reasons to go, reasons to stay ➸ camren

chapter thirty four ➸ an unexpected guest

Camila woke up confused the next morning when she tried to move and was weighed down by something. When she breathed in deeply, she was instantly overwhelmed with the smell of Lauren's perfume. A content sigh escaped her lips and she wiggled herself around in Lauren's grip so their faces were only a few inches apart.

She pressed a soft kiss on the bridge of Lauren's nose and held her breath when Lauren's eyelashes fluttered slightly. A few moments later the green-eyed girl hummed softly and blinked her eyes a few times to allow her pupils to adjust to the light.

Camila's soft expression slowly blurred into Lauren's view and a smile instantly spread across her face.

"Morning," Lauren's voice rasped. Camila had missed waking up to that sound. She offered Lauren a soft smile, too tired to try and struggle to talk. Lauren didn't seem to mind, instead she just planted a soft kiss on Camila's forehead before pulling Camila closer to her.

"I knew you were trouble when you walked innnnn!"

Both girls burst into laughter when they heard Rowan's voice belting out from the other room. Camila giggled, sitting up and wiping her eyes. She tugged on Lauren's sleeve and pointed to the door.

Lauren groaned dramatically, causing Camila to giggle. The younger girl crawled over Lauren and slid her feet onto the floor, shivering at the loss of warmth. She waited for Lauren to follow, and after some prodding, both girls slipped out of the bedroom and down the hallway.

Rowan smiled brightly, sitting up in her bed when she saw the two girls enter the room. Camila and Lauren exchanged glances before running over to Rowan's bed and tickling her, causing her to giggle excessively.

'Is it a happy morning?'  Rowan signed slowly so Camila had time to process what she was saying. Camila glanced at Lauren and nodded softly.

'Yes, Rowan,'  she sighed. 'I love you.'

Rowan's face lit up. 'I love you too, mommy.'

Camila looked at Lauren, who was already looking at her. Lauren squeezed her hand and Camila bent down to give Rowan a kiss on the cheek.

Things were looking up for them.

——

Camila spoke for the first time that day after breakfast.

As Lauren was scraping the remnants of Rowan's scrambled eggs into the trash can, Camila's small voice filled the room.

"D-d-do you th-t-think s-she looks like m-me?" she asked softly, pointing to Rowan. Lauren didn't get a chance to answer her question before Rowan was crawling up on the kitchen table where she and Camila sat and cupping her mother's face in her hands.

The child turned to Lauren with a confused expression on her face.

'Did she talk?'

Lauren laughed softly and nodded. Rowan turned back to Camila and placed her fingers gently over her mother's lips, as if she was trying to hear her voice through touch. Her lips curved into a frown and Camila noticed this.

'What's wrong?' she signed, and Rowan drew her hands back to her sides, moving her legs so she was sitting cross legged on the table in front of her mother.

'I can't hear you,'  Rowan looked down shyly.

Both Lauren and Camila exchanged sad looks before Camila turned back to Rowan and tilted her daughter's chin up to meet her eyes.

'Do you hear your voice when you sing? In your head?'  She pointed to Rowan's forehead and tapped it with her index finger. Rowan brought her hand to her head, pressing her palm against the smooth skin and thought for a moment. She nodded.