Metanoia - Camren

Chapter Two: Discovered You Like A Miracle

Jan 9th, 2017 - Miami, Florida

Lauren sat on her new bed before she lied down and hugged the pillow next to her. It took six hours before they reached Miami and the old town where her grandmother grew up as a teenager. Apparently, according to Laura this is the place where she met Lauren's other grandmother, Lucille. Lauren was ten-years-old when her abuela passed away, but up until now her memories brings a smile to Lauren's face.

"Grandma, how much do you love me?" Lauren questioned the ailing elder woman beside her.

"I love you a lot, my sweetest Lauren." She answered with a smile before she gently touched Lauren's cheeks.

Lauren smiled back, if it weren't her parents or siblings that could make her smile it would be her grandmothers. She snuggled next to Lucille, her arms wrapped lightly around the old woman's waist, while her abuela brushed her hair softly. There was a faint hum of what sounds like the song her abuela always used to calm the child. Lauren's grandmother once had a very beautiful voice, she still has, but her age and deteriorating state affected that once harmonic voice she captured Lauren with.

"How much do you love grandmama?" The young girl questioned out of the blue.

Another smile appeared across Lucille's face, she continued to brush her granddaughter's hair while she proudly states, "I've never loved someone like I love your grandmama sweetling. She was the one who gave light in my once dark life."

"Dark life?" Lauren asked innocently, clearly wanting to know what her grandmother meant by that.

"Abuela did a very bad thing back when I was younger... but, your grandmama helped me and we ended up together. No matter how tough it all was."

Lauren would always remember those times when she stayed up at night listening to her abuela's stories of how she met her grandmama. It would just lighten up anything troubling Lauren's mind back then, she found comfort in the stories of her grandmothers. She enjoyed listening to her abuela sing a song for her to go to sleep to. Only Lucille could put a young Lauren to sleep back then.

There was a faint knock on Lauren's door, it gently opened with Laura cautiously peeking through and smiling at her granddaughter. She walked in carrying a tray with her, there were two cups and a medium sized book placed on the tray.

"Brought you a hot chocolate and your abuela's photo album." Laura carefully placed the tray at the coffee table, before she handed the cup of hot chocolate to Lauren. "I know you're tired, you better rest and I hope we can talk tomorrow." Laura coaxed Lauren, she brushed her hair gently behind her ear before she took the other cup and left the room.

Lauren sighed, she suddenly remembered how her father would always make hot chocolate for her when she was younger. There it was again, the pain and the agony that shook her heart as if to tear it apart all over again. She could feel a sharp sting and it was only then that she realised what she had done. Lauren placed the hot cup down the desk nearby her bed before she licked her lips repeatedly.

After Lauren cooled down her lips she decided to stretch her feet and move around her new bedroom. She analysed the old paintings and decorations on the wall. There was a painting of a beautiful lake that was almost so real that you could mistake it as a digitally printed work, but the stroke of the brush was present and indeed visible. It's quite odd for Lauren because this lake seem so familiar to her, almost too familiar that she could just remember where she might've seen it.

"There are no fishes." The frustrated young girl grumbled, as she looked back at her grandmama.

"Because you have to be patient Lauren, you have to call them, make them feel as if you are not a threat, but a friend." Laura gently grabbed hold of Lauren's hands and the fishing rod. "Just like this..." She manoeuvred Lauren's hands skilfully and patiently waited. Moments later she pulled the fishing rod upwards, a fish was caught dangling on the hook as it flailed and squirmed.