By Sun and Candlelight / CAMREN

Chapter 1

This story is not mine, this is converted.  Credits to the original author.

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Lauren made sure Lori was balanced on her booster seat across the booth in the Alta Vista diner before settling into her own seat. The three-year-old insisted on doing everything herself, making every task take at least twice as long and giving her mother at least two to three scares for her safety each day. Lauren plopped down her leather backpack and pulled out an empty sippy cup. The waitress approached the table.

"Mornin'," she said, her voice friendly as she placed down one regular menu and one kid's menu, "What can I get you to drink?"

"Coffee for me and milk for her," Lauren answered.

"You want it straight in there?" the waitress asked, pointing to the sippy cup.

"Please," Lauren said, thankful that the waitress didn't seem at all bothered by the young child.

"Do you have pancakes?" Lori asked, her voice excited.

The waitress glanced at Lauren who nodded her head and smiled.

"Yes we do," the waitress answered, "We even have special pancakes in a size perfect for a little princess."

"I don't wanna be the princess," Lori said grumpily looking at Lauren, "I want to be the dragon!"

The waitress laughed loudly as Lauren looked exasperated, "Well you sure are lucky then because we have some that are the perfect size for dragons too. I'll mark that down here." The waitress made a big to-do about writing on her pad and Lori grinned from ear to ear.

"What do you say, Lori?" Lauren prodded.

"Thank you!" Lori said, nearly bouncing in her seat.

Lauren ordered a poached egg and toast for herself and grabbed a pad and some crayons for Lori from her bag to distract her until the food arrived. Lauren was used to being a single mother. She had raised Lori alone from the start. The only real support she ever had was her closest friend Normani and her teenage daughter Ruby. She was accustomed to sleepless nights and tantrums and messes but she wouldn't change a thing. She adored Lori and everything she did was for her.

Lori's head was craning around, looking at the people in the diner. She concentrated on a woman across the aisle sitting alone in a booth. Lauren noticed her stare and set down the pad in front of her.

"Here, why don't you draw something for me?" Lauren said, guiding Lori's attention to the pad. Lori had a tendency to notice everything and everyone. She also had a tendency to talk loudly about whatever or whoever she noticed.

"She looks sad," Lori said, her voice a bit too loud for Lauren's comfort. Lauren blushed and kept her focus on Lori.

"Lori," Lauren said quietly, "It's not polite to comment on other people. Why don't you draw something for me."

Lori looked confused but picked up a crayon and started drawing. Lauren took a deep breath and was relieved when the waitress came back with the coffee. She was operating on very little sleep and needed the caffeine boost desperately. Lori grabbed the sippy cup and took a big swig of milk then began working on her drawing.

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Camila sat in the booth staring down at her coffee. She dreaded what was coming. She was momentarily distracted by an adorable young girl at the next table claiming to be a dragon. It was almost enough to make her smile, then she remembered her predicament and sunk back into her own thoughts. She heard the bell on the diner door as it opened and saw her sister look around. She met her gaze and her sister headed straight to the table, glaring at her the whole way. The waitress approached immediately.