Come dance for me

Chapter 16

Six months in the future.

Camila leaned against the wooden fence as she watched Lauren lift Henry on to the horse. Camila preferred to watch Henry and Lauren than actually riding herself she had been on a couple of times, but it wasn't her favorite thing to do. This was only the second time Henry had been, and it had taken Camila quite a lot of convincing to let him ride. As usual, Lauren was right, and he loved it, he adored her horse. He seemed to bond with it straight away. He had always loved animals. They don't expect as much from him as people do, no confusing social rules.

"Look he is a natural, look at his form," Lauren said excitedly as she lead Henry round on the horse. Moments like this made Camila feel so happy seeing Lauren so excited and Henry, happy she loved her little family. Yes, she finally had a family of her own this was what she had always wanted, she felt complete.

There was something about Lauren that changed when she was at the stables she looked free and fun-loving like a teenager. She felt the fence move as she leant against it and turned to see Mike, Lauren's dad stood next to her. She smiled and hugged him as they both stood watching Lauren and Henry walk around the enclosure. Camila had called Mike and told him they were at the stables today. She didn't think Lauren should miss out on her father just because she had a complicated relationship with her mother.

Lauren spotted him and smiled, leading the horse over towards them. "Hi daddy, it's great to see you," Lauren said looking at Camila. Camila held the horse while Lauren hugged her Father. "Don't let mother see you without a tie" she chuckled.

"I have one in the car," he said, laughing. He looked relaxed for a change with his shirt collar unbuttoned, out from under Clara's thumb. "And who is this smart young man?" he asked, looking at Henry.

"This is Camila's son his name is Henry" Lauren replied as Henry's hand shot out.

Mike reached up and shook his hand "A good strong name you have there. He looks like he belongs on that horse just like Lauren did."

"It's only his second time too," Lauren said proudly.

"More riding," Henry said as he picked up the reins.

"Yes, Sir" Lauren laughed as she walked off around the enclosure with an excited Henry. Camila was glad Lauren's horse was such a calm horse.

"Thank you, Camila," Mike said.

"It's ok you should get to see Lauren she misses you" Camila replied. She looked a bit nervous as Lauren started jogging and the horse started to trot. She trusted Lauren knew what she was doing as Henry's face lit up at going faster. "How is Clara?" Camila asked.

"She is fine when I said thank you I didn't just mean for today I mean for making Lauren happy," he said.

"That's the easy part. She is an amazing woman Mike. I've never met anyone like her. She has such a big heart I couldn't imagine being without her. We are going for a picnic on the beach after this, would you like to join us it would mean a lot to Lauren if you could," Camila asked, looking hopeful.

"I would love to Camila thank you, it will be nice I never got to take her as a child Clara wasn't a big fan," he said, looking a little sad. "We did use to sneak out to a burger place every now and then what she didn't know didn't hurt her" Camila laughed Lauren made out she never touched burgers she would remember this to bring up later she thought.

"Five minutes Henry and no faster please" Camila shouted "I'm just going to show Mike which beach we are going to, and he can meet us there." Lauren nodded and waved to let Camila know she had heard her.

Lauren sat back and leaned against her hands as she and Camila watched the Henry's playing in the sand a couple of metres away. Well, Mike was building sandcastles, and Henry was knocking them down and giggling.