Family Affairs

Chapter Ten

"Mama, I can't find Octavia's shoes." Camila calls out from her room.

"Try the shoe cupboard." Ally called back from the kitchen.

Groaning, Camila walks downstairs to the shoe cupboard in hopes of finding Octavia's shoes.

"She shouldn't have shoes on in the house, remember!" Ally called again from the kitchen.

"I'm taking her to her appointment mama, I need her shoes." Camila calls back.

"Put her shoes on by the door." Ally called.

Rolling her eyes, Camila grabs Octavia's shoes and goes upstairs to get her daughter.

"Where are you doing?" Lauren asked as she came out of her room. 

"O has a doctor's appointment." Camila says softly as she lifts the almost three year old up.

"A doctors appointment? What's wrong?" Lauren asked.

The older girl shakes her head and sighs. "It's just a checkup."

"Why doesn't Oliver have one?" Lauren asked curiously.

Lillie trotted in behind Lauren and rubbed her head against the girl's thigh. 

"He already had one." Camila responds softly.

"Oh." Lauren nodded. "Okay. That makes sense."

Nodding her head, Camila shifts Octavia and sighs softly. "Do you want to come?"

Lauren shrugged. "I've got nothing better to do."

"We're leaving now." Camila tells her softly.

Lauren nodded. She patted Lillie's head and went to collect her leather jacket from her room before following Camila down the stairs. In the last few weeks, Lauren's confidence had grown. She wasn't as quiet as she used to be. Lillie and Kendall were helping her, although she hadn't completely said she was gay in front of her family yet.

Camila sits Octavia down and begins putting the little girl's shoes on. "Mom, Laur is going with me!"

"Okay." Ally called back.

Lauren moved over to the shoe cupboard and pulled out her favorite pair of shoes - an old grubby pair of converse that were far too small for her, but she refused to let her mother buy her a new pair. She loved those shoes too much.

Octavia stands up and watches as Camila puts her own shoes on.

Lauren sat on the steps beside Camila and pulled on her shoes.

"Ready?" Camila asks softly, looking at Lauren.

Lauren looked up. She finished tying her shoelaces and nodded, grabbing her phone off the bottom step and standing up.

****

Octavia was grumpy by the time they got home, exhausted from having to get shots. She rested her head on Lauren's shoulder. Lauren was her favorite person, after Camila of course.

"Why why don't we lay miss Octavia down for a nap?" Camila asks softly.

Octavia shook her head. "Lolo." She gripped onto Lauren's shirt and didn't let go.

"Maybe Lolo will lay with you." Camila responds softly.

Lauren looked up at Camila, she swallowed. "Um... if she wants me to." She shrugged.

Octavia immediately nods her head, she really wanted to lay with Lauren.

Lauren nodded. "Couch?" She asked softly.