A Simple Folded Paper

59

Camila and Lauren entered the now-familiar hospital room and were met with Camila's grandparents and the girl's mom. As soon as Camila saw her mother's eyes open, she ran to the woman who was sat on the bed and gave her a warm hug. "I missed you so much", she whispered.

Lauren could see the surprise on the woman's face but could also see the huge smile when she heard her daughter's confession. "I missed you too, kid."

Lauren was awkwardly standing there while Camila and her mom hugged and then talked for a bit, she could sense the girl's grandparents' gaze on her. It was uncomfortable, to say the least since Lauren knew very well that the old couple was not really content with the idea of Camila living with Lauren and her family. She didn't want any more added drama, so she went to sit next to them nonetheless while her girlfriend and her mom talked.

To her surprise, Lauren heard Camila's mom's voice before her butt touched the plastic chair. "Hi dear, you must be Lauren, right?", the woman asked.

Lauren smiled at the words and looked at Camila who was motioning for Lauren to approach them and sit beside her on the bed, which she did. "Yes, ma'am, that would be me."

"Camila always talked about how pretty you are but it's good to finally see that for myself", the woman said. Lauren couldn't respond, she just blushed and looked at her lap shyly. "Did you take good care of my little one while I was out?", the woman asked, pulling Camila into a side hug.

Lauren chuckled softly, "I did my best, at least."

Camila furrowed her eyebrows at her girlfriend and turned to look at her mother, "She did, she really did. She waited for me outside while I was visiting you and even talked with you a few times, she gave me a home and a family and never let me sink, she was always there when I cried and had nightmares and... she was just there. She really took care of me.". Camila extended her hand for Lauren to take and intertwined their fingers when the girl did as she wanted, kissing her knuckles after.

Camila's grandparents excused themselves and left, saying that they would be back later and that they would give Camila that time to catch up with her mother. Lauren didn't tell, but she was relieved. That couple's gaze on her was starting to bother her to a point where she felt 2 pairs of lasers burning holed on the side of her head.

"Returning to our conversation, what do you mean with 'she gave you a home'? The nurse told me that you father is awake for a couple of weeks now.", Camila's mother asked, genuinely intrigued. It was also a surprise for her that her husband hadn't come yet to see her.

Camila looked at Lauren and the girl could read Camila's expression easily. She was scared, scared of telling her what really happened. The nurse had told them that, once Camila's mother was awake, she shouldn't be overwhelmed or her heart could fail and cause her to have a heart attack or something close to it. Camila didn't want to tell her mother the truth in case things went wrong, but she also didn't want to lie. 

She looked at Lauren pleadingly, trying to understand if she should tell her mother or not. Lauren gave Camila's hand a soft squeeze because she didn't know what to say or what to do. It was a delicate situation and Lauren had as many answers as Camila.

"Mom, I have something to tell you."

The woman looked shocked and scared at the same time, but Camila explained everything that had happened with Lauren's help, who hugged her and kissed her temple when Camila needed support to go through the story once again. No matter how many times she had to tell the story, it was always overwhelming. Sometimes more than others, but Camila knew that this was a mark that she had on her story and would always have.

To her surprise and Lauren's, the woman didn't react badly at all, considering what they thought that would happen. Not that Camila's mother didn't react badly, because she did, but she was more concerned with how her daughter was than with the fact that her own husband had threatened to take her life while she was in a coma.