Love never dies (Camren)

Chapter 33

Camila POV

"What do you mean, 'do I remember grandma?' She was never in my life, and when I asked, you just told me you two never got along, that you couldn't even remember the last time you had contact with her." I said, confused at why my mom would even be bringing her mother into this right now. I looked over cautiously towards Josh, and he looked just as confused as I did.

"Exactly." My mom replied, looking down rather ashamed of herself. "Growing up, I had extremely strict rules, Camila. We all lived as one big family, even though, some of the people there were complete strangers go each other. We all had the same rules..." she said, a tear falling down her cheek.

I wanted nothing more than to go over and comfort my mom, after all, even when we're not exactly getting along, seeing my mother cry still broke my heart in more ways anything ever could. However, I knew if I was to comfort her now, she'd go off track, and this story would never be told...so I sat patiently, and waited, as my mom took a deep breath, and continued to talk.

"Where I grew up, there was no men allowed into the 'family'" she said, air quoting the word family. "Unless, the woman was of 16 years of age, and was planning to marry a man over the age of 18. But of course, when I met your father at the age of 18 myself, we weren't planning on getting married for a long time, and years later when I fell pregnant, and begged him to elope with me immediately, he refused."

"I knew I was going to be punished, and more so, I knew, if the baby was a boy, he would also be punished. I've never told anyone of this before, as I've tried to forget my past, but they would take baby boys away...and...and claim to the younger women that they had put them up for adoption...they were never seen or heard of as 'being adopted.'" My mom, wiping away her tears.

"What the fuck? Mom, that's so messed up!" I said, shivering in fear at the story my mom was telling me, as Josh just looked down awkwardly, probably trying to keep his own tears back.

"Any other time I would scold you for that sort of language, Karla, but...I agree. It was extremely messed up, which is why, once your father found out I was pregnant, and I told him everything about where I grew up...he wanted to get me out." My mom said, wiping yet another tear, before coughing slightly.
"I told your father everything, and guilt was clear on his face. I had already been punished for being pregnant without marriage, and they warned me that the baby had better be a girl. He admitted he had even cheated on me, for the time we had been apart and begged for my forgiveness. Of course I was hesitant, how long had he been with another woman, what did they do? But he promised he'd get me out of my current situation, if I just forgave him..."

"I was desperate, and so, I looked past what he had done, and forgave him. By this point I was already 7 months pregnant, so your father decided, if we escaped within a month, we'd have time for us to escape, to find a place to live, and for me to give birth safely, even if it turned out to be a boy. However, what we didn't expect, was for me to go into labour a month early."

"I was laying in bed that night, your father by my side, his plan nearly complete and our escape almost ready...when I felt pains, in my stomach. I knew exactly what was happening, as I stood up quickly, pulling your father up with me. Usually, the 'family' would help give birth, but no one had ever given birth a whole month early before...something must have been wrong...they...they allowed me to actually go to a hospital, and your grandmother and father came with me."

"Hours later I had given birth to two small babies. A little girl...and a little boy. My mother glared at me, as I cradled you both in my arms." My mom, smiling at the memories.
"The doctor came in, and sat down softly on the end of my bed. He said to me 'it's rare for someone to not know they're having twins. If you're going to struggle, there's always the option of...giving one up for adoption' he told me hesitantly, probably expecting me to freak out and refuse to give up one of my babies, as any normal mother would do..." My mom said, as Josh and I sat patiently, listening to her trembling words.