Trials and Tribulations

Chapter 23

Lauren walked up the now familiar path towards Camila's front door, pausing momentarily before it to ring the bell. She could hear the sound of loud footsteps descending the stairs noisily, followed by a large thud and then a muttered curse. Lauren made a face as she heard it and then the front door opened quickly, rattling her slightly as a rather flustered looking Camila appeared on the other side. "Problem?" Lauren asked amused as Camila beckoned her into the house with a wave. She was bent in two and slightly out of breath. Camila pushed herself up into standing, resting both her hands on her knees to assist and closed the door behind Lauren who now stood in the hall. "I just almost fell down the stairs," Camila told her seriously. "My whole life flashed before my eyes...." She lifted her gaze to look at Lauren who was watching her in fascination. "Again," Camila added after a moment a small smile creeping on to her lips at the awful attempt at a joke. "Ahh," Lauren said a wide grin spreading across her face. "There's my girlfriend." She reached out to take Camila's hand in her own as she said, "I guess you and Dinah found a way to switch back huh?" "Yeah," Camila replied a playful glint in her eyes. "You do not want to know what I had to go through to get rid of her....presence" She said, pausing for a moment to consider the right word to use. "Presence." Camila lifted her hand out of Lauren's to wave it in front of her dismissively. "Let's just say that it consisted of drinking an extremely odd tasting concoction she

created." Camila informed her. "Ifeel like you kind of liked it though," Lauren responded knowingly. "I never said it was awful," Camila acknowledged. "It was just weird...I can drink weird." "Would you drink it again?" Lauren asked her laughing. "Of course," Camila replied deadly serious. "So where is Dinah?" Lauren asked. "Ithought she was getting ready here?" "She's upstairs," Camila said as she turned to make her way back over to the bottom of the stairs. She held on to the bannister as she called up to her friend. "Dinah!" Camila shouted. "Lauren's here! Let's go!" Lauren raised her eyebrow at Camila as she made her way back over to her. "You seem different," she said trying to put her finger on what had changed. "Have you taken something?" Lauren asked her. Camila pulled on the waistband of Lauren's jeans, tugging her closer to her and kissing her on the lips in greeting. "No more than usual," she said as they parted and she winked mischievously at Lauren as she made her way over the coat rack to collect her brown leather jacket. "Did they change your anti- depressants?" Lauren asked as Camila shrugged it on over her shoulders. "No," Camila said laughing as she pulled her hair out of the back of it and swept the long locks over to one side, "I'm just excited, that's all." She said honestly as Dinah appeared. Lauren waved at Dinah in greeting from where she stood. "Hey," Dinah said returning the gesture as she started to descend the stairs in

what was a much more elegant fashion then Camila probably had. "Has she been like this since I dropped you both off after school?" Lauren asked Dinah pointing at Camila with her right hand. "Pretty much," Dinah confirmed. "I think it might have something to do with all the sugar that I put in her drink." "Oh come on guys," Camila protested. "This is going to be fun! I'm allowed to be excited, aren't I?" "There's excited," Dinah noted stepping down the last step and into the hall, "and then there's you Mila," she laughed. "I don't think I've ever seen you quite this....perky," Lauren said studying her girlfriend closely. Camila was practically radiating happiness and Lauren could not argue that it was a very good look for her. "Ooh wait here a minute," Camila said ignoring them both and running up the stairs, her hand holding onto the bannister tightly as she went in order to prevent herself from falling over. "No seriously," Lauren said pointing up the stairs after Camila into the space her girlfriend had just vacated. "What's going on?" "Don't question it," Dinah said, pulling on her own coat and fastening it up securely, a wide smile on her lips. "I haven't seen Camila this animated in over six months." Dinah admitted. "Trust me. You don't question the good days Lauren. You embrace them." She paused to cast a quick glance up the stairs. "You embrace them and you hope that they're here to stay." Lauren smiled at Dinah's words. "You're happy," she stated in understanding. "I'm happy," Dinah agreed. "It's nice to have the old Camila back," Dinah shared with Lauren. "Even if it is only