Count On Me

Part Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

Lizzie looked around her eyes slightly rounded at the 'rooms'. She'd expected a bedroom, but she was shown a whole apartment, an open plan kitchen/lounge, a large bedroom and a bathroom. Far bigger than she imagined.

Turning to Freya she smiled, "this is amazing, thank you."

Freya lowered herself to the arm of the sofa, "no problems, I lived here when I arrived...I hasten to add it's a bit nicer now, internal design isn't Mitchell Cooper's best talent."

She looked at her quizzically for a moment and Freya giggled, "I've never called him Coop...Though I'm the only one that doesn't...other than his mother!"

Lizzie chuckled, "I see."

The other woman studied her intently and it almost made her nervous, and it was a long time before she spoke, "this must be really hard for you...an over enthusiastic family descending on you."

There were those damn tears again, she gave a shrug, "it's great for Nate."

Freya studied her again, then reached out to squeeze her arm, "there has to be a way to make this work, to make it fair, don't you think?"

Was there? She'd tried to think it through, but there was no easy solution to make the three of them happy. "I'm not sure, someone is going to be hurt Freya, and I imagine that it's going to be me."

With that she disappeared to investigate the bedroom and regain control of her emotions.

They sat around the large table, Elena and Nate and the four adults tearing into take out pizzas and chicken wings, bottles of beer mounted up, and they were all talking boisterously. Except for Lizzie. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye, she was quiet, reserved...but then he, Coop and Freya were so close, so familiar with each other that their banter was natural. Nate had slipped into things really well too. It just left her. What should he do, push her? Single her out and make her talk? Or just leave her to her own thoughts. As he was about to do the former and opened his mouth as he looked in her direction, his phone rang, and pulling it out, he spotted Krystal on the display. Giving an apologetic smile, he waved the phone as an excuse, then disappeared outside to take the call.

Suddenly it was all a little more awkward for Lizzie. Nate chattered along happily, and Elena was a chirpy little girl too, but in reality she was having dinner with two complete strangers now that Oscar had left. She hadn't missed Freya rolling her eyes and saying the word "Krystal" with a tut...that must be the girlfriend. She was stupid to forget about that.

So instead of a pleasant evening chatting, getting to know the couple she sat with, she was relieved to see Nate looked exhausted as he finished his food. With time differences it would be after midnight back home, so his poor body had no idea what was happening. Lizzie offered her arms when his eyes suddenly welled with tears and he jumped into her embrace.

"You tired monkey? It's been a VERY long day," he tried to protest that he wasn't tired, typical boy. So she smiled at him, "well I am shattered, would you mind if I went to bed?"

He studied her for a moment, then nodded, "ok."

Coop and Freya stood and Lizzie hated the awkwardness, so she smiled, "thanks for dinner, and your hospitality. I'll be more awake tomorrow."

Freya beamed, "there are so many things I want to do, take you...come down whenever you wake up? And remember we have a five month old...sleep is not a thing we have here."