STILL THE ONE

Chapter 33 - You Don't Have To do This Alone

Give me a sign
Take my hand, we'll be fine
Promise I won't let you down
Just know that you don't
Have to do this alone
Promise I'll never let you down

Camila made it back to her hotel in London and collapsed exhausted on the bed. The past few weeks had been intense, first the movie premieres, and then as she had toured the US, South America and Europe on a whirlwind promo tour for her book. It was on the New York Bestsellers List and had garnered rave reviews, but none of that was as important to her as the feedback from readers, old fans and new alike, who told her how it touched them, helped them and inspired them. She lay and looked at the ceiling of the room in this grand old hotel, thinking of where she was and wondering what her fifteen year old self would think of twenty-six year old Camila and what she had accomplished. Her music career, her movie career and now her book.

But none of it she considered her greatest accomplishment. She lifted her phone and stared at the lock screen, a candid photo from their wedding. Shawn was rehearsing for tour, and as usual, he was completely focused on it, but never too busy to talk to her or answer her texts. It was about eleven am in LA, she texted him that she loved and missed him with a bunch of hearts and kissing emojis. Her phone rang almost immediately requesting FaceTime and she accepted.

"Hello husband," she said with a smile.

"Ah if it isn't the old ball and chain," he chuckled. "Are you lying down?"

"Do I look weird?"

"You look tired. Have you finished for the day?"

"Yep, I was supposed to have dinner with the publisher but I made it afternoon tea instead." She said "afternoon tea" in her English accent and Shawn rolled his eyes as he always did. She didn't know why he teased her, his accent was even more atrocious than hers.

"Well, get some sleep, this jet lag is killing you."

"Tell me about it," she said drily. "How is the tour rehearsal going?"

His eyes lit up. "Really well, we're just tweaking everything, we'll be all ready for next month."

"I'm going to miss you." She said, trying not to sound sad.

"You can meet up with me as often as you like, in between working on your own album."

"Yep," right at the moment, the last thing she wanted to think about was more work. She felt tears prickle at the back of her eyelids, and blinked them away.

He looked concerned. "When do you head back?"

"Tomorrow night, I'll be home Thursday."

"I'll pick you up. The house is empty without you."

"I can't wait. I love you."

"I love you too baby."

She put the phone down with a smile on her face and fully dressed, on top of the bed, she fell sound asleep.

She awoke some time in the night and managed to undress and crawl into bed and she awoke feeling like she was getting the flu. She got up and dressed in comfortable clothes and headed out for a walk. There were fans outside and she took selfies and signed autographs then caught a cab to a coffee shop she liked, finding a little table at the back that was fairly secluded. She drank tea and ate toast. It was too early to ring Shawn, but she looked through her social media and then decided to go for a walk. She found a bookshop and walked in, thinking she'd buy something to read on the plane but suddenly realising that her book was in a display at the front of the store. The girls behind the counter were whispering excitedly behind their hands and she smiled inwardly, knowing what came next.