I Built This Home For Me, For You

Chapter 15

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Someone, and by someone I mean MonaFalah asked for a double update, so here you go. Hope you enjoy 😉

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"Come on, we're going to be late if we're not out of here in five!" Lauren called out, trying to get everyone to finish up their last-minute adjustments. It was the annual Jauregui Corp Christmas gala, and Lauren was putting on a pair of Louboutin's and applying another layer of lipstick in the kitchen, watching as Camila tried to hide the bruise ringing Daisy's eye, while Lily fussed with her pleated skirt. Clara was ready and sitting at the dinner table while she waited for everyone else, and Lauren gave her an exasperated glance as she listened to Camila and Daisy bicker.

"My mom was right; whoever said having boys was easier was right," Camila sighed, "What is it about girls that take us so long to get ready?"

Clara made a small sound of disapproval, "Lauren used to do it on purpose to make me late."

"I'm a very flawed person," Lauren brusquely replied, "I'm well aware of how petty I can be."

"Tell me about it," Camila snorted, "Last time I told her she put too much garlic on the garlic prawns, she put garlic in everything for a week. It made me begin to wonder if vampires were onto something."

Rolling her eyes, Lauren let out a snort of laughter, "Well don't criticize my cooking then."

Laughing, Camila's eyes crinkled at the corners and she glanced up at Lauren, "The first time you cooked for me, you gave me uncooked chicken and I ate it without criticizing you once. If there was ever a time for me to criticize it, it was then."

"You've never let me live it down," Lauren grumbled, glowering at her wife as she pouted slightly. With another quick dab and a wince off Daisy from the tenderness of the bruise, Camila deemed her fit to be out in public without looking like she'd been brawling, and kissed her dark head of curls.

"Oo, one second, you need your sweater!" Camila said, beaming at Lauren, who was wearing a starched white shirt tucked into black dress pants. She had known this was coming, and she gave Camila a bright smile as she watched her wife excitedly leave the kitchen.

Daisy muffled a snort of laughter, and Lily tilted her head to the side, frowning slightly as she looked at Lauren. "Mom, why do you always wear the ugly sweaters mom knits for you?"

Clara disguised her laugh with a cough, and Lauren raised her eyebrows at her mom, pressing her lips together to stop herself from smiling. "The first Christmas your mom and I were together, she was in Afghanistan, and so she spent months knitting me a bright red sweater to wear to the Christmas gala. I looked like bloody Santa Claus, and it was completely humiliating, but she was so happy when I told her I'd wear it. For the past twenty-one years, she's made one for me to wear every year, without fail.."

"But they're ugly as fu- hell," Daisy said, a smile curling her lips as she arched an eyebrow at Lauren.

She couldn't argue with her there, and Lauren just gently sighed, "I know, but your mom spends ages knitting them for me, and it makes her happy, so I wear them for her."

"But you think they're ugly too, right?" Daisy asked.

"Oh god yes," Lauren laughed, "I'd never tell her that – and you better not too, if you know what's good for you. I don't care how ugly it is; it's a tradition now, and I like to see the smile on her face when she thinks I like it." At the sound of footsteps coming back downstairs, Lauren lowered her voice, "Okay, she's coming back. Don't mention how ugly it's going to be."