Lean on Me

Part One - Chapter Five: Relationship Trouble

Fernando rolled his eyes listening to Olalla complain about her friends, she was complaining about what one of them had said about the amount of time she spent with her own children.

“I mean… I’m with them all day and I deserve to have some time to myself,” Olalla said putting on her make-up, she didn't even look at Fernando while she prepared for her night out with her friends.

Olalla was completely obvious to the fact that Fernando was texting someone, a smile growing on his face every time his got a message back from that someone.

“I don’t think I’ll be back tonight, I might stay at Andrea’s,” Olalla mused turning to face her husband of nearly two years, she didn't notice him hide his phone as she smoothed out her pencil dress and smiled at him.

Olalla could see that he had noticed how distant that she had become since they had moved to London but she doubted that he knew what she was up to every night that she was out.

Fernando nodded his head looking at his wife, he was going to be alone with the children tonight and he had already asked Cassidy if she minded coming round for a couple of hours; Nora was completely taken with her.

“That’s fine,” Fernando said hoping that his wife left soon, he hated that he couldn't talk to her about Cassidy knowing that Olalla would freak out if she thought that Fernando was spending time with another woman; he didn't have female friends because he knew that Olalla didn't like it.

Olalla smirked as she walked over to Fernando and kissed him on the cheek, she couldn't have been happier that he had agreed to move to London for her.

***

“Thanks for coming,” Fernando said as Cassidy stepped into his home, he couldn't help but smile as he looked at the brunette who was slowly becoming one of his best friends; he couldn't help but wonder what he would do without her.

“It’s not a problem, I was home alone anyway,” Cassidy said as she brushed some hair from her face and smiled at Fernando, she enjoyed spending time with him and his children plus it gave her a chance to see if she could find more evidence about what Olalla was doing behind his back.

Fernando tilted his head curiously at her words, he knew that she had a boyfriend and while he didn't know much about their relationship it had made him curious about why Cassidy didn't talk about him a lot.

“So what do you want to do?” Cassidy said looking at Fernando, she could see that something had made him curious and she didn't want him asking to many questions about her relationship; she hated it when people got too involved in her personal life.

“Why don’t we start with dinner and we’ll go from there?” Fernando said watching Cassidy, he licked his lips showing her into the kitchen; the two quickly got to work on the dinner, laughing and joking about what had happened in the last week.

Cassidy was wearing a navy stripe wrap shirt and kick flare jeans paired with black platform shoe boots; she rolled up her sleeves as she started to work on the pizza base while Fernando prepared the topping for the pizza.

Fernando furrowed his brow as he spotted an odd marking on Cassidy’s arm, he stopped what he was doing and carefully took her arm in his hand as he looked at it concerned; the brunette stilled as she realised what he had spotted.

“It’s nothing don’t worry about it,” Cassidy insisted as she tried to pull her arm back from Fernando, who stopped her as he pushed her sleeve further up to reveal the hand shape bruise on her arm; he stared at it for a moment as Cassidy noticed the look forming on his face.

“I walked into a door,” Cassidy lied pulling her arm away from Fernando, he looked at her face as she continued with the pizza base; however the footballer stopped her as he realised that something was wrong.

Cassidy blinked looking up at Fernando through her eyelashes, she swallowed as he looked at her arm again before looking at her concerned.

“What happened?” Fernando asked worried, he didn't like the idea of someone laying a hand on her, he hated the thought that someone was hurting Cassidy; she wasn’t the sort of person that he thought would end up in that sort of situation.

“I told you I walked into a door,” Cassidy said starting to get defensive, she didn't want to tell him about what had happened but she could tell that Fernando didn't believe her.

Cassidy watched Fernando for a moment, she didn't want nor need his pity; she swallowed as he stepped closer to her, she watched him run a hand through his hair before he looked at her.

“You can talk to me,” Fernando said resting his hands on Cassidy’s shoulders, his brown eyes searched hers as he tried to show her that she could open up to him about what was going on in her life.

Cassidy opened her mouth to speak before she closed it, she knew that she needed to get out while she still could but she couldn't bring herself to do so.

***

Fernando sighed as he Cassidy a glass of red wine while she tried to defend her boyfriend’s actions, he could see even to her own ears that it was useless to try and defend what her boyfriend had done to her.

“You must think I’m an idiot,” Cassidy said as she sipped on the wine while Fernando chuckled sitting down next to her, the children were asleep and he had found himself intrigued with Cassidy’s story about her boyfriend, Stephan Williams.

“I can’t really comment… my marriage is falling apart and my wife doesn’t seem to care,” Fernando said sipping on his own glass of wine, they were both in the same boat when it came to problematic relationships and he could see why they had become such close friends.

The two sat in silence as they thought about what they had talked about, they were both in serious relationships but there was something about sitting here together that felt so natural.

“I think I better be getting home,” Cassidy said glancing at the clock on the wall, Fernando swallowed as he looked at his friend; he didn't want her driving home after she had been drinking plus his stomach turned at the thought of her going back to Stephan.

“Why don’t you stay here? I have a guest room,” Fernando said stopping Cassidy from standing up, he swallowed as she stared at him surprised at his offer; she didn't know what to make of his suggestion.

Fernando swallowed nervously while Cassidy thought for a moment before she nodded her head in agreement.

“Okay,” Cassidy said turning her attention to Fernando before she found him kissing her. Fernando wasn’t sure why he had done it but suddenly he had set down his glass and cupped Cassidy’s face as he deepened the kiss that he had given her.

Cassidy’s mind went blank as she allowed Fernando to kiss her, she couldn't find it in her to stop him and she had a feeling that this was going to make things interesting.

###

Author's Note:

What do you all think about Fernando signing for AC Milan?