Beautiful When You Don't Try (Camren)

Chapter 17

"Oh, thank you." Camila raised her eyes to the ceiling to give thanks. "You." She looked to a bewildered Alejandro as he walked in the front door. "Come finish this bread and you," She looked to Sinu. "Ariana called like two minutes ago. I don't know what was said but I do believe she wanted to talk to you."

"Do you think she burned the turkey?" Sinu jibed as Alejandro washed his hands to take over the bread from Camila. "And why are you so panicked?"

"Lauren answered the phone and now she's like...comatose." Camila explained. The two parent's eyes met quickly at the possibilities. She ignored them and ran up the stairs to her room where she found Lauren laying on the bed. "Hey..."

She didn't say anything until Camila set her knee on the bed to join her. "How come you never told me that your mom has contact with your family? And why does Sinu have a picture of...of her daughter in her wallet but Alejandro still seems furious with her about the way she treated you ?"

Instead of laying down, Camila decided to sit on the edge of the bed. She couldn't tell if Lauren was upset with her for not mentioning any of this or just curious. There wasn't a definitive emotion playing on her face. "She doesn't exactly call and talk to me. Not really Dad either because he is angry with her. I tried to warn you that he doesn't let things go easily. Mom on the other hand, just likes to be friendly. She started talking to her a few months ago, but...I don't think I should be telling you this. I don't know all of the details anyway."

"So your biological mother talks with your mom, but not you?" Camila nodded and Lauren furrowed her brow. "How does that work?"

The diva fiddled with her fingers in her lap. "She's just looking for advice about raising an adopted child. Who better to ask than the man and woman who raised hers?" She shrugged her shoulders. It was logical and she couldn't blame Ariana for seeking the advice.

Lauren untucked an arm from around her body and grabbed Camila's fidgeting fingers. "Does it bother you?"

The brunette shrugged. "It hurts but there's nothing I can do about it. Lauren, what happened on the phone? Why did you run off?"

"I actually tried very hard not to run."

Camila rolled her eyes. Only Lauren can joke at moments like these. "You know what I mean. What did she say to you?"

Lauren shook her head as best she could while laying down. "It was nothing Ariana said. I heard her. I heard her voice in the background. I kinda freaked out."

"You heard Michelle?" Camila's mouth fell open. Freaking out was an understatement for what she was expecting the photographer to have done in that situation.

"She actually named her Michelle?"

"I thought you did?"

"No." Lauren rolled on her back slightly to reach Camila's hand better at their distance. "I left the birth certificate blank, but Zayn had mentioned the name to her."

Camila paused for a moment, unsure of how comfortable Lauren was with the topic. "You mentioned mom's picture of her, have you seen it?"

"No. I couldn't. I was too scared." Camila dropped her brow for more of an explanation but Lauren waved it off. "Yes or no answers are great and easy to give right now. But I'm already emotionally spent for today and I can't even attempt to verbalize any more feelings than that."

"Okay. Fair enough, but that does lead me to a question I've been wanting to ask you for a while. And, as in a while, I actually mean since yesterday. This..."

Lauren shifted slightly, moving her free hand under her head and trying to calm Camila's anxiety with a slight curve of a smile. "This what?"

"This has all been very unfair to you. When I asked you to come it was for selfish reasons mostly. I wanted you here when I told my parents about us. I didn't want to have to do it by myself."