Count On Me

Part Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

Nate sat at the breakfast bar eating some ridiculously coloured sugary cereal with enthusiasm the following morning, Lizzie watched him nursing a mug of coffee. She was going to tell him, about Oscar. It was just a question of how to slot that into a conversation. He hadn't talked about Janis for a few days, and it broke Lizzie's heart that he would never remember her, not really. There were photos, but he wouldn't remember her other than that. How heartbreaking, poor Janis, she'd never see him grow up, finish school, work, marry...become a father...Janis would never be a granny. That was tragic.

He needed to know that he wasn't alone, that people loved him, suddenly that was so important.

"I love this," he said breaking the silence, holding a spoon of the pink and blue concoction up to her for examination.

She grinned, "you're very lucky."

"And Coop said he'd take me and Elena skating."

Lizzie nodded, "you are very lucky."

Giving a nod, he smiled, "he takes Elena every week."

There it was the perfect 'in'.

"Do you wish you went every week?" When he shrugged in a very non-committal way, she smiled, "do you wish you had a Dad who'd do that with you?"

There was that unadulterated, uncontrolled moment when his eyes lit up with pleasure, but that was quickly schooled back to nonchalance. Already at less than five years old he had learned to control his response. Had he asked his mother about his father a lot? He was inquisitive, and Janis hadn't told her who his father was. At the moment her heart bled for the little fella.

"What if I told you that your father loves you VERY much?"

His eyes lit up, "you know my father?"

She nodded, "I do. Does that make you happy?"

Biting his lip he nodded, "yes. Will he play football with me? Be the goalie like Brandon's Dad does?"

She chuckled, "I think he'd love that, and he'd like to teach you to skate too."

"Can I meet him?"

She took a deep breath, here goes everything. "You've met your father darling. It's Oscar." His mouth dropped open for a moment as she clarified, "he has always loved you, but he didn't know where you were until recently."

He stared at her, "until Mum died."

Lizzie blinked at the tears furiously, "yes sweetheart. How does that make you feel?"

"I like him." He smiled at her and she knew that this was the right thing to do. The future was never going to be easy, but this felt right.

"And he really likes you. Are you sure that this feels ok?"

He nodded, "can I have some more cereal?"

As she refilled his bowl she marvelled at the adaptability of children, there would be questions, issues, but for now he was happy to take it all in his stride.

They were dressed when Coop knocked the door.

"Roads are clear, so we're going skating; you still want to come champ?"

Nate's eyes were wide as he nodded, so Coop turned to Lizzie, "you ready in ten minutes?"

When she nodded he departed, leaving Lizzie to get them both 'snow-ready'.