Where Were You

Room For The Cabellos?

Lauren's PoV

"How can you eat those?" I asked Dylan as she ate a couple of fries with salt and vinegar piled on them.

"Mommy," she sighed with a soft eye roll and grin, "Kenora is famous for these fries!"

"But they are very unhealthy." I smirked and she just shrugged, eating a couple more. We finally pulled up to a small blue house that had an extended garage attached to it. I looked passed the place and could vaguely make out Camila's house. I closed my eyes and pushed away all the bad things that were said earlier that morning – not wanting to dwell on them while I shared time with my daughter.

"Just the salt is bad for you," Dylan interrupted my thoughts, "the vinegar is good for you in small doses." She shrugged as if it were regular news to her.

I stared at her and smirked. "And what makes you so sure?"

Dylan bit into a fry, chewed and swallowed before talking again. "When Camila first gave me these fries I told her you'd be a little upset because it wasn't healthy. She said 'honey, the only thing that's bad is the salt and grease, the vinegar actually helps your system.'"

I had to chuckle. Camila.

Dylan was right, I wouldn't have approved of all that but she insisted they were good and it was what she wanted so I allowed her to have the small size. "Are you enjoying them at least?"

"Muchly." Dylan grinned and finished the rest, wiping her hands with a napkin. Her eyes could barely see from over the dashboard but she noticed the house and with a confused look, she stared at me. "What is this?"

"This," I pointed to the place and opened my door, gesturing for her to do the same, "is our new home."

Dylan's eyes widened as she quickly ran through the snow and onto the small deck area, looking across the lake. "That's Lucas'!"

"I know." I grinned and grabbed the key from under the snow covered flower pot. "Want to see inside?"

Dylan hopped off the deck and followed me eagerly as I pushed the front door opened. I had already taken a look at it and approved. I still wanted the place checked for any issues it may have had but I had the money to clean damage up. I wasn't concerned at all.

Just for my family's safety.

"Wow!" Dylan grinned as the living room had a big picture view window that looked out towards the lake. "Where's my room?" She asked bouncing around.

"Well you have three rooms to choose from." I pointed down the wide hallway and smiled as she clapped her hands.

"Three?"

"Of course, the prettiest girls always get first choice." I chuckled and Dylan ran down the hall, scoping out each room, the closets and finally she settled on the middle room with the medium sized closet.

"This is perfect to fit my hockey gear in." Dylan opened up the closet doors and walked in slightly. "I love it." She nodded, confirming it.

"Good." I nodded. "Now let's pick my room."

Dylan dragged me to the furthest room and nodded. "This will do," she grinned with her little dimples and scrunched her nose in a crinkled smile, "if I remember correctly, you have lotsa shoes and clothes you don't know what to do with."

I shook my head and wondered briefly how she got to be so smart; not that she wasn't before but it was just a reminder of the time I had lost with her. Then knowing that she was in Camila's care made it make sense to me, Lucas was the top of her class just like Camila had been throughout school.