Algebra Blessings

Epilogue Part One

That Christmas was going to the first of many spent with Lauren's parents. Camila kept saying how she wanted to go back next year, going on and on about how fun it was for a good week after they got home. She was just able to experience the Christmas she never had at her own home and couldn't get over it. Lauren happily agreed to going again. And they started having more frequent visits.

Throughout the next few years, something big always happened each year that they were together. In their third year of dating, Dinah made it onto a big sports team, Lauren started a job at Petco to be around all the animals, and Camila's art class expanded. The brown eyed girl started holding larger classes at the community center, earned more money, and had access to better supplies.

In their fourth year of dating, Dinah was rarely home because of how much she was traveling with her team. It felt weird without her there all the time, Camila and Lauren couldn't get used to it. But the two remained as strong and in love as ever.

By the time they had been together for five amazing years, Lauren secretly hired workers to start building her and Camila a house. The two were still living in their cozy apartment and they liked it, they really did. The girls were getting older; they were in their early twenties now. Lauren was sure by the time the house was finished they'd be ready to find somewhere bigger to settle.

Then a few months into their sixth year of dating, Lauren surprised Camila with the house. It was a warm summer afternoon. Lauren told Camila she had something to show her and that they had to take a short drive to get there.

The house was only ten minutes from her parent's house. It was actually closer than the apartment and the apartment was just the next city over from Lauren's parents. Camila was humming along to the radio, her hand in Lauren's and her head resting on the seat behind her.

When Lauren said it was going to be a short drive, Camila didn't realize it was going to be that short. She was surprised when Lauren stopped the car and unbuckled her seatbelt. The girl quickly did the same, exiting the car and finding Lauren waiting for her on the sidewalk with a soft smile.

"This way, my princess." Lauren held her arm out. Camila smiled back and linked their arms together, allowing the older girl to lead her to the mystery location.

Camila looked around the block, finding only perfectly trimmed grass, big houses and expensive cars. "This is a nice neighborhood." She commented. "Where are we going?"

Lauren just smiled and kept walking. Once they reached the end of the cul-de-sac they stopped. Lauren took a deep breath in and sighed out happily. "What is your honest opinion of this house?" She questioned.

Camila looked up at it. "It's absolutely beautiful." She answered right away. The walls were made of gorgeous grey stone and it stood two stories high. There was a big front yard, empty planters and an adorable fence along the sides. Lauren accepted that answer and pulled Camila through the front gate. "Baby, what are you doing? This is someone's house." Camila whispered out, looking around to see if anyone was watching them.

"I know." Lauren chirped, walking up the steps of the porch. The very big, Enough-Room-For-A-Swing porch. She brought her keys up to the door and pushed it open, extending her arm out, silently telling Camila to go inside.

Camila hesitantly stepped past the threshold, staying close to the door. Lauren placed her hands on the younger girl's arms from behind and led her deeper into the empty house. It took Camila a second to realize how bare it was. "Is this like... your parent's second house?" She asked.

"No." Lauren answered simply and happily.

"Is this your relative's place?" Camila tried again, looking up at the seemingly endless ceilings. Lauren smiled and shook her head. "Seriously, baby, what is this?" She turned around to look her girlfriend in the eyes. Though her girlfriend would never, Camila was afraid they just broke into someone's house. Kind of. Lauren was squeezing her fists together and Camila couldn't tell if she was nervous or excited about something. "Lauren... What is this?"