Lean on Me

Part One - Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Torres Family

Flori Torres moved around her living room as she waited for her husband to return from the airport with their youngest son and his new girlfriend; she was a little excited to meet the woman that had made their son so happy again.

“Madre would you relax,” María Paz said stepping into the room carrying her son Daniel, she knew how her mother was feeling but she doubted that Cassidy would want Flori fussing over her when she arrived.

Flori looked at her only daughter before shaking her head, Maria Paz had recently had twin boys, one named Fernando and another called Daniel; she knew that her daughter was right but she couldn’t help herself.

“What do you think she’ll be like?” Flori asked, she hoped that her son hadn’t found himself another Olalla.

Olalla refused to allow Flori to help her in anyway when she had been pregnant with Nora and Leo, she just wanted to be involved and didn’t see why that was such a problem.

Before Maria Paz could respond, the two heard the elevator outside of the apartment go making Flori look at her daughter panicked quickly started to tidy around worried that it was José and their guests.

“We’re home,” José called making Maria Paz roll her brown eyes moving to greet her brother while Flori made sure that everything was in ordered before her husband approached her with a small smile on his face.

Flori rolled her eyes annoyed looking passed him curiously while Fernando greeted his sister with a hug.

“Madre, Maria… this is my girlfriend, Cassidy,” Fernando said stepping back so that Cassidy couldn’t hide behind him, he grinned softly as she shot him a look before glancing a little nervously at Flori wondering how she would react to her.

“It’s nice to finally meet you… Fernando hasn’t stopped talking about you,” Maria Paz said with a smile greeting Cassidy while Flori ushered Fernando out of the living room and had José show him with they were staying.

Cassidy shot her boyfriend a panicked look before he disappeared out of sight leaving her alone with his mother and sister.

“It’s nice to meet you too,” Cassidy squeaked making Maria Paz smile at her as she looked at her mother, she knew that this brunette was nothing like the one that her brother had last brought home; she couldn’t help but like Cassidy a little more because of that fact.

“Would you like a drink?” Flori asked showing Cassidy into the living room and ushered her to sit down, Flori allowed her eyes to glance down at Cassidy’s bump; she smiled softly knowing that it was her grandchild that was growing inside.

“I’m fine thanks,” Cassidy said nibbling on her lip, she was going to kill Fernando for abandoning her like this with his mother and sister; he was probably hiding in their bedroom with his father so that she could bond with the two women of his family.

***

“So do you know what you are having?” Flori asked moving around the kitchen preparing dinner, she had sent Fernando out to get some wine for dinner with his father while Maria Paz had headed home with her sons so that she could make dinner for her husband.

“Not yet… we want to wait and see,” Cassidy said shyly, she was slowly opening up to Flori even if she was getting used to speaking to her; she was a little nervous in case she said something that would make Flori dislike her.

Flori nodded her head with a small smile as she continued preparing dinner, she had decided to make some Spanish dishes and she was a little excited that Cassidy had agreed since Olalla had never allowed her to do so.

“Well when the twins come you’ll have to tell me so I can make them small hats with their names on,” Flori said making Cassidy choke on her drink, she thought that it was a sweet idea what Flori wanted to do it was the other thing that she had said that had made her choke.

Flori looked at her son’s girlfriend confused as Cassidy cleared her throat and stared at her for a moment.

“We’re not having twins… just one big baby,” Cassidy said fishing out a picture to show Flori, who smiled and cooed at it.

“Sorry, I just thought with the bump being big like Maria’s that it was twins,” Flori said making Cassidy smile at her understandingly; she knew that she had quite a big bump but that didn’t bother her as long as her baby was healthy.

Flori looked down at the picture again and nibbled on her lip, this was the first time that she had seen her future grandchild.

“You can keep it if you like…” Cassidy said knowing what the older woman wanted; she didn’t mind since she had several copies made just in case anyone wanted one.

Flori looked at Cassidy taken back, she hadn’t expected her to offer her something like this and she couldn’t help but smile and nod her head before she hugged Cassidy.

“I’m glad my Nando found someone like you,” Flori said with a soft smile looking at Cassidy, she couldn’t believe that her son had finally found someone that was right for him.

Flori had worried that Olalla would have caused him some sort of pain and she hoped that everything would work out okay.

***

Cassidy ignored Fernando stepping out of their en-suite bathroom, she was still a little annoyed that he had abandoned her with his mother like that.

Fernando chuckled as he pushed himself off the men and wrapped his arms around his girlfriend as she attempted to put her clothes away.

“Don’t be mad amor,” Fernando whispered kissing down her neck, his hands resting on her swollen stomach smiling to himself as he thought about their unborn baby that lay inside.

Cassidy bit her lip trying to keep herself from moaning, she knew that Fernando’s parents were just across the corridor from them and she didn’t want them to hear this.

“I’m not mad… just annoyed,” Cassidy said as she turned to face her boyfriend, she was wearing a pink pattern baroque PJ set for bed while Fernando was dressed in just a pair of sweats; she tilted her curiously wondering how he wasn’t cold.

“Good… I just want you and my madre to get along,” Fernando said before he kissed her lips, he held her close before he allowed Cassidy to do what she had to; he watched her with a small smile gracing his lips knowing that this made him happy.

“I hope you don’t mind but my friend Sergio wants to meet up tomorrow for lunch,” Fernando said remembering the call that he had gotten from his friend; he only got to see Sergio on international duty and he was a little excited to see him again.

Cassidy looked at Fernando and nodded her head, she knew that he missed his best friend and that this would probably be his only chance to see him outside of international duty and other football related meetings.

Fernando smiled looking at his pregnant girlfriend, he didn’t know how he had managed to find someone like her and he wasn’t going to allow anything to happen to her.

Cassidy was the woman that had helped him rebuild his life and he loved her for coming into it when he had needed her most; he couldn’t wait for their baby to be born.