her stomach that was now starting to expand to carry their baby.

Cassidy nodded her head knowing that Olalla was up to something and she had a feeling that it had something to do with George.