Finding Home

Speak

Before July, I decided to give you an new Finding Home chapter. Learn a little about Laurmani's past and cute Normila/Laurmani moments. And a really tiny, almost not there Camren moment.

This is also because I'll be a little late with the next Lost Inside chapter which will be out later today.

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Normani ran her hand through Lauren's hair (Lauren was laying down on the couch, her head on Normani's lap). The smaller girl let out a sigh, as she stared at the television. Normani watched as a girl in the movie turned into an ogre and had a conversation with a talking donkey. She didn't know what they were watching. She was watching the movie and keeping an eye on the family.

The women were cleaning up in the kitchen while their daughter, Camila, had gone to her room. Dinah had put a movie on for Lauren and Normani. She didn't know how long they were sitting there, but she was a little worried.

Normani looked down at Lauren, who was gripping her pants tightly.

"We are okay," Normani whispered, giving Lauren a reassuring smile.

The girl nodded, her green eyes dull as it always was. Normani had never seen those eyes light up, and it sadden her. Lauren turned to the television, staring at it.

Camila walked into the living room and climbed onto the couch, her attention on the television.

"C-Camila," Normani whispered, staring at the little girl.

Camila turned to look at Normani, giving her a toothy grin. "Hi Mani."

Mani. No one called her Mani. It made her smile.

"How old are you?"

Camila looked down at her hand and held up two fingers. "I thwee."

The girl looked so proud, probably thinking she got it right.

Normani looked to the entrance and saw no one there. She turned to Camila and held up three fingers. "Three."

Confused, Camila looked from her fingers to Normani's and back. She held up three fingers. "Thwee," she whispered to herself. She turned to Normani. "I thwee Mani."

"Lo is three, too."

"Weally?" Camila asked, a grin on her face. "You s'ay wit us?"

Normani looked down at Lauren who fell asleep on her lap. She turned to Camila. She shrugged. "I don't know. Are Dinah and Ally nice?"

Camila gave her a nod. "Weally nice. I loves dem."

Dinah and Ally walked into the living room and sat on either sides of Camila. The girl curled up next to Ally, hugging her.

"I was wondering if we could ask you a few questions," Dinah told Normani, her voice low, not wanting to wake Lauren up.

"O-okay," Normani whispered, pulling Lauren closer to herself.

"How long have you been living in the park?" Ally asked, looking at the girls. Normani could see the worry on her face.

"Two weeks," the six year old answered, her hand still running through Lauren's hair.

"We notice Lauren doesn't talk," Dinah commented her eyes flickering to the sleeping girl.

"Lauren has never said a word," Normani said, looking down at the girl who was curled up against her, her thumb in her mouth. "I don't think she knows how to talk."

"Do you know why?"

"They never let her. I wasn't there in the beginning, but they were really mean to us. They had Lauren longer than they had me. They'd get mad when Lauren made a single sound. They'd punish her if she cried too loudly. They had a closest where they'd lock us if were too bad, and they'd always put Lauren in there when she was too loud, but she was never loud."