Over the next few weeks of Summer, Lauren and Camila gradually fell into a comfortable routine. Camila and Jason moved into Lauren's second home--the one Vero was occupying since the incident--however, they really have just stayed over at the CEO's main house most of the time. Nowadays, Lauren gets to see Jason almost every day as he sleeps over whenever Camila does.
Recently, Lauren and the kids taught Camila how to ride a bike and once she had it down, they took a family bike ride around the beach. They've been doing that quite often these days, getting ice cream on the way home. It's been nice and fun for the kids as well. Not only because they get to ride their bikes and eat ice cream but see Lauren and Camila unite as a happy couple. They haven't really seen such a thing. At least in a long time. So, it's good for both of them to see these two as parents in their eyes who they can go to for anything.
During one particular ice cream outing, curiosity got the best of Olivia the more they've all been hanging out. "Mama, is Jason my brother?" she asks as she's always known Lauren to be her mother by blood.
The couple looks at each other worriedly. Was now the time to tell them?
"Because Jason's been living with us now?" the little girl furthers her question.
Camila cracks a smile which causes Lauren to fidget in her seat. "Well, he doesn't exactly live with us, baby, but he is over a lot," she tells her.
Jason starts to frown since he himself pretty much thought he lived with them. Camila practically lives with them too as they spend the night at least four nights out of the week.
"But um... to tell you the truth..." Camila looks down to take hold of her girlfriend's hand, squeezing it to let her know she's right there with her. "To tell you both the truth... Jason is your brother. Because I'm Jason's mom. Just like how I'm your mom."
And it's true since eventually, Olivia will officially be Lauren's daughter in the legal sense. The CEO is so close to completing the process of adoption and soon enough, Olivia and Jason will be actual siblings.
Camila nods with a bright smile, side hugging Lauren after the revelation. Jason looks between them and becomes confused even more. "I thought you were my mommy," he points to the mother he's always known, being Camila.
"I am, honey. But Lolo is your mommy, too," she clarifies, leaning on her girlfriend's shoulder. "Come here, baby." Jason gets down from his seat and goes over to the other side to sit on Camila's lap. "Lolo and I had you when we were very young. But we had you out of love. We both love you so very much and nothing in this world will ever change that."
"Not Daddy?" he asks as what he thought he always knew wasn't the same. He can't even remember the last time he's seen his "father" and truthfully, he was starting to believe he may never again.
"Daddy was not your daddy," Camila explains, shaking her head. "He just pretended to be your daddy and he's gone now and won't be coming back."
Jason bites his lip, trying to process everything at once. Well, that explains him not seeing Shawn for several months. He really is not coming back.
"Listen, bud," Lauren begins, "I don't expect for you to call me 'Mom' or 'Mama' or whatever... but I just want you to know that you're my son and I love you. I love you and your mom so very much and I will do anything and everything for you."
Jason can finally smile as things start to make a little more sense. He ends up jumping into Lauren's arms next, throwing those tiny arms around his mother's neck. Camila has to look away as she gets choked up at the fact that Lauren admitted to loving her. She knew Lauren loves their son but she can't help but explode everytime her girlfriend insinuates her love for her, too.
"Yay! Jasey has two girl mommies like me!" Olivia cheers from the other side of the table.
The couple chuckles at the cuteness, immediately inviting her to join in on the family group hug. "Get over here, you."
Olivia is brought into the hug, equally loved and kissed by Lauren and Camila as she is just as much a part of the family. Obviously, she knows Vero is still her mother and nothing will replace that, but the little girl has grown to love Camila as well. She's not just her teacher anymore but a mother figure. Maybe her stepmother in the future.
***
Lauren and Camila later settle in that evening. They watch a movie with the kids, read them a story, and tuck them into bed for the night. Just like how they always dreamed of running their household.
"So, you love me, Jauregui?"
"...I thought I made it known," Lauren frowns as she strips out of her day clothes.
"Yeah, but just hearing it from your mouth reassures me. Like, I want to keep hearing it," Camila can't wipe the grin off her face and it grows when Lauren approaches her across the room.
"I love you, Camila," Lauren whispers, looking down at her lips.
"I love you, too, Lauren," she whispers back, leaning in to capture her girl's lips with her own.
Not even the kiss but the words surprise the business owner.
Camila said it back. She loves her and they love each other.
"Mmmm... that's really good to know," Lauren replies after the deep kiss.
"What's not to love?" the shorter brunette brings her hands to cup those cute cheeks.
"I'm sure some people can think of a few things."
"No," Camila pecks her lips. "I love all of you."
Lauren just gazes at her girlfriend, holding her close and swaying with her in her arms. It's a feeling she's missed since they were teenagers. Whenever they first confessed their love to each other. But now it feels even more real. Now they know they're made for each other and nothing will tear them apart.
Camila's brown orbs get lost in green in return. And the more they sway together and fall madly in love with each other more and more, she can't help but think this is too good to be true. How blessed was she? After going through hell with her ex and everything he's caused since then, she can finally be at peace with the one she's meant to be with.
It's true that she started to fall for her girlfriend after seeing her again last year. And Lauren's never stopped loving her back. If only things worked out in their way after high school graduation. They would be what? Married? For almost six years by now? They would have been so happy.
But Camila has to remind herself to push aside what could have been. They faced what's happened and got through it. All they can determine now is what's ahead of them. All they can plan is their future and that future involves them and their children. Their future is building off the broken homes that were destroyed and building a new one together.
There are no secrets between them. That's the difference. There have never been any secrets they kept from each other and that is their foundation to the strong, healthy and honest relationship they will have.
"Can I show you how much I love you, baby?" Camila asks Lauren as she feels a rush of heat course through her body. Lauren's roaming hands got her distracted and now all she can think about is pushing her down on the bed and showing just how dominant she can be. Lauren's never seen that side to her before. She's always been the one to be conquered. Now, she's grown to be a little dom herself.
"I would be more than honored if you would," Lauren lets her girl take her by the hand to lead them to the bed. What doesn't go unnoticed is the fire and sexiness within the brown eyes as she topples backward on the mattress. "Damn," Lauren looks up at her with raised brows after getting pushed down. "Are you in control tonight, baby?"
Camila smirks as she gets on top, straddling Lauren's lap. "Let me just take you for a little joy ride."
And from there, they spent the rest of their evening until the early hours of the next morning, making passionate love that united them as one.
____________________________
A week later, Camila believed it was time. Time to visit Shawn in prison. Before, she didn't think she'd ever want to visit that man in the slammer but through her therapy sessions, many questions were raised that only Shawn himself could answer. So, her therapist suggested that she did pay him a visit.
And that's where she is now. Lauren was scared shitless to her learn her girlfriend was going to to the prison all alone. She wanted to go with her but Camila advised she do this by herself. Having Lauren there would just distract Shawn and probably make him angrier. Camila needed to do this for herself without anyone else.
Shawn enters the visiting center handcuffed, escorted by a guard. His hair is long, curly and he sports a short beard, appearing like he was Jesus. However, he was the furthest thing from that. He looked disheveled and downright awful. It honestly looked like he didn't even want to better himself in prison either.
Camila visibly shakes in her chair the closer he walks to her, both of their eyes locked on each other. But it relieves her to know Shawn won't be uncuffed.
He sits down without saying a word. Neither of them says anything at first. They just sit in silence, taking it all in. Of course, Camila had a whole list of things she wanted to say but now being here, she can't think of anything.
Surprisingly, Shawn speaks up first. "...Didn't think you'd come."
Camila blinks, trying to find the words. But at the end of the day, honesty is the best policy. "Me neither," she replies, shrugging.
"What do you want?"
Well, that was pleasant.
She looks down at her lap as she doesn't even know the answer to that. She wanted answers but she wanted so much more. She wanted him to leave her thoughts for good. As if what they had never happened. As if everything that's happened between them was all just a bad dream and she could have been with her one true love this whole time.
Shaking her head, "Was it all worth it?" she asks.
He stares back creepily like a true serial killer. But a soft laugh escapes his lips which is even scarier.
"Don't fucking laugh at me like that," she bites in disgust. "You could've stopped this. A long time ago."
"What do you mean?" he shakes his head.
"You didn't have to do all of what you've done from the start. You didn't have to give in to Vero. And when you did and the truth came out, you didn't have to fall down this dark path," she explains more, causing his eyes to roll.
"I fucking deserve it, Mila. Both Vero and I deserve it-"
"That's bullshit. Vero, for one, tried bettering herself and you took that away from her. You made her feel even worse after she was so remorseful to us. You ruined her life now. She didn't ruin you. You did. You ruined her and yourself," she unloads on him.
Shawn takes all of it. He knows what he's done; his ex-wife doesn't necessarily have to tell him. But is he sorry?
"We're lucky she's still alive but she may never walk again. She may never get to pick up Olivia, run with her, play with her how she wants to. Did you honestly want that for your daughter?" she squints harshly.
"Olivia was never my daughter," he says passively. "I've only seen her like, four times. She was never supposed to be mine and I'll never be her dad."
"Damn right you'll never be her dad and you definitely don't deserve the privilege to be."
"So, what? Are you back with Jauregui now and you, her, Jason, and Olivia are all a big happy family?" his tone gets snarky.
"That's exactly what we are," she proudly confirms. "And it's the best thing that's happened to me."
The prisoner sarcastically smiles. "I'm so happy you got what you always wanted."
"No thanks to you."
"I gave you a family for a little while. Can't deny that," he shrugs.
"A family built from lies. I never needed you in my life, Shawn. Everything you told me was bullshit-"
"Not everything," his brows furrow. "I did love you."
She scoffs, "What you felt for me was not love. That's the furthest thing from it. But you had the nerve to make me fall in love with you by deceiving me."
"...I just wanted us to love each other. I wanted to be with the person I loved and have them love me. And when you did, Camila, I could've never told you Jason wasn't mine. I couldn't imagine my life without you."
Camila chooses to not look him in the eye when he says that. It would hurt too much. "Well, Shawn, you didn't go about it the way you should have. And now you lost me. What you did was moronic and... just... disgusting. I will never forgive you for it."
Shawn nods, knowing that it is what it is. He's had to come to terms with the fact that he will die in this place and there's nothing he can do about it. He's lost the woman of his dreams and everything else he's worked for. All he can do is sit here and reflect and maybe develop as a person.
"What do you think might have happened if you and Jauregui never found out?"
Camila ponders for a moment. "Probably nothing anything too different than before. But let's face it, Mendes... the truth always comes out. We would've found out one way or another. You and Vero would've never kept this secret your whole lives."
"We were planning to," he breathes.
"Doesn't matter. Someone was bound to snap... which it sounds like it was you when you were wasted out of your mind at the party," she remarks. "Even then, maybe the kids would have figured it out. There are ancestry kits these days. Not to mention, Olivia looks nothing like Lauren and Jason looks like Lauren's clone."
"That was always somewhat of a concern," Shawn notes.
"Concern," Camila snorts. "It's like, how could you live with yourself every day, knowing you intentionally did this for your own personal gain while keeping me and Jason in the dark?"
"Mendes, two minutes," the guard steps in to announce.
Shawn looks back at his ex. "Camila, I'm... okay, I'm sorry," he finally admits. "I know it may not seem like I loved you but I did. I still do even though you're back together with Jauregui."
She nods. "Okay... thank you for that but I don't accept your apology."
He leans back in his chair, knowing he can't do much. "Not expecting you to. I know in my heart we were always meant to be but I agree, the truth always comes out."
"At least you learned one thing," she sighs, peering over to the guard making his way toward them.
"Wrap it up," he says.
"And at least I don't have to live out in the real world and see you and Jauregui together." That's where Camila rolls her eyes and laughs.
"Goodbye, Shawn. Hope you get some help," she stands up, pushes in her chair, and doesn't look back at her ex-husband being escorted back to his cell.
_____________________________
"Babe, eyes on the road!"
"But you look so pretty in Camila," Lauren pouts as her girlfriend forcibly turns her head back toward the road.
"I know I do. 'Cause I have a pretty, genius girlfriend who made it for me," Camila coos.
Lauren had recently made a new lip gloss shade titled "Camila" to give to her girl. It all started when the CEO gave her a tour of the makeup lab and Camila 'playfully' requested that the boss make her a shade. So, later that night, Lauren quickly got to work. One week later, she gifted Camila a one-of-a-kind lip gloss with her name on it.
"I love you. Thank you for coming with me to do this. It means the world," the woman driving places her hand on the other one's thigh.
"Of course, baby. Always for you," Camila takes that hand and kisses it.
The couple is on their way over to Vero's house to visit and sign the consent forms in order for Lauren to adopt Olivia. Their lawyers have all been involved thus far and now that the paperwork is all being processed and whatnot, all that is left is for Vero to sign for Lauren's parental rights. Then, the judge will review everything and make the final decision.
Vero's parents greet them at the door and welcome them in to see Vero who was propped up on the reclining chair. They make small talk and ask about the progress she's made in physical therapy.
"It's really hard. Not gonna lie. It's actually a real fucking pain but... I gotta do it," Vero tells them about the therapy.
"V, you can do anything. There's no doubt in my mind you won't be able to get through this," Lauren smiles.
"Yeah, we'll see," Vero waves off. "Luckily my therapist is really hot."
"Guy or girl?" Camila asks.
"Girl. If only I could walk, I could ask her out."
"Maybe you will one day," Lauren supports her ambition.
"Maybe..." It was apparent Vero was not very optimistic about being able to return to her normal abilities with her legs again. She's definitely worked hard so far but she still can't feel them like she used to. "Alright, we gonna sign these papers or what?"
"Here you are, ma'am," Lauren's lawyer sets down the stack of papers on her lap that's atop of a pad.
"Dayumm, I have to sign all these?" Vero frowns.
"Unfortunately, yes. Adoption can be a lengthy process," the lawyer states.
"Well, at least it's an open adoption," Vero takes the cap off the pen and starts signing where the tabs are.
"Yes, Miss Iglesias, you and Miss Jauregui will have equal opportunity to see your daughter," he assures.
"Whenever you want to see her, V. It's all up to you," Lauren sits by her side and watches her sign the forms.
Camila goes over to her girlfriend and tenderly rubs her back, smiling down at her. She knows Lauren's been waiting for this moment for months. Ever since she first knew the truth. And now, things were finally settling and she'd earn the right to call Olivia her daughter in the eyes of the law.
Vero also smiles the more she steals glances at the choked up mother. "You're going to be an amazing mother, Lauren. Not that you aren't already." After the last signature and date, the lawyer takes the papers and Lauren immediately pulls Vero into a hug.
She sobs onto her shoulder as Vero also rubs up and down her back. "Careful, babe," Camila chuckles as the woman in the chair is still a bit sensitive. Vero doesn't care though. She soothes her and helps her wipe her tears.
"T-thank you s-so much," Lauren cries, also trying to harshly wipe the tears from her eyes.
"Thank you so much. I couldn't have asked for a better co-parent," Vero takes both of her hands and squeezes them tight. She looks up at Camila as well. "You, too, Camila. You'll make a good stepmom one day. Livvy's lucky to have you."
"That means the world coming from you." They both hug which is something Lauren never thought she'd see in her life.
After everything they've been through, it's quite astonishing to see the day they all get along. But she's so happy that they are.
"We'll drop her off tonight," Lauren says as they begin to head out.
"Good. I can give you guys some alone time," Vero smirks with wiggling eyebrows.
"Don't worry. We still have plenty of time for that," the CEO smirks back.
"Lo!" Camila lightly slaps her arm.
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A/N: Sorry for not including the smut. There will still be more of that before the story ends 😉