The Art of Us

Chapter Eighteen

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Chapter Eighteen

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Normani's POV

It's been about six months since I asked Lauren to marry me. Dinah still is being difficult but we're slowly getting through to her. She's started walking with her prosthetic leg, but we have to bring her chair with us in case she ends up being in to much pain.

"Camila, can you grab them?" Dinah yells from the bedroom.

"Yeah." Camila called back. She went into the nursery.

Dinah slowly made her way into the living room, she really hated the prosthetic leg.

"Hi." I said as she sat down next to me on the couch.

"Hi." She mumbled, shifting slightly and taking a deep breath.

"You okay?" I asked, turning to face her.

Shaking her head, she shifts again and runs her hand over the top of the prosthetic on her left leg.

"What's wrong?" I asked softly, running my fingers through her hair.

Lauren came out of her bedroom, carrying Oliver who was sobbing.

Stitch immediately got up from his basket and ran over to Lauren, sniffing Oliver's foot and letting out a quiet whine.

Dinah takes a deep breath and looks at me tears in her eyes. "It hurts."

Lauren sat down on the couch, rubbing Oliver's back softly.

Stitch jumped up onto the couch and placed his head on Oliver's knee, whining. Oliver rubbed Stitch's head and calmed down a little.

"Where's your pain medication?" I asked Dinah, getting up off the couch and going into the kitchen. I opened the medicine cabinet.

"I don't know." Dinah whined, running a hand through her hair and shifting again.

I rummaged through the medicine cabinet and pulled out her box of pain pills. I got two out and grabbed a bottle of water, carrying the items into the living room.

Dinah shifts on the couch and looked at me, pain in her eyes.

I sat down and offered her the bottle of water and pain medication.

Taking the pills and the bottle of water, she quickly takes them and drinks from the water.

"They'll kick in soon." I said, kissing her cheek.

Dinah smiled tiredly and leaned back against the couch. "This is going to be so hard." She mumbled.

We were going to the zoo with the kids and our friends once again.

"When are we going?" Lucas asked as he slipped into the living room.

Camila walked out of the nursery with Phoebe and Aiden, her and Dinah's twins. "Soon monkey."

"Okay." Lucas said and he ran over to his pile of toys, sitting down and playing with his old stuffed puppy.

The doorbell rang and Lauren got up, carrying Oliver, and answered the door. "Emma!" She squealed excitedly as she opened the door.

"Lauren!" Emma's voice came into the room.

Dinah closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Mani, I don't think I should go."

Camila sighed. "Are you in pain?" She asked softly as Lauren and Emma came into the room.

Nodding her head, Dinah shifts again before forcing herself to stand up, almost falling.

Camila and I both put our hand out to catch her if she fell.

"You don't have to go if you are in pain." I said softly.

"No, it's not fair to the kids." She mumbled before making her way to the bathroom.

Camila, Lauren, and I all sighed at the same time and shared a worried look.