Beautiful When You Don't Try (Camren)

Chapter 48

A/N: In this chapter: Facts, histories, and family.

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Dinner had started out a little rough. Camila had taken the second show off when she felt a tickle in the back of her throat which lead to an impromptu meal between the couple and Clara...and the camera crew. Clara had insisted on feeding them as well as her daughter and her girlfriend. The trio sat in silence around the table as the cameras shifted between them. Camila was the only one that seemed unphased by it.

"So, Camila, do you have a doctor's appointment to have them look at your throat?" Clara asked, trying desperately to find something near normality this evening.

The brunette nodded and smiled. "First thing in the morning. I highly doubt it is anything serious. I mean, I've only ever been sick a handfull of times in my life. I figure at worst, it will mean a few days off from the show to rest my voice." Lauren smiled as she looked down at her plate. "And I'm sure you wont mind that, now will you?"

"I hate that you are missing days of your dream, but I love that you are going to be spending them with me." Both Camila and Clara awed at the younger Jauregui who blushed uncontrollably. "Oh, mom. Kim said that there was a loft open in her building. Would you be interested? I know I would feel a bit better if you were near someone that I trusted."

Clara smiled broadly at her daughter. "Why are you taking care of me? I thought it was suppose to work the other way around. I take care of you, you take care of Camila."

"Why can't I take care of both of you?" Lauren argued back. Clara had just landed a receptionist job that Lauren knew she needed for nothing more than to occupy her time, but she still felt responsible for the woman.

"Because in time you will have your own family that is going to require all of your attention. It would be best if I learned to fend for myself now. I mean, I know you two have just gotten together and everything but with your history..." Clara backtracked. She remembered that Lauren said Camila knew she was thinking of marriage but not that she was already thinking of proposing. She didn't want to give it away.

"We are moving a step at a time." Camila explained. "We just don't know how much time is required between the steps. Moving in is step one. Marriage would be a whole bunch of steps in one."

"How so?"

"Well, the proposal for one." She continued, glancing to Lauren to give her the hint that she was still expected the photographer to be the one to do it. Lauren just sat in silence, avoiding eye contact. "Then figuring out exactly where we would get married."

"Why not in Central Park like in all the movies? That would be very romantic."

Camila and Lauren exchanged looks before the raven haired woman cleared her throat. "It's a little more complicated than that, Mom. We would want the ceremony and the actual signing of the marriage certificate to happen at the same time." Clara nodded her head, unsure of what the issue was. "The state of New York wont marry us."

The older woman was lost. "What?"

"New York is unique in it's standings on the issue of gay marriage. They will recognize same sex marriages, but they wont preform them." Lauren explained as she lifted her drink to her lips, noticing the cameras begin to move. This is what they were here for, what Camila wanted them here for. Her mother was representing the conservative part of society that was ignorant to some things still.

"So, they will allow you to be married but you can't do it here? That's ridiculous."

The brunette shrugged. "It's better than most states. There are only five states that will preform same sex marriages. There are a few where certain regions will, or something similar to marriage, but most have a constitutional ban on it."