Count On Me

Part Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

Nate was wide awake at four am; it was too early to go knocking on Freya's door, despite what she said. Lizzie had put on a DVD, but that didn't seem to settle him, he was excited. So they both got dressed and went for a walk. The warehouse was in quite an industrial area, alongside a river, when they reached the lake; they followed the coast of until they reached the town, and then suddenly the commercial part of the town. Nothing was opened, but she was glad to get her bearings, see what the town was about...until she realised she was lost. Using her phone, she plugged Freya's address into the map function and it took her back to the warehouse a different route.

When they both arrived back at the warehouse, the door of a black car parked up outside the building opened, and Oscar emerged. He was wearing a suit, with a thick woollen coat over the top, and he looked every inch the business man, something she'd not seen before, even when he was suited for her sister's funeral. She realised then that she didn't really know him.

"Oscar!" Nate ran up to him, and he bent down to scoop him into his arms.

"I was just about to send out a search party...you didn't answer the door...and the Coopers are still in darkness."

He looked tired, his sleep had obviously been as restless as hers, but for a different reason. She didn't want to think about Krystal and the welcome home he'd received, instead Lizzie reminded herself that she had to right to complain, and instead smiled at him.

"Kids don't get jetlag, so we've been looking around."

He shook his head, "it's a winter morning in upstate New York and you two are strolling around."

She grimaced, "it is a little cold."

He laughed, "they've given snow you nutcase. Get in; let me get you a real US breakfast."

She hesitated, she'd intended to keep her distance from Oscar, sort her head out. But the thought of a large breakfast, coffee and somewhere warm intrigued her.

"Ok."

He drove them to a restaurant on what he told her was the outskirts of town.

"What do you recommend?"

The menu was intense and she had no idea what to order. He nodded, then a waitress appeared.

"Can we get steak and eggs, French toast, a breakfast burrito and a side of pancakes please?" When the waitress nodded, he looked at Nate, "you want some chocolate chip pancakes?"

He grinned and nodded then the waitress asked, "Dinosaur shaped?" His eyes lit up as he nodded again.

Oscar chuckled, "coffee and juice too?" He again smiled at the waitress, "thanks."

When he turned back to face her Lizzie gave him a grimace, "how many are you feeding?"

He laughed as the waitress reappeared with two mugs and a jug of coffee, "you'll eat it all...I know you."

She watched as he handed Nate a carton of juice, he DID know her, more than anyone else. She'd not had time to let anyone get close for as long as she remembered. But this man had a way of getting under her skin and finding out things about her. She thought she'd be furious that he'd ordered for her, after all she was Miss Independent. But it was a relief to just sit back and take the mug of coffee. Nothing more taxing than that.

Nate and Oscar were involved in a 'deep' conversation about all the things that the boy wanted to do now that he was here. It gave Lizzie some time to take stock; she didn't feel as though her feet had touched the floor in weeks. The coffee was good, and it was nice to see Nate look so relaxed and happy.