Reunion (Camren)

Chapter 4

"Deep breath. Good girl. Another. Good job, Rey," In slight confusion Camila peeked through the crack in one of the guest rooms door and saw Lauren knelt in front of the bed, an inhaler attached to a device made to cover a person's mouth and nose. Reagan was clearly crying but looked to be calming down.

When the inhaler and puffer were moved from her mouth she coughed lightly and whimpered.

"Owie," Her voice croaked, making Camila's heartbreak.

"I know, cubby. The coughing hurts," Lauren said, bringing one hand behind Reagan and her other to rub the little ones chest. "What can mommy do to make you feel better?"

"Cuddle?" Camila smiled to herself at how sly the little one was. Reagan was pulled up into the mother's arms and the two seemed to meld into a perfect hold.

The brunette began to move from foot to foot rhythmically, her hand going under the little girl's tank top as she continued to rub her back.

"I walked across an empty land

I knew the pathway like the back of my hand

I felt the earth beneath my feet

Sat by the river and it made me complete

Oh simple thing, where have you gone?

I'm getting tired and I need someone to rely on

I came across a fallen tree

I felt the branches of it looking at me

Is this the place we used to love?

Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?

Oh simple thing, where have you gone?

I'm getting old and I need something to rely on

And if you have a minute why don't we go

Talk about it somewhere only we know?

This could be the end of everything,

So why don't we go

Somewhere only we know?

Somewhere only we know?"

Camila was lost in Lauren's voice. The way it contained the same sound as it had four years ago but with greater emotion. It was beautiful and calming, and she could've stood in that spot forever if it meant hearing that sound on repeat.

But then it ended, and her heart clenched in disparity. She felt envious that Reagan got to hear that voice sing to her on a regular basis. She missed having that privilege.

Getting lost in her own mind she could barely register the sound of Lauren speaking and soon the footsteps coming towards her.

"Jesus!" A voice said, snapping her from her trance as both women jumped back slightly. Lauren looked over her shoulder to make sure Reagan was still asleep on the bed before turning her attention to the woman in front of her.

"Sorry, I-" Camila stepped back, almost tripping when Lauren approached and shut the door. "I umm... I shouldn't have- is she okay?"

Lauren was confused by the mumbling but shook it off. "She's fine. It was just an asthma attack. Those freak her out sometimes."

"Asthma attack? When did she have asthma?"

Lauren sighed at the irony that her once closest friend knew nothing of her most precious possession but took the high road instead of pointing it out. "A little over a year ago she got pneumonia and it developed into a bad cough which chose to stick around. Now if she gets too cold and over exerted she'll find it harder to breath and might start choking for air. Hence the inhaler."

"Is she okay, though?" Camila asked, chewing her lower lip.

"She's fine. We have what she needs incase something like this happens."

"Good," Camila nodded, setting them both into a moment of awkward silence. The smaller girl cleared her throat and shuffled her foot slightly before speaking again, "I'm sorry for eaves dropping. I was going to go charge my phone and I heard you two. I thought something was wrong and well, I just got caught up in the scene."

"It's fine," Lauren said, waving her hand dismissively.

"Your voice is still as beautiful as when we were in Fifth Harmony," Camila suddenly blurted out, cursing herself for her lack of thinking things through.

"Uh- wow- thanks, I guess. I don't normally sing in front of people anymore. I keep it secluded to my house and Reagan's ears, usually."

"Well, you shouldn't. It's too pretty to keep bottled in."

Before the conversation could stumble further onto the awkward lane, Ally called out "Pizza," forcing everyone to get to the kitchen before Dinah ate it all.

"We should-"

"Pizza, yeah. I'm just going to check Reagan once more, and then I'll join you guys."

As Camila went down the stairs she sighed and stopped at the last step, trying to swallow the tears she had built up. How had her and Lauren become so broken?