the secrets we keep [camren]

twenty

"Okay, you have your teddies, your water, your blankie, and my iPad." Camila listed off as she scanned her daughters room with her eyes a few days later then turned to her. "Do you need anything else before I go, honey?" They had been back from the hospital for just a few hours, Harper's first diagnosis proving to be true but hopefully treatable. At the moment her doctors had her on Chemo, every Thursday, and were hopeful it would be all she needed.

Harper frowned at her from her bed, she was all snuggled up in her blankets. "Go where?"

Camila smiled at her, "To go take a shower, sweets." She said, leaning down and giving her a kiss on the forehead. "I'll be back soon. Momma went out to get your ice cream with aunt Dinah and aunt Mani. Aunt Ally is downstairs with Mamí, and if you need anything when I'm in the bathroom, shake this," she picked up a bell from her nightstand, the only thing she could find in the house for her to use, "and she'll come right away."

Harper grinned wickedly at it as she held it in her small hands. "Cool!" She could already see the fun she knew she was going to have driving her auntie crazy.

Camila laughed to herself at the look on her face and turned on her favorite show for her on her iPad.

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"Alright, I'll see you soon babe. Bye." Lauren hung up with Camila then turned to the freezers on her left, opening one and grabbing a tub of Funky Nut Blast ice cream from inside. Shutting the freezer once again, she turned to her friends and began walking to the cashier at the front of the store.

Normani plucked the tub from her hands as they walked, read the flavor, and raised her eyebrows. "What the hell is Funky Nut Blast?"

Lauren took it back and shrugged, looking at it. "I don't know. It's Harper's favorite flavor." She stopped between the cashiers and the candy isle and thought for a moment before turning right into the aisle, going straight for the chocolates, picking out Camila's favorite chocolates.

"Hey, I have a question," Dinah spoke up as he picked up a bag of gummy bears and opening it, "what happens when we graduate?" She asked, taking out a handful and dropping them in her mouth.

Lauren paused as she turned and looked at her. "What do you mean? We'll still be together."

"How?" Dinah mumbled through the gummies in her mouth. She swallowed and spoke more clearly, following as Lauren moved to another aisle, full of flowers. "I thought you were planning on going to an out of state college."

The seventeen year old sighed as she scanned the flower arrangement choices. "I was. But everything is different now. I'm going to apply to schools here in Miami. Camz is probably going to continue living with her mom," she picked up a beautiful bouquet of white and pink roses and turned to her two friends.

"I'll get a job and try to save up for a two bedroom apartment. And when I do, I'll ask her and Harper to move in with me."

Normani reached into the bag of candy and took a handful for herself, popping a few bears into her mouth. "Are you going to marry her?"

Lauren bit her lip, holding back a smile, moving towards the cashiers with them. "Yes, eventually. I love her and we have a kid together. I do want to marry her." She smiled at the thought, looking down at the flowers she held for her.

"What if she doesn't want to marry you?" Dinah mumbled through her mouthful, causing both her friends to glare at her. "What?" She asked after swallowing, with a frown.

Both girls rolled their eyes and left her standing in front of the cashiers in confusion.

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