I Built This Home For Me, For You

Chapter 14

Waking up early the next morning, Lauren went downstairs and started making pancakes, hoping that it would be some small comfort to Camila. There wasn't much she could do, and she hated feeling useless; she was a genius businesswoman, scientist and engineer, and she always had the answers and solutions. For everything except this. It was dark outside, and she angrily mixed the batter in a large bowl, blinking back tears as a feeling of frustration threatened to overwhelm her. She couldn't afford to fall apart; she was the only one who could look after everyone, and they needed her, which meant that she couldn't fall apart. Bracing her hands on the edge of the kitchen counter, she took a couple of deep breaths, before standing up properly again, and carried on mixing.

Camila rarely slept late, what with work, kids and bad dreams, and Lauren wanted her to stay in bed as long as possible, hoping that some rest would help her mind relax, just a little. It wouldn't make things easier, or better, but it was something. Her wife didn't have the same idea though, because it wasn't long before she was shuffling into the kitchen, bleary-eyed and wild-haired.

"Morning," Camila mumbled, leaning down to give Lauren a quick kiss on the cheek.

Reaching up to cup her cheek, Laure took in the dark circles under Camila's eyes, knowing that she looked similar. They hadn't slept well last night, despite the exhausting day, but Lauren was worried about Camila more than herself. "You should've stayed in bed longer."

"I can't," Camila said, stifling a yawn as she turned on the coffee machine, "I've got to get ready for work."

"Hey, hey, no," Lauren quickly said, "No, no, no work today. Today, you're staying home, and you're staying in bed until we go to your appointment. It's at eleven o'clock; we can get lunch afterward if you're feeling up for it, but you're not going to work."

Frowning slightly, Camila pulled two mugs out of the cupboard, "I have a job to do, Lauren. Your mom's not at work, so I have to do what she normally does too. I can't afford a day off work."

"Well tough," Lauren gently told her, "I can't afford time off work either, but here I am, at home every day, because I have people I love that need to be looked after. Whether they want to admit it or not."

"Well I have to drive the girls to school anyway," Camila tried to reason with her, "It's far too icy on the roads for me to be okay with Daisy driving them."

A small laugh of surprise fell past Lauren's lips before she could stop it, and she gave Camila an incredulous look. "You're not driving yourself - let alone our kids - until you sort this out. I trust my seventeen-year-old daughter on the road more than I trust you driving right now. The last thing I need is a call that you've been in an accident."

A flicker of hurt crossed Camila's face at Lauren's words, but she knew that she was right. It didn't hurt any less though, being treated like a child, and she judged her empty mug away from her, "You know what, I think I will go back to bed, actually."

Sighing, Lauren watched as Camila walked out of the kitchen, and ran a hand over her weary face, muttering curses to herself. She just wanted to keep everyone safe. It wasn't a punishment, it was just her trying to make Camila take some time for herself, and she wished that she would see it that way. At least Camila hadn't argued her point though, because she could easily have insisted that she was going to work, and just gone, but she'd resigned herself to the fact that she was staying home today, which meant that deep down, she knew Lauren was right. The coffee pot finished filling, making the whole room smell like coffee and snapping Lauren out of her thoughts, and she miserably poured herself a cup and started to make breakfast for herself.