Come Back, Be Here (Camren)

Chapter 50

Trigger Warning

It is nighttime when Camila finally returns home from the video shoot. She tried to leave set right after she heard the door slam and couldn't find her wife anywhere, but Eric reminded her of the contract that she signed with them. She just looked at him incredulously, as if waiting on him to say just kidding, go be with your wife. Instead, the man just shrugged his shoulders and walked away.

When she finally gets inside the apartment, she sees that all the lights are off. The Latina frowns as she drops her stuff onto the floor. She immediately makes her way to the bedroom she shares with Lauren. The musician has every intention of walking into the room and begging for her wife's forgiveness. She puts her hand on the door knob and tries to push it open, but it won't budge.

It's locked. Lauren's locked her out.

Camila has come home late many nights, but the door to their room has always remained unlocked. The younger Cuban's heart shatters when she thinks about the fact that Lauren didn't want her to come in and say goodnight. Maybe Lauren didn't care if she came home at all. Not wanting to give up easily, Camila gently knocks on the door.

"Lauren, can you open up please?" The brunette pleads, her voice shaky. She waits patiently to hear footsteps on the floor, signaling that Lauren has gotten up from the bed and is coming to unlock the door. After she waits for a minute, she realizes Lauren has made no move to get up and unlock the door.

"Baby, please let me in. I'm so sorry I had no idea that the video would be that... sexual." Camila cringes when thoughts of what she had to do earlier in the day with Zayn flood her mind. "Lo, I'm sorry. Please let me in." Camila's knocks become more frantic.

Camila continues to knock and plead, but after 30 minutes pass and the door is still locked, she dejectedly turns around and presses her back to the door. She slowly slides her back down the wood until her butt hits the floor. Deciding that she doesn't want to sleep too far from Lauren tonight, she curls up in a ball by the door outside their bedroom.

She wipes at the tears that are silently spilling from her eyes. She has no idea that Lauren is inside the room, doing the exact same thing.

The next morning, Lauren wakes up and starts getting ready for work. She has to add an extra layer of powder on her face in an attempt to hide the bags under her eyes. The brunette didn't get much sleep last night. She couldn't stop crying long enough to fall asleep.

Once she's finished getting ready for the day, she opens up the door. Her heart clenches when she sees her wife laying on the floor in front of their bedroom door, wrapped in the blanket that is usually draped over the back of the couch. She immediately bends down and scoops the smaller brunette up into her arms and carries her back into the room. She gently lays her sleeping wife on their bed and tucks her in.

A sigh escapes her lips when she takes in Camila's disheveled features. Her cheeks are tear stained and her nose has a tint of red to it, which Lauren guesses is from her wiping it so much last night while crying. She gently reaches out her hand and pushes a strand of Camila's hair away from her face.

"I'll always belong to you. No matter what happens, no matter what the future holds." Lauren whispers. "I'll always belong to you." She leans down and places a kiss to her wife's temple. Her lips linger on Camila's warm skin for a minute before she finally pulls back. "I love you, Camz."

With that, the brunette exits the room and their apartment and heads to work for the day.

Halfway during her work day, Lauren hears her boss yell for her to come to the front of the store. Currently, she's in the back sorting out the art that will be displayed at the next art exhibit that's coming up soon. Not wanting to keep her boss waiting, she makes her way out of the back room and to the front of the store. When she gets in view of the front door, she stops in her tracks when she sees her wife standing there with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. She knows she should feel elated and happy to see Camila, but she can't help but wonder how many more times her wife is going to keep messing up and then bringing her flowers as an apology. Lauren loves Camila more than life itself, but it's going to take more than flowers to solve their marital problems.