Lean on Me

Part One - Chapter Thirty-One: Selfish Acts

Olalla took a deep breath standing outside Fernando’s apartment, she had never been inside before and she doubted that she would be happy when she stepped inside.

Olalla hadn’t told Fernando that she was coming since she knew that he wouldn’t be pleased to see her now that he was just back from Madrid.

Olalla knocked on the door before she looked down at Nora and Leo; she nibbled on her lip as she thought about what she was about to do.

“Olalla?” Fernando asked confused opening the door to his ex-wife, he hadn’t been expecting her and it made him wonder what was going on; he glanced down at his children before he smiled softly as Nora moved to hug him.

“Can we come in?” Olalla asked stiffly wrinkling her nose at the sight of affection between Fernando and their children, she pursed her lips as Fernando collected Leo and held him close for a moment before he allowed her into his home.

Fernando glanced at his ex-wife as they headed into the living room, he wasn’t sure what was going on but he knew that it couldn’t be good if Olalla had come to the home that he shared with Cassidy.

Fernando knew that she hadn’t been pleased that he had somewhere else to live when they had separated.

“So what can I do for you Olalla?” Fernando asked settling Leo down to play with his sister before he turned his full attention to his ex-wife; she licked her lips as she opened her purple Alexander McQueen bag, that Fernando had never seen before.

“I’ve come to give you these,” Olalla said handing him over some papers, she glanced around the living room in disgust that he lived there; Fernando sighed holding the papers wondering what was going on.

“I’ve told you before Olalla, I won’t sign anything without my lawyer present,” Fernando said annoyed with his ex-wife before she crossed her arms; he took in her outfit, wondering for a moment if it was new.

Olalla huffed looking at her ex-husband, she couldn’t be late and she knew that she had to get Fernando to agree before she could leave.

“I’m signing the children over to you, I have a flight to Santiago de Compostela in three hours,” Olalla said making Fernando stare at her shocked, he had never expected her to do this.

Fernando swallowed as she carefully looked down at the papers and he ran a hand through his hair, he needed his lawyer to look them over before he agreed to anything.

“You’re leaving just like that,” Fernando asked a little disgusted that his ex-wife was dropping this on him like that; he licked his lips as he wondered why she was suddenly so desperate to get away.

Olalla nodded her head sitting down on the couch, she was surprised that Cassidy hadn’t made an appearance yet and she wondered if she had her ex-husband alone.

“I can’t stay here anymore… I had so many plans for living in London and now they won’t come true,” Olalla said shaking her head, he wouldn’t understand but she couldn’t raise their children anymore.

***

Cassidy furrowed her brow stepping into the apartment that she shared with her boyfriend, she stared at the bags that lay in the entrance way before she headed into the living room to see what was going on.

“Cass,” Nora said hurrying towards Cassidy, who smiled at her as she quickly hugged the little girl; it wasn’t their day to have the children so she wondered why they were here.

Cassidy pulled back and swallowed as she spotted Olalla sat in her living room, she knew that this couldn’t be good if she was here; Cassidy looked at Fernando, who offered her a weak smile before he turned his attention back to his ex-wife.

“Is everything okay?” Cassidy asked knowing that Olalla never came to their home, she glanced at Fernando worried while she set down her bag; she had been called into work to do an interview and she hadn’t expected this.

“Everything is fine… not that it has anything to do with you,” Olalla spat glaring at Cassidy, who was living her life; she hated Cassidy who had everything that she wanted, she couldn’t believe that this other woman had her life and all because she had been stupid.

Fernando shot his ex-wife a warning look before he smiled at Cassidy and patted the seat next to him; he had already faxed the paperwork to his lawyer before he agreed to anything.

“Olalla’s moving back to Spain,” Fernando said softly to Cassidy, she stared at Olalla shocked that this was happening; she didn’t know what this meant for Fernando and the children but she hoped that Olalla wasn’t trying to take them away from him.

“I’m leaving the children since I don’t want them anymore,” Olalla said looking down at her perfectly styled nails; she didn’t even look at Nora and Leo were feet from her playing.

Cassidy felt sick realising that Olalla was abandoning her children, she had never thought that Olalla would do such a thing and now that she was she couldn’t help but be disgusted.

Fernando rested a hand on Cassidy’s leg in comfort as she watched Nora and Leo sadly, they were losing their mother who didn’t seem to care about them and they didn’t even know that she was leaving.

“Excuse me,” Cassidy said pushing herself to her feet and left the living room, she headed straight for the master bedroom; she leant against the door as she closed it behind her, resting a hand on her twenty-two week bump knowing that she could never do that to her own child.

***

Fernando sighed running a hand through his hair, he glanced at Nora and Leo as he closed the front door on Olalla as she left for her flight; his lawyer had told him to agree for now but there was still things that needed to be discussed.

Heading to the master bedroom, Fernando knocked on the door before he stepped inside; he knew that Cassidy had been upset with the easiness that Olalla had abandoned her children at and he had to admit that he was as well.

Fernando wrapped his arms around Cassidy as she stared out of the window deep in thought, Fernando pressed a kiss to her neck as he rested a hand on her bump.

Fernando was angry that Olalla had done this, it was very selfish and the children were bound to ask one day about why there mother wasn’t around.

“She’s gone… Nora and Leo are ours,” Fernando said softly closing his eyes, he couldn’t believe that Olalla had turned her back on her children; she hadn’t even said goodbye to them as she walked out of their lives only with the words that Fernando could collect the rest of their things from a friend’s house.

“I can’t believe that she did that,” Cassidy whispered resting against Fernando’s body, this wasn’t going to be easy and they would need a bigger home soon; there just wasn’t enough room for them all to live in the small apartment especially with a baby on the way.

“I know… but we’ll make sure that they will be happy without her,” Fernando vowed opening his eyes, he knew that Cassidy would be a perfect mother for his children and he hoped that Olalla never came back into their lives.

Fernando just hoped that they would find a home soon, a baby on the way and two young children; their two bedroom apartment wasn’t ideal.