Chapter 10

Coop had gotten in at a late hour last night. It was three in the morning before he ever got some shuteye. He was with Lizzie all night until she finally fell asleep. Once she had stopped crying and finally fell asleep, he had snuck back out the window he had come in. He didn't want to leave her at all, but he knew his father or Frank would be wondering where he was and he didn't want to have to deal with Frank. His father would understand, but Frank not so much. He couldn't even mention Lizzie's name without saying a smart comment or calling her some kind of name, but he couldn't handle it right now.

Buzz came into Coop's room and noticed Coop was up fairly early.

" Coop? Is that you up at 8:00 on a Saturday morning?" Buzz asked, making a joke.

Coop got up and threw his legs over the side of the bed. " Yep. It's me. I didn't get much sleep last night." Coop said. " Maybe a hour."

" Well, I was wondering where you were last night. I finally gave up at about 1:00. Frank, on the other hand, was just positive you were with Lizzie," Buzz said, laughing.

" Well, he was right on the money," Coop said.

Buzz looked directly at Coop. " Did Alan know you were with her?" he asked.

" Nope. I snuck in threw her bedroom window, and.." Coop was interrupted.

" You were in Lizzie's room?" Buzz questioned. " No wonder you got home late." Buzz said, winking.

Coop smiled, but then got serious, " No. It wasn't anything like that. We just kind of talked." Coop said, trying to think of a way to change the subject.

" Well, did things go well between the two of you?" Buzz said.

" Um, yeah, I guess you could call it that." Coop said. " So, who is filling in for Marina today at Company?" Coop said, finally changing the subject.

Buzz could tell something was bothering his son. It was definitely about Lizzie, he was almost positive. But he didn't want to pressure his son anymore, so he just let bygones be bygones, and granted his wish by changing the subject.

" Well, I think Marissa is filling in for Marina, but I am not sure." Buzz said, as he got up off the chair and opened the door.

" Well, Coop, I will see you downstairs in a little while." Buzz said, leaving and shutting the door behind him.

Coop sat back on his bed. He didn't like having to keep secrets from his father. He knew he could trust his father to keep the secret a secret, but he remembered his promise to Lizzie. He could not tell anyone. She had trusted him enough to tell him the whole sorted truth and he could not go back on his word to her.

Lizzie woke up pretty late at the Spaulding mansion. She was still wearing her clothes, but the blankets were pulled up over her. Coop. She remembered what happened last night. She had told him everything and he had been so sweet about it. This was the last thing that she had wanted to happen. She knew there was no way he was going to leave her now, and that was sort of good and sort of bad. She didn't want him to live a life where he was always worried about her or taking care of her. But she may be kind of selfish because she was glad she wasn't going through this alone.

Despite the fact that she was sick and was living with the possibility of dying, last night was one of the best nights she had had in a long time. She was so open with her feelings and it felt great not to have to bottle them up inside. But what she remembered so vivid and clear was being in Coop's arms. She had never felt anything like that in her entire life. Most of the time when she went after guys it was for the thrill of the chase, like with Joey Lupo, but this was different. She had feelings for him that were real. Being in his arms the whole night felt so right, and she couldn't believe she had let her grandfather talk her into staying away from him and letting him feed those horrible lies into her head. She was her own woman. She was going to fight this cancer and have a life with Coop or her name wasn't Lizzie Spaulding.

Alan walked in the room interrupting her thoughts.

" Good morning, Sweetheart, or should I say good afternoon," Alan said.

" Good morning Grand dad," Lizzie replied.

" I was coming up to ask you if you had any plans for tonight?" Alan asked, pleading with his eyes.

Lizzie knew she was probably going to be seeing Coop again, but she wondered what he wanted.

" I don't know, why?" Lizzie asked, full of curiosity.

" Well, I am having dinner with one of Spaulding Enterprises top employees, and he has a son about your age, and I was wondering if you two would like to go out with us tonight." Alan finished.

Lizzie knew what the answer was, and it was no. There was no way she was going out on a date with one of her grandfather's wishy washy boys. She already had a guy, and a great one at that. She was not going to lose him because her grandfather had a major crisis. He was a big boy and he could handle it himself.

" I don't think so grand dad." Lizzie said, not looking at him.

Alan was shocked. " Well, why not?" Alan asked.

" I just don't want to go out on a date with some guy I barely know," Lizzie said, trying to make up a good excuse.

" Elizabeth, I think you should reconsider. This young man is attending Harvard University and has his own business and other important things." Alan continued. " I think you two would really hit it off. I want you to have fun and hang out with your friends like a normal teenager should do." Alan finished.

" Look, grand dad, if you don't mind I think I am just going to hang around here and then maybe go over to Company later," Lizzie said.

" Elizabeth, you can't fool me. You want to go over to Company so you can spend time with Mr. Bradshaw. Elizabeth, just because his last name isn't Cooper, that doesn't mean he isn't one." Alan said, starting to get a little irritated.

Lizzie was getting just as irritated. " Grand dad, I own Company, I need to watch over my employees." Lizzie said.

" Elizabeth, listen to me. The Coopers do not belong in our world. They are not like us." Alan said.

" And just what is that supposed to mean?" Lizzie said. " So what if we have a lot of money, that is not what is important here," Lizzie said.

Alan sighed, but was getting furious with his granddaughter. " Elizabeth, you are not to see this boy again and you will be going on this dinner date with me tonight." Alan finished, walking towards the door.

Lizzie was not about to let him tell her what to do anymore. " NO! Grand dad, I am not going." Lizzie said.

Alan spun around and walked back over there towards her. " What did you say?"

" I said, I am not going. I am old enough to make up my own mind and I am not going with you and you can't make me." Lizzie said, walking out of her room and into the bathroom to get ready for the day.

Alan was furious. That Cooper boy was going to pay for turning his granddaughter against him.

Buzz was working at one of the tables at Company when a young woman called his name.

" Daddy?" Lucy said, as she ran into Company and closed the door.

Buzz turned around to see who it could possibly be. " Lucy? Oh my god, what are you doing here?" Buzz said, running up to his daughter and giving her a big hug.

" Luce, where is Alan Michael and why are you here?" Buzz asked again, still overjoyed to see his daughter again.

" Alan Michael is over at the Spaulding mansion to see Alan," Lucy replied. " But don't worry daddy, he is going to take down Alan, not rejoin forces with him." Lucy finished.

" What do you mean?" Buzz asked.

" Well, he knows his father is out of control so he has got a plan to teach him a lesson he will never forget." Lucy said, her eyes full of wonder.

Alan was still reeling from what his granddaughter had said to him. He was going to make Henry Cooper Bradshaw pay for this. He was so busy with his plans that he didn't even notice that his son had walked into the room.

" Dad?" Alan Michael said, trying not to disturb his father.

Alan turned around, " Alan Michael? Oh, son, what are you doing here so early?" Alan said. " I thought you weren't coming in for at least another two days or so."

" Well, I got an earlier flight out, so I figured why not stay a little longer?" Alan Michael responded.

" Are you traveling alone?" Alan asked his son.

Alan Michael knew that was his round about way of asking if he and Lucy were still together.

" Well, there is some bad news, dad. Lucy and I are separated, we have been for a while." Alan Michael said, lying to his father.

Alan tried hard to contain his excitement, but put on a long face for the boy. " I am so sorry Alan Michael," Alan said.

" Well, I can replace her, right?" Alan Michael said, laughing.

Alan knew his plan was coming together. He had gotten Phillip away from Spaulding, he had split up Gus and Harley, he was on the verge of getting Lizzie and Coop split up and now to hear that Alan Michael and Lucy were separated, could life get any better?

Whitney

Spoilers For Chapter 11

Alan confronts Coop and verbally attacks him, just as Lizzie walks in.

The ramifications of Coop and Alan's argument affect Lizzie in a physical way (signs of Leukemia)

Coop manages to cover for Lizzie when she has another spell

Alan Michael continues to deceive Alan, while Lucy comes close to spilling the beans to Buzz