Never Let Me Go (Camren/Norminah)

Chapter 8: El Halcón

"Maybe all the people who say ghosts don't exist are just afraid to admit that they do."

- Michael Ende, The Neverending Story

***

"I swear Camila, we need to get this damn garage door fixed. If I have to park Mani's car down the side of the house one more time the neighbours are going to start questioning whether we're squatting. I don't need to be the one to tell you that the four of us can't handle that kind of stress." Dinah Jane walked shoulder to shoulder with Camila as they walked up the driveway and stood in front of the broken door.

"You know, the garage door at our house back at home broke a few months ago as well." Camila sighed. "We were supposed to be able to open it remotely from the car, and I accidentally forced it open when I was trying to bring the garbage bins out to the curb."

"Wow, so have you just recently become a natural home wrecker, or were you born that way?"

"I love you for creatively turning the world's greatest gay anthem in my face against me." Camila grunted. "So what should we do? Call the landlord?" 

"Jackson already had to come over a few nights ago to fix Lauren's dehumidifier downstairs." Dinah shook her head. "I don't think he's going to be happy to drive in again so soon. Man, I wish Ally was still here. She usually had solutions to these kinds of issues."

"Yeah, I hate having to deal with house problems without her." Camila sighed. "Or life without her. I just miss her." 


"We all do." Dinah folded her arms. "You know, Lauren mentioned your brother was in town, maybe we could pop by his hotel and ask if he can fix it."

"My brother is in town to get stuff for his job." Camila replied, shaking her head. "I'm pretty sure the last thing he needs right now is to drive across the worst traffic in the world to help his little sister fix a garage door."

"He's cute though." Dinah whined. "Come on, he's staying at the Belnord right? That's not even too far away."

"Please, keep nagging." Camila muttered as she headed into the house and dumped her heavy backpack to the floor. "This is fun for me."

Needless to say, an hour later Camila found herself leading Dinah up a very wide staircase into the lobby of the Belnord hotel. At the front desk, a tight bun wearing woman stood in a pin strait posture, typing away at a keyboard that looked and sounded like it came straight out of the 20th century. She looked up as they approached, only somewhat stopping what she was working on to give them her attention.

"How can I help you?" Camila groaned quietly. Her voice was equally as annoying as her face.

"We're looking for Daniel Cabello, I was wondering if I could get you to send a message to his room." The brunette put on a fake smile.

Two minutes later, the woman looked up again with an apologetic shake of the head. "Sorry, he doesn't seem to be in his room. Maybe he's out. You can come back later and I'd be happy to check again."

"Will do." Camila shrugged, turning to her roommate. "Well we tried. Let's head back and I'll just nag Lauren until she figures out a way to fix it. She's the smartest one of all of us anyway."


"No, nice try." Dinah grabbed her shoulders before Camila could get as much as a pace or two away. "The only thing your fiancé can fix is a bowl of cereal and a grilled cheese sandwich, and we both know it. Do you have any idea where he may be?"

With a sigh, the Cuban turned back to the woman behind the desk. "Does this hotel have a gym?"

"Sure does, elevator to your left, one floor down."