reasons to go, reasons to stay ➸ camren

chapter thirty eight ➸ a not-so-scary halloween

'More,' Rowan signed, pointing to her face which was covered in an artistic array of orange and black stripes, with a detailed pair of whiskers, and a black spot highlighting the tip of her nose.

'There is not a spot left on your face that I can paint!' Lauren signed, making a funny face back at Rowan. The small child craned her neck to see her reflection in the mirror next to them. She twisted her face and wiggled her nose, observing the new makeup.

'Do I look like a tiger?' she asked.

Camila walked into the room moments later, seeing what Rowan had signed. She faked shock, throwing her hands in the air.

'Who are you and what have you done with my daughter?!' she signed. Rowan giggled and bared her teeth at Camila, who squealed and ran out of the room in response. Rowan clambered out of her chair and scrambled after her mother.

Lauren grabbed the chair as it fell from the force of Rowan's rushed escape. Once she set it back in place, she peered out into the living room and directed her gaze towards the intense giggling she heard from the couch.

"Don't you dare mess up her makeup! Camila Cabello, I swear!" Lauren called, watching as Rowan pounced on her mother with a pillow, giggling excitedly.

'A-alright, alright," Camila sighed dramatically, shooting a playful wink at Lauren before bringing Rowan into the bedroom to get on the rest of her costume.

Meanwhile, Lauren grabbed the bowl of candy she and Camila had hidden from Rowan and placed it on the table next to the front door. It'd been exactly 4 months and 4 days since her and Camila became official again.

Being reunited had done a lot of good for the three girls.

Rowan was overjoyed to have her mother back. Seeing that Lauren had no resentment towards Camila had allowed Rowan to openheartedly forgive her for disappearing the way she did. She was doing better in school, her sleeping habits were improving, and she was constantly astounding both girls with how much she could fit in that tiny brain of hers.

Lauren was in love. Lauren was completely, utterly, hopelessly in love with Camila. She loved. She loved continually. Lauren loved her little family. She loved their cozy apartment. She loved waking up to a pair of golden brown eyes across from hers. She loved seeing the joy on her daughter's face when someone would go out of their way to accommodate her hearing disability. She loved watching Camila and Rowan share small, goofy moments with one another. She loved. Camila had shown her what love was, and ever since Lauren discovered it, she constantly gave wherever she went.

Camila was safe. Her entire life had felt like a maze... a labyrinth, of sorts. Whenever she thought she'd escaped the suffering, it was only waiting for her around the corner. Camila had come to accept that she could never fully avoid bad times. Everyone had them. But she'd found Lauren. She'd lost Lauren, she'd found Lauren, and she'd lost her again. But now she was here. And they were together. And she felt safe. Camila knew she could handle the maze of life as long as Lauren was by her side.

Lauren had convinced Camila to start going to therapy. Camila's stutter has slowly been improving. She'll never be able to read and write at a normal level again, but Lauren could tell she was slowly getting better at both of those things. She believed Camila could do whatever she set her mind to.

The beach house was still in Lauren's name. But after spending her birthday night there with Camila, both girls realized they would rather not live somewhere that didn't hold good memories for them. Lauren had begun renting it out to tourists who needed a place to stay. It brought in a good income, and they could still take Rowan to the beach whenever she pleased.