Serendipity // Camren

Chapter 72

"Welcome home, bitch," Normani drawled, frowning as she watched Lauren shuffle forlornly into the kitchen. The words held none of her usual bite, and she sighed as she found herself leveled by a pair of red-rimmed green eyes. "Christ, Laur–it's just a week. This is pathetic," she murmured, shaking her head even as she slid off the barstool she had been sitting on to pull her dejected friend into a tight hug.

"I know," Lauren mumbled, closing her eyes and burying her face in the crook of Normani's shoulder. She knew that Normani's welcome could have been much, much worse, and she was thankful for the reprieve.

Normani bit her lip and held Lauren close, knowing that, for now, her friend needed this gentler approach. Honestly, she was still surprised that Lauren actually put Camila on the goddamn plane alone. She had been half-expecting the couple to either return home together, or else for Lauren to buy a ticket to New York and blow off her responsibilities for Mercy. "You gonna be okay?"

"Yeah," Lauren murmured, nodding and averting her eyes as she pulled away. She wiped her cheeks quickly and forced a smile. "It's just a week, right?"

"Exactly," Normani agreed. She waved a hand at the island, which had a Noah's Bagels bag sitting in the middle of it, and asked, "Hungry?"

"Famished," Lauren admitted, nodding as she headed for the coffee pot to pour herself a cup.

"Good. Me too." Normani reached for the bag and pulled out a small container of cream cheese, a plastic knife, and an everything bagel, which she immediately split open.

"Is that real cream cheese?" Lauren asked as she reached for the bag and looked at the selection of baked goods Normani had brought.

"Fuck yeah," Normani grumbled. "I refuse to eat a goddamn bagel with that vegan shit Cabello likes."

Lauren rolled her eyes but didn't say anything. Mostly because she agreed with Normani, and didn't want to give her any ammo to go back to Camila with. She loved Camila, but vegan cream cheese just wasn't the same as real, wonderful, creamy cream cheese. "Oh yeah, pumpernickel," she practically moaned as she reached for her favorite type of bagel. "You're the best."

"I know," Normani said, grinning. She handed Lauren the knife she'd been using to spread cream cheese onto her bagel, and sat down on the barstool she'd been perched on when Lauren returned home. "So, I have a proposition for you."

"I'm still not cool with a three-way, sorry," Lauren quipped.

"Like I want your skinny ass," Normani retorted.

Lauren grinned. "Love you too, Mani."

"What's not to love?" Normani retorted. "But, seriously, I know that you just put your house on the market, and I want to buy it."

Lauren frowned. "I thought you guys were already in escrow?"

"Fell through. Foundation was crumbling, pipes were complete shit and need to be redone, and the owners aren't willing to negotiate." Normani took a bite of her bagel and shrugged.

"I..." Lauren's voice trailed off and she ran a thoughtful hand through her hair. "I can't sell this place for less than five, Mani. Camila's looking at these crazy fucking expensive buildings in Manhattan, and..."

"I'm not asking you to cut me a deal, Laur," Normani said, shaking her head. "We'll buy your place off of you for the full asking price."

"Five million?" Lauren clarified, arching a brow in surprise.

"Yeah." Normani smirked and added, "What, you think you're the only kid from Miami to have a little coin in the bank?"

"I..."