Where love leads us (Sequel of BWYDT)

Chapter 33

"There they are! Go! Run! They can keep you!" Camila teased as both boys took off through the airport straight into their grandparent's arms.

"You've got them for the week, right?" Lauren asked with a smile as she and Camila strolled up to the occupied grandparents, an eager Madeline on her hip waiting for her turn as well. "We can just leave them with you and go sleep for the week in the hotel, right?"

Camila placed her hand on Lauren's arm and closed her eyes with a gasp. "That sounds so good right now. And the silence. Can you imagine the silence?"

Lauren shook her head once. "No. No, I can't. Also, no more cruises."

Realizing the two parents were currently too busy bombarding the children with endless questions and not listening to them at all, the women rolled their eyes at one another but smiled. This part of their vacation was going to be just as important as the cruise. This was a slow progression back into the normal world. "Would you sweethearts like-"

"Don't even finish that question!" Sinu exclaimed as she jumped to her feet with outstretched arms to receive her granddaughter who was already leaning out for her. "Of course I want my baby girl! Oh my, God! This is not her! This one is too big to be my baby! But I will take you anyway because you are just too cute! Alejandro. Alejandro, look at her!"

"Oh," the man cooed softly as he stood, still holding a hand to both of the boys' shoulders. "Camila, she's looking more and more like you every time we see her."

"Yes, she does." Sinu agreed, leaning over to kiss each woman's cheek in greeting. "And I'm sure you're thrilled with that, aren't you, Lauren?"

Lauren didn't respond. She didn't need to. She had always been vocal about her desire to have a Camila look-a-like running around the house. "Just so we are on the same page, how are you wanting this week to go?"

Sinu sheepishly looked over her shoulder to her husband, still distracted with the boys' stories of the cruise, the characters they met, the excisions they went on, and how much ice cream Lauren let them eat when Camila wasn't around. "Well, the way I see it... you two have had them every day for the last week. I think it's our turn." Both women nodded curtly in full acceptance of her terms. "Besides, I'm sure you two have a lot of odds and ends to catch up on now that you are back on solid land."

Lauren sighed and took Camila's hand in hers as they began a slow stroll out of the airport. "I'm not in too much of a rush though there are some things I would like to get a jump on. And I should probably check in on Kim and Adrianne. Make sure they haven't divorced or, you know, burned down the studio."

"That would be unfortunate." Alejandro added as he joined the group, one grandson on each hand. "Especially since you have sold it."

Camila nodded but bit her lips between her teeth and leaned against Lauren as they walked. She was proud of Lauren for taking a step forward with the studio and for opening up this new phase of their lives, but she was still sad to see it go. So many memories were tied to that place. Every time she had lunch with Lauren, that first moment of meeting played back in her head. That smile that washed away her concerns... knowing everything that she knew now, she knew that smile had been so much more than just a friendly greeting. That was years of love and hope.

Lauren must have noticed Camila's silence more than she expected and bent her head down to kiss the actress' forehead. "We will make more memories, Baby. We have a whole lifetime ahead of us still. It's just a new chapter."

"Right. New chapter. Same story."

-/-/-/-/-/-

Michelle wrapped her arms around Nikki's shoulders from behind and pushed forward playfully. The two were sitting on the living room floor eating lunch and talking, catching up on the last week of their lives but conversation gave way to hunger. Nikki arched an eyebrow as Michelle's weight leaned her forward and she set her sandwich down on her plate, moving it discreetly out of the way.