Into You

Chapter 50

It's amazing how different your life can become with the smallest and simplest change.

The rest of the weekend had been a bit of a bust. By the time she and Camila woke up on Sunday, the morning was pretty much gone. Realizing that there was no point in making any significant plans for the day, they got dressed, and headed out to the nearest shop to buy some food, the fridge and cupboards being bare.

"Lolo, how about I treat us to a pub lunch?" Camila said suddenly, gesturing at the bar on the corner opposite.

"What about the shopping?" she said pointing at the store with its customers bustling in and out.

"We can get that on the way home, then you can cook me that fancy dinner you've been promising, but first, we can eat something cooked by someone else. We've only had cereal today and I'm starving,"

She mulled it over. It was only just gone two, and the opening hours on the shop door said they had a couple of hours before it closed.

"You're swaying, baby," Camila said with a grin, "I can tell... come on, it'll be nice."

"Ok," she said sighing dramatically, "but we can't be too long because the shop closes at four. There's no time for a heavy drinking session, Miss Cabello... and you bought dinner last night so it's my turn to pay."

"A quick bite," Camila promised crossing her heart, "and no alcohol. I'm not in the mood after last night."

She was true to her word as well, not a drop of alcohol passed her lips until long after they got home.

The pub was noisy and full of people as they forced their way to the bar, the atmosphere actually quite pleasant. She'd been in many pubs in her time, with friends, with comrades, with family and with lovers. Pubs are a place where they go, not just to drink, but to meet and talk and reacquaint with friends and neighbours, the very nature of community life.

It was nice to be here, she thought as she stared at the pictures, men and women, workers and soldiers from the barracks that gave the name to the nearby streets; all captured in that moment of communion, that shared experience that was the pub. Being sat here gave her a sense of connection to the past, and that was a good thing; the past was something that had been drummed into her, it was something she felt was important.

"What are you thinking about, Lolo?" Camila said tapping her on the head with her menu.

"History, actually," she told her, dragging her eyes away from a picture of a crowd of flat-capped men holding up dark pints outside the front door.

"What about it?" Camila asked looking vaguely interested, which was more than Lauren's ex used to do, rolling her eyes and groaning whenever she'd broached the subject.

"Nothing really, it was a big thing in the army and I guess I've been interested in it ever since. I was looking at these pictures and thinking about how some things never change. Boring stuff really," she said trying to change the subject and distract the girl from her geeky side, "have you chosen what you want to eat?"

"I wondered if you wanted to share that platter type thing with me," Camila replied looking at her strangely. "I don't want to eat so much that I'll have no room for the wonderful meal you're going to cook for me tonight."

"I wouldn't get your hopes up that much, Camz" she said standing and preparing to go and place their order. "I said I can cook, I never said that I'm a good cook."

"No, but you keep saying that you're better than me," the brunette said with a grin.

"That's not really difficult, is it, love?" she teased, "I had to teach you how to make a decent pot of tea for crying out loud."