Blindsided

Chapter 5

Almost immediately after her emotional break down at the country club, Camila had called Shawn to come rescue her. Like the good friend he was, he had picked her up in a hurry where she then practically begged him to go back home. 

A week has passed since then and Camila went back to her normal life. She said no to Shawn's offer in moving  to Bellmore, and went back to working late nights while her daughter stayed at home with her babysitter. She would do anything just to keep her mind off of what happened with her family. 

Brooklyn kept asking about who her father was ever since Camila cried about it. She couldn't say who, but the little girl kept asking about Lauren specifically. Like how they met, where she has gone to, or if she'd ever come back into their lives. 

It was around five in the morning when the young mother came back home from her shift at the diner. As she turned the corner, she unexpectedly set her eyes on Lauren who was waiting in front of her door with flowers in her hand. 

"Camz," She spoke up nervously. 

"How'd you find me?" Camila asked, getting her keys and unlocking her door. "Bea, thanks for watching Brooklyn." She woke the blonde teenager sleeping on her couch. Camila handed her a twenty dollar bill before leaving.

Lauren just stood back and watched, taking in the small beaten down apartment. "Shawn told me where you lived."

"So why are you here?" Camila asked quietly. 

"I should've chased you at the country club, but I just didn't know what to say." Lauren said looking down towards the floor, "But I do know-- I didn't want you to disappear again."

"Brooklyn is my daughter, Lauren." Camila sighed out. "I'm not okay with pretending she's adopted and that I'm doing great things with my life when all I've been doing is hiding us away from my friends and family."

"You're a great woman, Camz. You always have been and you always will be," Lauren stepped closer to the scared girl. "You have a beautiful daughter who clearly looks up to you. She's so mature, smart, funny, and everything anyone would want in their child. You've protected her since the day she was born and it's nothing you should be ashamed of."

"I've hid her away from my family. I'm known in that town as the girl who had it all, when in reality, I had nothing. I had no one. I blurted it out immaturely in front of an entire crowd-"

"They want you back, Camz. Can't you see that?" Lauren exclaimed, "Everyone misses you! They've been waiting to hear from you for five years! You could be roaming a perfect world or living on the streets, they wouldn't care. They just want you back."

Camila refused to listen to the green eyed girl. 

"I get that they treated you so poorly before. But you saw the way their faces lit up at the simple sight of you. They miss you. I miss you," Lauren stepped closer to her. "You can't change the past. You've done everything you can to protect your family. You deserve the best and if you're not happy here, then I'll be the first to help you change things."

Camila was defeated. Lauren had always been there for her, despite the situation. 

"I don't need your pity," She lowered her eyes to the floor. 

"I want to be there for you and Brooklyn." Lauren stepped closer, bringing Camila's chin up to look into her eyes. "You know I'll always have your back."

_

Normani informed Camila that they were only on leave for two weeks, and she ultimately decided on not telling Lauren the truth about their daughter. 

Instead, Lauren spent her money made from serving in the Air Force to buy a small home for the Cabello girls in Bellmore. It was indeed a safe community to raise Brooklyn while Camila took up the job at the bakery thanks to Shawn who moved there as well. 

Camila convinced her old manager, Ally, to move in with her. She was too innocent and too pure to be living in the dangerous Bronx, and the owner of the diner was an overall bad man. Together they could live for a cheap rent, have their own spaces, and have decent paying jobs with normal hours. 

"I don't know what I could do to ever repay you," Camila said happily at the sight of the finished home. Lauren bought the little girl new toys and had Zayn help her build a little playground for her and her little friends.

"Just take care of Brooklyn. I'll be stopping by and checking in every time I come back home," Lauren sighed out, making her change in demeanor noticeable. 

"What's wrong?" Camila asked worriedly. 

"H-How long have you known?" 

"Known what?"

"That Brooklyn is-- ours."

Camila's heart started racing. She hadn't planned on telling Lauren the truth, nor did she know how the girl even found out in the first place. 

"I noticed the things we had in common the moment I met her," The green eyed girl chuckled out sarcastically, "Then the comment Gigi made at the reunion made me realize that my assumptions were on the right track."

"Lauren-"

"Then I have to hear from Normani that you've known about it-- and never told me?" She asked as her temper rose. "You were planning to keep our daughter a secret away from me?"

"I didn't know until a couple of days ago, Lauren!" Camila called out in defeat, "That's why you've gone out of your way to buy us a house? That you are suddenly back in my life again?"

"You're the one who left, Camila!" Lauren threw her hands in the air, "It was you who decided to leave. It was you who decided to hide yourself away from everyone. Ever wonder why you couldn't even remember who you fucked before having Brooke? Because all you do is hide away and hope for the best to forget. It never fixes anything-- I bought this house so I can make sure that my daughter gets what she deserves. She needs to be surrounded by safe and loving people, not someone who is so fucking selfish enough to raise a child in some dangerous unknown place."

"Wh-What are you saying?" Camila's eyes had watered. 

"I'm taking Brooke for the rest of the time that I'm here." Lauren narrowed her eyes at her, "I am retiring from the military to raise her. And when I do, she'll stay with me up until you get enough money to get your own place. We'll get a lawyer involved and do a split custody."

"You can't take my daughter away from me-"

"You're the one who was too damn selfish to care about her well-being. What if she got hurt by some gang over there? Huh?" Lauren spit out harshly, "You're lucky she's even alive. If she wasn't- Our daughters death would be all on you."

Lauren stormed off into the car, driving away.

Ally had taken Brooke inside with Zayn following right behind. Normani was the only one brave enough to go up and talk to the obviously hurt Camila.

"She's- She's just upset that you didn't tell her about Brooklyn sooner," The taller girl cautiously said. "She didn't mean any of it. Lauren wouldn't tear you guys apart- She loves you both too much to do so."

"How was I supposed to tell her?" Camila let a silent tear stroll down her cheek. "I-I'm such a fuck up. Lauren's the only person who was always there for me in my life and now I pushed her away because of my stupid decisions."

"Lauren may have a hard head, but everyone knows she has an even bigger heart." Normani comforted as she let Camila cry in her arms, "It'll be okay."

"Don't let her take my daughter away from me."

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