Camila's PoV
"Mom?" Lucas came walking out of the study room with a photo book in her hands. She sat on the couch beside me with a sleeping Dylan's head in my lap. "Are these yours?"
I smiled and took the book gently, tracing my fingers over the blue plaid pattern. "Yea, my pictures from when I was a teenager."
"Oh," she furrowed her brow and licked her lips before opening up the book. It had sat pretty on my shelf for years but I hadn't looked at it since Lucas was born. "Can I ask you a question?"
I nodded and turned down the volume slightly from the TV. "You can ask me anything."
Lucas nodded and flipped towards the back of the book where she landed on a few pictures from high school. "Who is she?" She whispered, her finger pointing to the brunette that held me close to her with our faces smiling brightly towards the camera.
"A, uh, a friend." I managed to say and shifted slightly, running my fingers through the soft curls in Dylan's hair.
Lucas asked, raising a curious eyebrow. "What happened to her?"
"Um," I frowned and swallowed, not really knowing what happened to Lauren after all the years that have passed by, "I really don't know, baby." I glanced at her grey eyes and she tilted her head and looked down at Dylan, "why?"
"Well you still talk with Auntie Kyla and Uncle Austin... and you still see Aunt Normani when she's not playing hockey, I was just wondering why you're still friends with them and not her?" She tapped the picture again, "you two looked close."
Lucas Cabello was smart. The smartest in her grade to be exact. I was a proud parent of course, but sometimes she was too smart for her own good.
"We were," I smiled at the memories, "Lauren and I were very close."
"That's her name?" Lucas softly smiled and then looked back over at Dylan and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Mom?" she whispered, looking back up at me, "Dylan looks like her."
I think my mind went temporarily blank and the noise that was rushing through my ears was deafening. I frowned and looked down at the sleeping frame and curled my lips into a thin line. The resemblance had crossed my mind a few times but I couldn't truly believe that Lauren would allow her daughter to be in such a messed up system.
"Dylan Avery." I whispered and the name snapped together. Two middle names put together and I frowned even further, watching the small body shift and a yawn escape her mouth. I shook my head. It was just a coincidence.
It had to be.
Right?
The Lauren I knew would never ever sleep with a man and the Lauren I knew would never allow her own child to grow up in an unloved environment.
"She does." I looked at Lucas and kissed her forehead. "But how about we keep this book a secret, kay?"
Lucas nodded and closed it before hopping off the couch. "Mom?" She had a way of saying 'mom' that made me melt. "Do you think Dylan's a keeper?"
Fingers ran through soft brown curls again and then her brown eyes sleepily opened, her skin was the same colour as Lucas', a bronze colour. "Yeah," I whispered as the lazy eyes closed again and her body curled deeper onto my lap, "she's a keeper."
//
"Hey," I leaned in and whispered in Lauren's ear, "you think she'll be that happy when we tell her you're knocked up?"
I heard Mike laugh. I didn't realize he was still standing there.
"Planning on getting my little girl pregnant?" He chuckled at me.
"What if I already have?" I raised an eyebrow and smirked.
"I'd call you very special," Mike smiled. That was where Lauren got her gorgeous smile from. Good. I liked her father.
"I am very special," I smiled and looked at Lauren, squeezing her hand.
"I like you," he pointed a finger at me, "you're better than that last girlfriend of Lauren's, you know, that Alica chick? You're more talkative, more sure of yourself."
"Ally," Lauren rolled her eyes and sighed but still had a smile to her face. I could tell she was happy that her Dad approved of me, of us.
"Who's Ally?" Mike raised an eyebrow.
"You said Alica, my last girlfriend's name was Ally." Lauren said a little more serious that time.
"Um," I finally cleared my throat and smiled, "thank you."
"So how'd you manage to snag the girlfriend of that cousin of yours?" He walked around the table and put an arm around Lauren.
"I really don't know," her eyes locked with mine. "I guess it all just kind of happened."
"I kissed her," I added in, biting my upper lip as I glanced at the man briefly, "she was always there, looking so good and I couldn't take it anymore, so," I smiled, "I kissed her."
Raife got a smug look on his face. "You couldn't resist the Jauregui charm, could you?"
Lauren chuckled, "um, actually our charm pales in comparison to the Cabello charm," she cast me a heart warming smile, "trust me."
"Oh, I'm a believer," he patted Lauren on the shoulder and kissed the top of her head, "she's a keeper kiddo," I heard him whisper in her ear.
"Hear that Cabello?" Lauren pulled me forward when we were alone in the larger than large dining room, "you're a keeper."
"Mmm," I mumbled against her lips and cupped her face lovingly, "good."
Exactly how it should've been.
//
"Can I go play outside?" Dylan asked, throwing on a pair of rubber boots. "Lucas said she'd play with me after she's done her homework."
I smiled while I finished chopping up the rest of the vegetables for the stir-fry. "Are you done your homework?" I asked and she nodded eagerly.
"Want to see it? It's all done."
"I believe you." I smiled and she grabbed her raincoat. "Don't go getting dirty okay? We have guests coming over and I really don't think you wanna be stuck in the bath when they arrive."
Dylan shook her head and let out a small giggle. "And no going down by the docks, right?" She beamed proudly when I nodded my head. Before Dylan stepped out the door, she made a beeline towards me and kissed my cheek. "I love you, Camila." She blushed before running out the door.
I swallowed hard and closed my eyes. No other child had that kind of affect on me. I've fostered a couple and not one gave me that comfort feeling. It was like she really was a keeper.
Three months of having Dylan at my place, in our home, was a blessing. She fit in just perfectly and her bond towards Sofi was stronger than I would've imagined. Lucas was officially attached and the young brunette was her best friend. She'd beat up anyone who messed with her and I found it endearing, the two already considered each other sisters.
I knew it was a dangerous risk seeing as Lucas was non-stop about Dylan. She loved to make the younger girl smile and laugh.
"Knock knock!" Ryn came in carrying a bag. "Man it's wet out there!"
"I know." I smirked and looked at the window to see Dylan shoot a puck into the hockey net, screaming as if she won her own gold medal. "You're early."
"Oh Mila," she smirked, "you should know me by now, I'm always early!"
I nodded, it was true.
"What's with the extra food?" I scrunched my face up and looked at her.
"Well," she gave me a sly smirk and stepped aside to reveal a blonde standing next to her, "Aimee talks so much about you I figured it'd be great if we had one more guest!"
I cleared my throat as Aimee gave me a shy smile with the shrug of her shoulders. Ryn didn't know what we did behind her back. She was my best friend and had no clue that Aimee and I messed around – a lot.
"Well," I finally spoke and pointed to a stool, "come in."
"I'm just going to use the ladies room," Ryn winked and made her way down the hall.
"Sorry," Aimee whispered as she moved beside me, "Ryn said 'a friend's' house."
I nodded silently and moved away from the blonde, throwing the vegetables in the pan.
"Come on babe, don't be mad." She whispered, placing a kiss on my neck. Aimee jumped when I gently shoved her away. "What?"
"Not here, not now." I hissed and wiped my hands on a towel. I heard Lucas run out of her room and slide into the hallway closet. It happened a lot with the wooden floors but I think she just found it amusing. "Luc, I told you to be careful on the floors."
She giggled and shrugged, grabbing her rubber boots and raincoat. "Sorry mom."
"She's adorable." Aimee came up behind me and looked at my eleven year old.
Lucas raised her eyebrows and pointed to Aimee. "Who's the hottie?"
Oh, she definitely belonged in the Cabello gene pool.
"Manners." I frowned and she mumbled a sorry. "This is Aimee, she's a friend of Ryn's."
Lucas' eyes lit up. "Ryn's here?" The redhead was like a second mother to her.
"Right here kiddo!" Ryn smiled and hugged the smaller blonde.
"Wanna come out and watch Dyl and I play hockey? She's getting really good at the slap shots, last time she almost took out my eye!" Lucas tugged on Ryn's sleeve and they both made their way out of the house.
I turned to face Aimee and placed two fingers on her lips. "Even if we are alone, there will be no kissing or touching. No awkward silences and meaningful glances. You're here as Ryn's friend and I'm a mother who's looking out for her daughters."
It may have sounded harsh but it really wasn't. With Lucas' attachment issues I knew she could fall deeply for Aimee. It wasn't hard to do, she was gorgeous and kind.
But she wasn't my type.
I was all about the fun.
"Okay." Was all Aimee said before brushing passed me and into the kitchen.
"Okay." I whispered and blew hair out of my eyes.
It'd definitely be an interesting night.
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