American Soldier

Chapter 15

"Mama!" Charley yells excitedly upon seeing Camila.

Smiling, Camila walks further into the room "Hi princess."

"Hi." Charley got up and ran over to Camila. "Are you picking me up today?" She asked referring to how Ally or Lauren usually pick her up from daycare.

"I am." Camila says softly, lifting her daughter up.

"Yay!" Charley clapped her hands. She called across the room to her teacher. "Miss Granger! My mama is picking me up today!"

Miss Granger makes her way over to Camila and Charley. "I can see that."

Charley smiled, she clapped her hands.

Camila shifts Charley on her hip and smiles. "We should get going, still gotta get Val and Avery."

"Can we get ice cream after? Mommy usually buys us an ice cream if we are good and if we get a gold star we get sprinkles or flakes. I got a gold star today. Didn't I Miss Granger?" Charley looked at her teacher.

"You did." Miss Granger responds softly.

Smiling, Camila shifts Charley. "Then let's go get that ice cream."

"Yay!" Charley clapped. "I need to get my bag and jacket and lunch box." She informed Camila.

Nodding her head, Camila puts Charley down. "Go grab them."

Charley nodded. She walked sensibly towards where her things were kept.

"Don't forget your paintings." Miss Granger said with a soft smile.

Camila watches her youngest daughter with a soft smiles. "She's getting way to big."

"She's only three." The teacher commented. "But she won't stay that way for long. Soon she'll be a moody teenager."

"Don't remind me." Camila says softly, holding your hand out for Charley.

The teacher laughed. "I know. My son will be twelve this year." She ran her fingers through her hair. "He's already as moody as they come."

Camila looked at the teacher in disbelief. She didn't think Miss Granger was that old.

"Miss Granger. I want you to have this." Charley held up the picture to her teacher.

"Oh, that's very sweet of you, but my daughter makes me plenty of pictures. Plus you gave me one yesterday. Why don't you give that one to your mommy, it might make her feel better?" The teacher suggested.

"Oh she's fine now. Mama is back." Charley nodded. "But I'll give it to her anyway."

The teacher smiled. "Okay."

Camila just smiles and lifts Charley up. "Tell Miss Granger bye."

"Bye Bye." Charley waved her hand at her teacher. "Sees you tomorrow."

****

Three hours later

Camila wraps her arms around Lauren's waist, resting her hands on the older girl's stomach. "Hi."

Lauren jumped in surprise, having not heard Camila come in.

"Hmm, you're beautiful." Camila responds softly, kissing Lauren's cheek.

Lauren blushed.

"Did you have a good day?" The soldier asks softly.

Lauren shrugged. "It was average. I got bitten by one of the dogs and nearly trampled by one of the horses." She shrugged again like it was nothing. "The cat scratched me, on average it was a pretty normal day."