Chapter 7 Prince Charming (One)

• "Lia wake up!" Jane stormed into the room and pulled the covers off her friend's body. "Prince charming is here."
• Lia opened one eyes and groaned. "Too bright, it's too bright."
• "Get up woman, your man is here."
• "Please let me sleep." Lia begged, shutting her eyes turning on her back. Jane sighed and walked off mumbling under her breath.
• "I'm so sorry, she's fast asleep and it's usually a
• pain to wake her up in the morning." Jane smiled apologetically. Fernando chuckled and rose to his feet.
• "I don't want to disturb her. Let her sleep. I only came to see if she was awake so we could go for breakfast at the restaurant."
• 'This idiot!' Jane thought and smirked as an idea slipped into her head. "Give me a second, I'll have her ready."
• "I don't want to.." Fernando tried to stop her but Jane was already making her way into the bedroom.
• He chuckled again, shaking his head as he took his seat. She was a character, he could see why his wife was friends with her.
• His wife. This was all crazy, it really was. He never thought he'd see anyone except Janet as his wife but life had its own plans.
• "I didn't know you were here." He heard and looked up staring at Amelia. It was obvious that she was still sleepy. Whatever her friend had done did nothing to clear the sleep from her eyes.
• He rose to his feet and held her hand preventing her from falling on her face. He resisted the urge to laugh as she leaned her head on his chest. He was so sure she didn't even know what she was doing.
• "It's okay if you want to sleep some more. I can wait for you." He offered and pulled her to the chair helping her lay down on it.
• Lia started to protest. "No, I'm okay. I'm awake."
• "Ssh.." he insisted, placing his thumb against her lip to silence her. "Not another word. Close your eyes and just rest. I'm right here."
• "I can.."
• "Lia.." he said it like a warning and her eyes closed immediately. Soon enough, her soft snores filled the room.
• Fernando laughed and shook his head moving to a different chair to sit. He didn't want to disturb her.
• "Lia! Oh my God, I told you to.." Jane yelled walking into the living room. She picked up a pillow aiming for Lia but Fernando was quicker.
• He took the pillow from her and placed it under Lia's head. "I told her to sleep. She looked exhausted."
• Jane blushed and looked away. "Well, we didn't sleep until this morning."
• Fernando raised his eyebrows, a smirk on his face. "You don't say."
• "I just wanted her to have a nice time. She needs it. With her mother gone and everything, she's been so..oh I'm so sorry." Jane bit her tongue cursing her tactlessness.
• Fernando gritted his teeth and sighed. Janet Lawson was ruining so many things and she wasn't even here! "It's okay. I have a lot of things to make up for. It's okay to talk about Janet, she's the one who decided to leave."
• Jane simply nodded not sure what to say anymore.
• "I'm hungry." The two of them turned towards the chair where Lia was starting to sit up.
• Fernando was the first to get there, Jane a close distance from them. "Are you okay?"
• Lia nodded rubbing her eyes. Fernando chuckled at the sight. She looked like a little child. "I'm hungry. You said we were going out for breakfast."
• Fernando nodded helping her to her feet. "I did. Are you sure you've slept enough?" He frowned as he studied her closely
• "I think so. I don't feel so tired anymore." Lia's stomach grumbled cutting her off.
• Fernando laughed shaking his head. "Well, I guess we could forget about sleep for now. That needs to be taken care of." He pointed at her stomach and Lia blushed making a move to cover her stomach with her hands.
• Her face was as red as a tomato. "Just give me a few minutes."
• "Take your time."
• Jane watched the exchange between the two wordlessly and sighed. She didn't know what Fernando was up to but she hoped her friend wouldn't get hurt in the process.
• "I should go make sure she doesn't waste anymore time." She followed Lia into the room and shut the door.
• Fernando nodded and watched her go wanting to call her back but not knowing what he'd say if he did. She needed time just like Lia.
• Surely time would fix everything.
• ***
• "Its so nice to have you around again." Adam welcomed Lia with a smile.
• Lia blushed and coughed to hide it. "I hope it's not too much of a bother. The restaurant seems quite busy." She looked around as she spoke. There were people sited at the tables eating.
• "Well you're the owner so it can't be too busy for you." He pulled out a chair for her. "Please sit and make yourself comfortable. I will get a server to attend to you."
• "Thank you." Lia took her seat and placed her bag on the table. She looked towards the door wondering why Fernando was taking so long. He wanted to park the car, surely that wasn't such a chore.
• She rose to her feet intending to go and find him but she saw him walking towards her with a smile on his face.
• "I didn't mean to keep you waiting. I saw someone I know and we got talking."
• Lia nodded her head in understanding. Of course she knew how those kinds of meetings could be. It was a surprise the friend didn't tag along.
• Fernando must have heard her thought because he laughed. "He almost did "
• "What?" Lia asked, surprised. Was he a mind reader?
• "You said it out loud and I heard you. I should have ignored, I'm sorry." Fernando apologized and she frowned.
• "There's no reason to say sorry." Lia insisted and sighed in relief when she spotted Adam walking towards them with a server as he had promised.
• He'd clear the awkwardness that had descended upon them.
• "I brought the server as promised." Adam announced as soon as he reached their table.
• The server wasn't the woman from last time, this was a man. "My name is Alex and I'll be your server for the evening."
• Lia noticed as she picked up one pancake from her plate that Fernando looked pleased at the interruption. The restaurant was a brunch restaurant; sandwiches, pancakes, scotch eggs...
• "I hope you don't mind that I ordered for you. I figured you'd like it."
• "It's okay. I love pancakes." What was not to love about them? Her mother had...Lia winced at her train of thought and dropped the pancake.
• Fernando noticed the change in her mood. "Are you okay? Is the food okay? I could have Adam get you something else." He trailed off as he rose to his feet but Lia tugged his hand.
• "There's no need, everything is delicious. I just need to use the restroom quickly." She sent him a smile and rose to her feet walking away from the table.
• "Is everything okay?" Adam asked, stopping her on the way and she nodded.
• "Bathroom break." She simply answered and walked off before he could do anything more.
• She just needed some minutes to herself. This was all too much and too soon.
• "What did you say to her?" Adam scolded as he joined Fernando at the table.
• "Me?!"
• Adam narrowed his eyes and Fernando raised his hands in mock surrender. "You.."
• Fernando sighed, running a hand through his head. "I don't know what happened. One minute we were talking about pancakes and the next she suddenly dropped it. I tried to apologize but she insisted she was fine. I'm confused man."
• "Well, i guess she just really needed to use the bathroom then."
• Fernando nodded but didn't say anything. Somehow his appetite had gone.
• ***
• "Hey, do you need me to pick you up? I could be there in a few minutes." Jane offered and Lia shook her head wiping the tears off her face.
• She was being silly. Fernando was probably hating himself for something he must have said. "I should go back, I don't want him thinking he did anything wrong. He's been the perfect gentleman."
• "So you do care."
• Lia shrugged. "It's the human thing to do. I can't have him feeling guilty when he has done nothing wrong."
• Jane narrowed her eyes, concern roaming in her blue orbs. "Are you sure you don't need me pick to you up? I could.."
• "It's okay. I should get back anyway. Fernando must be getting worried." Lia picked up her phone from the counter.
• "How is that yummy man doing?" Jane asked and Lia frowned.
• "Adam? Adam is fine." Lia said with a shrug and then raised her eyebrows. "Jane Austin, remember you have a fiancée. Oh my, shame on you."
• Jane laughed, throwing her head back. "There she is!"
• Lia rolled her eyes and laughed wiping her face clean with wipes. "Thanks for that but I really need to get back."
• "That's it girl, go get your man!" Jane yelled just as Lia ended the call. Lia shook her head and sniffed.
• Jane was a total crackhead but she was her crackhead. She didn't know what she'd do if Jane wasn't in her life.
• She walked out of the bathroom and bumped into Fernando who had been pacing in front of it. How long had he been waiting there for her?
• He sensed her presence and stopped pacing, covering the distance between them in two long steps.
• Lia gasped as he pulled her into his and hugged her close, stuffing his face into her hair. Had something happened?
• "I was an idiot. I didn't realize what I said was offensive and I'm sorry. So much for starting over."
• Oh no. "Fernando, you didn't do anything. I just noticed a moment. It was all my fault. I thought about my mother and..."
• He pulled away to look at her. "I didn't?" He looked so cute with his eyebrows furrowed in confusion and without thinking Lia used her hands to smoothen the lines on his face.
• She nodded in response to his question and blushed as realization of what she had just done dawned on her.
• Fernando was quicker and soon they were holding hands. Lia was redder than a tomato. Fernando chuckled and used his free hand to tuck her hair behind her hair. "Well, I think breakfast is done. Do you want to go somewhere?"
• "Where?" She asked and he started walking.
• "You'll see."
• Adam was waiting at their table when they got there. "Is everything okay?" He noticed their hands and smirked. "If you both wanted some alone time then you could have said so. I could have loaned you my office in the back.
• Lia coughed to hide her embarrassment and Fernando rolled his eyes. "We're leaving. Thanks for breakfast. Charge it to my tab."
• Adam shook his head. "It's on the house. Consider it our wedding gift to you."
• Lia picked up her bag, avoiding Adam's eyes.
• "That's not right. You need to.."
• "I insist." He said ignoring her words. "Now go on. Do come again some other time."
• "Are you ready?" Fernando asked looking at Lia and she nodded. "Thanks man." Fernando greeted before he wrapped an arm around Lia's waist and led her away.
• "He is one sharp shooter." Adam commented as he watched them wall away.
• "Can I clear the table, sir?" Anna asked walking up to him from the table she had been attending to.
• "Yes." Adam walked away leaving her to it.