Beautiful When You Don't Try

Chapter 77

"Look at you." Marie called out as Lauren greeted her at the taxi, bending down to meet the tiny, plump woman in a huge hug. "It's been too long since I've seen you in person. I've had to rely on all those newspaper articles about you and your fiancé." She teased with pride as she released the brunette.

Marie's relationship to Lauren very much mirrored Clara's relationship to Camila. She was like her foster mother for the last few years when Clara was out of the picture. Her support of Meg as well as Meg's relationship with Lauren was amazing in aiding the brunette in her acceptance of herself and the security she needed to settle into it. Even when Charles, or 'Charlie' as Lauren would teasingly call him, would make little comments that were disapproving about her and his daughter, Marie was not above telling him to shut up or leave the room. It was that protection that Lauren had needed and found in Marie.

"I'm just glad you could make it to the wedding."

The older woman waved her hand at her. "Like I would ever miss it. But, onto the real topic. Camila. She's good to you?"

Lauren smiled and looked away with a bit of a blush. "Would Meg let her near me if she wasn't?" The apprentice rolled her eyes as she walked around the car and took her still nervous and silent girlfriend's hand. Lauren was afraid to ask but the gentle smile on Meg's face calmed most of her worries.

"Good point, but that's not the question I asked. Is she good to you?"

"Yes. Very. She's amazing and I can't wait for you to meet her."

"She's upstairs?"

"No. She had to take her dads to check into their hotel but she should be back soon. So, let me give you the grand tour while we wait."

The small woman hooked her arm in Lauren's and the quartette loaded into the elevator. "Tell me about her. I know nothing about musicals so I hadn't heard of her professionally until you were attached to her. I remember you describing her from our many conversations about your time in high school and that you said she was loud, obnoxious, narcissistic, but caring. I thought that was quite a combination but didn't push it at the time."

The brunette smiled and looked down to the woman who smiled right back. "She is not as loud, not as obnoxious, and not narcissistic any more. But she is still very caring." Lauren assured her. "She is... God, I don't even know how to explain it." She exclaimed in excitement and a small jump.

"Well, she's forgiving." Meg offered. "She forgave Lauren for her cruelty in the past and forgave my behavior when they first got together, letting me keep my best friend when she could have easily had me thrown out."

"She wouldn't have done that."

"And why didn't she do that?" Marie asked, looking back at Lauren.

"A lot of reasons. Mostly, she saw Meg in a different light when I explained that while, Meg ended our relationship, it was very much my fault. I think she felt bad for her."

"Your girlfriend felt bad for your ex-girlfriend because of something you did?"

Lauren nodded her head and smiled as the exited the elevator. "I told you. She is very caring. She has a big heart. It doesn't matter how mean or hurtful or how much of a possible threat you could be to her, she'll always give you at least a second chance. So, let me show you the place."

"Are you okay?" The apprentice asked, lowering her head to Kim's.

She nodded and mashed her lips between her teeth but it was clear her mind was elsewhere. "I like her. Lauren was right, she's a sweet heart."