mending the pieces ~ camren

chapter seventeen

Lauren's POV

It wasn't too long after Camila left when I heard the front door open and close a few seconds later. Assuming it was my mom, because who else could it be, really? I stood up from the couch and walked to the hallway.

"Hi," I greeted.

"Oh, hey sweetie." She responded as she took her shoes off.

"What have you been up to all day?" I asked, maintaining conversation between us.

"So much, Lauren. So much." She murmured.

"Okay, well..care to share maybe?" I trailed.

"Yeah, can you make me a cup of tea first, though? I'll tell you then." She answered.

"Sure," I said and walked to the kitchen.

"Here you go," I spoke up, putting Mom's favorite mug on the table in the living room.

"Thanks, honey." Mom said smiling.

"Okay, spill!" I quipped impatiently.

"Okay, well.. I assume both you and Camila have figured out that something had been going on..?" she said, raising both of her eyebrows.

I chuckled and nodded.

"Totally, you weren't exactly secretive, you know. and especially Sinu, from what I've heard."

"Yeah," mom chuckled, "so Camila's mom planned something for her. She wanted to surprise her and she's been doing really well with keeping it all to herself until today, really." She stopped to get a sip of her still pretty warm tea. "About a week ago Sinuhe came up with an idea that she was sure would make Camila incredibly happy, and she was so right.." she trailed thoughtfully with a faint smile on her face.

"Mom! C'mon, I wanna know what she did!" I urged her. Though knowing Camila was so happy to see the surprise felt really nice. Imagining her whole body reflect her happiness made me smile lightly myself. My mom's voice got me out of my daze and I directed my gaze at her again, giving her my full attention.

"Okay, okay!" mom laughed. "Sinu invited Camila's two best friends from Cuba to Miami for ten days."

I smiled widely, putting my hands over my mouth. Now I was able to actually at least try to imagine what Camila was feeling. After getting a glimpse of her love for her best friends today and yesterday, I expected her to be on top of the world, having Theo and..Duardo, was it? By her side with her right now.

"Wow.." I breathed. "I wish I could've seen her react to that."

"Her reaction was priceless. At first she was both confused and speechless, when she realized what's going on, a smile took over her face, I'm telling you, I've never seen a smile so big. After that she started sobbing and ran up to the boys and threw herself on the bigger one." My mom recounted, smiling. "What I saw literally resembled a koala bear hold onto a tree. Anyway, the smaller one hugged Camila and they stayed like that. I think all of them cried at some point." She stopped, or so I thought.

"It was such a precious thing to watch. I could actually feel their love for one another." She added wittingly. "But after that I left the Cabellos house, almost unnoticed. Sinu seemed so touched by the three of them, that I only silently let her know I was leaving."

"That's wonderful, she's probably actually jumping from joy. That was an amazing thing of Sinu to do." I said deliberately.

"Yes indeed."

"Anyway, how about you do whatever you feel like doing and I'll prepare something to eat for the evening?" I suggested.

"You would?"