FULL CIRCLE

Once A Mother, Always A Mother

Lauren had waited for Sofie to finish at the cemetery and made sure to safely escort her to her car. When she got home, she walked through the door, and felt guilt hit her as she saw her mother Rose curled up on the couch hugging Demi's pillow, tears streaming down cheeks as she whimpered in her sleep.

Lauren walked over to her, crouching down next to her and wiped her tears, making soothing sounds to calm her and wake her up from the nightmare she was obviously having.

Rose jerked awake and Lauren calmed her, letting her know she was there.

"I've got you mom. It's okay." Lauren whispered, rubbing circles in her arm, smiling when she felt her mother start to relax.

"Are you okay? Where did you go?" asked Rose tiredly.

Lauren sat at the edge of the couch with a sigh and said,"I went to talk to Sinuhe and Alejandro. Met Sofie there, which is a long story and will explain it too you later. I just want to say I'm sorry for being mad at you before knowing the whole story. I'm not even really that mad at Demi, not really. Camila's parents had just died, and the state almost took her sisters from her, if I were her I would have done the same thing."

Rose smiled sadly at her daughter, saying,"You're a good woman Lauren. There's going to be a woman out there that figures that out and together you'll have more children when you're ready. They'll never replace Leah, no child could replace your first, but you will love them and they'll help fill the void Leah's absence created. You should get to bed, it's late and Normani and Dinah went home. They said they'd call you bright and early."

"Sleep in my room?" Lauren looked at her mother hopefully, not wanting to be alone tonight.

Rose's smile widened, and she nodded getting up with Demi's pillow in relief. She couldn't bring herself to sleep in her and her wife's bed without Demi, so cuddling up to her daughter would be the next best thing. She didn't want to be alone either.

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Sofie crept into her parent's house, careful not to wake anyone up and was surprised when she noticed the kitchen light on.

Walking over, she entered the kitchen to see her sister sitting at the counter, looking through a photo album as she drank a cup of coffee.

"You didn't have to wait up Mila.." Sofie chastised her sister, giving her a kiss on the cheek and hug in greeting.

Camila shrugged replying, "I couldn't sleep until I knew you made the drive safely."

"Leah asleep?" asked Sofie tiredly sitting next to her sister at the counter, smiling at the photo's in front of her.

"Oh yeah, she tried waiting up with me, but knocked out on the couch an hour ago. I woke her up and helped her to her room, and she was passed out again within minutes." Camila sighed smiling down at the album in front of her again.

"I saw Lauren." Sofie whispered quietly, unsurprised when her sister's head shot up in shock.

"In Georgia?" Camila sked astonished.

Shaking her head Sofie replied," Here. I went to the cemetery, just to say happy birthday and she was talking to mom and dad. She just found out they had died and went to see them."

Camila's hung open, and she eventually replied, " I thought Demi had said she never wanted to come back?"

Sofie's eyes filled and she said,"Demi is in a coma. She was attacked and now Lauren is here to find who did it and if their a danger to the family. Apparently, she's a lawyer now, a prosecutor in fact. She found out about mom and dad by digging around Demi's old case files."

Camila covered her mouth in shock, worried for the woman that had helped them multiple times throughout the years. She was snapped out of it when Sofie said," She doesn't think it's a good idea to meet Leah yet."

Camila looked at her in surprise and exclaimed, " Why not? Leah's been dying to talk to her! She's tried to get her name from me at least three times this month. I swear give that girl a mystery and she's like a blood hound."

"She is investgating Demi's attack and until it's over she doesn't think it's smart to draw attention towards Leah. They don't know if whoever did it is after the family yet, so she wants to be careful. She said once it's over she would honored to meet her." Sofie replied, instantly calming her sister.

"That's really sweet." Camila sighed, smiling lightly.

Sofie's eyes twinkled and she said, "She has really gown Mila. She has to be the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

Camila shot her sister a smirk as she said,"I always assumed she would be beautiful Sofie. Leah is gorgeous. I never saw Brad but Mom and dad said she didn't look anything like him thank God."

"Yeah but even when she had been crying, it didn't take away from her natural beauty. And she was in a suit, she looked good. Totally surprised me. Gorgeous as a teen, phenomenal as a woman. I'm worried for Leah when she gets older. We're going to have to beat boys and girls off with a stick." Sofie snickered, when she saw her sister's scowl.

"Leah will not be dating until she is at least in college. Unless it's a girl. I don't trust these fuc kboys in high school. At least in college she'll be mature enough that she has a chance of recognizing the undesirable ones." Camila ranted glaring at her sister when she laughed.

"God Mila, chill. Whatever happens, happens. Fate Mila, is out of hands. You raised her well, it's up to her to do with her life as she will." Sofie laughed out smiling.

Camila sniffed saying," Spoken like a true aunt. I'm a mom, I can't be letting her think she can do whatever she wants. Give a teenager a finger and they take a whole hand. I learned that from you, thank you very much."

Sofie rolled her eyes, offended exclaiming, "I was a wonderful teenager!"

Camila laughed out, replying, "You were a little demon. But I love you so I'll forgive you."

Sofie shook her head, and got up when her sister started to leave the table.

"Come on. I want to see Demi tomorrow, and I have to be at the restaurant early so let's go to bed as I lecture you on how dangerous it is to walk around a cemetery so late at night." Ranted Camila giving Sofie a playful, yet still serious glare.

Rolling her eyes, Sofie said,"God Lauren said the same thing."

Camila laughed as she said,"Of course she did. Once a mother, always a mother."

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Authors note: Camren meets next chapter!