If We're Not Soulmates, Then I Don't Believe In Love

sleepless nights and mini canvases

Lauren's POV

The clock next to me said 3:07am. I'd been awake since 7am the previous morning but my eyelids were nowhere near heavy. I'd tried sleeping, and while my wife had managed to nod off rather quickly, sleep evaded me.

There was a row of already painted 2in canvases lined up on my easel. They depicted a sunset over a city skyline, Miami palm trees waving in the wind, a goofy alien escaping Area 51, a dinosaur eating some leaves, and the shadow of my wife in front of a galaxy.

The one I was currently working on was based purely on the picture I'd pulled up on my phone. Getting the ultrasound exactly right was hard, but I was getting there.

The 1975's Somebody Else played softly from my record player. My glasses slid down my nose every time I leaned closer and I sighed before pushing them back up.

I was so focused that I didn't hear my office door opening. Nor did I hear her soft laughs and footsteps padding over to me. I snapped back to reality when her arms wrapped around my shoulders. "Hey Camz. Did I wake you?"

She kisses the top of my head and I can feel her grinning. "Nope. I had a dream about your amazing turkey sandwiches so I woke up to see if you would make me one and you weren't in bed."

I chuckle and pull her around to sit in my lap. After kissing her softly, I push her up and stand from my stool. "Then let's go make you a turkey sandwich babygirl."

She pauses and stares at one of the mini canvases, the one of her in the galaxy. "Is this me?"

"Yep. Because you're my world." I wrap my arms around her and rest my hands on her belly. "You and our little nugget mean everything to me."

Sighing happily, she leans back against me. "I love you so much."

"And I love you."

Camila yawns. "Forget the sandwich. Let's just go to bed Lolo."

Laughing again, I just nod. "Okay Camz. Whatever you want baby."

"I may want a turkey sandwich for breakfast though." She leads the way to our room, hand holding onto mine.

As I crawl under the comforter and lay dow, my eyelids suddenly heavier than ever, I grin and rest my head on her shoulder. "Okay baby."

Spoiler alert, she didn't want a turkey sandwich for breakfast and thought I was crazy for offering to make her one.

-3 Months Later-

My insomnia has persisted during the last stages of Camila's pregnancy, but it's been especially worse the last few days. Our baby was due a week ago, and there were no signs of them coming anytime soon.

I was currently in the baby's nursery, looking at all the decorations we'd done so far. The walls were a light purple with white trim, the furniture was all a light wood, and the carpet was light gray.

I was drawing in my new sketch book, laying on the soft carpet to relax myself. I had almost managed sleep when Camila walks in.

"Uh hey Lo?"

I groggily turn to face her. "Yeah Camz?"

She shifts on her feet, one hand holding her belly. "I think my water broke."

Giggling uncontrollably, I reply, "Then go fix it silly."

Camila didn't laugh. "Lauren, the baby is coming."

I stop giggling just as quickly as I started. "Oh... oh shit!" I jump up from the floor, adrenaline coursing through me. Our bags were by the door, and I usher Camila ahead of me while I put shoes on and grab them.

I can't tell you much about the drive, I think I might've blacked out, but I can tell you that Camila started yelling at some point and I just drove faster. We made it in one piece though.

While the nurses get her settled in a room, I start calling family. Her parents are first, as they live closest to the hospital, then my mom and siblings, then Lucy and Vero, then Normani and Dinah, and then Shawn and Hailee. Soon the waiting room was flooded with our relatives. After they get into a waiting room and calm down, I go find my wife.

She grabs my hand the second I stand by her side. There's sweat on her face, and she's mumbling curse words under her breath. Finally, five hours later, our baby boy takes his first breath.

We name him Michael, after my father who passed away soon after we got married. Michael Alex Cabello-Jauregui. It's a strong name.

The worst thing about having a baby, as I soon learned, was the total lack of sleep. I already had trouble sleeping, and now with Michael waking up every two hours for a bottle or a change, I figured I might as well just not sleep at all.

So I spent many hours painting mini canvases. The beach, sunsets, cityscapes, camila, me, camila and I, quotes that I like, song lyrics, cartoon characters, and anything else I can think of.

After a few months, one of Michael's entire bedroom walls is covered in my paintings, and he finally sleeps through the night.

Authors Note:

Hey guys!! so this is short and it's been a while since i posted sorry about that. i'm moving off to college this saturday so i've been packing. but i have several one shots started and even more ideas coming at y'all soon.

have an amazing day!!

-PJ