beyond the monotonous city

fourty

"I am not letting you drive!" Camila said as she ran for Lauren's car, which was still technically her mom's.

Lauren shook her head in disbelief at the girl as she packed up the empty plastic containers which held sweets just an hour before. She got into the shotgun seat as Camila announced and she saw the girl had a smug look on her face, as if to brag about being the triumphant one. Lauren could swear how annoying Camila was, although the girl was only like this to people she was truly close to which Lauren found touching but at that time she swore she was the most annoying girl to ever breathe.

Camila tapped at the wheel, still looking at Lauren. "Okay where to?"

Now it was Lauren's turn to smile smugly. "I'm not telling you, Camila. This is my surprise to you, get out."

Camila groaned in defeat as she got out of the driver's seat and crossed paths with Lauren in front of her car. Lauren smiled in victory and amusement as she started the engine this time as Camila looked at her with a forced pouting face.

"You win, Lauren. Fine." She said, pretending to be pissed when Lauren knows it isn't in the girl to be like that. She couldn't help but chuckle.

"But to be fair Camila. You were the real winner earlier. The kids loved you!! I felt like I was the visitor." Lauren explained as she pulled out of the hospital parking lot and into the street.

"Lauren, you know by now not to mess with me when there are children involved. They love me!" Camila bragged. Lauren laughed and let her have it because it was cute.

They woke up early that morning to help prepare the containers full of treats for the kids. This time around, Lauren unearthed some of her old board games such as Monopoly, Jenga, Twister and more. She drove herself and Camila to the hospital where they met up with the same kids from last time. Some had left when they got better, while some remained. There were some kids who visited that weren't from the ward, one of them being Adam, the kid Lauren got close to last time who had gotten into an accident. Lauren was so full of happiness to see him better and all healed.

"What did I tell you? You're all better now!" She said as she gave him a hug. Adam looked really healthy and back in shape and was just as happy to see Lauren.

She ended up reading a story to them as they sat around her in a circle. Camila helped her with narrating the story, Camila being a very animated storyteller. Lauren really appreciated that she invited Camila because she was a natural with the kids, and they all loved her, maybe even more than they did with Lauren as Camila had a good bond with them. They left the room in high spirits.

She looked at Camila who was still smiling, so evidently happy from earlier. Lauren wished nothing more than that and was so happy to see that her idea worked.

"Teach me how to be as good as you are with kids and I'll let you officially be my charity partner." Lauren proposed, looking back and forth from the road to the girl right next to her. She couldn't stop smiling.

"Are you serious? Lauren you're adorable with the kids. Speak for yourself." Her voice faltered. "You'll be a good mother one day."

Lauren's disposition changed as she felt Camila's change as well. She didn't know what to say as it took her by surprise.

"Like," Camila went on. "The way you look at kids, when you carry them, you've got this smile-this childlike smile I don't see elsewhere and God, wow. Your future kids would be so lucky to have a mom that looks at them like they're heaven sent." Her voice was that of wistfulness and melancholy. Lauren wished she could hold Camila's hand then.