XXVI.
For all the times that she wished the scene before her would unfold in reality, Camila had never thought that it would go the way it was. When her father spoke, she froze up, her body so still that the only movement that could be seen was the reflection of the fire in her eyes.
"What?" She stammered, looking from her father, slowly to her brother then back again. While Dan was wearing an expression composed of pure anger, Alejandro seemed like it was just another day at the office.
"He was the reason I left you, Mom... and Sofi." Dan said, slowly looking down at his feet. "Camila, that was his ultimatum."
Alejandro laughed humourlessly as if he was getting a kick out of finally spilling the truth. "The boy was weak, and even he understood that a parent can never fully leave their child. The two of you will always be a part of me, and I suppose that at the time, I just wanted that to be true for as long as it could."
Dan nodded. "I had to agree to it long before, but he did call me that night, and remind me that the only way he would leave as I said... was if I went with him."
Camila frowned, her head spinning. "But you didn't go with him... you stayed with us."
"I stayed with you because you needed me." Dan looked at her. "That night? I wasn't going to leave you after everything we had both gone through. You were traumatized to the bone, you kept asking questions, and I didn't have answers. You had been going through so much, I wasn't going to just up and leave you without anyone."
Camila shook her head. "But... I don't understand."
Dan sighed. "I knew that if Dad was to come back, then he would do something horrible. He would threaten you... he would hurt Mom... something that I just couldn't let happen." The boy explained. "Through the divorce, Mom was pregnant and focusing on keeping herself healthy and getting back on her feet, but Dad was doing everything he could to return to the family. I knew that he was ill, he refused to leave us alone, and I was the only thing that was close enough so that he could pull the strings."
Camila listened, her breathing becoming loud in her ears.
"If I didn't go and see him every once and while, then he would come to see me." Dan told his sister. "And if he came to see me, then he would come to see you."
"And you couldn't let that happen." Camila rasped over the crackle of the fire. "So you went to see him, and he gave you drugs and alcohol... and that's why you would always come home drunk and completely out of it."
Alejandro was nodding, nothing but a calm, eerie look on his face. "You would have done the same thing, both of you. As a father, to keep your children close to you is the most important thing, even if it was just one child. That was enough for me."
"Dad triggered the first psychotic episode in me, telling me that it wasn't so bad. I was dealing with so many things at the time, and everything he offered just seemed to tantalizingly inviting." Dan added. "And I don't know whether or not he was proud of it at the time, but just look at him... he definitely is now."
"This illness isn't something that you can avoid." The man said to him, his voice low. "I did you a favour by exposing you to It as soon as I could. The sooner you come out in the open, the sooner your body is able to adjust."
Camila backed up, gripping something to keep her balance. It happened to be one of the iron bars that were used to prod at the fire and keep it going. "But his body never adjusted... because you refused to let him heal." Camila rasped. "You give him all the things that no one suffering from a mental illness should ever have access to, and it didn't just make his life a living hell... it made mine the exact same."
Dan ran his hands through his hair. "I've apologized for that Camila." He said softly. "I tried my best."
"No." Camila growled. "It wasn't you who should have been apologizing." She snarled, her voice filled with disgust. "It was him." She grabbed the iron bar, gripping it within both hands and taking a threatening step forward. Back on the streets of New York, she had no idea what she would have done with such a random, blunt object as her girlfriend was being pummelled into the ground. But things were different now.
Alejandro got out of his seat, and Camila's heart jumped when she realized how broad the man actually was.
"Camila, put that down right now."
"Don't you dare tell me what to do."
Alejandro reached out, grabbed the bar and pulled it towards him. Camila refused to let go, and her own body went surging forward. When her hands did lift from the iron, the bar connected with her torso and she flew backwards into the wall. "Camila!" Dan shouted, rushing forward and grabbing at her. He held her behind him, placing himself between his father and his sister. "That's enough. This isn't what we're here for."
"Move." Camila muttered. "Get out of the way Daniel... now."
"I made promise." Dan replied to her, refusing to move. "And I'm done breaking promises."
"A promise?" Camila's eyes were wide. "Who the hell did you make a promise to? Yourself?"
"To Lauren." He darted forward, startling his father and grabbing the bar out of his hands. The metal went flying into the fire, crashing against the exposed brick with a painful screech. Then before she knew it, she had placed herself in front of Dan.
"Well you can go and tell Lauren to fuck off." She said, her voice nearly a whisper. Her father was staring at her angrily, her brother surprised. "That's the end of people thinking that I can't defend myself."
She looked at the larger man. "You tried to keep him near you, and in doing that you placed me in the most awful, terrible position I could have possibly been in at that stage in my life. You were the reason my entire high school career was spent hosing him off in the backyard. You are the reason why the psychotic episodes have become this bad." She was breathing hard. "He stayed away because if he had come back... you would come with him."
"So you finally know the truth." Alejandro sat down, his eyes flickering to the iron that was now sitting within the white hot coals. "You know that I was the Pariah, and your brother the Messiah. Now does that make you feel any better?"
"It makes me feel better to know that Daniel wasn't the one responsible for this." Camila growled. "I saw signs in you... I knew that you and Mom were fighting. You leaving me hit me hard, but my brother leaving hit me even harder. And you actually thought that back in the winter, sending me some crumby note and a box that I hadn't seen in years was actually going to make up for the things you did!"
"You had no idea back then." Her father pointed out. "You were naive... you still are, and I don't expect you to ever understand why I did what I did."
Camila growled under her breath like a feral cat. "No one is ever going to understand why you did what you did... because the only person who could ever justify your actions is you. That world in your head? That alternate reality that tells you to act the way you do? That's the only place you're ever going to find solace." She lifted her head menacingly. "Now tell me this... and tell me honestly. Why didn't you want Sofi as a daughter?"
"Camila, you probably don't want to..." Dan tried from behind her, but Camila had turned around and silenced him with as much as a glare.
"It's not that I didn't want her as a daughter." Alejandro spoke slowly.
"I'm waiting." Camila said, ignoring him.
"This world is harsh. In this world, if you are not strong, then you will never make it." He lifted his eyes to meet hers, his demeanour becoming calm once more. "I saw it in you, and I feared more than anything that I would see it in yet another daughter. You have always been fragile, and weak, and so easy to break. Your emotions had run deep, and you struggled so much with handling issues, and conflict. It hurt me to see you suffer that way, and because of that I couldn't watch another child deal with the same thing."
"So that's why you put your son through all of that? Because you thought that he could handle it, while I couldn't?"
"That's correct."
Camila nodded, slowly starting to understand. "So it's not that you didn't want another child." She said, clarifying the moral of the story for all of them. "You didn't want another child who you thought could never defend themselves, and live a life where they didn't have to suffer." She gave him a nasty chuckle. "You didn't want another girl."
"I never said that."
"You never needed to." Camila's voice had levelled out, and her emotion had been drained to nothing. All she was hearing was nothing; none of the explanations she had received that night came with any emotional comfort. "You were willing to have another child... and you are even now. But you aren't willing to have another daughter. I was enough."
Alejandro's eyes narrowed. "Are you telling me that you and her both have emotional strength?"
"Are you telling me that what I just said was true?"
"Answer my question."
"Answer mine."
Alejandro sighed. "I never said that Camila. I love you very mu-"
"Oh don't even. It's too late for that now." Camila hissed. "And I'll have you know that Sofi and I have more emotional strength than you'll ever understand."
"Then tell me." He said, his hands clasping together before him. "How long will it take you to tell your younger sister of all the darkness in this family? Did you reveal everything to her the moment you knew she could understand it? Did you tell her of all the things you had to go through, thinking that she had enough in her to bear it?"
Camila looked away.
"Exactly." Alejandro was nodding now, satisfied that he had proven his point. "You didn't tell her anything, because you didn't want her to shoulder the burdens of this family. How are your actions any different from my motives?"
"I know how." Dan said, appearing not in front of Camila, but beside her. "Camila's actions are backed by people who love her, and want her to be happy, successful and fulfilled." He said, his cold blue eyes driving into his father's dark ones. "Your motives are backed by drugs... alcohol, cigarette smoke and the voices in your head. You're not only a complete and utter misogynist, but you're cold, heartless, and never going to receive acknowledgement from your children after we leave this place."
"And what about you my boy?" The man turned his attention to his son. "Have you been faithful to your so called recovery? Have all of your actions reflected the best interests of the family you abandoned?"
Dan narrowed his eyes. "I'm four months clean Dad." He said coldly. "Meanwhile this entire house reeks of marijuana."
"Have you drank within those four months?"
"No." Camila cut in, interrupting them both and spitting out the lie like it was nothing. She had never experienced a mix of so many emotions than she was at the moment, and was attributing all her words to just that. She then looked down at the beer in her father's hand. "Have you?"
Alejandro closed his eyes. "The two of you will never understand." He said softly. "Even if you were to leave me now, it wouldn't change anything. Nothing would be different... the past is the past, and the scars will never fade."
"You will never understand, because to you, change is impossible." Camila replied, her heart soaring with pride when she thought of Lauren. "But it's not impossible for everyone. And I promise... if you give a wound enough time, it's scar will fade. I'd say about nine years is plenty."
"And I'm finished with you too." Dan said, his hands pressing into his pockets. "Im not associating myself with you and your motives anymore." He looked over at his sister. "Come on Camila. Let's go back home."
Camila watched Dan proceed to head towards the doorway, and she looked at her father again. "And just so you know, women can be just as strong, if not stronger than men." She said, her head shaking slowly. "I know you'll never understand me, but it's been proved to me this year more than once."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"This is why." She walked over to the bag that had been dropped on the floor, knelt down and retrieved the object inside. She heard Dan gasp, and felt her father's eyes burning a hole through the side of her head. "You gave me this, back in the winter as a gift for my birthday." The girl said slowly, lifting the wooden box up, and setting it down on the lone table that sat in the middle of the room. She then reached forward and pulled up the hinge, letting the freshly painted ballerina spring up and begin to let out a scratchy, empty melody. It hadn't worked until now.
"Your grandfather's box... so you did receive it." The man said, looking at it. "I was afraid it never made it, it's a beautiful piece of artwork, yes?"
Camila reached down and felt around the velvet padding, lifting one of the sections and pulling out the note that Lauren had flattened out and tied up. She hadn't accessed the note since putting it away back in the winter, and for the longest time had no intention of touching it ever again.
Something between then and now had made Camila realize the actual reason why her subconscious let her keep the box. Lauren had been right. It didn't belong rotting away in a New York landfill. It belonged somewhere where it could make a point.
"I'm twenty." Camila said first, unfolding the note and letting the light from the fire allow her to read the words one more time. "Not nineteen."
Dan had moved forward, and was peering over her shoulder at the note.
"This death that you told me about... you didn't even have the decency to tell me who it was. I spent the last few months thinking my brother was gone."
Dan looked at her, surprised at Camila's sudden outburst of honesty.
"I may be your daughter in blood, but just like Sofi, I never will be as family." She continued. "You don't have my trust, and you're never going to be able to earn it back again."
"Yet you give your trust to your brother?" Alejandro asked, his voice still as hard as stone. "Did he not commit the same crimes as I did?"
"No, he did not." Camila said simply, feigning any other explanation of her opinion. "And lastly." She said, folding the letter back into the smallest square she could before letting it sail across the room and land neatly in the fire. The paper went up in flames instantly, disintegrating to nothing on the bed of the hearth. The music that was coming from the box was giving the room a much creepier feel than it had had before, but Camila couldn't deny that it was fitting. "There is someone in my life. And they've got all my heart." Camila's face twisted into a calm, gentle smile. "They're going to be with me for the rest of my life... and I won't let you, or anyone from your side of the family do as much as lay an eye on her."
"Her...?" Alejandro had looked up, and his face was twisted into a deep sickness.
"Her." Camila nodded, backing up and turning around. For the first time, the only voice that echoed in her head was Lauren's. She closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them again, she was standing by the banks of the Central Park lake system, her toes just brushing the edge of the water. Before her was a boat, the small water craft floating out on the gentle waves and containing two small figures. One was in tears, and the other had one hand wrapped tight around their midriff.
"I did all of that because I just didn't want him to hurt you, no other reason. You know when you told me all that stuff about your past at dinner? Well it really hit me hard. How you were bullied, how you grew up under such shitty conditions, how you try so hard to make sure your sister is as happy as she can be. All that became special to me as well."
With a heartbeat, Camila was in the hospital, surrounded by doctors and police officers.
You can let yourself be scared. Because I'm going to be here for you. We're all going to be here for you.
The heart wrenching scene faded away, and Camila found herself in Lauren's bedroom, breathing hard.
"My first kiss... it was you."
She was then balancing by the edge of the roof of their New York home. Two figures lay on the sloped surface, the wind whipping around them, snow freezing to the sweat on their cheeks.
"I love you Camila. So get it in your head right now, because I don't care where you are, or what anyone says. There's always going to be someone out there who loves you. Always."
Next, Camila was standing in the corner of the house, the tension in the room was high, and four figures were gathered around just one that sat slumped on the couch. She felt her heart constrict in her chest, her palms becoming sweaty.
"Camila? I'm... I'm sorry."
"You don't need to be sorry. God, I'm the only one who needs to be sorry. I messed up, I'm such an idiot. I need you in my life... you know I need you in my life. That's never going to be something that could be put into question."
"I love you Camz."
Another fade, and Camila was in Central Park once again. The water was flat, the ground was firm, and the cool air was taking the edge off the sickness that had been accumulating in Camila's gut.
"I heard you when you were talking to me downstairs. I was in this half sleep half wake state, but I did register what you had said. You don't need to apologize Camz. We're both pretty messed up. And I'm starting to realize that love is always going to be a little messed up as well."
Now Camila stood soaked by the rain on the edge of a children's playground. One figure before her was in tears, the other was trying to quell them.
"You can't mask your demons Camz, no matter how hard you try."
Finally, the Latina was standing at the base of the dock, the sun high in the sky and turning the glassy water a vibrant blue.
"Remember what I told you on our first date on that rooftop? Well all those feelings really do still exist. I think it's one of those effects that come along with falling in love with your best friend. Sometimes it can really be difficult to register that you're in a relationship because everything is just so perfect."
Camila was back, and the fire that roared in the hearth was flickering in her eyes once more. But this was unlike the first fire she had seen. This fire reflected many things, not one of them being reckless irresponsibility.
The fire reflected her mother's bravery, her sister's innocence and her brother's dedication. It reflected Normani's compassion, Ally's wisdom, Dinah's ferocity, and Lauren's love. All of those things had her on two feet once she spoke. "You changed my life when you left." Camila said. "And I had to deal with a lot during the time you were gone. But now... I know that no matter where I am, or what anyone says, there's always going to be people out there who love me enough to never leave me." She took a deep breath. "Always."
Camila then took the bag that had housed the box, and folded it up, placing it neatly into her pocket.
"Bye Dad." She said, her hair flipping behind her as she stalked out of the room, down the hall and out the door.
Dan followed only seconds later, and the only noise that could be heard in the house was the broken, old sample from one of the most familiar records that his father had owned. The only thing that the siblings had left was the box, the gift meant for Camila, and paint dry his own hand. He knew it was more than just a family heirloom that neither of them wanted. It was a sign that they were both finished with him, and never again were they going to remember him as a person, nor a father.
***
The moment she was outside, Camila doubled over and grabbed at her stomach, clutching it tight to dull the pain. Her knees hit the ground, and Dan was by her side. She felt sick, her entire body was shaking, and the only thing she needed at the time was Lauren.
"Jesus Camila, what's going on are you alright?"
"My stomach is killing me." Camila croaked, trembling. "Right where he hit me."
"Let's get home and we can get you some ice and a shower. It's raining pretty hard out here." Dan told her, placing one hand on her back. "I also really just want to leave this place. I don't want you to spend as much as another second in this disgusting town."
"Yeah." Camila let him help her up and into the truck, and while he rushed around and jumped behind the wheel, she curled herself up and feigned off the sickness. "Shit." She muttered as the truck pulled away. Out the side window, Camila could see the house fading away, and she forced herself to look away as a few single tears flew down her face.
"I know it's hard." Dan's eyes were focused ahead. "Walking away from family is something that's impossible to get used to... but sometimes it's necessary."
"I was wrong you know..." Camila mumbled. "He's not my family. He's not Sofi's family... and the minute I get the chance, I'm taking his last name off mine."
"I thought you might." Dan nodded. "And I'm not even going to try and stop you." The rain began to pummel the windshield. "You got hit pretty hard back there, do you feel alright?"
"I could be better." Camila replied. "What about you? Is your eye okay?"
"It'll be fine. I'm hard to bruise." Dan assured her.
Camila was silent for a moment, and the dark roads in front of her were beginning to mess with her head. Everything looked the same. "Are you okay?"
"I'll survive."
"You know, while he was explaining to me what he did to you, there was something I was thinking about. I mean, something I was trying to figure out."
"What's that?"
"Do you remember the night when he left... and we were in my room? I was super scared... and I was trying to understand why he left." Camila asked, already knowing the answer.
"Right."
Camila pulled her hair to the side. "What you told me that night... you lied big time, didn't you?" She could remember what he told her, like the conversation was only minutes ago.
"He has a lot of demons Camila. He's told me before that he has a lot of things up in his head that tell him to do one thing, although all he wants is the other. So he has to make these sacrifices. He has to do things that he hates, things that he wouldn't ever wish on his worst enemy."
"But why doesn't he tell me any of this?" Camila felt tears rush to her eyes again. "Why does Dad always tell you the problems, and I don't ever get to hear any of it?!"
Dan gave her a sad smile. "Because he doesn't want you to be hurt Camila." He explained. "We have to keep secrets in this family, because secrets are the only things that keep people together. They keep people safe. For us, the truth is the things that hurts us the most." He crossed his legs under him, running one hand through his dark hair again. "There are lots of people who don't want you to be sad, and Dad is one of them. That's what he always tells me, and I know that the only way you can be safe was for him to leave."
"Well doesn't he know that him leaving makes me sad?" She then asked, curious as to how many answers she could finally push out of her brother. "It makes me sad, and it makes you sad, and it makes Mom really sad."
When she looked up, Camila saw something in Daniel's eyes that she had never seen before. It was desperation, an immense sadness that had his blue orbs flecked with brilliant amber. There was a fire in his gaze; a recklessness that could only be explained through roaring flame. Dan's eyes were only focused on her, gazing into her own with a sense of broken, hollow emptiness.
"I know it makes you sad." He said softly. "And I wish there was something else I could do to make everything better for you, but I can't." His voice was bubbling with just as much emotion as his eyes. "I can't do it, and I can't help you... so you're going to have to do this on your own. Without me." He shuffled forward slightly, just as a new bought of tears fell from Camila's light hazel eyes. "But I know you're strong. You're a very strong girl, and you've proven that to me many times tonight."
"I am?"
"You are." Dan smiled softly. "That's something that Mom and Dad were never able to see in you, you know? They think you're helpless, and I know that they've thought that from the second you were born. You never notice how they're always there for you? Helping you stand up to people, by your side whenever you may need support? Fighting for you in a way they never fought for me?"
Camila thought about it for a moment, unable to deny that it was the truth.
"Well they don't see that you have the strength you need. And they won't ever see that, so I need you to prove that to them. Both of them."
Camila had sat up straighter in her seat now once the conversation in her head had ebbed away to her memories once more. "You lied to me that night... because you didn't want to tell me the truth.... But when I asked you why Dad left, and you told me it was because he didn't want me to be sad— when you said that he had a lot of demons in his head, and that he had to make sacrifices. That he had to do things he hated? You weren't talking about him. You were talking about you."
Everything was falling into place perfectly for Camila, and the more she verbally recalled about that night, the more she discovered was now being unlocked in her memories.
Dan exhaled, then nodded slowly. "You figured it out. I knew that I was going to have to leave you a long time before I actually grew the balls to do so." He told her. "That night, I knew for sure that I was done for, and that eventually you would have to handle the fact that I was going to leave, as well as the infuriation from the fact that Mom was babying me." He shook his head. "I had to make that sacrifice, because I knew I couldn't let him come back home. Unfortunately that led to you hating my guts... but it was worth it."
"You knew that I was going to hate you and you didn't do anything about it?"
"It's not that I didn't do anything about it." Dan said to her. "It's that I couldn't do anything about it. It couldn't be helped, and Dad was making sure of that." He stopped, then looked over at the girl. "So do you understand now why Mom was so willing to let me back into the house so easily? She knew about all of this, and that's why she kept supplying cash to me when we were younger. She didn't want him coming back just as I didn't... and the only thing she could do was reassure me that it was all going to be worth it in the end."
Camila leaned back covering her face with her hands. "I understand now." She said softly. "And I also know that maybe if you had all told me this before, then things would be different. You wouldn't have had to suffer for so long..."
Dan just shook his head. "I know that... but I also think that a part of me was waiting for the time when you had it in you to understand me." He looked towards the road, maneuvering through the rain. "The suffering was worth it Camila." He said to her. "I can't explain to you just how much the suffering was worth it, I would've given anything to see that moment back there, when you looked him in the eye and flipped all of his choices on their head."
The brunette forced herself to breathe deeply, calming the tornado in her stomach. "If you hadn't done what you did... then Sofi wouldn't even be here."
Both siblings were silent.
"I've never really accepted that fact myself before. But... I know that if Dad had come home... Mom would have had no choice."
"Well thank you." Camila said, looking up at him. His blue eyes were still focused on the road, and not running into foreign obstacles as the rain made everything blurry. "I never thought I would ever look at you again and say that, but thank you for what you did."
"Don't mention it." He said, turning to her with a gentle smile. "Now we better get back. Mom's probably freaking out worrying about us."
"Agreed." Camila put the first genuine smile on her face all night. "But there's one place I want us to stop before we do. There's something I think you need to pick up."
***
When Camila and Dan returned home, the all the lights in the house were on, and two cars were taking up the space in the driveway. He parked on the road, and unlocked both doors. "You ready?" The boy, looking over at Camila.
"Yeah."
"Mila, you know that I've waited for a long time for all this to finally happen... but that doesn't mean I'm going to assume that you're going to let me live here again." He told her. "If you still want me gone, I can go. There are places I can find to live, I have friends still in this town as well as others."
Camila stepped out of the truck, noticing that Dan was watching her with interest. "No." She said, shaking her head slowly. "You waited years under the weight of a sacrifice, only on the off-chance that one day you would have the chance to come back here and explain yourself. You've explained yourself. You're staying here now."
The boy lifted his eyebrows happily. "Alright, let's go inside then."
"Oh, and one more thing." Camila grinned, stepping forward and pinning herself against him in a hug. "Thank you for what you did tonight, and for forcing me more than once to do this." She said softly, feeling his arms encompass her as well. The years wasted had been well worth it.
"You're welcome Mila." He said smiling. "I don't think it could have possibly gone any better."
"Well if I didn't have a bruise on my stomach right now, that would be nice." Camila noted, pulling away and giving her brother a shrug. "And your eye looks gross."
"Oh stop." Dan snaked around Camila and gave her a little push towards the porch. "You're gross, now go."
It had been a long time, but Camila was thrilled that she was finally able acknowledge that her brother was once again a part of her life. Opening the door, she stepped inside and was immediately warmed by the smell of dinner broiling away on the stove. The house was quiet, the sound of faint music a ways away and sizzling on the stove was all she could hear. "Mom?" Camila called, kicking off her shoes and starting down the hall. Sinu appeared in the hallway, and rushed forward, taking her daughter in her arms.
"Oh my god Camila, don't you ever do anything like that again. You had me worried sick."
Camila felt tears rush to her eyes as she buried her nose into her mother's shoulder and shook as she cried. "I'm so sorry." She whispered. "I'm so sorry for what you had to go through, and what you had to witness, and how much I didn't help by complaining twenty four seven when Sofi was growing up. I had no idea... I wish you had told me everything as it was happening, I could have handled it...and I could have helped you, both of you."
"I should have." Sinu admitted, separating them and reaching up to brush Camila's cheeks. "That was the mistake I made. Your father was a very awful man, and I didn't see it until long after it was too late. If I had told you, we could have worked it out together.. But I didn't because I didn't have the backbone for the truth."
She smiled at her daughter gently. "But now I've realized that you can handle it... and you've proved to me this year that you can handle so much."
Camila just nodded like a silenced baby.
"That's why I have so much faith in you mija. That's why I know that in this world, you can fight for yourself, and you can support yourself, and you have the bravery to keep yourself on two feet." She continued. "It has taken me many years to come to terms with, but you don't need me like your brother does. He may be weak, but you are very much not."
"But I do need you..." Camila sniffed, refusing to let go. "I'm always going to..."
"And I will always be right here." She said. "But I will continue to push you out of the nest, because I want to see you soar. You are the light in this family... and that is the only thing I've seen in you since the day you were born." She was rubbing Camila's back soothingly. "I've seen you at your best, and I've seen you at your worst. As a mother, sitting back and watching her daughter suffer through something she cannot control is the worst feeling in the world, but it's over now. This family is twisted... and if it wasn't for Daniel, none of us would be where we are today."
"But..." Camila nibbled on her lip. "All that time... when you were defending Dan and not me, all of that made me feel like he was more important. Like he meant more to you, and that you felt like you needed to only be by his side as opposed to with us both." She said, sniffing through her words. "You could have just told me everything then... you made me suffer, and run away, and hurt people." Her voice was breaking. "I don't understand why you've insisted on putting me through so much just to prove a point..."
"Like I said before." Her mother's voice was gentle, and forgiving. "It's because I see more in you that I push you further. It's because unlike your brother, you have stars in your eyes, and I know you will go far."
She smiled, and Camila glanced back at her brother to see that nothing but agreement was painted on his face. "I never meant to make you feel like I favoured your brother over you... and that's something I'm working on. But you need to understand that I'm eternally proud of you for the obstacles you've overcome, and the choices you've made." She said, her voice soft. "I love you very much Camila, and it's because I love you that I have pushed you so hard."
Camila brushed her hair out of her face, wiping her eyes in the process. "Well thank you." She said sincerely. "And from now on, Dan is staying here. I'm staying here, and I'm helping both of you ensure that Dad doesn't ever come in contact with this family again."
"Very much so." Sinu said, nodding gravely. "The man has no place here."
"So no more secrets?" Camila asked both members of her family timidly, her eyes hopeful. "No more keeping things from each other, and acting like problems don't exist?"
"No more." Sinu said nodding.
"Good." Camila gave her mom another hug, her shoulders relaxing for the first time that night. "Where are Sofi and Lauren?"
"Ah, the two of them are really getting along well. I believe they went out to give the dogs a walk. They should return any time now."
Camila dashed upstairs to throw off her existing clothes, jump into the shower and clean off all the terrible things she had heard that night. Once her hair was dry and smelt like coconuts. The girl headed back down the stairs just as the sound of a jingling collar could be heard out the back door.
***
"Alright, how about this." Lauren proposed. "When we get back, you're going to let me play a few more rounds, then tomorrow I can drive you to the candy store downtown and let you buy whatever you want."
"Lauren!" Sofi whined. "We've played that game a hundred times tonight, and you still haven't won once! I'm tired of it!" She made a face up at the girl, one leash wrapped around each wrist.
"Come on, please?" Lauren pleaded. Sofi had made her look like a downright fool at least ten times that evening, and it was getting old. "Jut a few more rounds, I promise that's it."
"Oh fine." Sofi let go of the leashes and took off, catching Lauren off guard.
"Hey, don't go down there!" Lauren shouted into the darkness as Sofi bounded down the beach and hurled two large sticks as far as she could. They went flying into the water, and both dogs dashed through the sand to get to them. "Ugh, Sofi, seriously? Now they're going to be all wet. Do you know what wet dog smells like?"
"Nope." Sofi answered with an innocent smile. "What does it smell like?"
"You'll see." Lauren muttered as Bella and Riley both dashed back up the beach and began shaking their fur out while dropping the sticks. Sofi squealed, running behind Lauren and pushing her into the spray of ice cold lake water. "Hey!" She cried, writhing around and backing up just as they finished. "Sofi!."
"You smell." Sofi said with a smile.
"Do I?" Lauren asked with a wide, cheeky smile. She knelt down and picked Sofi up in her arms, giving her a massive squeeze. "Well isn't that a funny coincidence, because you do too." The young girl shrieked, wiggling in her arms until Lauren put her down.
When the dogs had finished up their business, the two girls made their way up the beach and towards the back door. Entering, Lauren watched a brown haired blur speed past her as Camila dropped to her knees in front of Sofi and pulled her into a fierce hug.
"What the-" Sofi released the leashes and the dogs went scampering into the house. "Camila? What the heck? Where were you?What's going on? You're squishing me again!"
"I love you." Camila mumbled, unable to give the younger girl a chance to do as much as breathe. "I love you, and you're amazing, and I'm so glad you're here, and I love you."
Sofi had a confused look on her face. "Um... Camila? Camila, I can't breathe!"
"I love you." Camila said again, squeezing the girl as hard as she possibly could. Sofi squeaked in pain once more, and Lauren had to kneel down as well to make sure she didn't' suffocate her. The second their eyes met, Camila released Sofi and careened into Lauren's arms, giving her just as much affection.
"Are you alright?" Lauren wiggled one arm free and used it to stroke the girl's hair gently. Sinu was smiling where she stood watching.
"It's been a long night." Dan explained, then closed his mouth when Sofi looked up with pure fear in her eyes.
Camila released Lauren for a moment, getting to her feet and wiping her eyes. "Dan?" Lauren stood as well.
"Yeah, I got it."
The boy knelt down in front of Sofi, keeping his distance and leaving a good amount of space between the two. "I'm really sorry for what I did." He said sincerely, looking Sofi right in the eye and causing the girl to scoot backwards and shuffle so she was half-hidden behind Lauren. "I never wanted to hurt you or Camila. I know I lost your trust, and I know it's going to take some time to get it back."
"Sofi." Lauren placed a hand on the younger girl's back. "He's telling the truth."
She looked at Camila, then to Lauren. "He is?"
"Here." Dan said next, reaching into the inner pocket of his jacket and pulling out an object. Lauren felt her stomach twist. It was a single white rose.
"You know, nowadays the white rose isn't a symbol of love like the red. It's actually used in lots of bridal ceremonies because it's the symbol of innocence, loyalty and purity. The white really shows respect for a new start, and hope for the future."
"Take it." Lauren told her, nudging her forward. Sofi stepped forward and took the flower, examining it for a moment before looking up at her brother. Lauren then moved towards Camila, wrapping her arms around the girl from behind and resting her chin on her shoulder. Camila reached up and brushed her cheek with one hand, and placed the other overtop of Lauren's that sat at her waist.
"This is for me?"
"It is." Dan nodded.
"Oh." Sofi used her other hand to play with the petals gently. "Well thank you."
"No." Dan shook his head, smiling at her. "Thank you."
***
The night progressed without a hitch, and after dinner the kids all dispersed and found their way to their respective bedrooms while Sinu held back Sofi to get her to pick up after herself. When Lauren and Camila were alone in the upper bedroom once more, the brunette saw that her girlfriend had retrieved all their things, and unpacked every item of clothing back where it belonged. She entered the room, and turned with a small smile. "Did you do all this?"
Lauren just rolled her eyes. "No, it was the organizing fairy."
"Don't be smart with me."
Lauren sighed, weaving around Camila so she was sitting on the bed. "So how did it go?" She asked. "Did everything end up being okay?"
"It had it's ups and downs." Camila lifted her shirt, showing Lauren that there was a long line of bruised skin that ran over her stomach. "This happened, but that was it."
"Oh my god, what did he hit you with?" Lauren exclaimed, standing up.
"One of those stick things that you use to poke at a fire." Camila said, lowering her shirt again. "But to be honest, I was kinda asking for it. It's fine though, just no lying on me tonight."
Lauren looked at her grouchily. "I can't guarantee that." She said. "Come here."
Camila landed on top of Lauren, their legs entwined and lips pressed together. "I think I've said it to everyone else in this house tonight." She said softly, just as they disconnected. "But thank you Lauren."
"Thank me? Why?"
Camila laughed. "What do you mean why?" She asked with a smile. "You convinced me to trust him... you let me go see my father... you saved my life." She flipped them over, then reached up to take Lauren's cheeks in her hands, while the green eyed girl propped herself up on her elbows. "More than once."
"You know I would have done all of that without thinking about it." Lauren said nonchalantly, needing to lean down and kiss Camila again in the worst way. "And I don't remember exactly, but I'm pretty sure you saved mine as well once or twice this year."
"Hey." Camila said, taking her jaw and stopping her. "Listen to me for a second."
Lauren paused.
"You know back when we were in Central Park? You said that I couldn't say those three words, because you didn't think you deserved them." She said to the girl, her lips curling into a tantalizing smile. "Well you deserve them now, so can I-"
"No." Lauren clamped a hand over Camila's mouth, silencing her. "Not yet."
Camila just rolled her eyes. "But I wanna." She muffled through Lauren's hand.
"I don't care." Lauren used the tips of her fingers to pinch Camila's lips together, then leaned in and kissed them closed.
They spent the next few hours together, lazing around the bed, watching a few episodes of cheesy comedy before Lauren drifted off to sleep. She had her arms around Camila's waist, her nose just bumping the girl's collarbones. The brunette had to wriggle out of her grip, then climb over her as quietly, and slowly as possible. Naturally, it woke her.
"Hey, where are you going?"
Camila checked the clock. "It's midnight." She said, kneeling down on the side of the bed and planting a kiss to Lauren's nose. "Happy Birthday."
Lauren's eyes opened slowly, and she blinked, looking around. "It's my birthday?"
"You totally forgot, didn't you?" Camila said, laughing softly. "I figured you would get way too wrapped up in all this to remember. My baby's twenty now."
"You sound sad." Lauren was still groggy, and incredibly cute.
"I dunno." Camila shrugged. "It's just that to me, twenty feels like you're an adult."
Lauren frowned. "And is that a bad thing?"
"It's a surreal thing." Camila kissed her, their lips meeting through the darkness. "I have a request for you."
"Um... okay?"
Camila leaned in, brushing her lips against the shell of Lauren's ear. "Tomorrow right when the sun sets. Everyone is going to be out for the night, and most of the day, so I want you to meet me down on the beach area by the docks."
Lauren looked up, frowning. "What? Wait, where are you going to be? We're not going to be together?"
"No, I'm sorry." Camila had a clever glimmer in her eye. "I have to go now though."
"Camz!" Lauren sat up with a hushed demand, her feet flying over the edge of the bed. "Hold on, where are you going right now? It's the middle of the night."
"You'll figure it out tomorrow, everything will make sense." Camila bit her lip, leaning down and planting a sure kiss to the corner of Lauren's mouth. "You promise you'll meet me there?"
"Fine, I promise."
Camila was gone, and Lauren was left lying in her bed and staring up at the ceiling like an idiot. It wasn't just her, she knew that ever since she had returned, Camila was different. Good different. She tossed and turned for a few hours, the moon slowly moving through the sky as the night progressed. By the time the orb was high in the sky and there were bags under her eyes, she gave up on Camila coming back to bed, folding in on herself and drifting off to sleep.
***
A/N: Not much to say here, but thank you for reading, And Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Canadians! I'm gonna go eat my body weight in pie.
Love you guys
~ Rory