Worthless (Camren)

"Dr Holland"

Lauren put the clothes down on the sink and looked Camila over, the girl's hair still needed combing and maybe a trimming, but she wasn't sure if she should propose either. Combing the messy tangled curls would probably hurt . Lauren really didn't want to cause the slave any more pain than she was probably in already. Camila had looked up slightly when she had put the clothes down, her eyes were fixed on them and she looked so hopeful.

"My dad just got back", Lauren told her. "He called Doctor Holland, she'll be here to examine you soon." Camila's eyes shot up, Lauren could tell she was confused. "She's really nice, I promise. " Camila was looking at the floor again. "Thank you, Mi... Mis... Lauren", she flinched, looking longingly at the clothes.

"How about you put ..." Lauren was about to suggest putting on the pajamas, when her eyes caught on Camila's legs that had been left exposed by the robe from the knees down.

"Can I have a look at your knees?" SHe asked. Camila immediately raised the bathrobe's hem to the middle of her thighs. Laueen knelt down on the tiles in front of her to have a closer look.

The area above both of Camila's knees was swollen to a frightening size. Lauren frowned, looking up at Camila. "How long have they been like this?" Lauren asked.

Camila shook her head "I don't know! A while, I don't know what's wrong with them, I'm scared, I'm sorry!" Laueen could see tears threatening to spill down the other girl's cheeks.

"Do they hurt?" SHe asked, because they sure looked painful. Camila nodded.

"Okay, don't worry. I'm sure it's nothing. We'll ask the doctor to have a look at them, alright?" Another nod from the slave girl.

"Now, how about you put on your pajamas, we'll get you some clothes of your own soon, but for now I hope you're okay with borrowing mine." Camila's eyes widened.

"Yours?" SHe asked disbelievingly.

"Yes, I promised they've been freshly washed and pressed", Laueen said trying to sound nonchalant.

Camila looked puzzled but reached for the warm, soft pajama shirt anyway. Lauren turned her back and busied herself looking for something in the cupboard. When Lauren turned back around, toothbrush in hand, Camila had managed to put on her pajamas and fold the robe neatly. SHe looked so small in the blue plaid clothes that Laueen wanted to wrap her up in a blanket and give her cookies and milk.

"Here", she held the new toothbrush out for Camila to take. Camila just stared at it. "You know how to use this right?" Lauren asked uncertainly.

"This toothbrush... it's for me?" Camila asked cautiously.

"Erm... yeah, it's yours" Lauren said hesitantly "here, let's put your name on it?" SHe opened the mirrored cupboard above the sink and pulled out a sharpie that the Jauregui used for exactly this purpose. SHe wrote "Camila" on the handle and held it out for Camila to read.

"How's that?" Lauren asked, smiling at Camila's blissful expression as she took the brush from Lauren.

"Thank you!" Camila gasped, holding the brush as if it was made of glass.
Lauren decided not to ask why this was so precious to Camila, she vaguely remembered one of her father's slaves telling her that her traders had only given her a small paper cup of mouthwash a day, because running water was too expensive to acquire for slaves of a travelling market. SHe handed Camila the toothpaste when the other girl was about to shove the brush in her mouth with only water on it and stepped away to give Camila a little privacy.

There was a knock on the bathroom door. "Lauren?"

Lauren opened the door to let her father in. Camila ceased brushing her teeth and seemed unsure of what to do. "Keep going, kid." Mike told her, Camila did.