I Built This Home For Me, For You

Chapter 32

The next morning, Camila made them all pancakes and they sat around the table, answering more questions and finishing off the rest of their story, while Lauren flipped through the photo album, showing off more photos and feeling nostalgic. Camila explained her recovery as best as she could, leaving no details out as she struggled to talk about how she'd changed when she came back, and Lauren kept a reassuring hand on top of Camila's, giving it the occasional squeeze whenever her wife faltered slightly. They talked about her nightmares and panic attacks, and Lauren's trouble sleeping, Camila's therapy and how their old dog, Athena, had been a comfort to her when being around people became too much. Lauren told them about their wedding planning, and how they'd spent a few weeks in Palm Bay, enjoying the fresh air and the sea, and how she'd read Camila poems until she fell asleep. The girls had a lot of questions, and their plates had been long since scraped clean by the time they left the table, satisfied for the time being.

They had a flight in the afternoon to take them back to Jacksonville, and Lauren spent the rest of the morning washing their clothes and packing everything away, helping Lily with her homework and tidying up around the apartment. Then she settled down in her old office and worked on some paperwork, until lunchtime rolled around and Lily was knocking on the door to ask what they had to eat. Finishing up her work, Lauren capped her pen and closed her laptop, rolling the chair backward and climbing to her feet. Walking over to the door, she paused slightly as she stood next to her daughter, a small crease forming between her eyebrows as she looked her up and down, taking in the lanky limbs and bare feet of her before she looked back up.

"What's wrong?" Lily asked, her brown eyes innocent as she wondered why Lauren was looking at her like that.

"Mother fu- you're taller than me!" Lauren exclaimed, and it was true, as she realized that over the past few months her daughter had grown at least an inch, putting her taller than Lauren. She hadn't noticed the exact moment Lily had surpassed her height, but the sudden realization that her little girl wasn't quite so little was shocking. "You're not even fifteen yet! How are you taller than me?! You obviously take after your mother."

Laughing, Lily threw her shoulders back and straightened up, trying to make herself look even taller so she could stare down at Lauren, who looked slightly peeved. "Knock it off," Lauren grumbled, poking her in the side and laughing as Lily let out a surprised yelp. "Speaking of your mother, where is she? I'm thinking of pie for lunch."

Blinking in surprise, Lily gave Lauren a wary look, "Pie, for lunch? Who are you?"

Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, Lauren steered her daughter out of the doorway and shut the office door behind them, "I'm your mom, who married a sugar-obsessed woman, who's passed it on to you. Besides, we could all do with a break," Lauren sighed. "You seen her around here anywhere? She can't have gone far. Brunette hair, same eyes as you ..."

Rolling her eyes, Lily walked down the hallway to the kitchen, no doubt with the intention of raiding the cupboards for a quick snack. "Daisy wanted her for something last time I checked. Try her room maybe."

Kissing her on the temple, Lauren walked down the hallway and stopped outside Daisy's door, quietly knocking and opening the door a crack. The room was empty, but she could hear voices coming from the bathroom - the sound of laughter and undistinguishable words - and smiled as she crossed the room, freezing when she reached the door, which was slightly ajar. Pushing it open, she crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head to the side, looking at her guilty looking daughter, holding a chunk of brunette hair in her hand and a pair of scissors in the other. Camila turned and looked at Lauren, a laugh dying on her lips as she gave her wife a sheepish look, half of her hair cut to above her shoulders.