reasons to go, reasons to stay ➸ camren

chapter twenty two ➸ long time no see, karla

4 months later

“Babe?”

Camila looked up from her phone and yelled a muffled “I’m here!” with a mouthful of cereal. Lauren turned into the kitchen, giggling when she saw her girlfriend grabbing a napkin to wipe the milk off of her chin.

“G’morning,” Lauren laughed. Camila gave her a quick smile before standing up to take her bowl over to the sink. Lauren followed behind her, wrapping her arms around her waist and resting her chin on the smaller girl’s shoulder.

“How’d you sleep?” Lauren’s raspy morning voice gave Camila goosebumps and she nearly dropped her bowl on the counter. She quickly set it down and turned around so she was sandwiched between Lauren and the sink.

“Good,” she hummed, leaning in and kissing Lauren gently. The taller girl eagerly returned the kiss.

The past months had been the best days of both of their lives. They were together, they were happy, and everything was running smoothly. Rowan couldn’t be happier having Lauren as a part of their family now, and Lauren couldn’t be happier to be a part of their family. It felt nice to belong somewhere.

Camila had gotten a job at a local surf shop. She’d even learned a bit of surfing in her spare time. Lauren stayed home with Rowan, but occasionally they’d hire a babysitter and go out on their own.

Both girls feared one thing, though. Keith. He wasn’t dead. He was in jail, but they both knew well enough what he was capable of. Neither of them discussed it though, they were both too scared it would jinx things.

“Moooooom!”

Camila and Lauren quickly separated just in time for Rowan to hop down the stairs in her pastel pink nightgown with a big smile on her face.

“I get to go to the dentist today!” she beamed, and Lauren’s eyes widened.

“Thanks for reminding me, bug,” she laughed and winked at Camila, whose cheeks turned red. “What’s gotten you all excited to go to the dentist?”

Rowan shrugged before smiling widely at Lauren. “He does this,” she tapped on her teeth. “And then he gives me a prize!”

“Good observation,” Camila giggled. She bent down to kiss the top of her daughter’s head before turning to Lauren. “Are you taking her?” Lauren nodded and shooed Camila upstairs to get dressed for work. They exchanged one last kiss before Camila disappeared into her bedroom and Lauren followed Rowan into the room on the opposite end of the hallway.

——

Camila hummed softly to herself while she got dressed. She was soon adorning a pair of comfortable jeans and a t-shirt that donned the logo of the surf shop she worked for. After locking the front door behind her, she noticed something had been left on her front stoop. She bent down to pick up the white envelope that was hand addressed to her. Realizing she had a little bit of time left before she had to leave for work, she sat down on the porch and ripped the envelope open.

Long time no see, Karla.

——

“Mommy! Mommy!”

Lauren looked up from the magazine she was reading to see Rowan running out of the dentist’s office, holding out a lollipop and a new toothbrush. Lauren laughed, listening to the small girl’s detailed story about her teeth before thanking the dentist and leading Rowan back to the car.

“Can we go see mommy? I wanna show her my lollipop,” Rowan pleaded from the backseat, looking at Lauren through the rear view mirror. Lauren shot her a smile and shrugged.