The Promise IV (Grand Finale) /On-going

Chapter 14 - Being a Jauregui

  "Are you sure about this?" Joanna asked to the woman sitting in front of her.


Clara took a deep breath and paused for a few seconds before slowly nodded.

The sisters continue to look at each other in silence as the moments passes. Clara was trying her best to control her emotions as she casually reached for her cup of tea before taking a sip of her warm drink. She purposely called her sister out for an evening tea to share her burden.

The burden of knowing the truth.

The truth that her youngest daughter, Heather also likes girls just like her sister Lauren.

"I thought..you're okay with this kinda thing." Joanna suddenly said, breaking the silence.

Clara bit her lip before glaring at her sister.

"What? Well, you took the fact that Lauren is a lesbian pretty nicely. You even love Camila like your own daughter. Another lesbian daughter shouldn't hurt much." Joanna continues.

"An-another lesbian daughter?" Clara scoffed and shook her head.

"Lauren has always does everything the opposite of what I want since she's younger. I don't expect much when I told her to find a nice respectable man as a husband since I knew she'll bring home some girl, and she really did. "Clara added, sighing.

Joanna continues to listen to her sister carefully.

"But Heather..she's my only hope.." Clara said with a sigh.

She looked down and paused.

"As a mother, I..want to see my children live happily and..normal." She said, her voice shaken.

Joanna reached forward and held her arm.

"It's not that I'm ashamed of Lauren, I mean..she's great and smart and..she's a very nice girl but..sometimes I wished that..she's not like 'that'." Clara said hesitantly.

"Don't get me wrong, I love Camila but..you know..sometimes..I can't help it." She continues.

Joanna moved closer and put an arm over her sister's shoulder to calm her down. Clara was at the verge of tears; she closed her eyes and buried her face in her palms.

"I don't want Heather to be the same. I just...can't accept this"

Suddenly tears rolls down her cheeks.

"Why.."

Her sister rubs her shoulder gently as she stares at her in sympathy. She would probably be in the same situation if she ever finds out her children is gay. But she knows Troy and Ashley are straight. She'll probably kick them out of the family if they suddenly turn gay.

"I feel like..I've failed..as a mother." Clara continues, sobbing.

Joanna stared at her crying sister, searching for the right words to say.

"Clar, it's not your fault." She said.

But her words just made Clara cries harder. She looked away and sighed. She needs to do something to calm her down.


"Okay, I slapped Lauren's face once." She suddenly said.


Clara stopped crying and stares at Joanna's face in disbelief. Her method worked.

"You..what?"

"It was a long time ago. I was trying to make her change her mind."

"You slapped my baby's face?!" Clara asked, angry.

"I tried to make her turn straight again, but failed. And hey, Leauren is not a baby." Joanna said, shrugging.

Clara sighed and looked down.

"You can't change Lauren's mind. She always does things her own way."

Joanna nodded and smiled.

"Yeah, but that's Lauren not Heather."

"What do you mean?"

"I think Heather is just..confused and maybe you should er..pay more attention to her."

"You think I neglect my girls?" Clara asked, pissed.

"Don't get me wrong. I just think that maybe it's time you and Mike organize a family trip, just to spend some quality time with your girls."

"You think she's just..confused?"

Joanna nodded. "I'm pretty sure that Heather is not er...like Lauren. She just needs some guidance and attention from the people around her to clear her mind."

Clara sighed for the nth time.



A trip?





**





"A weekend trip?" Nicole asked.

Dinah and Normani nodded simultaneously. The member of Sunny Girls excluding Callie, Lauren, Camila, Ally and Zooey were sitting around their table after the customers had left.

"Why suddenly you want to go on a trip with us?" asked Ally, curious.

Dinah and Normani smiled at each other, "Well, since the business had been going pretty well these few months and also because Dinah was able to sell a few of her songs to the Sonic, we just feel like we need to celebrate it with our closest friends." Normani explains, smiling.

"Oh, that's very..thoughtful of you guys." Camila said as she carefully supports Lauren's  head on her shoulder. She already fell asleep half an hour ago.

"That sounds exciting, but where exactly are we going to?" Isabel asked.

Dinah shrugged.

"That's the problem. We still haven't found the best destination for all of us."

Camila  looked outside the window, thinking. Then she smiled. She got an idea.

"Hey, how about..our beach vacation house?" She suggested.

Everyone looked at her blankly.

"You..have a beach vacation house?" Normani asked.

Camila smiled sheepishly.

"Er..I mean, the Jauregui's vacation house. I've never been there myself but Mom..er..Mrs. Jauregui told me that it's a great place to hang out on the weekends."

Nicole chuckled and shook her head.

"You're acting like a Jauregui already. Camila, don't you want to be a Scherzinger? We're richer." She said casually before winking.

Camila looked at Nicole, speechless as she's openly flirting with her.

Dinah slapped Nicole's arm immediately.

"OWWW! What's that for?!" Nicole rubbed her hurting arm.

"Just because Lauren is sleeping doesn't mean you can do anything to her napkin. I'm warning you." Dinah said, serious.

Suddenly Lauren snores.

Everyone broke into laughter except for Nicole who scoffed and drink her juice silently.

"I love being a Jauregui, Nicole. Sorry." Camila said, smiling. She lovingly brushed Lauren's bangs with her hands.

Nicole rolled her eyes.

"And you've just been rejected again.." Zooey said, teasing.

"Hey Zooey, you shouldn't be too comfortable yourself." Nicole suddenly said.

She glanced at Isabel and smiled causing the other girl to gulp.

"Isabel here, Marley.."

"MY STOMACH HURTS!!" Isabel suddenly shouted.

"Oy my gosh! Are you okay?!" Normani asked as she ran next to her.

The hamster shook her head as she pressed her stomach like it really hurts.

"It must be her diarrhea!!" Ally said, panic.

Camila gasped, in shock but she can't move since Lauren is still sleeping on her shoulder. It's amazing that she's still asleep in the midst of all the chaos.

"Help me to take her to the bathroom, Nicole!" Normani shouted as she pulled the girl to her side.

"What the?! She's obviously faking it!" She protests.

"OMG!! I CAN'T HOLD IT ANY LONGER!!" Isabel continues her act.

"NICOLE! HURRY UP!!" Normani ordered again. They both hurriedly drag Isabel to the bathroom.

The rest of the gang was still shocked as silence filled the table.

"I..guess..it's decided then. The Jauregui's beach house this..Saturday. Who's going?" Camila said, breaking the silence.

"Me and Normani, of course." Dinah said.

"I'm bored without Marley. I'm going." Zooey added.

"I need sometime alone from him.. Count me in." Ally said sadly.

They looked at Ally, curious with her words. Awkward silence came to haunt them again.

"AHHHH!!" Camila suddenly shouted.

" Are you okay?!" Zooey asked, panicked.

Camila was looking at all of them, her cheeks red. Lauren was still sleeping, but her right hand is..grabbing her lover's right breast. That pretty much explains Camila's shout.

They looked at each other as they tried not to embarrass Camila even more. But it's hard.

Dinah shook her head.




"Oh my god Lauren..even while you're sleeping?!"