Come dance for me

Chapter 15

Lauren's parents sat at each end of a very long table, and Camila and Lauren sat opposite one another in the middle. Camila couldn't remember a time when she had been to such a formal lunch. She looked down at all the cutlery laid out in front of her and was overwhelmed what was she supposed to do with it all. She had seen a programme on telly once about starting from the outside in so she would do that and hope for the best. She smiled at the server as some soup was placed down in front of her.

"So Camila, what do your parents do" Mike asked as everyone started their soup.

"I'm not sure I've never met them. I grew up in the system," Camila said she wasn't sure how much she should say, but she also wasn't ashamed of who she was. Suddenly Clara seemed to take more interest in her.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Mike said.

"It's all good I did pretty well on my own I have a great son, a good job and a roof over our head" Camila smiled.

"What do you do for a living Camila?" Clara asked. She was looking over at Camila as she finished off the first course.

"I work as a bail bonds person," Camila said smiling and wiping her mouth on the napkin before replacing it on her knee.

Clara looked shocked "you surround yourself with criminals?" she said.

"It was the only job I could get when I first came out of prison." Camila wondered if she had said too much as Clara's eyebrows disappeared into her hairline.

Clara turned to Lauren "How dare you bring a criminal into our house" she said. Damn Camila didn't hide who she was, but maybe she shouldn't have offered everything up, she thought.

"Don't be ridiculous mother she wasn't guilty plus she did her time and deserved a second chance" Lauren replied l. This is one reason she had not wanted this meal.

"This is something you always do Lauren take in waifs and strays and let them take advantage of you, how much have you given her? I hope you haven't left her alone in your house."

"Excuse me," Camila said standing up, taking her napkin off her lap and putting it down on the table. "I have always provided for myself and still do I have not and never will ask Lauren for anything except for love, I think it's time for me to go."

"How many times have I told you love makes you weak, see what it has done now made you accept the criminal and her child into your life to rob you blind" Clara snapped. Lauren threw her chair back and got up to leave.

Camila tried to swallow back the tears as she said: "Stay Lauren, I will get a cab back."

"Camila wait, of course, I'm coming with you. I don't want to be anywhere you're not welcome," Lauren said. "I knew you wouldn't have changed. You are still a hateful woman, and I don't want anything to do with you. Camila is worth ten of you." She walked over to her father and put her hand on his shoulder. She loved him dearly, but it did make her angry that he never stood up to her. "Sorry, father but I can't stay she has no right to speak to Camila like that." Her father put his hand on hers but said nothing. Lauren took one look at her mother and followed Camila out of the room.

Camila sat in her apartment, cuddled up with Henry watching the minions movie for what seemed like the hundredth time. Not that she was watching it, her mind was still filled with what had happened at Lauren's parents earlier. Sometimes she was thankful she didn't have parents to deal with.

The ride home with Lauren had been so quiet and awkward then she had dropped Camila off and left. Camila kept glancing over at her phone every few minutes waiting for her to text or call or something but her phone was quiet. Maybe Lauren had thought about what her mother had said and had started to agree with her that Camila wasn't good enough for her.