Lean on Me

Part Two - Chapter Twenty-One: Happy New Year

Fernando smiled checking on the twins, he leant against the doorway as he watched them knowing that the New Year would be better than the last; they had been through a lot in the past year and the footballer knew it could only get better.

Fernando sighed as he turned on his heel and walked away, he headed downstairs and back to his fiancée knowing that this year they were going to have a peaceful night welcoming in the New Year.

The couple had declined an invite to several parties that were being held that night, they hadn’t wanted to leave the twins nor did they want to risk running into Juan at any of the parties.

Juan hadn’t gone back to Spain during his suspension and Rafael had announced that after the holiday break he was going to review the suspension.

“The twins are still asleep,” Fernando said walking into the family room where Cassidy was curled up on the couch in her red fluffy robe watching television, she smiled as she looked at him as he climbed onto the couch and cuddled her close; right now there was nowhere that he would rather be.

Cassidy cuddled into his arms as she smiled at them, she was glad that they had decided to stay in since she really didn’t have the energy to deal with getting dressed up after spending the day at her parents; Cassandra’s marriage seemed to be in trouble and Jason had sent the evening making digs at Fernando.

“This is nice,” Cassidy murmured cuddling into her fiancé’s arms, she closed her eyes content knowing that this was where she was meant to be.

***

“Are you making any New Year’s resolutions?” Fernando asked watching the television countdown to midnight, he smiled to himself as he glanced down at Cassidy knowing that they would be getting married in a couple of months; he couldn’t wait to call her, his wife.

Cassidy nibbled on her lip for a moment as she looked at Fernando, she thought for a moment before she nodded her head; the footballer looked at her curiously wondering what she would do.

“To do something that I have never done before,” Cassidy said making her fiancé raise an eyebrow at her, he hadn’t expected her to say anything like that; he chuckled as he nodded his head as he kissed her knowing that he would make sure that it happened.

They kissed softly as Fernando moved to untie Cassidy’s robe, she was wearing a toffee wrap front lace trim satin teddy; he grinned to himself as the kiss started to heat up before Cassidy pulled back from the footballer.

Fernando looked at her confused as Cassidy brushed her fingers through her hair, she smiled at him knowing what he wanted; she had no intentions in denying him for long since she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

“What about you?” Cassidy asked glancing at the clock, she tilted her head surprised at how little time they had before the clocks struck midnight; she allowed him to pull her close knowing what he wanted, they had been closer than ever recently and she couldn’t help but be happy.

Fernando thought for a moment as he held Cassidy close, his fingers brushing against the bare skin that he had exposed as he tried to decide on his New Year resolution; he couldn’t decide on what he wanted to do more.

“To spend more time with my children,” Fernando said looking at Cassidy, he didn’t just mean Leia and Noah but Nora and Leo as well; he wanted to be the best dad possible and he wasn’t going to mess up, he wanted to be there for his children as they grew up.

Cassidy smiled as she leant forward and kissed her fiancé, she brushed her fingers through his ever growing dirty blonde hair as he pulled her close; she smiled as fireworks started to go off meaning that 2013 had finally arrived.

“Happy New Year,” Cassidy said pulling back slightly and looked at Fernando, she knew that in a couple of months it would be their anniversary again and then they would be married over the summer.

“Feliz Año Nuevo,” Fernando said before he kissed her again, the two kissed happily as he removed her robe completely and pushed it onto the floor; his warm fingers drew her close and he knew that this was perfect.

Cassidy pulled back and climbed away from Fernando, who looked at her confused as she grinned at him; she bit her lip knowing that it had been a while since they’d been like this.

“Why don’t we take this to the bedroom?” Cassidy said making Fernando grin as he realised where she was going with this; she rolled her eyes as he switched off the television before he followed her up to their bedroom.

***

Knocking back the rest of his drink, Juan frowned as he ordered another and looked around at the couple’s celebrating the New Year around him; he had been to all of the parties that his team-mates were holding in hopes of running into Cassidy and stealing her away before midnight so that he could have stolen her first kiss of the New Year.

However it was only when he had arrived at this party and David Luiz had informed him when he had noticed Juan looking for someone that Fernando and Cassidy had chosen to stay home with the twins.

“Why did it have to be him?” Juan muttered as the bartender handed him his next drink, he quickly left the footballer alone as David came and sat next to his friend; he knew that someone had to talk sense into Juan since this bitterness couldn’t continue.

Juan ignored David as he started on his drink, he knew what his friend was going to say; he didn’t care and he wanted to prove that he was the right choice for Cassidy, she needed to be with him and not Fernando.

“Are you really going to continue this pettiness?” David asked raising an eyebrow at Juan, he wished that there was a better way to make Juan see that Cassidy only ever saw him as a friend and that was all she would ever see him as.

David knew it was cruel but Juan, he’d had a good thing with Lorena and he had thrown it away without a second thought for someone who was happily engaged.

Lorena had been devastated even if she had known it was coming when he had done so but Juan hadn’t cared how she had felt.

“She’s meant to be with me,” Juan said stubbornly making David sigh and shake his head, no one had told the Spaniard anything about the couple; they thought it would be better to keep him in the dark about any coming wedding plans.

“If she was meant for you then she’d be with you… let her go Juan, she’s happy with Fernando and it’s time to make yourself happy,” David said patting Juan on the back before he smiled and walked away to join the party; Juan frowned as he thought about what his friend had said before he sighed and looked down at the drink in his hands.

The last thing he wanted to do was let Cassidy go but maybe it was time to make himself happy as well; he just hoped when he did that he hadn’t burnt too many bridges.

Juan didn’t know what his future held but Cassidy clearly wasn’t the one for him, he couldn’t believe that she was with someone who didn’t deserve her.