Soluna (Camren)

Chapter Fourteen

"Gabriel, please...I beg you—I implore you," Camila pleaded. "Pick a theme for your party."

Gabe opened his mouth to speak and Camila quickly spoke. "Specific theme." She added. "Let's not have a repeat of last year where you said 'Disney' and I went all out including as much of Disney as I could and you started crying because you meant Walt Disney the person, not the brand."

Gabe pouted. "That would've been a great party." He mumbled.

Camila chuckled before picking him up and kissing his cheek. "So what will be the theme for turning five?" she asked.

Gabe hummed before wriggling out of Camila's hold and running to his room. Camila groaned. "Gabeeee! I'm not in the mood to play tag with you." she said as she followed Gabe to his room as he looked through his bookshelf before taking out a wrinkled copy of Roald Dahl's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"—a favorite of Gabe's.

"This!" Gabe exclaimed as he ran around the room chanting the title of the book.

Camila rubbed her forehead and felt like screaming into a pillow at the thought of having tiny, hyperactive children fueled by sugary-filled treats that go with the theme of the book—the screaming, the crying, the running, the lack of hygiene...Camila shivered at the thought before taking a deep breath.

"You did pick a good book, so I suppose I can say yes." Camila agreed. "Are you sure we can't do Matilda?" she asked before remembering the chocolate cake in the book and groaning. Fucking Roald Dahl and his use of sweets.

Gabe shook his head. "I wanna be Willy Wonka!"

Camila smiled at the thought of her tiny son dressed as the beloved character. "Aw, that's cute. Okay, for the sake of getting cute pictures, I'll agree."

"And you can be an Oompa Loompa!" Gabe grinned while Camila frowned.

"Are you insinuating I'm short?"

"Daddy can be an Oompa Loompa, too!"

Camila smirked at the thought of Samuel in an Oompa Loompa outfit. "I'm in."

Gabe squealed before running back to the living room and telling Camila to get on Pinterest for ideas. Camila laughed. "Are you an upcoming five year old or a suburban mother? I will never know the answer to that."

Later that day, Camila called Lauren as she picked up some toys in the living room while Gabe cleaned his room—or tried to before getting distracted with a toy that had been lost in the dark abyss called "under his bed."

"To what do I owe this lovely phone call from only the most beautiful woman in the whole wide world?" Lauren answered with a smile.

Camila blushed and smiled. "You wouldn't think I'd look beautiful right now." she chuckled.

"Why? What are you wearing?" Lauren smirked.

Camila rolled her eyes. "Sweatpants, a week old college t-shirt that has Yale as the logo, hair in a messy bun because I haven't washed it in two days, and mismatched socks." Camila answered in a low voice before giggling as she picked up a truck with a Barbie doll in it and put it in the basket.

Lauren's breath hitched and pretended to swoon over the thought. "Wow that is so hot. I really dig the stressed mother look you got going on. Something about moms, man, they do something to me. I must have a thing for single, divorced mothers of quirky four year olds."

Camila giggled. "Shut up." she said. "But, if you must know, Gabriel is turning five in two weeks."

Lauren hummed. "Wow, already? Are you planning anything for the big day?" she asked.