AN/
Hi! So glad you liked last chapter! Friz is finally together in this one! Woohoo! What do you thinks going on/what'll happen? I love to hear! TYSM for the reading reviewing and support
End of AN
Liz sat on the couch reading a magazine. The time lunch with Hayden seemed to wake her up a bit. Between that and the fact Franco would be home soon told her she'd sleep after he got home. They could even spend some time together if she stayed asleep a little bit longer.
Hayden and her had a nice lunch. Their BLT's were as always great and the conversations were also nice. Besides the whole Sarah issue they were able to have positive conversations. Liz could talk about the kids and Hayden loved gushing over Lauren so it was a win win. Hayden also updated her on Violet and her life in general. This included her on-going quest for Finn complicated by wanting to put her daughter's happiness first. Sure they could be synonymous, but if she went too far to try and push him it would be a disaster. It felt like an all or nothing situation.
Suddenly Liz heard another knock on the door. Franco must have forgotten his house keys. With the baby sometimes it was a miracle they remembered as much as they did. She got up and opened the door smiling tiredly until she realized the man in front of her was not Franco.
"Dad?" She exclaimed in shock. Between Sarah calling her and this she felt like it was the family reunion she never wanted.
"Hello, Elizabeth." He greeted her.
"What are you doing here?" Liz asked, eyes wide.
"A man can't come see his daughter?" He asked her.
"A man can. You can't though." Liz spat back. "You never visit, or even call."
"I deserve that." He said, putting his hands up.
Liz just glared at him, not sure what to say or what the hell he wanted. She didn't want anything from him, that's for sure. He had left and she was sent to be with her grandmother. She loved her grams, but it was sugar coated abandonment only backed by the lack of communication she received. She didn't resent it as she was just fine with the family that actually cared for her, but her blood boiled as he stood there.
"Can I come in?" He asked hopefully.
"Fine." She gave in, stepping aside to let him in and closing the door after. "What is it?"
"I'm staying in town for a while."
"Why?" She asked immediately after, arms crossed.
"Port Charles was my home once, and I have family here." He told her. "I figured better late than never."
Liz wanted to believe him, that this was just an innocent visit, but she couldn't help but be suspicious. Not a single trip for even a weekend and now he's staying indefinitely? She decided since she couldn't figure out a motive, she'd weerily accept it's innocence.
Then the doorknob is jiggling and she's relieved to see Franco is home for real this time and she wasn't awkwardly alone with her father.
"Oh...hello." Franco stated, seeing that he and his wife weren't alone.
"Franco, this is my father." Liz told him, sending him a look that told him she wasn't happy about it. "Dad, this is my husband Franco."
Franco extended his hand out to shake his which Jeff took after looking over Franco.
"You'd know that if you ever bothered to check in with me." Liz added.
Franco could feel the tension and it made him uncomfortable too, but he had to be the buffer for Liz. He hadn't ever met Jeff prior to now, and how would he have? But after she told him it was her father he noticed the resemblance to the few picture's he'd seen of the man. Liz never liked to talk much about him, as he wasn't a present in her life, and Franco never pushed.
"Nice to meet you." Franco helped clear the air after the awkwardness from the comment cleared.
Jeff gave him a cross look, like he wasn't pleased with him. But Franco hadn't done anything that he knew of. Maybe he knew him. Not the painter but the criminal. He could understand the hesitance if so, so he asked.
"Are you familiar with me?" Franco asked him wearily.
"We've never met."
"No, I meant-nevermind." Franco shook his head. If he didn't know his past the better they'd probably get along. "I'm an artist." he covered.
"Not into art." Jeff shrugged.
Man this guy was certainly not even attempting to warm up. What did his mom ever see in Jeff? Between that and how he treated Liz's family, he didn't seem like a prize.
"I'm also Heather's son." He spoke, not sure if it'd help or hurt, but it was better than the awkwardness of Liz being uncomfortable and Jeff's judgmental gazes at him.
"Heather Webber?" Jeff asked, eyes pointed.
"Yeah."
"Hmm." Jeff snuffed.
Liz was already overwhelmed just by his presence and the last thing she needed on top of it was to hear his opinion on her husband. He lost that right a long time ago.
Suddenly Lauren's cries could be heard on the monitor and Liz was actually happy about it. This was an excuse to get him to leave so she could deal with him another day, way more prepared for whatever this weird choice to come to town was.
"I'll get her." Franco said, making his way to the stairs.
"You had another baby, Elizabeth?" Jeff asked, putting it together.
"Yes." Liz said, the statement so absurd to hear from her father. A man who's supposed to not only know but be the grandfather. "Who I should really help Franco with."
"Oh, Okay." Jeff said, getting the fact he was getting politely thrown out. "I'll call you tomorrow. I really do wanna catch up."
"Okay." Liz told him, as she opened the door for him. "I hope you mean that if your gonna say that."
"I do." he promised her, looking at her sincerely.
"Bye, dad." She gave a small smile, she wasn't sure it was genuine however before closing the door behind him.
As she turned around Franco was walking down the steps with Lauren in his arms, smiling at her sweetly. That sight cheered Liz right up and almost made her forget about the previous encounter. Almost.
"I had no idea he was coming. Or that he was even in town." She told Franco who she knew must be curious about what he was missing.
"I wasn't sure I'd ever meet him until it was his funeral or something." Franco said. "You never expressed any want to see him again or anything positive really."
Liz shrugged. "I didn't think it was a posibility."
"Now that it is how do you feel?"
"Cautious." She answered.
"I get that." Franco agreed. "He hasn't been here for you, and you can't trust him."
"Yeah." Liz said, brushing a hair behind her ear. "He's staying for a while he said."
"You gonna see him again?"
"I guess." Liz said, not fully making up her mind.
"Whatever you choose, i'll support you." He smiled.
"That's why I love you." Liz smiled back. "He didn't seem to like you though, the nerve of him when he doesn't even know you."
"He knows i'm Heather's son."
"So what?" Liz scoffed at the excuse. "It was rude."
"It's okay Liz." He comforted her, kissing her on the cheek. "It'll be okay."
