Trials & Tribulations

Chapter 37. "Screw you."

"No one mentions her speech ok?" Lauren said anxiously to her assembled family who was watching the brunette pace backward and forwards across the living room floor whilst they awaited the arrival of Camila, her parents, and Sofi for dinner.

It was the Thursday, three days after Christmas, and Camila had finally been released from the hospital earlier that morning with her speech no better than it had been when she'd initially woken up on the intensive care unit six days ago.

"Honey, we have met Camila before," Clara reminded Lauren, offering her daughter a small, sympathetic smile in an attempt to reassure her.

"Yeah I know," Lauren conceded, continuing to pace, "but she's different now." She told them sadly. "Her speech is much worse than you've ever seen it before and I just don't want you to make her feel self-conscious," Lauren said seriously. "She struggles with her confidence as it is."

"I think," Clara said, standing up and placing a comforting hand on her daughter's shoulder, stopping her in her tracks, "that this probably has more to do with the fact that you're nervous about having your girlfriend's family round for dinner than Camila's difficulties with her speech." She noted shrewdly.

"You guys have to be normal, ok?" Lauren said, getting right to the crux of the problem and admitting that her mom had been close to the mark with her observation. "Don't be weird and make them feel uncomfortable..."

"We're not weird," her dad chimed in, laughing lightly from his position on the sofa, evidently amused by his daughter's nervousness.

"I know," Lauren sighed, "but, I really like her and it's the first time I've ever had a proper girlfriend and you've met her family, just, don't ruin it for me, please?" she pleaded and Clara pulled her into a warm embrace, kissing her on the forehead supportively.

"Lauren," she said simply, moving her head back to look at her eldest child after a moment, her eyes bright, and an encouraging smile on her lips. "Everyone will be on their best behavior tonight I promise," Clara reassured her, but Lauren didn't look convinced.

"Look I know it might be weird because she's a girl..." Lauren started, but Clara cut her off immediately by pulling her into a tight embrace once again.

"Hey," Clara scolded, not relaxing her grasp from around Lauren's shoulders. "I've already told you before that your dad and I don't care who you date as long as you're happy. We're proud of you no matter what, you know that..."

"You say that," Lauren started, getting agitated by the prospect of this new experience, her unease palpable, "but this kind of makes it real doesn't it? I mean, it's different when you don't have to see it..."

"Oh, we've seen it," Chris commented laughing and Lauren threw him a warning look, her eyes glaring meaningfully for him to say no more about the time he'd walked in on Camila and her in her bedroom.  

"Chris," Clara reproached, turning to face him for an instant, her eyes growing wide and silently telling him to keep quiet, that he wasn't helping the situation. She turned back to Lauren and brushed a strand of her hair soothingly. "Lauren," she continued, addressing her daughter again. "You and Camila have been dating for a while now..." she reminded her.

"Since October," Lauren informed her quickly, interceding, the date firmly fixed in her memory.

"Right," Clara laughed, stroking Lauren's hair where it fell down in loose curls and framed her face. "We've seen how the two of you are together and trust me when I say that your father and I are in no way confused about the definition of your relationship..."