Where Were You

Camila, the Hero

"Come on, I never get to skip anymore!" Lauren pouted and she wasn't playing around. "Besides, they can't fire me. I'm the best person they have on that faculty that can do music."

"A little high on yourself?" I snickered and got up to rinse my coffee cup out. "Just don't let the girls think it's okay to skip work." I kissed the top of her head.

"Thank you." Lauren smirked and pulled me onto her lap, nuzzling my neck. "But the girls can still go to Hadley's and we can spend an entire day in bed..."

I bit my lip and shivered when her hands started to unbutton my shirt. Just before I allowed her hands to slip any further, I snapped out of it. "No!" I jumped off her lap and waved my finger in her direction. "I would love to but I'm meeting with Matthew and his case worker today."

"Oh." Lauren all of a sudden became serious as she pushed her music sheets away. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I know!" I immediately felt horrible. "I've been fighting with this decision since it was brought up a few nights ago. I wasn't sure what the best approach would be." Lauren stood up and wrapped her arms around my waist. "I wasn't meaning to keep it a secret, I'm sorry."

"What time is the meeting?" She whispered, her fingers drawing circles on my back lightly.

"After lunch, around 1pm." I said softly.

"Let me get ready." Lauren kissed my cheek and I stopped her before she could race up the stairs. "Camz, I'm coming with you."

"You don't have too." I wasn't sure what kind of reaction that environment would do to her. It was hard for her to step into my work place without memories of Dylan being there without her.

"Is this meeting the final decision on whether or not we can foster him?" Lauren spoke calmly and evenly. Her green eyes showed a sense of determination and I knew she had won the decision. I silently nodded and so did she before prying herself away from my grasp gently and making her way up to the room to change.

Lauren emerged from upstairs in a simple suit. Her black slacks fit perfectly with a light blue buttoned up shirt. Her outfit complimented my grey slacks with a white buttoned up shirt. She had her hair down in loose waves with light make-up on. Walking past me silently, she grabbed her set of keys and looked at me expectantly.

"Lo, the meeting is in four hours." I said as I approached her.

"I know but we have to show we're responsible, right?" Lauren bit her lip and looked down at her keys slightly before her gaze caught mine. "So I'll go to work and attend the boring meetings until lunch, come see you and we can bring Matthew home," she grabbed my hand, "together."

Only that woman could knock the air out of my lungs with her sweet words and caring touch. "Okay," I simply nodded and brought her hand up to my lips, kissing her knuckles softly.

"Come on, I'm late as it is." Lauren managed to smile as we grabbed our purses and keys, shutting the door behind us.

Just as we stepped out onto the driveway, a white car pulled up.

"Tori's here!" Dylan smiled and helped Lucas put the nets and sticks back onto the grass area of the yard. The snow was still in patches but most of it had been melted away by the warm sun.

We watched the young brunette adult get out of the car and walked towards us. "Sorry I'm late," she apologized as she pushed her sunglasses on the top of her head.

"My fault!" Hadley grinned sheepishly as she helped the girls clean up quickly before we found the three of them surrounding us.

"Thank you for having the girls today." Lauren ran her fingers through Dylan's hair while smiling. "I'm sure Jaiden would've watched them if you were busy."

"Please," Tori waved her hand and ran her hand through her long brown hair, blinking away the bright sun, "I promised Hadley a play date anyway."

I caught Lucas and Hadley rolling their eyes with a smile. "Aunt Tori, we're a little old for you to be calling it a play date."

"Oh right, excuse me." Tori laughed and punched her niece's shoulder lightly. "She didn't like me being called a babysitter when she was five because she wasn't a baby anymore."

"Hey!" Hadley pouted, throwing her blonde curls around as she dragged her two friends towards the car.

"We'll pick them up before dinner." I offered.

"No hurry." The brunette grinned and placed her sunglasses back on her head. "I'll be here all weekend with Hadley so I'm sure she'll want them around as much as possible. I'm a boring Aunt, didn't you know?" She laughed. "Really, whenever you two are ready to pick them up just drop by. I can't guarantee they'll be ready though." She shrugged with a smile.

I've always like Tori, she seemed very level headed. I was a little more than shocked that Jaiden hadn't developed a crush on her.

Lauren had offered to drop me off at work even though it was a little more than five minutes out of her way. She kissed me softly before I hopped out of the car and watched her drive away.

"Morning Miss Cabello." Ryn grinned at me from her desk and handed me messages and a few files.

"Morning Ryn." I rolled my eyes and leaned against the front of her desk. "Sorry I'm late."

"It's okay. The conference call with the Board was cancelled anyway." Ryn shrugged.

"Isn't it always?" I muttered and grabbed a coffee mug from behind the desk while pouring myself another hot cup of the liquid caffeine. "Did you get those papers ready for later?"

Ryn's green eyes lit up as she flipped back her red hair and nodded. "I can't believe you two are going be bringing another child into your home."

"Yeah," I nodded, "Lauren is rather excited."

"The girls?" The redhead followed me back towards my office.

Lauren and I had told the girls of the potential of having Matthew live with us and they didn't bat an eyelash. Lucas said as long as Dylan wasn't going anywhere, she'd be happy either way. Dylan seemed a little more apprehensive and embarrassedly admitted that this boy would take attention away from her and Lucas.

We assured them otherwise.

"Excited." I answered honestly. "Luc is always welcoming but I think with her closeness with Dylan, I don't think she'll be as attached to this one."

"I read his background." Ryn sat on the corner of my desk, watching me tidy up the office a bit. "I think you guys will be doing him a huge favour."

"I know." I sighed and turned to face her. "I just know I can't do this with every broken child that comes through my office."

"We both know that," Ryn's face softened a bit, "but starting here and there helps you know? He can look back and say that your family changed his life. When he's older and people ask him about his childhood, he can talk about a wonderful couple that took him in, found him a perfect home and know it was because of your kind heart and generosity." She paused and glanced towards the pictures of Dylan and Lucas cluttering my office. "Just like Dylan. You made her feel loved even before you knew who her mother was. She was already looking at you like you were her biggest hero."

I bit my lip and picked up a picture of Dylan's first photo with us. She was so skinny and shy but looking happy as Lucas's arm was around her shoulder and she was settled between my legs. "You're right." I nodded and placed the frame back down.

"Thata girl!" Ryn cheered softly and made her way towards the door. "You're ten o'clock will be here soon. Did you want me to just send them in?"

And so my day began.