Violated

Chapter 25

Lauren, still wearing the light green surgical gown issued to her for the delivery, froze at the door leading out of the maternity ward to the waiting room. Her body shivered and she was suddenly overcome by emotion at what she had just witnessed. The birth of a beautiful little girl.

Lauren smiled ironically to herself. She always scoffed at 'the miracle of birth'. To her, birth, death and everything in between were just nature at work. Nothing miraculous about it. Now, seeing Camila's baby, she felt the awe of a new parent.

New parent! Yeah, right! she thought, gaining back some of her Lauren Jauregui-ness. Taking a deep breath and steeling her face, she stepped out to see the extended family Camila had amassed.

Right by the doors were Alejandro and Sinu, with Anna just behind them. To the other side were her parents and her kid brother. Beyond she saw Ally, Zayn and Dinah.

"The mother and baby are both fine," Lauren said. "Camila had a girl. A...beautiful..." Lauren choked back a sob as she smiled widely with tears forming. With hitches in her breath, she managed to say, "She's a b-beautiful...little...g-girl. J-just like her...mother!"

Clara wrapped her arms around her daughter and kissed her cheek. Her father also hugged her and patted her back while her brother grabbed her hand and squeezed it happily. All the Jauregui were beaming.

The elder Cabellos had wrapped themselves in each other's arms. Sinu and Alejandro were both crying unabashedly.

Ally grabbed Zayn and hugged him fiercely as she yelled and cried and laughed at the same time. Dinah, tears streaming down her cheeks, stood there for a lone moment before Anna hugged her, her face shining with tears.

When Clara released her daughter, Sinu pulled Lauren into a hug, kissing her cheek. "Thank you Lauren. For everything. You've been so..."

As her voice faltered again, Alejandro joined in the group hug.

Then Lauren went to her friends and the four of them hugged each other, looking more like a football huddle than a group hug. Then Lauren said, "Never speak of my...outburst again!"

They all laughed until they saw the look in her eyes. Then, the new Lauren Jauregui reemerged and laughed with them.

"But never mention it to anyone..."

The nurse came out and invited Alejandro and Sinu in to see the mother and baby. Anna started to whine, "What about me?"

Lauren clamped her hand over the girl's mouth and said, "Patience. Learn patience."

Eventually, all of the group, two at a time, were allowed in to see the new family.

Before the teens were admitted, Lauren pulled Ally aside. "You got your purse?"

"Huh?" Ally looked confused, but it was a common expression for her.

"Your purse. Do. You. Have. It?"

"Yeah, it's over there," Ally waved dismissively, eager to see the newest Cabello.

"I'm putting something in there. I want you to take it and give it to me later," Lauren explained, showing just a bit of the instrument to her old friend.

"Okay, what is it?"

"The scissors I used to cut the umbilical cord. I don't have anything with me to stash them in and I wanna keep these."

"Ew... Are they...gross?"

With a proud gleam in her eye, Lauren said, "No, they're beautiful."