Imaginary Lover // Camren Fanfiction

Chapter 38

A/n: read till the end loves ! its an important chapter

Entering Lauren's garden on the day of her birthday was like entering the Mad Hatter's tea party in Wonderland. She had one long table set out in the middle of the garden, decorated by a red and white table- cloth. Adorning the cloth was a huge array of plates, full to the brim with cocktail sausages, crisps, chips and dips, sandwiches, salads, cold meats, and sweets, covering every inch of the table. The garden had been pruned to an inch of its life, new flowers had been planted, and the air smelled of freshly cut grass mixed with the aroma of the barbecue in the corner. It was a hot day, the sky was an indigo color with not a cloud in sight, the surrounding hills were a rich emerald green, the sheep upon them like snowflakes, and Camila felt the pain of having to leave such a beautiful place and the people in it.

"Camila, I'm so glad you're here." Lauren came charging out of the kitchen.

"Thank you." Camila smiled, swirling around to greet her. "Wow, look at you." Her mouth dropped open. Lauren was wearing a simple white linen summer dress that contrasted with her pale skin beautifully; her long hair was lightly curled and hung down past her shoulders. "Give me a twirl," Camila said, still taken aback by her appearance. Her features had softened and everything about her seemed gentler.

"I stopped twirling for men when I was eight. Now stop gawking at me, there's work to be done," she snapped.

Well, not everything about her was gentler.

She looked around the garden, hands on her hips, as though she were on patrol.

"OK, let me show you what's happening here." She grabbed Camila by the arm and dragged her toward the table.

"When people arrive through the side gate, they come over here first. This is where they collect their napkins, knives, forks, and plates and then they move along here." She moved on, grabbing her by the arm and speaking quickly. "When they get here, you will be standing behind this barbecue, where you will prepare whatever they choose from this selection." She displayed a side table of meats. "On the left is Soya meat, on the left is regular, do not confuse the two."

Camila opened her mouth to protest, but she held a finger up and continued. "Then, after they take their burger buns, they move on to the salad here. Please note that the sauces for the burgers are here."

Camila went to pick up an olive and she slapped her hand, causing it to drop back into the bowl. She continued, "Desserts are over here, tea and coffee here, organic milk in the left jug, regular milk on the right, toilets through the door on the left only, I don't want them traipsing through the house, OK?"

Camila nodded.
"Any questions?"


"Just one." She grabbed an olive and popped it into her mouth before she had a chance to steal it from her grasp. "Why are you telling me all this?"

Lauren rolled her eyes. "Because"—she wiped her clammy hands in a napkin—"I've never done this whole hosting thing before and seeing as you got me into this mess, I need you to help me."

Camila laughed. "Lauren, you will be fine, but my barbecuing food will clearly not help."

"Why, don't you have barbecues in Ekam

Camila ignored her comment. "Look, you don't need rules and schedules today, just let people do what they like, roam the garden, mingle with everyone, and choose their food themselves. Who cares if they start at the apple pie?"

Lauren looked horrified. "Start at the apple pie?" she spluttered. "But that's the wrong end of the table. No, Camila, you need to tell them where the queue starts and ends, I won't have time." She rushed toward the kitchen. "Dad, I hope you're not eating all those cocktail sausages in there," she called.