Lightning (Camren)

Chapter Twenty-Five

Clara and Lauren both stood there in awe of her future plans. It was really amazing how Camila wanted to do this for the people who needed inspiration in the world. She wanted to change people's lives for the better, and now that she would be able to look upon things, she'd be able to share her story with the world. Both Clara and Lauren hugged the wonderful woman standing before their eyes, then congratulated her on what she was to achieve in the future.

"Thanks, guys. I really just want to help people like me. Before this surgery was even practiced, I had lost all hope of ever being able to see things. Now that it's there, I want to share the news with everyone. I want to touch their hearts and give them the hope that I lacked so long ago," Camila continued to explain her dream to the two women in front of her.

"That really is amazing, Camila. I really hope to be the one to give people their vision, too. Everyone should be able to see the things that this world has to offer. I would hate for people to sit around in hopelessness for their whole lives. All I want is to just bring people the happiness that they deserve," Lauren added.

Clara smiled at the both of them and said, "Both of you have a good head on your shoulders. I'm glad to see that people like you two still exist in the world. I'd forgotten what good people were like for a while until now."

The three of them continued their conversation until it was time to go home. Camila didn't end up meeting Lauren's siblings yet, because they had been at a school football game. After the twins had been secured in their car seats and the two girls were sitting in the front seats, Lauren started the car and began to drive.

"See?" Lauren asked. "Meeting my mom was not at all what you thought it was going to be like."

Camila sighed in defeat and replied, "You're right. She's a very nice person, Lauren. If we ever do get married, I'd be happy to call her my mother-in-law. I can see why you're so nice. She raised you right."

Lauren smiled and said, "Thanks. Growing up with my family has always been fun. Now just wait till you meet my dad and siblings. They're a riot."

Camila laughed at her girlfriend's comments pertaining to her family, and they had finally arrived home. They unsecured theirs and the twins's seat belts, then headed inside where they were greeted by excited versions of Ally, Normani, and Dinah. Ever since the two had given the news about Camila's optic nerve transplant, they had been waiting anxiously at home just to hear about the meeting with Anneliese.

"Oh my gosh!" Ally exclaimed when the two girls and twins came through the door. "How did things go?!"

"They went extremely well. Camila has her pre-op and surgery coming up before we head out to Los Angeles," Lauren explained to the girls that all wondered the same question.

Normani added, "That's great! This is so exciting!"

Then Dinah questioned, "What took so long though?"

"My mom is a chatterbox," Lauren laughed. "We stayed and chatted with her for a while before we finally came home. It was getting later, so we thought that it was best to leave. If I didn't suggest leaving, we could have been there for days talking about random things that happen in our lives. My mom always has been that way."

Everyone in the room laughed together at the comment, until Dinah finally said, "We waited for you guys to have dinner. The girls and I cooked french fries and chicken nuggets. It was a last-minute decision. Ally wanted to make a whole turkey for dinner, so I tried to suggest getting a pre-cooked one from the grocery store. She doesn't like those, so we stuck with something simple."

"Nuggets!" Camila exclaimed, sharing her love of chicken nuggets with everyone in the room.

Dinah laughed and replied, "It's a good thing we went with nuggets."

The girls sat at the dining room table together, and Lauren placed the twins in their high-chairs with baby food that she'd feed them with as she ate her own meal. They all got into further details about Camila's operation, then they got around to talking about the donor, Dylan.

"He was a really nice person. Dylan even got tickets for us to see and meet Lana Del Rey on the day of her pre-op," Lauren explained to them.

"Why didn't we think of Vero? Couldn't we have used her optic nerve?" Normani asked.

"We could have," Lauren began, "but I didn't know about this operation until after she had passed away. Plus, she didn't leave her eyes to Camila or sign off anything to say that she was a donor. It was a thought, but it wouldn't have worked out."

The girls all shook their heads in understanding what they've been wondering for a while. It wasn't that Vero couldn't have donated, it was just that they had no idea about this back then. Once dinner was done and the dishes were all cleared, Lauren and Camila brought the twins up for bed, only to go to bed shortly after. The girls were exhausted, but were unable to sleep because of how exciting their futures were going to be.