From Outer Space

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

''Mommy, where are we going?'' Kyano asks his mom while she pushes his arms gently through the arm holes in his shirt.

''It's a surprise honey. Mom will pick us up in a few minutes though, so we have to hurry up.'' Lauren answers patiently as she guides her son into the bathroom to brush his teeth.

''Where is she taking me?'' Kyano tries again, not yet completely understanding what a 'surprise' meant.

''She's taking us to a special place, I'm sure you'll love it and we will have a great time.'' Lauren answers and kisses his cheek before signaling for him to open his mouth for his toothbrush.

''Are you coming too?'' Kyano asks while Lauren tries to brush his teeth. His mom just smiles and looks at him and Kyano's eyes grow a bit bigger.

''Reawy? So web be a weal family?'' Kyano asks while his mom brushes his teeth, and Lauren's heart breaks a little at the excited and happy tone he's using.

''Open your mouth honey, I can't see your teeth.'' Lauren answers instead and her little boy obeys immediately.

Once Lauren is done, she lets him wash his mouth and drags a wet cloth over his face to make sure he's ready for the day. She smiles at the happiness that's radiating from his face, the excited sparkle that's in his eyes. When they walk downstairs, all ready for the day, Camila isn't there yet. Lauren chuckles to herself, she could have known Camila would be coming later than she said. She's always late.

''Honey, can I ask you something?'' Lauren asks while pulling Kyano into her lap. The little boy looks up at her with curious eyes, both of his small legs on each side of Lauren, next to her hip.

''What did you mean about.. being a real family earlier?'' She asks him, wondering how Kyano sees this whole situation between his moms and what he has picked up from it all.

''That we're doing funny things together.'' Kyano answers simply and Lauren smiles.

''Okay, so if we're doing funny things together, we're a real family?'' she asks and her son nods at the obvious answer. ''So when are people not a real family then?'' she asks, and Kyano frowns and looks down in concentration. Then his eyes move back up and brown ones connect with his mother's green ones.

''If I don't have you or mommy. Then I won't be a real family.'' He answers proudly and Lauren smiles at him with a nod. She pulls him in for another hug, happy to know that her little boy hasn't yet noticed that having two moms wasn't exactly considered normal, and that his moms lived separately from each other wasn't either.

''Well you'll always have mommy and me baby, we'll never leave you alone.'' She mutters in his ear, and feels Kyano's small arms wrap around her neck tightly. ''I love you.'' She whispers.

''Love you too.'' Kyano answers, and pulls away from Lauren when he hears a car honking outside.

''Mom! Come on mommy, mom's here!'' he yells excitedly, jumping off of Lauren and pulling her hand to make her stand up while rushing to the door.

Before Lauren knows what's happening, Kyano is out the door and running up to his other mom who's waiting outside for him. She smiles at his eagerness and happiness, something he definitely had from Camila. Lauren grabs her bags and keys, and follows her son outside, locking the front door behind him.

''Mommy hurry up!'' she hears behind her, and when she turns around, she sees Kyano lifted in Camila's arms, one hand holding onto her tightly, while is other one is motioning for Lauren to move over to the car. Her eyes are focused on Kyano and Lauren is already grateful for the lack of eye-contact between the two woman.