A Little Love

Chapter 28

"I know, mum," Lauren sighed into her phone as she walked down the stairs with Camila rested on her hip. It was a Saturday morning, and Lauren was trying to breastfeed Camila, talk to her mum, and get some washing out of the dryer all at the same time.

"I'm just saying Lauren, it wouldn't kill you to come home more often," Clara said.

"Yeah, I want to but- Camz, baby, what's wrong?" Lauren cut herself off when Camila started to cry. "Mum, hang on."

"Mi-mi," Camila whined.

"I'm giving you mimi right now, angel," Lauren said in confusion, checking that Camila was properly latched onto her breast.

"MI-MI!"

"Okay, okay," Lauren said, putting down the laundry basket. "Mum, I'll call you back," she said before hanging up. "Come here, baby," Lauren said, swapping Camila to her other breast having come to the conclusion that she had run dry.

She sighed in relief when the little girl quietened down the moment she started suckling again, and quickly finished the laundry she was doing before taking Camila out to the living room.

"Are you done, sweetheart?" she asked Camila, who was now resting her head against Lauren's breast with her thumb in her mouth. 

Camila nodded.

"Should we have some tummy time?" Lauren suggested.

She knew Camila wouldn't want to be put down, but she had some marking to get on with. 

"Mama," Camila whined as Lauren put her down.

"Mama's gonna come sit right here and do some work, baby," Lauren explained.

"Play wif you?"

"Mila, what did Mama just say?" Lauren asked, sitting down cross-legged on the sofa and opening her laptop. 

"Tummy," Camila pouted.

"It's good for you, angel," Lauren said, taking some of Camila's toys out of the basket in the corner. "Here you go," she said, handing the little girl her stacker toy and taking the wooden rings off so that Camila could put them back on.

"Mummy, is it time for bawway?" Camila asked, resting her chin in her palms.

"No, baby, ballet is after lunch," Lauren reminded her.

"Mila's a ballewina," Camila giggled, pushing herself to her feet and starting to twirl around, practising the dance she was learning in class.

"Just be careful not to get hurt," Lauren warned before turning her attention to her work. 

About an hour later, Camila had become whiney and needed some attention, and Lauren decided she had done enough work anyway and so closed her laptop.

"Mama, up?" Camila asked, reaching for Lauren.

"Hi, sweetheart," Lauren smiled, bouncing Camila in her arms. "Hi, my angel."

"Please can I have a cookie?" Camila asked sweetly, swinging her legs.

"Seeing as you asked so nicely," Lauren smiled, putting Camila down and following her into the kitchen. "Do you want a chocolate chip cookie, mi vida?"

"No, Mama, dippy-dippy," Camila said, pushing away the cookie.

"Ohh," Lauren said, reaching for the biscuit tin instead. "You're gonna have to wait for Mama to make herself a cup of tea if you want to dip your biscuit," she said, opening the tin so Camila could choose what she wanted before moving to the kettle. "You can have two, doll," Lauren said, glancing over her shoulder to where the little girl was sat.