The Red String

Chapter 2. Unexpected Help

"I know, but there's no point in just sitting around and crying," Dinah said, giving her a reassuring smile. "Look, I know I don't take things seriously sometimes..."

"Most of the time..." Camila corrected her, wiping away her tears.

"Okay, maybe I'm always taking everything as a joke," the blonde mumbled, rolling her eyes. "But I'm serious now and I know you're hurting, though sometimes situations like these bring positive outcomes. Like, if you're feeling like you can't go on right now, it's going to feel amazing when you finally push through."

"I'm not hurting because he left." Camila pursed her lips. "He hated me, and honestly, I didn't want to have him around. I'm hurting because he left Sofi. She's already lost her mom... And now, she has to lose him too."

"Is it really a loss, though?" Dinah raised an eyebrow. "Honestly, you know he was never a fatherly figure to either of you. Plus, he's always hated you for liking women and he's never been close to Sofi in the first place."

"But he offered her stability," Camila pointed out with a pained expression. "And what about me, what am I going to do with Sofi? What kind of example will I be able to set for her?"

"A real one," Dinah said. "You're an incredible woman with a heart of gold. I'm sure your sister will be happy by your side."

"What if social services show up?" Camila asked nervously.

"You're an adult now, legally speaking. You could talk to a lawyer," Dinah suggested, and Camila looked at her with a mix of sadness and frustration.

"How am I supposed to talk to a lawyer without money?" The brunette sighed, her eyes drifting downward. "What I really need right now is a place to stay, Dinah. If we get kicked out, I don't know what I'll do."

"You could stay at my place," Dinah offered, making Camila shake her head. "It's just my parents, my sister, and me. We could definitely make room for you and Sofi."

"No, Dinah, I can't," Camila murmured. "I don't want to be a burden."

"You're not a burden," Dinah reassured her. "You can stay, Mila. We work together and we'll make it work at home too. Please, don't stress about it. If the roles were reversed, I know you'd do the same for me."

"But I can't do that..." Camila frowned. "I don't want to feel like I'm impos—"

"You won't," Milika chimed in as she walked into the kitchen. "Besides, I was just thinking the same thing as my daughter."

Dinah smiled triumphantly, shifting her gaze between her mom and her friend, who was shaking her head in disbelief.

"And I'm not taking no for an answer," Milika added. "You're welcome to stay with us for as long as you need. I've just spoken to Gordon and he agrees."

"I can't," Camila quickly protested.

"It's already settled," the woman replied with a kind smile. "Now, back to work. You can go get your stuff later."

"But I—"

"No buts, hija," Milika scolded playfully. "Sinu would have done the same if it was the other way around and my daughters needed a place to stay. I won't let you go through hardships because of an irresponsible man who doesn't even deserve to be called a father."

Camila felt tears welling up in her eyes and rushed toward the woman, wrapping her arms around her tight.

"Thank you," Camila whispered.

"No need to thank me," Milika soothed, gently caressing her back and wiping away her tears. "You're a very special girl, Camila, and we're here to support you. If it felt like we didn't before, it was because we thought things were getting better with your father. But it looks like we were wrong."

"I promise you, as soon as I can..." the brunette trailed off.

"I know," Milika said with a smile, gently kissing her cheek. "You two should get to work now, customers are waiting."

Dinah smiled as she watched her mom leave the kitchen before turning her attention back to Camila, who hugged her tight.

"Looks like you're going to be my new roommate." Dinah gave her a playful wink, causing the brunette to chuckle. The blonde leaned in, adding in a hushed tone, "And we'll have all night to talk about the model casting."

The last part made Camila let out a sigh. What choice did she have anyway? 

"Come on, Mila, please," Dinah said with a pout. "It's tomorrow morning, so you won't even have to skip classes."

"Alright, you win," Camila gave in, and just then, Dinah wrapped her arms around her, lifting her off the ground and making Camila's laugh echo in the kitchen.

Maybe things would gradually change now, she thought. Maybe life would start giving her plenty of reasons to smile. Camila was aware she still had a lot to accomplish, but she was starting to feel up to the challenge. She was confident she could make it with the Hansens' support, and once she became a successful doctor, she planned to repay them for their kindness. 

As the brunette watched her friend do a little dance in celebration, she couldn't help but sigh.

Dinah loved fashion. Designing her own clothes and strutting them down fashion show runways was one of her biggest dreams, if not the biggest. She loved all things related to fashion, a world that was unfamiliar to Camila, who, unlike her friend, preferred her ripped jeans, Converse shoes, casual shirts, and snapback caps. Camila's attention shifted to where her cap was, and she picked it up, placing it on her head, before the two of them fastened their pink aprons around their waist, getting ready to serve customers. Yes, maybe things would finally start moving in the right direction.

One thing was for sure: the relationship between Camila and her dad had always been tense, so not having him around was not a big deal to her. In fact, his presence didn't sit well with her ever since his rejection left an indelible mark on her. And even though it was true that things would be more challenging financially now that he left, Dinah had a point: Camila had always been the one steering the ship.

It would be hard, but she was up for the challenge. She was determined to work to support herself and Sofi and she believed she was going to make it, even if it meant temporarily putting her dreams on hold. Tomorrow first thing in the morning, she would go with Dinah to the casting, and then she would set out to find a more stable job with a morning shift. Maybe she could even keep attending one or two classes at NYU if she had time. She wouldn't think of leaving the restaurant now, especially given all that the Hansens were doing for her; it would be an extra source of income after all. 

All in all, Camila knew the road ahead was going to be tough, but she was ready to take it on. She was alive, healthy, and willing to move forward. According to her mom, all Camila needed was faith and effort, and she planned to live by that principle. She would pick herself up off the ground and carry on, because even though tears had been shed and her world had fallen apart, she was still standing tall, refusing to give up. Her mom had taught her to be a fighter, and Camila was committed to setting the same example for her younger sister. With Sinu's words and all of her bits of advice etched into her heart, she would stay strong and leave the past behind for good.

But little did Camila know that sometimes, the unexpected could happen.