The M&G That Changed It All (a Lauren Jauregui story)

Chapter 13

Anna and Lauren walked along the pavement beside the mucky-coloured lake.

"Wait, so how many people live in your house?" Lauren asked, swinging her and Anna's hands between them.

"Eleven. There's me, Alison, Derek, Kelsey, Jason, who you met, Harley, Lewie, Lucas, Eliza, Emily and Rachel. Fourteen if you include the dogs, Jack and Honey, and the cat, Snowball." Anna said.

"Wow! That's a busy house." Lauren said.

"Yeah." Anna giggled. "It is. Lewie, Jason and Lucas have to share a room. Eliza, Emily and Rachel share a room. Harley, Kelsey and I have to share a room. It's very crowded." She said. "Come on. This way." Anna led Lauren through the trees.

They arrived at a small wooden house. It was Anna's parents lake house, they had built it when Anna was her first year of high school. Anna's mum used to bring her and her siblings here. Anna led them through the front door.

The familiar surroundings hit Anna like a slap on the face, it brought back so many memories and Anna thought she might cry, but she fought back the tears and took a deep breath.

"WOW!" Lauren practically screamed as Anna shut the door behind them. "This place is amazing."

"Yeah it is." Anna said. She smiled at the thought of her mother.

"How did you find this place?" Lauren asked. She took Anna's hand in her own and kissed it back of it.

"My parents built it when we first moved here. They bought the land and planned to build house here, but they didn't get the planning permission so they built the cabin instead." Anna said.

"Oh. I know your mum's overseas, but where is your dad?" Lauren asked.

The two girls sat down on the floor.

"I don't know where he is. When he spit up with my mum, he literally went of the radar. The only thing I have that belonged to him is his dog tags from the army." Anna pulled her fathers dog tags out from her shirt.

"Oh wow. My grandfather was in the American army, but I never got to see his dog tags. He died in active duty before I was born. " Lauren confessed.

Anna took the necklace of and passed it to Lauren to let her see it.

"Wow! These are amazing. 'Sargent T M Collins'." She read of the piece of metal in her hands. "What does the T and M stand for?"

"'Sargent Thomas Myrick Collins'." Anna explained.

Lauren nodded, handing Anna the necklace back which she put on.

"I'm guessing your proud of your parents?" Lauren asked.

"Yeah. I am." Anna said.

Lauren could tell that this conversation was upsetting Anna. She pulled Anna into a hug. "Your mom will be fine." She whispered.

At that moment, Anna's phone began to ring. Anna pulled away from Lauren and pulled her phone out of her pocket. She answered it. "Hello." She said. There was a brief moment where she listened to the other person on the line. "Oh okay." She said before she hung up the phone.

"What's wrong?" Lauren asked, curiously.

"I have to go home. Something has happened." Anna explained.

"Oh okay." Lauren said. She looked down. "Do you want me to go?"

"No. You can come to my house. I mean it is a bit of a mess and really busy but you can come if you want to. It's just my brother, he's home from Oxford University for his holidays and I have to walk the dogs for Harley." Anna said, standing up and helping Lauren to her feet.

"Okay." Lauren followed Anna out of the cabin and Anna locked the door. They headed back towards the path.