Far far away

Chapter 14

Camila's POV

*After face time*
I twisted and turned in bed trying to get the memory out of my head. I could still feel her kiss fluttering on my lips.

"Get your shit to together, Camila!" I smacked myself on the head and pulled the cover over my head.

I still caught myself smiling to the thought of us kissing. How was it that all of the kisses I had with Austin never felt this way?

I sighed and got out of bed.

It was 3 am and the night looked magical. I leaned onto the window slowly tapping a little rain drop.
I opened the window and let the cold air enter my room.

I inhaled deeply as I raised my hand towards the wind and felt it moving gently through my finger tips.

The white curtains gently fluttered like the wings of a butterfly and I couldn't help but smile when I felt my hair tickle against my cheeks.

I felt drawn to the outskirts of Cuba as if it was calling to me. Like an old friend I have lost....like Lauren.....

"Lauren...." I whispered and opened my eyes.

I raised my eyes and looked toward the moon. The moonlight illuminated the room and everything looked right out a fairytale.

"Send a message for me my moon" I chuckled and sat against the window ledge.

"It's for this silly girl named Lauren." my heart fluttered as her name rolled of my tongue.

"Send her my heart" I held my palms against my chest and slowly raised it towards the sky.

"Mila?" I heard a name outside my door and I quickly rushed to my bed pulling the covers over and snored loudly.

"Mila *cough* Mila *cough*" I know that voice. I quickly grabbed my silk robe and opened the door.

"Abuela...." I gasped she had dragged herself to my room and was leaning against the doorframe with her lower body limp.

"It's you." her eyes glowed as I guided her to my room.

"It's me" I chucked as I gently made her sit on my bed. "What are you doing here abuela?" I stroked her wrinkled cheeks.

"I wanted to see you! I heard your voice." she smiled and it broke my heart thinking this memory would only last for a short time.

She turned towards the window before I could say anything.

"Beautiful, isn't it? The moon? How she is surrounded by stars but she outshines every single one of them." She struggled to get out of the bed and I helped her to walk towards the window.

"I want to be the moon, Mila" she turned towards me slowly resting her head on my shoulders and I rested my head on hers.

"I'll be your star." I whispered and I felt her hum gently. Suddenly I felt something spark in me.

"Abuela! Wait right here I have an idea" I made her sit on the bed and rushed to her room.

I grabbed her wheelchair and wheeled it towards her room. "We are going for a ride!" And her toothless smile made me understand it was all worth it.

"It's like I can touch the sky!" Abuela raised her hand as if she was trying to grab something.

"What are you doing?" I laughed and pushed the wheelchair towards the beach.

"I'm trying to steal the stars!" She said and raised her hands again.

"Okay, we're here" I stopped the wheelchair and we faced the waves.

"I remember....." Abuela gasped and struggled to get out of her wheelchair. She grabbed my arms and pulled herself up.

She leaned against me as we slowly walked towards the shore.

She closed her eyes as the water rushed to drown her feet. It was almost going to be dawn and the blackness slowly started to fade away.

"I have something for you, Camila." she reached into the pocket of her nightdress.

"What i-oh God" I exclaimed as she took out a little shell which I remember as if it was just yesterday.

"I kept it safe for years now it's your turn" she smiled and handed it over to me.

I was awestruck and tried to formulate the right words.

"you...I...." I tried but I couldn't find the right words to explain how much this meant to me.

"Shhh listen" she held it close to my ears.

"The music of the sea" I smiled and stroked her hands gently.
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"We need to go back home, abuela" I whined.

"I want to see the sun, mija. It's like I was stuck in that house for an eternity" she hummed to herself as we sat near the shore.

I lost my point after what she said and nodded.

"So....tell me about Lauren" she laughed turning towards me.

"abuelaaa" I whined and hid my face in my palm blushing hardly.

"I heard all of it." she laughed hard clutching her stomach.

"I don't know if it's love...."  I sighed and raised my knees to my face.

"Does your heart flutter every time you hear her name? Do you feel a smile forming on your lips when you think of her? Does she give you butterflies with her words?" She asked question by question.

"Yes....bu-" I answered slowly but got interrupted. "Then it's love, mija. No buts." she smiled and faced the waves again.

"This reminds me of how your grandfather and I met." she laughed and I joined her.

"How did you meet him?" I raised my eyebrows questioningly

"Well we met at a small dinner party thrown by my father. Crazy fellow wasn't even invited but he sneaked in by wearing an old tux which he stole." she shook her head reminiscing about her old memories.

"I caught him but he never left me again" she raised her ring finger showing me a small copper ring. It gleamed against the sunlight and I thought it was the sun for a moment.

"Back then this copper ring was all that we could afford but look what we built." she pointed towards our house.

"Mila *cough* *cough* I need to *cough*." I grew concerned as she started coughing loudly.

"Let's get you back home, abuela." I grabbed the wheelchair but she suddenly tugged my hand "look." I looked towards where she was pointing.

It took my breath away. There was orange everywhere as if an artist took out his tube of paint and just dabbed it onto the sky.

I stood there transfixed as abuela held
my hand.

"It's beautiful...."I whispered as the sun peeked out of the shallow waters.

"I wish this would never end..." she sighed as I turned the wheelchair around and pushed it towards our house.

"I'll take you again" I promised her.

"Tomorrow?" she asked enthusiastically.

"Tomorrow."