Count On Me

Part Six

Chapter Six

"So how is it? Have you seen him again? Any more photos?"

Freya. Oscar groaned, "aren't you supposed to be devoted to looking after your children, not waking me up at ridiculous hours?"

After leaving Lizzie's, Oscar had walked the streets for a long time, there was so much to think about and he had no idea where to start...or stop. The cold trip around far too many blocks hadn't helped, so he'd tossed and turned most of the night.

He peeled one eye open to see his clock showed it was six am, late back at Freya's, but ridiculously early here.

"Shit Frey, it's six o'clock. What are you doing tome?"

She tutted, "do you have any idea how stressful it is being out here? You don't tell me what's happening and it's leaving me too much to my own imagination..."

"You KNOW how bad that is O!" He could hear Coop in the background and could only imagine how much Freya's worrying was driving his best friend crazy.

"Look Frey, the boy is four. I can't crowd him..."

"I know! But he's YOUR son."

Oscar ran a hand over his eyes, "I know. And I want him to know that, I want him in my life, I want you to meet him...but as you reminded me, he's been through so much. I have to take it slowly."

"Photos, that's all I'm asking for."

He groaned, she was on his side, all she wanted was more of this boy, more of the nephew she'd just found out about. She wasn't criticising him - though she had every right to after the way he'd kept her in the dark.

"I'm spending every moment I can with him. I promise to send photos, however untimely they might be, ok?"

She sighed, "it'll have to do."

Before he was about to end the call, she added, "Krystal called six times yesterday. Apparently you're not answering your phone."

"Shit!" he hadn't even thought about her. Not since he'd taken the call from Lizzie, Nate had been his only concern.

"Yes, 'shit' is right, Oscar. If you're not interested tell her...or call her. She deserves to know what's happening."

Watching Nate skip out of school warmed Lizzie's heart. At least when he was busy with his friend's the grief went away. Lizzie had to deal with things twenty four/seven, but Nate helped her forget, just for a moment. As he ran across the school yard, he launched into her arms and she hugged him tightly. Keeping his in his arms, she started to walk out of the yard with him wrapped around her, ignoring the sympathetic looks from other parents and teachers. She didn't want pity, she wanted to wake up and everything to be normal, for her bond with Nate to be safe, secure, Janis to be alive, well.

But she may as well wish for the moon.

The school was a short drive from her home, and soon she was pulling into the parking space allotted to her home. Waving to her neighbour who was smiling from the window, she let them in, just as a voice called out to her from somewhere up the street.

She turned to see Oscar jogging towards them, "hi guys!"

They paused waiting for him to catch them up as Nate lifted a hand for a hi-five from him.