Calamity

Chapter 27

Being friends with Camila Cabello proved to be more difficult than Lauren ever expected.

They'd start their mornings off with good morning texts from each other and, due to the time difference, end Camila's day with a phone call that often went over an hour.

The lines of their friendships were blurring and Lauren could barely decipher the hidden meanings behind their interactions. With Christmas right around the corner and the semester finally over, she found herself with more free time to overanalyze everything involving Camila.

If only her irritating mother could get out of her hair, her overanalyzing would be going a lot smoother right now.

"Are you even listening to me?"

"Yes, mom," Lauren grumbled. "Your charity ball next week won't have enough oysters. What will the world ever do now?"

Clara chuckled and took another sip from her coffee. "Lauren, my darling. Why are you groveling? What's wrong? You should be enjoying yourself now that you don't have to worry about school."

"I have other things to worry about besides school,"

"The case is closed," Clara said sharply. "It's been closed for months now. I told you I'd handle it and I kept my end of the deal, didn't I?"

Right after her birthday, the local police cranked the heat up even more on Simon Cowell's brutal murder case and things started to escalate. They were desperate and willing to do anything to give a name to the district attorney's office.

But never one to be caught off guard, Clara handed a lump sum of money to one of the janitors who worked the night shift in the law wing in exchange for a confession to the precinct.

Clara did keep up her end of the deal except it cost her daughter the love of her life. Which, truthfully, was the reasoning behind all of her moping.

"As much as I love having you over for breakfast, I think I'm too tired to converse with you right now."

"Lauren," Clara sighed. "Talk to me,"

Lauren let out a loud groan and sunk into the couch. "I want Camila back,"

"Oh, Jesus, didn't we already discuss this the last time?"

"You don't get it. You barely even enjoyed being married to dad."

"That's not true,"

"Is there a reason why you haven't visited him since he's been locked up then?"

Clara glared at her daughter. "Your father and I have decided that it's better to keep our distance while he's waiting for his sentencing."

"Right. Because you two suddenly have the best coordination when it comes to decisions like this."

"What the hell do you want me to say, Lauren? The truth? The fact that I knew about all of his fraudulent scams and kept my mouth shut because I didn't want the man I love to get locked up? You must think I want to stay away. That I'm glad to have him out of my life, but you're absolutely wrong. The last time I felt this torn in half was when I had to watch your sister get buried. And now I'll be spending the rest of my days without the only man who has ever loved me. So, forgive me for being scared to see your father in a fucking orange jumpsuit!"

"I've..." Clara closed her eyes and sucked in a deep breath. "Been intruding your space because I'm lonely, for Christ's sake. I have no friends, no family, I just have you. Taylor and Chris could care less about me."

Lauren shook her head in disagreement. "You know that's not true. They both love you more than anything."

"I don't want you to be like me, Lauren," Clara said solemnly. "Bitter, old, and alone. Now, will you do me a favor and get me some wine?"