Lean on Me

Part Three - Chapter Twenty-Eight: Struggling to Cope

Fernando looked up at the house where his ex-wife lived and took a deep breath, he knew that this was the only way that he would be able to see Leo on his third birthday and he hated that he couldn’t bring anyone with him.

Olalla had made it clear that he was to come alone to their son’s birthday, she didn’t want Cassidy or the twins in attendance and had said that Fernando wouldn’t be allowed into her home if he showed up with his wife and other children.

Fernando had nearly refused to even attend the party that Olalla was throwing for their son until Cassidy had convinced him that it was okay; she didn’t want Olalla to destroy his bond with Leo.

Knocking on the front door, Fernando forced a smile to his face knowing that he wasn’t going to allow Olalla to steal his children from him.

Fernando had noticed that she was keeping Nora and Leo away from him, she kept making excuses and he was growing tired of her treatment of him; he didn’t know what had expired between Cassidy and Olalla but he could see that the two women weren’t going to ever get along.

“Nando, I’m glad that you could make it,” Olalla said sweetly opening the door to her ex-husband as she checked that he had come alone before she allowed him into her home.

Olalla knew that after Fernando had turned her down back in Brazil that she hadn’t been friendly with him; she was still hurting from the fact that he was having another child with his wife.

Fernando looked around Olalla’s home, his stomach twisting knowing that the only reason that she remained in London was for him and he was heading to Madrid soon.

“How are you?” Olalla asked curiously as she eyed Fernando, she really hadn’t expected him to show up alone and she was sort of pleased that he had.

“I’ve been fine,” Fernando said shortly shifting Leo’s gift in his arms, he had only come to spend the day with his son and daughter.

Olalla nodded her head as she chewed on her lip, she had heard about what Cassidy had done to snap Fernando out of his funk and she knew that if the brunette would have stayed away longer then she would have tried to rekindle things with him.

“Papa,” Nora shouted hurrying out of the living room and rushed at her father followed by Leo; they flung themselves at their father excited that they were finally seeing him.

Fernando held them close as Olalla’s mother stepped out of the living room, she smiled softly at how excited her grandchildren were to see their father.

Carmen Liste had been horribly disappointed in her daughter when she had learnt that she had excluded Fernando’s new wife and other children; she knew that Fernando had always done his best for his children but Olalla was making it hard for him in every way.

“Carmen,” Fernando greeted politely offering her a small smile, he had stayed in contact with her and her husband when Olalla had dumped the children on him after their divorce and had made sure that they were kept up to date about their grandchildren.

Carmen nodded at him knowing that she had to warn him, she loved her daughter but Olalla was handling having three children under five on her own; she was struggling and Carmen knew that her grandchildren would be better off with Fernando and his wife.

“Is that for me?” Leo asked with big brown eyes, he looked up at his father curiously as the footballer nodded his head with a soft smile; he beamed excited warming Fernando’s heart.

***

“How are you Fernando?” Carmen asked sitting down beside her former son-in-law, she sipped on her drink as she wondered why her and her husband had been so nervous about speaking with the footballer.

Fernando had never held them responsible for what had happened between him and Olalla, he had told them that things were falling apart and that Olalla insisting that they come to London had been the final nail in the coffin that had been their marriage.

“I’m well,” Fernando said as he turned to look at Carmen for a moment, he knew that there was something on her mind and he couldn’t help but think that it involved his children.

Carmen nodded her head as she messed with the sleeve of her top, her brown eyes watching Nora and Leo play for a moment knowing that Olalla wouldn’t like what she was about to do.

“Carmen… is there something wrong?” Fernando asked resting a hand on the woman’s arm, he knew that she was currently raising Georgie and it couldn’t be easy on her.

Fernando was a little annoyed that Olalla had just dumped him on her retired parents, they deserved to be enjoying their time not raising another child.

Carmen took a deep breath as she nodded her head, she glanced around to ensure that Olalla wasn’t around; her daughter would only deny that there weren’t any problems.

“It’s Olalla, I’m worried about her and the children,” Carmen revealed looking at Fernando, she knew that she was asking a lot especially since he had the twins plus a baby on the way.

However Carmen knew that the couple would be able to handle having Nora and Leo as well; they had done it before and the children adored their step-mother.

Fernando looked at her worried, he knew that if Carmen was talking to him about this then it had to be something serious; it had to be something that was going to affect his children.

“She’s not coping with three children… I fear that Olalla will just walk out one day,” Carmen said softly focusing on her grandchildren, she feared that Olalla would just walk out of the house leaving her children behind.

Fernando swallowed looking at Nora and Leo, he knew that Olalla was too stubborn for her own good but she had been isolating his children from him for a while now and Cassidy hadn’t liked it.

Cassidy had privately accused his ex-wife of using Nora and Leo as weapons against her husband; that Olalla only allowed Fernando to see the children when it suited her best and under her rules.

“What do you need me to do?” Fernando asked knowing that he would never allow anything to happen to his children, he loved Nora and Leo as much as he loved Leia and Noah; he tried so hard to make them all feel included especially with the new baby on the way.

Carmen took a deep breath as she closed her eyes, she prayed that she knew what she was doing and that Olalla would one day forgive her for what she was about to do.

The older woman had begged her daughter to come back to Santiago de Compostela to stay with her and her husband; she wanted to help Olalla stand on her own feet again.

Olalla had been so dependent on Fernando and George when she had been with them that she had forgotten that she could live without them and do what she wanted.

“I want you to take full custody of Nora and Leo,” Carmen said looking at Fernando, she knew that she was asking for something that was hard but she knew it was for the best; she would even support him in gaining that custody.

Fernando stared at his former mother-in-law as her words rang in his ears, he really hadn’t been expecting her to ask that of him.