An Angel's Vice

Chapter 15 - 3 Turning Points

"Toma, mami," she says, sitting beside Candy, who weakly sits up and rubs the crust in her eyes. Lauren cuts the syrupy stack of pancakes up into pieces for her and feeds her a bite. "Before you take the medicine. Don't want you getting sicker."

"Thanks."

"I'm sorry you had to get rid of the baby."

"I'm not," Candy gulps down some of her water. "I did it because I wouldn't have been happy with it. And while I was at church yesterday, and you were doing you, I decided that I do want to have a baby. But I want us to agree to have it together."

In that instant, Lauren suffers from her usual flashbacks of terror. She tries to mask this by looking the other way while Candy concerns herself with the eggs on her plate. "Why?"

"You were so happy to know you were having a baby before it was taken from you, and I don't think that's fair. I wanna give to you something so sacred, and restore the joy you felt. I want to help you get back the life you lost. And I realise I miss having a family too...so why not create our own?"

"I don't think I deserve that," Lauren frowns, disconcerted with the idea. "Life always happens—it'll find some sadistic way to take that from me. Something that precious won't have a chance at living long as long as I'm still alive to have it. I'm fine with just having what I already have and not complaining about it."

Candy drops her fork and puts a hand on Lauren's knee, seeking eye contact. "Hey...it's okay to want more and have more. Sometimes history doesn't repeat itself. Maybe you get lucky this time," she says so innocently despite thinking to herself that the only reason Lauren lost that baby is because she wasn't supposed to have it in the first place—it belonged to another woman.

"I don't think so. And besides, you're too deep in the game for me to even think that's a good idea."

"I'll step down. Well, not as the boss, but I will take a much less active role in the face of things. I'll appoint Lola as my second in command. If it makes you feel more secure, I won't put myself in harms way or do business so directly with people. I'll keep myself out of reach as I'm running my business, and I'll just hire more security to make sure the bad guys stay away," Candy runs her hands along Lauren's shoulders and back, easing her anxiety just enough to persuade her. She smiles when Lauren looks like she's actually considering it.

"For real, Candy? You'll step back?" she quietly asks with her head bowed. She'd rather not get her hopes up despite her desire to jump for joy and celebrate Candy's willingness...and all it took for that to happen was a baby.

"Of course. I'll do anything for our family," Candy leans her face into the crook of Lauren's neck, nuzzling and brushing the tip of her nose against her skin.

Lauren puts her arm around her waist and rests her head against Candy's. She wipes the sneaky tear in her eye before it can rat her out, and she actively fights the negative feelings that swarm her. She'll do anything for our family. "Let's do it then," Lauren surprises the both of them, and Candy picks herself up with a gasp. She mirrors back her smile and holds her cheek in the palm of her hand. "Let's start our own family."

Candy squeals and throws her arms around her, full on hugging Lauren, bouncing excitedly on the bed. She gives her a big kiss and then rushes back to her pancakes, scarfing them down while rambling about how this is a fantastic idea and how they'll never regret it. "You know, it doesn't always end in tragedy. I had so many family members who were in Estrabao Cartel and had so many children. So many! And they got to watch them grow up despite the threats and the dangers they faced. Of course, that was before I had them all executed, but it's still possible to have these things, mi amor, I promise!"