thin walls (are calling me home)

Chapter 15

After inevitably drifting into sleep again – for the fourth or fifth time, she wasn't sure –, Camila was awoken by a soft squeeze on her shoulder accompanied by Lauren's mother calling her name.

"I'm going home now, you should go too." Clara said softly once she opened her eyes.

Camila only blinked, still dizzy from just having woken up, before she sat up straight. She almost rubbed her eyes before remembering she was wearing her contact lenses, which was not good. Camila needed to get her glasses if she didn't want to risk going blind every time she fell asleep. Sighing, she paused her thoughts to untangle Clara's suggestion in her head, giving her a small smile and shaking her head afterward.

"Okay, but I'm staying. I don't think I'll be able to sleep in our bed tonight." Camila replied.

Clara gave her a sympathetic look before looking at her watch. "Okay." She sighed, meeting Camila's eyes again. "Mike had to go ahead because something came up at work. And Normani had to go to the station to write a report for what happened."

Camila nodded. "Ally, Dinah and Taylor?"

"In the cafeteria." Clara answered promptly.

Taylor and Chris had arrived not too long after their talk with Dr. Lawrence, but the boy had had to leave shortly after, unable to stay longer because of his tight schedule. The younger Jauregui was apparently still there, though, but Camila had a feeling it would soon be just her and Lauren in the room.

(She was glad for the hospital's policy of not having visiting hours, since she really didn't think she could make it through being home alone today.)

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow, then?" Camila asked, getting up to hug Lauren's mother tenderly.

"Yes, I'll come as soon as possible." Clara answered once they parted.

The older woman gathered her things then and, with a final warm smile, exited the bright room, leaving Camila alone in it. Well, not completely, Lauren was still there after all, but it was so quiet that it felt like it. For the first time, Camila welcome the quietness of it all, after the mess of a day she'd had. But with the stillness of the moment, Camila was free to think. And with that came all the thoughts that made her heart hurt. She missed Lauren, missed hearing her voice, listening to her angelical laugh.

(Suddenly, the quiet wasn't as welcoming anymore.)

Camila made her way to the bed, leaning against the edge and taking Lauren's hand in her own before bringing it to her lips and kissing it softly. A nurse had come and gone during the day and Camila had asked what she could and couldn't do on her first chance. And so kissing Lauren's knuckles had become her most frequent gesture.

"Hey you." Camila spoke softly, lips still ghosting Lauren's hand. She gave it a final peck and lowered it to the bed, without letting go. "It's really quiet and I liked it until it made me start thinking things I don't wanna think, so we're gonna talk a little, okay?"

(Camila obviously didn't expect an answer, but she still felt a tug in her heart when the only response she got was the beeping of Lauren's monitor.)

"Your entire family came to see you today, you know? Dinah, Mani and Ally too. Even Shawn." Camila stopped for a moment, tilting her head as she remembered something. "Keana and Noah didn't come, but I don't think they are aware of what happened. I'll call them tomorrow, I know you miss them."

Camila ran her thumb through Lauren's knuckles one more time and was about to continue talking when she heard the door opening. Turning toward it, she saw that it was the same nurse that had come a few times during the day, the only difference being that now Dr. Lawrence was by her side. Camila sighed and stood up straight, bringing Lauren's hand to her lips one more time before letting it rest on the bed.