Not Weak, Just Stronger

Chapter 67: Not Weak, Just Stronger

A/N: They'll Never Know by Ross Copperman and Too Late by The Paper Kites will be the songs playing (when I tell you) in this chapter. Enjoy. I did my best throughout this entire sequel and it's been a fun/conflicting/triggering ride. Feel free to leave predictions at the end if that's what you fancy. There's a big cliffhanger.

I will see some of you in book 3.

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April 13th, 2026
Wednesday, 3:03am - Miami, Florida - Mount Sinai Medical Center

When Camila's water had broke, she and Lauren were awake together and sitting in the kitchen snacking on some rocky road ice cream, talking about the first time they heard their baby's heartbeat and found out the sex. Camila had laughed at something Lauren said—and not even five seconds later, she gasped sharply and had wet her maternity sweats and the floor. Lauren questioned if she had laughed so hard that she peed and Camila nearly slapped her. The Latina panicked, her eyes went wide, and she started screaming that the baby was coming. Lauren's eyes went wide, too. She wasn't prepared for this yet although she knew Camila was due this month.

Lauren had waken up Cruz and rushed him to get ready while calling Winston and telling him that they'd be gone and at the hospital for the birth of her newborn daughter. She didn't change out of the trackpants she wore; Lauren put on the top part of the tracksuit over her Arcadia Raiders t-shirt, threw on a random pair of sneakers, left her wavy hair the way it was, and was ready to be out the door. As she was packing stuff for the baby bag, Camila was taking her sweet time putting on makeup and fixing her hair. No matter how many times Lauren rushed her and told her they needed to go, Camila gave her the deadliest glare and expressed that she wasn't about to walk into the hospital looking like anything but a supermodel.

When they finally reached the GranLusso, Camila hopped in the backseat with Cruz while Lauren called up their friends, Alejandro and Chris to deliver the news. She sped off to the hospital in Miami's empty late night streets, trying her hardest to not feel bad when Camila started having bad contractions.

Fast forward to two hours into labour, Camila gradually became annoyed with everything Lauren did. Lauren gave her some water, rubbed a cold wet towel over her forehead and neck—which Camila greatly appreciated because it was soothing and she was hot—and she fed her crackers. Lauren did everything she could and recorded some footage to document this special moment in their lives. It was all good until Camila suddenly screamed:

"Ya muérete!" (Drop dead already!)

"Baby, what am I doing wrong?" Lauren frowned, slowly putting the video camera down.

"Don't take it personally, Laur. She's just having pain and everything's gonna annoy her," said María, coming into the room with Alejandro. Camila requested them specifically to be there with her. Madison, Cruz, Simon, and Dinah were waiting outside because they told them to.

"Hija!" Alejandro rushed to the bed, unable to contain his excitement. He was already starting to cry and the baby wasn't even here yet. "No puedo creerlo. No puedo creerlo. Tendrás el bebé hoy." (I cannot believe it. You're having the baby today)

"Calm down, your joy is making me sick. You don't get to feel happy when I'm in pain, dying to squeeze this son of a—"

"Camila!" María and Lauren scolded, cutting her off before she could finish her sentence.

Camila moaned and cried out in agony. She shifted around the bed, changing her position as she rubbed her large belly. Lauren rushed to her side, replacing Alejandro who took out his phone and started calling the whole world to let them know his daughter was giving him a grandchild—officially.