Come dance for me

Chapter 28

Lauren walked up the drive there was a lot of noise coming from the house as she got closer. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see her neighbor hovering near the fence. "Excuse Miss Jauregui is that noise going to last much longer it's been happening for the last twenty minutes," Mr Cookson said.

"I'm not sure as you can see I have just got back and have no idea what is going on yet" Lauren sighed. He stood there staring at her "Look, I will do my best to quieten things down." She hurried down the drive and unlocked the door. She could hear Henry's angry cries as soon as she entered the house. She dropped her briefcase in the hallway and kicked off her shoes as she took the stairs two at a time. "Camila, what's going on?"

"Be careful, Lauren!" Camila shouted, her voice sounding distressed. She hurried down the hallway as the door to Henry's room repeatedly slammed shut. Lauren stopped outside the door to his room and grabbed it. She looked in the room, and Camila was on the floor, struggling to keep hold of Henry his face red and tear-stained. Suddenly his foot shot up kicking Camila in the chin "Shit Henry that hurt" Camila yelled as tears ran down her face. Henry wriggled from her arms and ran for the door.

Lauren quickly squeezed through the door, shutting it so he couldn't get out and hurt himself. He grabbed at the chest of drawers screaming as he pushed them against the wall. Lauren and Camila put their hands out to stop him from hitting them. Then she reached across and switched his music on and turned it up. He jumped on the bed and started tearing at the sheets "Henry is dumb" he screamed at the top of his voice.

Lauren sat down next to Camila on the floor. She took hold of Camila's hand, keeping an eye on Henry. His screams were becoming further apart, and he lay on the bed amongst the mess of tangled bedding. Lauren kissed Camila's hand "Go take a break. I will stay with him," Lauren said.

Camila got up and walked out of the room. Lauren got up and stood near the bed "Can mom sit on the bed?" she asked.

"Yes," Henry screamed as Lauren sat next to him, trying not to crowd him. He got up and lurched towards her, and she caught his hands.

She held his hands "Kind hands Henry" she repeated until he flopped back down on the bed. He stared up at the ceiling Lauren grabbed his weighted blanket and covered his legs. He picked at the edge of the blanket as the screams stopped. She laid down next to him but not too close and stroked his head. Meltdowns always wiped him out, and his eyes started to close. She continued to stroke his head as he fell asleep. She looked at her watch. It was only five they could afford to leave him for half an hour without the risk of him not sleeping tonight.

She leaned forward and carefully kissed his forehead. Lauren got off the bed and tiptoed out of the room leaving the door ajar. She jumped as Camila sat opposite the room on the floor. Her head was in her hands as her body shook. Lauren sat down next to her and put her arm around Camila's shoulders, pulling her close. "Lo, I can't do this. I'm failing him," Camila said through sobs.

"Oh, Camz, of course, you aren't, it was a bad moment that's all," Lauren said.

"I couldn't even calm him down I forgot his music and everything, and you had to do it. I'm such a crap mother!" she choked out.

"To use one of your terms that's bullshit!" Lauren said, "Are you giving up?" Camila shook her head "Then how can you be a crap mother and the calming thing that's what I'm here for. We are a team Camila if the best thing for Henry is for you to tag out sometimes and let me take over while you look after yourself then that's what happens!"

Camila smiled "Did you just use a wrestling term."

"Maybe but it was in context" Lauren chuckled. "When I said I was here for you both I meant in the good and bad times."