A Little Love

Chapter 22

It was 6.30 on a Monday morning and Lauren had just finished drinking her first coffee of the day, indicating it was time to go wake up Camila. She went up to Camila's room, drawing the curtains despite the fact that it was still rather dark outside before moving over to Camila's crib.

"Good morning, angel," Lauren said gently, reaching down to lightly stroke Camila's arm. 

The little girl looked adorable, fast asleep in her sleepsuit with her pacifier firmly in her mouth and her silky hair spread out messily.

"Shh," she soothed as Camila whined, reaching down to pick her up. "It's time to wake up," she hummed, rubbing Camila's back while the little girl lay limply in her arms, making no attempt to move. 

She took out Camila's pacifier the way she usually did in the mornings, fully expecting the little girl bursting into tears. While she didn't enjoy it, it was the only way to wake Camila up that early.

"I know," Lauren said sympathetically, bouncing Camila in her arms until her sobs died down.

She laid her down on the changing table that she and Dinah had recently bought to replace the plastic mat they had been using.

"Mama?" Camila asked, tiredly rubbing her eye as Lauren undid the buttons at her crotch.

"What is it, love?" Lauren asked.

"Can we watch Peppa while eating breakfast?" Camila yawned.

"I was hoping you'd try sitting on your training potty while you have breakfast," Lauren said subtly, knowing potty training was a sensitive topic for Camila.

"No, I don't want to," Camila whined as Lauren took off her wet diaper.

"Not even if I let you watch Peppa?" Lauren bargained.

"Only if you also give me chocolate milk for breakfast," Camila said with a cheeky smile.

"You want me to give you liquid sugar at 6.45 in the morning?" Lauren chuckled, fastening the snapsuit despite the fact that Camila wasn't wearing a diaper anymore and lifting her off of the changing table and onto the floor.

"I'm so adorable that you can't say no," Camila grinned.

"Alright, I'll think about it," Lauren laughed, shaking her head in amusement as she ushered Camila into the bathroom, putting a small amount of toothpaste on the little girl's light up toothbrush and handing it to her. "Brush your teeth, angel, I'm just going to go get dressed."

Lauren left the bathroom door open before going back to her and Dinah's room where her girlfriend was still fast asleep. She settled for a silk white shirt and dark trousers along with a pair of black heels.

"Mama?" Camila toddled into Lauren's room, having finished brushing her teeth, to find Lauren still busy getting ready. 

"Sorry, baby, I'm almost done," Lauren promised, glancing at Camila who was climbing onto her bed.

"DJ? Mommy?" Camila asked, climbing onto Dinah's back.

"Honey, let her sleep," Lauren warned, knowing how moody Dinah could get in the mornings.

"I'm up now," Dinah muttered, sitting up and pulling Camila into a hug. "The tickle monsters got you now!" She shouted, starting to tickle Camila relentlessly, causing the little girl to erupt into giggles.

Lauren smiled over her shoulder; it wasn't hard to see that Camila was the best thing to have happened to them.

"Alright, alright, now that you're both up why don't we have pancakes for breakfast?" she suggested, walking over to where Camila was now dramatically sprawled on top of Dinah's legs.