READY OR NOT (CAMREN)

TWELVE

As Lauren lay in bed that night, sleep evaded her. She took stock of the workweek ahead and made a mental list of goals to accomplish in the short term. But her thoughts drifted to the rather exciting evening as she played back Ally's story and smiled all over again at how truly happy she had appeared recounting the proposal. For someone who'd had a hard time of it for so much of her young life, Ally deserved every bit of that happiness.

It seemed like just yesterday when the four of them had first become friends their sophomore year at NYU. She shook her head and marveled at where they were now: running a successful business together in one of the most cutthroat cities in the world. Ally was settling down and getting married. Dinah and Normani were deeply in love and probably ravishing each other four floors down, and she was snuggled up making mental notes about client presentations while living vicariously through her friends.

But was there really anything wrong with that?

No. Because at the end of the day, when everyone headed home in time for dinner by six, someone had to be there to turn the lights off, and that was her job. And what's more, she liked that it was her job, that she was the one they all depended on. Plus, she loved the business she'd created, she loved her apartment, and she loved her friends.

Did she really need anything beyond that? As she turned over and vowed to fall asleep if it killed her, the answer to that question tugged at her uncomfortably.

**

By the time Monday afternoon rolled around, Camila had already had quite a day. It started at an ungodly hour when Mrs. Warkowski, her across-the-hall neighbor, had knocked on her door incessantly at seven that morning. After pulling herself from her comfy bed, after only a few hours of much-needed rest, she pulled on a pair of yoga pants to be greeted by her panic-stricken neighbor.

"Camila, Matt Lauer is broken! Hurry!"

Camila blinked a couple of times to not only wake up, but to try to understand the meaning of that nonsensical sentence. It didn't work. "Matt Lauer is broken?" she asked slowly.

"Yes, he won't come on and it's after seven. I'm missing it!" This was apparently a very big deal in Mrs. Warkowski's world. While Camila didn't know the elderly woman very well, they did exchange pleasantries in the hall, and Camila did her best to keep an eye out for her elderly neighbor, as she lived alone and didn't seem to get too many visitors.

Camila did a quick assessment of the facts. Mrs. Warkowski was missing something that was supposed to happen at seven. The Today Show, her brain filled in. Matt Lauer was on The Today Show.

"Are you having trouble with your television?"

"Yes!" Mrs. Warkowski said in desperation. "That's what I said. C'mon!" With that, the short little lady toddled back across the hall to her apartment door, which was standing open. Camila didn't see any other option, so she followed her to take a look. The TV, a relic that looked more like furniture than electronics, sat on the floor broadcasting a blue screen. Recognizing a cable box similar to her own, she turned to Mrs. Warkowski.

"Do you have the remote?"

"I don't have a remote," she stated matter-of-factly.

"No? So you get up to change the channels? We could probably order you one so you don't have to do that."

"Oh no. I have the clicker for that."

Camila smiled. "A clicker. Perfect. Can I see the clicker?" Mrs. Warkowski produced the remote control and Camila hit "power," bringing the cable box back to life. Matt Lauer's image filled the screen and Mrs. Warkowski clapped on cue.