Signs

Chapter 22

The first week home was tiring for both of them.

Lauren tried her hardest to make sure that Camila was comfortable at all times, and she was too stubborn to accept help off anyone except Sofi. She insisted that she could do everything alone. And she did. Sofi came over on her lunch breaks, bringing them coffee and donuts.

By the end of the week they'd settled into a routine, finally finding their rhythm. They never fought, but over that week, tempers flared up on both sides. Not out of anger at the other, but at themselves for not being able to do things properly.

Camila would get angry that she couldn't walk, couldn't go to the bathroom alone, couldn't dress herself. All the small things she'd taken for granted.

Lauren would get frustrated that she wasn't strong enough to get Camila into the bath properly; worried that she was hurting her as she half pulled her in. She would get angry when Camila was in pain, blaming herself for it.

Whilst the pins had been removed, and her bones healed, there was still a lot of pain. It would take a while for that to go away. She tried her hardest to not show it, she knew how much it upset Lauren, but sometimes her whole body would ache. Except for her legs, it was like they weren't even there. At night, she would lay awake, watching Lauren sleep until the pain medication kicked in and she could drift off to sleep.

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The first Friday home, Maggie insisted on a games night. It had been too long since everyone had been together and argued over who was winning at monopoly. Especially since Lauren had been gone for a while, and she was the prime target for everyone to gang up on.

Sofi and Dinah showed up first, carrying half a dozen board games each as they walked in. The only game Lauren had in her apartment was chess, because at least you could play that by yourself.

"Hey you two," Sofi smiled as she walked over to the sofas. Her and Dinah set the games down on the coffee table and gave Camila a hug. They smiled at Lauren, knowing how she felt about hugs.

"Maggie's picking pizza up on her way home from work," Sofi said, making herself comfortable.

"Do you want a drink?" Lauren asked, getting up and walking to the kitchen. "I have wine, and I got some of that beer you like, Dinah," Lauren called over her shoulder as she pulled out a bottle of wine.

"Have I mentioned how much I love your apartment?" Dinah asked, walking to the kitchen to get a beer off Lauren.

"Like a thousand times," Camila croaked, she let out a choked laugh as she tried clearing her throat.

Sofi smiled at her sister, her face filled with wonder. They were sisters in every sense of the word, they had been family for thirteen years, but she had never heard a single word or laugh out of Camila in that time. Over the past two months as Camila had slowly started pronouncing full syllables, Sofi had been filled with amazement. She could talk!

Her voice was still scratchy, and Lauren was still helping her with her vocal exercises every night, but Camila's voice suited her. It was bubbly and excited, and suited her optimistic personality perfectly. Every time she spoke, everyone stopped to listen, cherishing the sound of every word.

"Sofi?" Lauren called, holding up the bottle of wine.

"Ugh yes! Thank you," Sofi groaned, "it's been a rough week."

Lauren pulled the cork out and poured two big glasses of wine; she knew all about rough week's. She got a can of soda for Camila too, seeing as she couldn't mix alcohol with her pain medication. Bringing the drink over, she sat next to Sofi and sipped her glass of wine.