reasons to go, reasons to stay ➸ camren

chapter twenty one ➸ highest mountain to deepest sea

Waking up in Lauren's arms was Camila's favorite thing. But it was soon replaced by the feeling of waking up in her girlfriend's arms, in their own house, with another smaller human snuggled up next to them.

"I'm gonna lay here with you until you wake up, okay?" Rowan smiled sleepily, her caramel hair was ruffled and falling all over her face. Camila giggled at her daughter, pressing her tongue between her teeth and nodding softly.

"I'd like that, Ro," she whispered, careful not to wake Lauren as she freed one of her arms to pull her daughter closer to her.

The trio lay in silence for what Camila wished would be an eternity. She was so innocently happy. She had all she needed within an arms reach of her. It was all she could ever ask for.

A light kiss pressed to her temple brought her out of her thoughts, and she felt Lauren's warm breath move down to press a kiss to her neck, lingering on the soft skin before the dark-haired girl lifted her head to study the scene in front of her. She wanted to remember it for the rest of her life.

"Psst."

Camila glanced at Lauren before turning to her daughter, tilting her head to the side. Rowan leaned down, cupping her small hands around her mother's ear and leaning in to whisper her question.

"Did you ask her to kiss you?" Rowan asked, concerned.

Camila raised her head, laughing softly. "What?"

Rowan glanced nervously at Lauren and then back at her mother, sitting up and clasping her hands in her lap. "Wyatt says you have to ask someone before you kiss them. He kissed a girl without asking once and made her cry."

Camila suddenly understood and giggled, looking at Lauren, whose cheeks were bright red. The two older girls sat up, exchanging glances and silently deciding this was the right time to have the conversation.

"Can we talk to you about something, Ro?" Lauren asked, and the small girl nodded. Lauren patted her lap, which Rowan eagerly crawled into, staring up at both the girls with her gray-blue eyes.

It was Camila's turn to speak, and she reached out to smooth her daughter's hair out of her face.

"Do you remember when you asked me about being in love?"

Rowan thought for a moment, bringing her hand to her face before nodding furiously.

"And I promised you that when I was in 'inside love' with someone, that I'd tell you, right?"

Rowan nodded and looked at Lauren, who was fighting back a smile.

"Well, Ro, would you like to meet the person I'm in love with?"

Rowan giggled, looking up at Lauren and shaking her head. "She's right here, mommy. I've already did meet her a long time ago."

Lauren and Camila both met one another's eyes with shocked expressions, and Rowan reached up to hold Lauren's face in her hands.

"I told you that, silly. She looks at you like you're Cinderella. And you look at her like that, too. I know your secret!" she giggled. The other two girls laughed softly, relieved that Rowan didn't seem to mind.

Lauren leaned over, taking Camila's hand and kissing her gently. They both heard Rowan giggle excitedly when they pulled away. They met eyes again and Camila blushed.

"Does that mean I get to call you mommy now?" Rowan asked innocently, looking back and forth from Lauren and Camila.

Lauren swallowed hard. She loved Rowan like her own, and Camila knew that. But she was concerned that Camila wouldn't want her having such an influential position in her daughter's life.