Lean on Me

Part Two - Chapter Two: The Nagging Feeling

Cassidy sighed pulling up outside of her parents’ house, she was dropping the children off for the night so that she could have a little break while Fernando was away playing for his country.

Cassidy sat in her car for a moment before shaking her head and climbing out, she no longer drove her 1977 Chevy Camaro which had been replaced with an Audi RS7 Sport-back after the twins had been born by Fernando; she was a little upset when it happened but she could understand why she couldn’t drive it anymore now that she had the twins.

“Cassidy it’s good to see you again,” Andrea Smith said stepping out of the house and walked towards her daughter, she hugged her briefly before she turned her attention to the twins; Andrea loved her grandchildren but she was starting to worry about her eldest daughter.

“How are you?” Andrea asked helping move the four children into her home, it was her day off while her husband of twenty-eight years was at work until late; it gave her a chance to talk to her eldest daughter.

“I’m fine mum,” Cassidy replied knowing why her mother was asking, while she was thrilled with having the twins; Andrea worried that Fernando would leave her daughter, he hadn’t had time to adjust from his divorce and she worried how it would affect his relationship with Cassidy.

“And Fernando? He’s well?” Andrea asked as Nora and Leo settled in the living room while Leia and Noah were set down in their car seat; she watched her daughter with the twins and worried what the future held, she had a nagging feeling that just wouldn’t go away.

“Mum… things are fine between us, there is nothing to worry about,” Cassidy said softly trying to reassure Andrea, but she couldn’t shake the doubts herself of what would happen if and when Olalla came back into their lives; she wanted her to know her children but she wasn’t sure if she was ready for what that meant for her and Fernando.

***

Fernando wiped the sweat from his head, he sipped on his bottle of water as he sat down next to his friends; today’s training session had been tough and he wanted nothing more than to head back to his room and relax for a little bit.

“So Nora’s 3rd birthday is coming up any news from Olalla?” Sergio asked looking at his friend, he knew that there was something on Fernando’s mind and he had a feeling that it was to do with his ex-wife; he just hoped that it wasn’t anything to bad.

Fernando sighed and nodded his head as Juan frowned and looked at him, he had lied to Cassidy when he had said that he hadn’t heard any news from Olalla; he didn’t want to upset his girlfriend with the idea that he was speaking with his ex-wife.

“But you told Cass that you hadn’t,” Juan said annoyed that his friend had lied, he hated to be between Fernando and Cassidy but after all the trouble that had happened; he was going to take the brunette’s side no matter what Fernando said or did.

“I know… I didn’t want to upset her, I will tell her Juan, I’m just waiting for the right time,” Fernando said knowing that Juan would tell Cassidy if he didn’t; he had a feeling that when his friend had first arrived at Chelsea that he’d had feelings for the brunette even if she was with him.

Juan huffed annoyed before he pushed himself to his feet and walked away, he knew that he was being a little over protective of Cassidy but he couldn’t help himself and he knew that Fernando was going to hurt her and he didn’t want that to happen.

“So what did Olalla say?” Sergio asked glancing at Juan’s retreating form as they sat on the training pitch; he would ask him later what had gotten into him, since anyone could see that something was on Juan’s mind.

“She’s coming to Madrid for Nora’s birthday,” Fernando said shrugging as he thought of his ex-wife, he had been pleased that she had come around slowly after what had happened between then and he could see that she was a lot happier in herself now that she was living away from him.

Sergio nodded his head as he sipped on his bottle of water, he watched Fernando as he messed with his bottle of water and started to peel off the label.

“Nando?” Sergio asked knowing that there was something going on, he knew his best friend and he hated that he was keeping quiet about something; he could tell that it was big enough for him to worry about it while he was away from his family.

“It’s nothing Sese,” Fernando said shaking his head, his now blonde hair blowing slightly in the window as his brown eyes looked at him knowing that he needed to make sure that he didn’t slip up.

***

Lorena smiled sitting down next to Cassidy, the two had become friends in recent weeks and the brunette was glad that she had someone to talk to; she didn’t feel like she truly fit in with the WAGs since she worked at Chelsea herself and it was nice to talk to another woman.

“So have you heard from Juan?” Cassidy asked settling down to watch some television; they were both missing their boyfriends and since neither of them could fly out to watch them play got together a lot to watch the matches on television.

“Not since yesterday… he’s getting a little stressed out,” Lorena said holding her hot drink, she sipped on it knowing that something was bothering her boyfriend and she had a feeling that it was something to do with Fernando.

Lorena knew that Juan was a close friend of Cassidy’s and if there was something going on that he was aware that would affect her then he would do his best to protect her and the twins.

“Fernando calls to speak with the children and as the tournament goes on his patience seems to get thinner,” Cassidy said making Lorena nod her head and offer the brunette a smile; she knew that Cassidy had some worries about her relationship with the footballer but she hoped that she was wrong.

“I know… I get that football is important but you’d think the world would end if they lose or something,” Lorena joked making Cassidy smile, she was glad to have some time to herself; having the children alone to herself was nice but it was difficult and she was glad for a break.

The two women sat talking happily as they watched a film together, they both knew that the separation wasn’t easy on their relationships and that they wouldn’t be seeing their boyfriends properly for another two weeks.

“So how were things with your mother when you dropped the children off?” Lorena asked, she had heard all about Andrea’s concerns from Cassidy; she hadn’t admitted it but Lorena knew that she had the same worries as her mother, Fernando hadn’t really had time to adjust to his divorce before he had moved on.

It was a question that would bother Cassidy when she watched her boyfriend, had he truly moved on from his ex-wife or did he have lingering feelings that he hadn’t told her about.