Afternoon Run (Camren)

twenty; ❝two moms are better than one❞

12 years later...

"Get back here, you little troublemaker!" I yell, trying to chase after Cameron who's gone running around the house instead of sitting down for dinner.

"Hey, he's got your running genes," Lauren jokes.

I send her a glare and she laughs, not saying anything.

"Cameron! You do not want to make your mom mad!"

"Mommy doesn't care," he points out, using his four year old logic.

"Well, mommy is not leaving a good example! Sit down so we can eat dinner."

He huffs, sighing loudly and goes back to the dining table, finally sitting down in his chair.

"See what you've done? You can't leave bad examples like that for him," I tell Lauren.

She shrugs again, staying silent and begins to eat her food which causes me to roll my eyes.

"I— I'll be in the bedroom," I say, dismissing myself from the table and Cameron calls after me.

I walk upstairs, going into my bedroom and I lock the door behind me. I lay down, wrapping myself into the covers of the bed and light knocks begin on the door.

"Babe," she says. "Can we talk?"

I think about it for a few moments and I ultimately decide to open the door for her.

"Look, I'm sorry. I just—"

"I don't want to mess up," I interrupt her.

I finally make my insecurities as a parent vocal.

When I say it out loud, it makes me feel better. That's something I've learned throughout the years of my life and of being in therapy.

"Mess up?"

"I can't— I can't fail as a parent."

"You haven't failed and you never will," she tells me.

"But my father said—"

"Your father is an idiot. Who cares what he said? He can't give advice on not failing as a parent because he's the one that failed. He failed you and Michael," she tells me.

"He did but what if he's right? What if Cameron not having a dad messes him up and makes him miserable?"

"Cameron doesn't need a dad to be happy. He has us and he already is happy with us," she says. "Besides, two moms are better than one," she adds, with a slight laugh.

"He doesn't have any male role models and that might—"

"Michael, Shawn, and my dad are great role models for him. Liam turned out to be a good guy! See, Cameron has so many male figures in his life and just because he has two moms won't damage him, it'll let him brag to other kids!" 

My mind starts wander over the list. She's right.

Michael is a fantastic uncle with a wholesome new wife and children. Shawn is living as a kind trophy husband for Niall, while he goes out and controls their booming food chains. Lauren's dad and Liam both took similar roles in becoming carpenters, while specializing in telling everyone dad jokes.

All the people in my life are amazing role models for Cameron and even then, I realize that they don't have to be male.

Lauren had become a music instructor for young children, while I had opted for a job in a business firm. Despite my constant worries, we were also great role models for Cameron.

"Right," I say. "You're always right. How do you always know what to say?"

"It's a gift. I love you."

"I love you too," I tell her.

She's always right. I had nearly let my insecurities ruin my life before, so I don't plan to let my worries damage anything else.

She begins to kiss me but as she does, the door opens completely.

"Mom? Mommy?"

"Cameron, what's up?" I ask him, a bit startled at him suddenly coming in.

"I'm sorry," he says, looking at both of us with an upset face.

"Don't be sorry," I say. "I got too mad for a silly reason."

His face brightens up and he tells us, "you got so mad! You should have seen your face!"

"I know right!" Lauren exclaims, joining him in his new laughing fit.

"Yeah, yeah," I say, grumbling at the fact that they're laughing at me.

"I love youuuuu," Cameron tells us.

"We love you too," Lauren and I say at the same time to him.

He gets on the bed, hugging us and we all lay in bed, cuddling each other.

One thought crosses my mind.

How did I get so lucky?

The End

Thanks for reading! ❤️