reasons to go, reasons to stay ➸ camren

chapter twenty nine ➸ a fate worse than death

Rowan was flipping through a picture book she found after school. She enjoyed accompanying her mother on their nearly daily visits to the small bookstore. Lauren had disappeared down one of the aisles with cookbooks. Just as she was about to go find her, there was a tap on her shoulder.

Rowan turned around, becoming frightened by the stranger, whose face was hidden. Suddenly, something was placed down in front of her.

A purple blanket.

When the small girl looked up at the stranger with a confused expression on her face, the girl brought her hands out in front of her.

'Purple,' she signed, pointing to the blanket.

Rowan's face lit up and she nodded excitedly.

'Thank you!' she signed back, as well as spoke out loud. She wasn't sure if this stranger could speak as well with her hands as she could.

Camila found it almost an impossible task not to wrap the small girl in a hug. 'You're welcome,' she sighed back, and Rowan giggled excitedly as she grabbed the blanket. The small girl ran down another aisle to try and find her mother.

Lauren was in the middle of looking at a large cookbook when she felt a tug on her sleeve.

'There's a lady here who talks like I do. She showed me this!' Rowan signed, holding up the blanket.

Lauren had a feeling she knew who it was. She put down the cookbook and picked up Rowan.

Camila looked up from the computer when she saw Lauren approaching the cash register. Rowan eagerly placed the blanket in front of the girl in the hoodie.

"Got a book?" Lauren asked, adjusting her daughter on her hip. Camila nodded, motioning for the girl to wait before disappearing down one of the aisles. After some contemplation, she grabbed a copy of East of Eden and headed back behind the counter. She held it up to show Lauren, silently asking if it was okay.

"You don't have to ask anymore, y'know. I trust your judgment when picking good books," Lauren laughed softly, setting Rowan down so she could pay.

Camila smiled internally, but nodded externally. She handed Lauren her things and raised a confused eyebrow when Lauren grabbed her book from inside the bag.

Reaching into her purse, Lauren retrieved a pen and set it on the counter. Without a second thought, she tore the first page out of the book she had just bought and scrawled something down on the page. Shoving her book back into the bag, she folded up the piece of paper, making sure Camila saw it before dropping it into the tip jar, along with another twenty dollar bill.

As soon as Lauren and Rowan drove away, Camila grabbed the piece of paper from the jar, unfolding it and reading the familiar handwriting.

Thank you.

——

The weekend dragged by painfully slow. Lauren cleaned the entire apartment... twice. She even woke up early one morning to cook both her and Rowan a large breakfast. Rowan was excited when she woke up to Mickey Mouse shaped pancakes, something Lauren's parents had done for her.

The weekend lasted even longer for Camila. She kept Lauren's note tucked safely in her pocket.

Then, on Sunday night, she remembered something.

The phone number in her phone was deleted, and the same number scrawled on a piece of crumpled paper hidden under her mattress was soon torn to shreds, and replaced with her note from Lauren.

Things were getting better.

——

Monday finally came around and Camila was overjoyed to be back at work. She was even happier when Lauren and Rowan entered the store at the same time as always. Rowan disappeared into the toy aisle, and Lauren walked right towards the counter where Camila stood.