The Donor

Chapter 16

Lauren’s POV

“Come on, Lia! We gotta go, mama’s outside!” I hear Camila yell through the house to our daughter as I step out of the car and see the beautiful woman at the front door, signalling to me they will be ready in one minute. I lean up against the door of my car and wait for my family, smiling at the fact I can hear them both rushing around in both excitement and impatience. After Camila had picked up a last minute morning shift at the café, it meant that we had to get on the road a lot later than I had anticipated but after seeing the woman herself, it didn’t matter what time I was picking her up, at least I was spending all weekend with her.

A couple of minutes later and my daughter comes strolling out in her onesie and jacket, wearing a small backpack and holding onto the railing as she descends the few steps. “Hi, mama!”

“Hello, princess,” I pick up my daughter and kiss her forehead as she sits on my hip before I put her back down again. I hear a huff and a struggle and I look up to find Camila trudging a large suitcase down the steps and over to me.

“We’re only going for three days! What’s with the suitcase?” I laugh at her, still not bothering to help with the suitcase as I lean against the car again and she darts her narrowing eyes at me.

“Shut up!” Camila mutters when she finally reaches me, her volume not loud enough for our daughter to hear who is standing idly at my side. She moves around to the back of the car to put her suitcase in the trunk but I jog around to meet her and take it out of her hands, effortlessly lifting the heavy suitcase into the trunk before Camila could even attempt the struggle. It really was heavy, what the hell is she bringing, her whole wardrobe? “Thank you,” I turn to Camila who’s smiling at my help and rubbing my bicep, fuck, I love it when she does that. I feel a tapping at my thigh and I look down to see our daughter holding her backpack out to me which I take with a laugh and place it in the trunk of the car also.

I hear some more steps coming from the stairs and I turn to see Dinah holding Khiara on her hip and walking over to the car where they both give me a wave in greeting. “I’ll see you in a few days,” Camila says to the younger woman when she leans in to hug her, kissing Khiara’s cheek when she pulls away. Emelia felt her goodbye back in the apartment was good enough so she opens the car door and tries to climb into her car seat; unsuccessfully until I lift her into it gently and strap her in. I’d become pretty good at that. When Camila starts to open the passenger side door I turn back to find Dinah still there and waiting for my goodbye.

“Have fun this weekend, Lauser,” she says to me when I wrap my arms around her for a hug, “and there’s no such thing as too much fun,” she adds with a wink. “Look after them both. I’m sure you will but just in case you needed reminding.” I pull away from her hold and kiss the crown of Khiara’s head, making the small girl blush in the process, “oh and Lauren, thank you. For the loan. Neither of us wanted you to do that and Camila probably won’t be very happy when she finds out but thank you.”

“Of course. I’m here for all of you, and thank you for being honest with me. I hate the thought of any of you suffering in silence when I could be helping in some way.” Dinah smiles at me and ushers me toward the car where Emelia is looking impatiently through the window at me and Camila is still standing by the open passenger door, watching on at our interaction with a smile and curious eyes. I walk over to the mother of my child and hold the door for her with a hand on the small of her back, encouraging her to get into the car and she gives me a rare toothy smile that I love so much, provoking a similar one on my lips.