Journey of the Heart (Camila/OC)

Chapter Six

After the little cry fest, the girls helped each other with their new necklaces and took a picture with the woman before we left to explore more of Venice. Camila holding my hand probably to make sure I don't run off again. With my other hand, I caress the little lion dangling from my neck. I turn to the other girls who were laughing and giggling at whatever Dinah had said.

"What got you all smiley, little one?" Camila asks, pulling me away from my thoughts.

"It's just something the woman said," I tell her. She looks at me, wanting me to continue. "You guys are my pack now. We will lean on each other to survive. We're a family."

Camila pulls me into a side hug and smiles down at me. 

"Yes we are. We're a family no matter what."

Family is something that I always envisioned as a younger kid. With a father who would take his kid to the park and play catch or basketball with. With a mother who would teach her kid how to cook the simplest of foods but make a mess no matter what. A family that sat down at a table together and ate their food while talking about their life apart. That was the family I always wanted but never got and as I sit down at the long empty dining table for breakfast, I couldn't help but think back at the dream I had before I woke up to reality.

This Sofia had everything a little girl could ask for. Her parents loved her unconditionally. Even with the amount of money they had, Sinu and Alejandro never complained about showering their daughters with the best they could muster. Camila was Sofi's best friend and confidant and tried her best to keep her little sister from feeling the harshness of the world. I would be lying if I said I wasn't jealous of my dream self. She had everything I ever wanted in life.

"Penny for your thought?" Charlie asks as he sits down beside me at the table.

"Did my parents ever visit me? You know, while I was in a coma?" 

There is silence that had said it all.

Charlie sighs, "You know they care about you." 

"Yeah, just in their own special way," I chuckle. I clear my throat and push away the empty plate. "What do you have planned today, Charlie?"

"I was going to do some chores around the house and then do some errands your parents wanted to me to take care of while they were gone," he replies, picking up the plate and washing it at the sink.

I thought comes to mind and it has nothing to do with chores and errands for my parents.

"Forget the chores and forget the errands. I have something much more better and fun we could do," I smile.

Charlie looks at me like I just suggested we should rob a bank.

"You have got to be kidding me?" Charlie says as he parks the car. "This is what you want to do?"

I nod my head as I get out of the car, taking in the ocean breeze against my hair and the salt water smell.

"What if somebody notices you and you get mobbed? We didn't bring any bodyguards and you aren't fully recovered yet," Charlie exclaims as he makes his towards me, staying close to my side in case something was to happen.

"Haven't you read the tabloids, Charlie? The heiress of the McKenzie enterprise is dead," I chuckle, reminding him of the tabloid covers and rumor mills that filled the airwaves and internet for past couple of weeks.  "Stop worrying so much, Charlie. This is Venice beach. There's various characters out here for people to stare at. We'll just blend with crowd," I tell him as I slip on a pair of shades.