Restart

Chapter 34

December 31st

"CAMILA'S DEAD!"

Lauren got up from where she was currently trying to clean spilt finger paint off of the carpet, running into the kitchen only to find another mess. Laney was standing a few feet away from where shattered glass laid upon the water-covered floor. Her fish bowl was broken but fish-Camila was nowhere to be seen.

"Duke ate her!" Laney nearly screamed, her mouth hanging open as she pointed to where the puppy was hiding under the kitchen table.

"Oh God," Lauren chuckled, sighing as she ran her fingers through her hair. She moved over to the table, pulling Duke out before letting him out into the fenced backyard.

"I hate that dog," Laney growled as she folded her arms across her chest.

Duke had somehow managed to knock Laney's fish bowl off of the counter, eating Camila at some point in the process.

"Careful, baby," Lauren warned, not wanting the girl to step on any broken glass. "And don't say hate," she added as she walked toward the closet to grab the broom and dustpan. She got a towel off of the kitchen counter as well, bending down to wipe up all the water.

"You can live out there now," she heard her daughter mumble from where she stood in front of the patio door, her hands and nose pressed to the glass as she watched Duke run around the backyard.

"Please don't touch the window," Lauren requested as she began sweeping up shards of glass.

Laney sighed dramatically before running toward the other room in search of Avery.

The girls had definitely been a handful lately. It had been two weeks since they'd last been in school, and Lauren was realizing she'd taken the time alone those few hours provided three days a week for granted.

"Laney don't do that!" Avery's voice rang from the living room, coming off much louder than usual.

Lauren sighed heavily, emptying her dustpan full of broken glass into the trash can before hurrying into the next room.

"Lana Grace!" Lauren scolded when she saw her daughter attempting to scale their tall bookshelf. "Get down," she added, moving over to bring the tiny girl back to the floor.

"I need that," Laney replied simply, pointing up to the row of shelves that held a collection of DVDs.

"Then you ask for help," Lauren instructed. "If you fell down you could get hurt. And we don't need to go back to the hospital any time soon," she mumbled underneath her breath.

"They have jello there," Laney remembered. "I want jello."

"I thought you wanted a movie?" Lauren questioned, changing the subject.

"Yes," Laney beamed. "The Lion King."

Lauren nodded in response, pulling the DVD out. Laney clapped her hands together excitedly before moving over to sit next to Avery on the couch.

"Put it on, please," Laney requested, motioning toward the TV.

Lauren put the disc in the DVD player and selected play once the menu popped up before sneaking out of the room as the girls were now finally distracted and occupied. She scaled the stairs as quietly as possible, wanting to go check on Camila.

"Hi baby," Camila greeted when Lauren entered the room, an excited smile spreading across her lips.

"Hi," Lauren groaned before collapsing on the bed next to her.

"You okay?" Camila laughed lightly, reaching to rub the woman's back as she was face down on the mattress.

"They're driving me crazy," Lauren mumbled into her pillow.