Visitor (Normila / Laurmani)

Chapter 2

A/N: This story is rated PG-13 so far for adult language and subject matters. 

Normani had driven Camila to an IHOP. The little woman was speedily consuming everything on her plate as if she hadn't eaten in days. Normani was still on her first plate when Camila was halfway through with her second. The dancer looked on in amusement wondering where such a small woman could pack all of that food; but, most of all, she was just happy she could do something for someone who was in need of help.

"What are these white circles on the pancakes? They're really good," asked Camila pointing at her food with her fork.

"Um, they're bananas," Normani answered.

"I thought bananas were yellow. That's the way they look in the pictures."

"Uh...only their peels are yellow," Normani responded.

Camila sighed, "I have so much to learn."

Normani was really becoming curious about where Camila came from and what she was doing in Texas. She seemed like she lived her whole life sheltered away from a lot of things. Honestly, Normani was beginning to think Camila was lying about being from Canada.

"Your friend who died, who was he?" questioned Normani.

Camila took a break from devouring her food and put down her fork. "His name was Dr. Cowell. He moved here after retiring from NASA."

"Wow! Was he a rocket scientist or astrophysicist?" Normani inquired.

Camila shook her head, "He was an astrobiologist."

"Is that the study of life on other planets?" Normani asked.

"Yes. That's the simple explanation."

"I didn't know that was really a thing. I mean, I didn't know someone could make a career out of it," stated Normani. "Were you planning to work with him....?"

"Yes, I'm training to be an astrobiologist myself."

"Cool! What school did you go to?" asked Normani.

Camila wanted to change the subject, so she turned the focus of the conversation on Normani. "So, you live with a roommate?"

"Well, she's more than a roommate. She's my girlfriend," Normani explained.

"Of course. I don't see how someone could just share a home with a stranger. If I had a roommate, I would definitely want her to be one of my friends," Camila commented.

"I don't think you understand. She's not my friend; she's my girlfriend," said Normani.

Camila added, "I do understand. She's a girl, and she's your friend."

Normani was baffled at how clueless Camila was about the world. She wasn't sure how she would go about explaining the concept of a girlfriend, but she was going to try anyway. "Lauren is my partner, my lover. We're a couple. We have a romantic relationship."

"I'm not following you," said a confused Camila.

Normani was hoping she wouldn't have to go into detail, but it was looking like she had to. "We kiss and have sex; we're just not married."

"But, you're both female. You can't procreate with each other."

Normani replied, "Yeah, we know that."

"So, what is the point?" asked Camila.

"Do they not have gay people where you're from?"

"Homosexuals? We do, but the government executes them when they find them," explained Camila.