Flying Too Close to the Sun

Pippa

Cam seemed very receptive to a little TLC.  She and I spent Saturday having a girl's day.  We got our nails done, chatted at Starbucks, and did a little shopping.  There was no better therapy than retail therapy.  We returned home in the afternoon and she had a smile on her face.  I was glad I was able to make her feel a bit better.  Hopefully, it would last.

Lin was grateful I'd put Cam back in a relatively good mood.  She even helped with laundry and did her chores without having to be reminded.  Later in the afternoon, she volunteered to take the twins to the park.  We gratefully agreed, as the twins were getting rather rambunctious.  Lin and I relaxed on the couch after they'd gone.

"So apparently this America girl down the hall is a boyfriend snatcher," I told him as we snuggled.

"Yeah, she mentioned that," Lin agreed.  "She said that was the main reason for the bathroom incident. She and her friends were getting revenge."

I sighed, "Girl drama."

"Tell me about it," he said, scrubbing a hand over his face.  I'd had a fairly drama-free group of friends in high school, so a lot of this was new to me.  Cam had shown me pictures of this boy she'd been dating and I didn't think he was anything to write home about.  She saw something in him, though.  And apparently, so did America.

About an hour later, Cam walked back in with the twins.  They were all a bit subdued, and when I looked over I realized why.  Cam was crying.  I stood up and started walking over.

"Cam, what happened?  Are you alright?"

She couldn't seem to get anything out, so I just wrapped her up in a hug as she cried.  "Cam saw her boyfriend kissing another girl and it made her sad," Raina reported.  Lin swooped in and grabbed some snacks from the pantry and coaxed the twins to the living room.  He turned on the TV so they'd have a distraction.

Lin walked over, standing close by as Cam kept crying.  "You're not hurt are you, sweetheart?" he asked gently.  She shook her head as she pulled back.

"It's just...she's doing it on purpose," she told us, wiping under her eyes.  "I don't think she even likes him.  She probably saw me out there from her apartment and met him there just so they could make out in front of me.  She's such a bitch."

I rubbed at her arm supportively.  "That's pretty low," I agreed.  If this sort of behavior was coming from a 16 year old, what was her mother capable of? 

"Cam, you deserve way better," Lin told his daughter.  "This boy isn't worth another second of your emotions."

"Daaad," she complained, thinking he didn't understand.  "It's not that easy."

"I know it's not easy," he said, taking her hand.  "Believe me, I've had my heart broken.  It hurts.  Just remember you're very special and you deserve a guy who will treat you right.  Not this guy."

I looked at her sympathetically.  "Do we need to go get some more ice cream?  Maybe a mani this time?" I joked.  She laughed a little.

"No thanks," she said.  "I think I'll just go to my room."

"Call us if you need anything," I told her as she wandered off.  Lin let out a breath and went to the fridge to get a drink.

"Lin, do you think we need to talk to her mom about this?" I asked.  "I mean, I don't want this escalating.  Maybe her mother can tell her to back off a bit."

"The mother who's been coming on to me?" he asked as he popped open a soda.  "You think she'll talk some sense into her daughter?"

I sighed and crossed my arms.  That didn't sound like a good solution.  "I don't know, Lin.  I just hate to see her hurting like this."