Serendipity (Camren)

Chapter 14: Thanksgiving

Since I'm stuck in the car on my way to Disneyland I figured I should post up so here ya go.
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Don't worry about losing. If it is right, it happens - The main thing is not to hurry. Nothing good gets away." - John Steinbeck

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"Hey, are you really okay?" Dinah glanced over to her passenger who was staring absently out the window of the car.

Dinah was driving Camila  back to the airport after a quiet week at home. The band had two more shows and a recording session with their new label before they had a few weeks off at Christmas, which meant Camila would be away from her family for Thanksgiving, but her mom had been understanding and told her that they'd make up the time at Christmas.

"Yeah, I'm okay. I'm just thinking about all the things I need to do when I get back to California." Camila felt like she was a part of a giant yo-yo whose string was stretched from coast to coast, and she was constantly moving from one side to the other.

"You need to get laid."

"Dinah-"

"I'm serious! You've been working crazy hard, and you haven't had any time for yourself. You haven't dated anyone serious since Ashley, and that was in high school! An orgasm or two will make everything better."

"Dinah!"

"Come on, tell me there isn't anyone you've met in California that you wouldn't want a little sexy time with. I've lived there. Beautiful girls are, like, a penny a dozen."

"A dime a dozen," Camila corrected with a smile.

"Whatever. They're everywhere."

"I honestly haven't had time to even look. When I'm not scheduling Serendipity for something, I'm chasing after them, or refereeing arguments."

"Arguments? Carrie didn't mention any problems with them when I last talked to her." Dinah seemed genuinely surprised.

"Yeah, she wouldn't." Camila replied sourly.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Camila shifted in her seat and ran her hand through her hair. She was loath to say anything negative about Dinah's college friend. "Let's just say there's some serious strife in that band."

And Carrie was definitely at the center of it.

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"Lauren." Camila was relieved to find Lauren in the Haven alone and at least still sitting up. Her long wavy hair hung around her face and pooled on the table, creating a shield so that Camila couldn't see her face, but the drink in her hand and the hunched posture gave away her suffering.

Earlier that day, the band had an afternoon recording session, after which everyone was talking of their Thanksgiving plans for the weekend. Lucy and Carson were going to his family's house, and when Lauren asked if they were all driving together with Craig, Craig coughed and said, "Carrie and I are going to her parents' house. We wanna tell them about the baby," he paused for moment, and then went on hurriedly. "And our wedding plans."

Everyone in the room inhaled a collective breath. On cue, Lauren stood up, her chair screeching along the tile floor as it shot out from behind her, and then she violently stalked out of the room. After she had gone, Carson nervously adjusted his glasses before standing to offer a hug to his brother and a low "congratulations." Lucy sighed and clapped Craig hard on the back before getting up and following Lauren out of the studio and onto the sidewalk.