My Mommies (Camren)

The Ride Home

Lauren's POV

After Emma and I left the orphanage, I helped her put all her things inside my small, old car. She was trying to climb into the backseat but was having some trouble.

I giggled at the sight and said, "You need some help there mija?" "Yes please!" She said with a grunt from trying to push herself up into the car. I have an old pickup truck and it's a little high off the ground.

I was a little shocked when I first met here by how short she was. Maybe her parents were really short. I'll have to read the file Judy gave me on Emma's background.

I helped her up into the truck and said, "Do you need help buckling your seatbelt?" "No I got it!" Emma said with a smile. She buckled herself in her seat and i got in the car. "Okay munchkin, we're off!" And with that, I started the car and started to drive away from the orphanage.

"Hey, what happened to mija?" Emma asked me. "What?" I asked confused. "You've called me mija a lot but you just called me munchkin." She said with a slight frown on her face. "Oh I'm sorry Em. Do you want me to call you mija?" "Yes please, I like that name. I haven't heard a lot of people be called that so I think it suits me."

"You know, you have a very big vocabulary for a seven year old." I said chuckling. "I know, I guess that's what happens when you grow up around a lot of older kids and teenagers." "Did Mrs. Judy's not take in a lot of babies?" I questioned genuinely curious. "Not a lot. There were a few every once and a while but mostly it was for older kids who were orphaned."

I stopped at a stoplight and Emma said, "I'm hungry. I only had a cookie this morning." "Okay mija I have food at home I can make you. I don't have a lot because we won't be living there for very much longer."

"Why not lolo?" I smiled at the use of my nickname. "Because we're moving to Florida to be closer to mi familia." "What does mi famila mean?" Emma asked curious.

"It means my family. But now that I've adopted you, they're your family too!" I said smiling. "Oh okay I get it now. But why didn't you just say 'my family'?" "Because mija, My family is hispanic. Do you know what that means?" "Yeah." Emma said giggling. "Okay mija just making sure." I said with a smile.

We pulled up to my apartment building and I parked the truck. "Do you need help getting down?" I asked Emma getting out of the car an walking over to her door. "No I think I can get it lo." She unbuckled her seatbelt and jumped out.

"You ready?" I asked sutting the car door. "I think so." She answered kind of nervously. We walked to the elevator and I pushed the level 5 button. Once we were in the elevator I said, "There's no reason to be scared mija. There are a lot of boxes all over the apartment and only one bed. So I guess for now, you'll just have to share a bed with me!" We were right at the door to my house. But now, it' ours.

"Yay!!!! It's like a mommy-daughter sleepover every night!" She said. I stopped right there, with my key in the lock. "Yeah mija, it is." I said looking into my beautiful daughters mesmorizing hazel eyes.