DESTINED AFFECTION

THIRTY

"Hi," Lauren said softly as she leaned down to kiss Camila gently on the lips. "How do you feel?"

"I'm fine." Camila, the only patient in the recovery room, was propped up on the stretcher with several pillows behind her back. She smiled and reached for Lauren's hand. "I more or less slept through the procedure, although I remember watching the fluoroscope when Shawn was placing the new leads."

"Are you having any pain?"

"No. He went through the old incision to change the battery pack, so there's very little discomfort. I should be out of here in fifteen minutes or so."

"Has anyone talked to you yet?"

"You mean about the current state of my heart?" Camila squeezed Lauren's fingers. She was still reeling from the impact of the news. "Yeah. Bruno was here just now and gave me a rundown. He said there's a good chance I won't need the defibrillator in another six months."

"I'm so happy for you, baby." Lauren brushed her fingers through Camila's hair. "That's the best news."

"I'm happy for us," Camila said quietly, her eyes fixed on Lauren's face. "I don't want you to worry about me all the time, and I don't want you to be cheated out of anything you deserve."

Lauren frowned, her eyes darkening. "I didn't expect you to come along, Camz. I didn't expect to love anyone the way I love you. And I certainly never dreamed of anyone making me feel the way you do."

"Lauren—"

"No, let me finish," Lauren chided gently. " I love you. You make me terribly happy. I could never feel cheated because of having you in my life. When I think of the future now, I see you. And it's wonderful."

"I love you so much." Camila's voice was husky and sweet.

"Ditto, Dr. Cabello." Lauren blinked away tears and smiled. "Demi says you'll be operating again soon, too. Did she tell you that?"

Camila shrugged. "Yes, but for the time being, I have a job." Then she grinned, brown eyes sparkling. "And since I have a thing for my boss, I'm not in a big hurry to switch."

"Well," Lauren murmured, "since your boss has a thing for you, too, that's good to hear." She took a breath to be sure her voice was steady. "When the time comes, maybe you'll consider a position at PMC in the surgery department."

"If not there, someplace in Philadelphia will need a trauma surgeon." Camila regarded Lauren intently. "Because I have no plans to leave."

Lauren kissed her again. "Even better."

"Would you mind calling Kyle on your cell phone so I can talk to her?" Camila glanced toward the other side of the room where the recovery room nurse sat writing notes in her chart. "I'm the only patient in here, so I don't think we'll disrupt anything critical with it."

"Oh, no," Lauren laughed. "Except if we happen to interfere with the telemetry to that monitor you're wearing, Demi Lovato will be in here pounding on your chest before I have a chance to explain."

Camila grinned. "I trust you to handle her."

"Thank you," Lauren said dryly. "Even so, I'll use the phone in the waiting area in a few minutes and tell Kyle that you'll call her as soon as you can. Okay?"

"Okay." Camila leaned her head back against the pillows. "Then how about checking the Amtrak schedule to see if we can get a train back to Philadelphia tonight."

"Selena invited us to stay here in Manhattan tonight with them," Lauren replied. "I think we should. That way you can get a good night's sleep before we travel."

"I don't want to miss one of Phyllis's breakfasts." Camila lifted Lauren's hand and kissed her fingers gently. "And I want to see Kyle."

"Most people would jump at the chance to spend a night in New York City without their children, you know," Lauren pointed out with another laugh. It wasn't until she had said the words that she realized how easily she had begun to think of them as a family. She searched Camila's face and found the calm certainty there that she loved so much.

"Give me a year or so, and maybe I'll feel that way, too. Maybe. " Camila locked eyes with Lauren. "I was kind of hoping I could count on having the next fifty or sixty with you."

"Make it seventy, and you've got a deal."

Camila reached up and brushed a single tear from Lauren's cheek. "Done."

"Did you just propose?"

"Yes."

"Good, because I just accepted." Still holding Camila's hand tightly, Lauren took the cell phone from her pursed and flipped open the cover. After she punched in the number, she found Camila's eyes again and said softly, "Let's hope this doesn't set off any alarms."

"I think we're safe," Camila whispered.

"Phyllis?" Lauren watched the steady rhythm of Camila's heart as it traced across the monitor above the bed. "Tell Kyle she can stay up late tonight. Camila and I are coming home."

The End

AN: This is the end of the story guys now I'm gonna need my siesta time. i'm so tired and the weather is so gloomy. Hope you enjoy the book guys. I don't know when will I have the audacity  to write or edit or convert something again. Till next time guys. No CamRen motivation on flow 😄