Photograph (camren)

Chapter Twenty

   Lauren sat outside the office of the military's insurance broker as she chewed at her bottom lip. The night before had triggered thoughts of her potential death that flooded through her head leaving her with not even two decent hours of rest before it came time to wish Camila a good day at work. Her eyes were tired but the decision of putting Camila's name on her insurance plan had been one she had been pondering for awhile now. The idea had been presented to her by Normani as they all sat in the marine's living room on a night where the student had been working late. Ally agreed as did Dinah, if Lauren were to not come back Camila deserved to have everything taken care of, including a place to live once she moved from residence once and for all.

    After at least eight hours of holding the small woman in her arms and grazing her jawline with the pads of her callused fingers, Lauren decided it would be best. So here she was, nine in the morning on a Wednesday waiting to speak with Holly, a broker she had dealt with since she had enlisted. Ally and Normani showed up not even five minutes after with coffee for the tired Cuban which she accepted graciously. She silently thanked them for the coffee and coming with her to the meeting to verify her and Camila's relationship. The raven-haired woman had made arrangements for them to speak for both her and the petite brunette. With some convincing from Holly they allowed it, considering Lauren had been with them for four years now and was well liked by the head of the firm.

   "Lieutenant Jauregui, Holly's ready for you and your friends in the back room." A small blonde with a nametag that read Tori smiled towards the three women and led them down the hall to Holly's office. Lauren thanked her and took a seat in one of the leather chairs that made the room smell like a brand new car. Ally and Normani took to either side of the marine and took their seats as well.

  "Good morning ladies, Lieutenant." The older woman smiled at the marine, almost proudly as she took her file out from the large structure under her desk. "So I understand you're here to put your girlfriend on your military insurance plan, so if anything was to happen to you she would receive the death benefits, correct?"

   "Yes ma'am." Lauren nodded then took a sip from the coffee in her shaking hand as her two friends nodded along with her. The woman behind the desk pulled her glasses from the top her head and placed them in front of her icy blue eyes. She smiled and continued as she grazed Lauren's file.

   "Lauren, you know formalities aren't needed in here." The woman scanned each page with interest as she looked for the one she was looking for.

   "Right, sorry Holly. I keep forgetting you were Mom's best friend." Lauren smiled to herself sadly as she began playing with the ring her grandmother had given her nervously.

   "No worries honey," Looking up from the file Holly brought the form out and gave an understanding smile to the three of them. "I miss her everyday, as you must as well. Now I hate to pry but can you tell me about her, your girlfriend I mean? I feel like I should do it for Clara's sake, forgive me." Lauren's green eyes brightened to the light seafoam colour Camila adored, at the mention of her girlfriend.

   "Not a problem." Lauren chuckled and uncrossed her legs, feeling more comfortable in the situation as Normani and Ally giggled at the sudden burst of energy the raven-haired marine found. They loved hearing Lauren describe Camila to a stranger or even just to them, no matter how many times she did it she never did explain the same quality the same way twice. 

  " Holly, she's the epitome of gorgeous, it runs through her veins like blood, and I swear she doesn't know it. My God, her eyes are kind of like kaleidoscopes of honey gold and warm browns mixed together, and I never get tired of looking at them. I don't think I ever really could. She has this smile that could cure cancer and end world hunger, but it never satisfies me to see it only once. I love her laugh, it's goofy but adorable, even though she thinks it's disgusting." Lauren paused and thought back to a moment she made the woman she loved laugh to the point of snorting. How her face embodied embarrassment while it turned that shy shade of red and she buried her face in the crook of the marine's neck. Lauren just pressed kisses all over her cheeks and tickled her sides, attempting to make Camila look her in the eye. When she finally did, the smaller Latina smiled one of those smiles that was reserved for her lieutenant and spoke the three words that would be burned in the marine's mind, forever.