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Chapter Nine
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Four weeks later
Grace rubbed at her eyes tiredly, leaning against Lauren. She was starting to occasionally eat regular food but still sometimes wanted to nurse.
Lauren was drifting in and out of sleep.
Shifting in Lauren's arms, the one year old releases a soft yawn. "Mama," she mumbles.
"Huh?" Lauren yawned.
"Eat," the little girl mumbles, nuzzling Lauren's chest.
"No." Lauren mumbled.
Whining softly, Grace sits up. "Bah?" She asked, she wanted a bottle.
Lauren yawned and rubbed her eyes. "Yeah." She got up and went to the kitchen.
Lauren yawned and rubbed her eyes. "Yeah." She got up and went to the kitchen.
Lauren yawned and made a bottle for Grace.
As soon as the bottle was done, she carried it to Grace.
The little girl shifted and stared up at Lauren tiredly.
"Here you go." Lauren sat down and gave the bottle to the little girl.
Taking the bottle, Grace reaches up for Lauren tiredly.
Lauren held her hand out to Grace.
Grabbing her hand, Grace relaxes as she drinks her bottle, slowly falling asleep.
Lauren sighed heavily, rubbing her stomach.
"Hey mom," Remi says, walking into the house with her daughter on her hip. "You okay?"
"Huh?" Lauren yawned again, lifting her head.
"Are you okay?" Remi asks once more, concern in her eyes.
"Just tired." Lauren mumbled.
Remi moves closer and frowns. "Go get some sleep." She says softly.
"I can't sleep." Lauren mumbled.
"Why?" Remi asks softly, running a hand through her hair.
Lauren shrugged.
"Why don't you try?" The dark haired girl asks.
"I've been trying for the last four weeks." Lauren mumbled.
Nodding her head, Remi smiles softly. "Go lay down with Grace. I'll take care of everything else."
Lauren didn't move from the couch.
"Mom, seriously go." Remi says, staring at her mom.
"There's no point. It won't work." Lauren mumbled.
Rolling her eyes, Remi moves over and looks at Lauren. "Go lay down."
Lauren shook her head.
Grace shifts beside Lauren and slowly opens her eyes.
Lauren dropped her eyes to Grace.
Tiredly, the little girl reaches for Lauren, wanting to lay on her chest.
Lauren shook her head. She didn't have the energy.
"Mama," the little girl whines out tiredly.
"No." Lauren mumbled.
Tears immediately fill Grace's eyes and she gets up, reaching for Lauren.
"Grace. Stop it." Lauren yawned, rubbing her stomach. She was really uncomfortable.
"Mom, go lay down." Remi says calmly.
Lauren shifted on the couch and nodded. "Help me up?" She asked, feeling pathetic.
Nodding, Remi puts her daughter in the playpen before moving to help her mom up.
Lauren groaned quietly, placing her hands on her lower back.
"How far along are you?" Remi asks softly, trying to help her to her room.
Lauren shrugged. "I don't know."
Frowning, the dark haired girl helps her mother lay down on the bed. "When did you see a doctor last mom?"
"I haven't had a chance." Lauren mumbled.
"I'll make an appointment, just rest and get some sleep." Remi says softly before leaving the room.
Lauren shifted on the bed to get comfortable.
She should've expected Grace to crawl into the room, the little girl had tears in her eyes.
Lauren didn't move even though she knew Grace was on the floor.
"Mama, 'unt up." Grace mumbled, trying to stand up. She still struggled to pronounce want on occasion.
Lauren brushed her fingers through her hair and rubbed her eyes but didn't move to pick Grace up.
"Mama," Grace whines softly.
Lauren let out a sigh and sat up slightly. "You have to sleep in your own room."
"No mama," the little girl replies immediately.
"Yes, Grace." Lauren said. "You're a big girl now."
"Up," Grace responds, kicking her feet.
"Grace." Lauren said tiredly. "Stop. You have to sleep in your own bed. You're a big girl now."
****
A few months later
Lauren gasps as pain shoots through her stomach, she was on the phone with Camila.
"Laur?" Camila asked. "Are you okay?"
"N-no," Lauren breathes out.
"What's wrong?" Camila asked.
The younger girl swallows thickly, "I think the baby is coming."
"Get Lucy to take you to the hospital." Camila said.
"She's not home." Lauren mumbles softly.
Lauren takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. "I need you here Camz," she breathes out, using a nickname she hadn't used in a while.
"I'm in a different country." Camila said softly.
"Please, you've missed so many of our childrens' births. I need you." The younger girl practically sobs out as more pain rips through her stomach.
"I can't just hop on a plane." Camila said.
"I don't want to be alone." The younger girl responds weakly, she could hear Marley saying something in the background.
"Marley, stop. I'm not going anywhere. Relax." Camila said to her daughter.
Lauren's heart broke even more in her chest. "Please Camz, I need you. Lucy isn't the same, she's been hurting me and Grace."
"Lauren, I can't jump on a plane." Camila said.
It took a moment before Camila realized what Lauren had said about Lucy.
"Wait? What?" Camila frowned. "Lauren, repeat what you just said."
"L-Lucy's been hurting me and Grace." Lauren sobbed out, she was terrified and hurting and completely alone.
"Physically? Has she physically hit you?" Camila asked.
"Where did she hit you?" Camila asked, frowning.
Lauren doesn't respond, her breathing growing heavy as the pain in her stomach worsens. "Camz,"
"Hang up and call Remi and Alice." Camila said softly. "Marley and I will be on the next flight home."
Lauren immediately hands up and calls Remi.
"Mom? You okay?" Remi's voice came through the phone.
"No," Lauren breathes out.
"What's up?" Remi asked.
"The baby is coming." Lauren responds, groaning in pain.
"Okay. I'll be there in five minutes." Remi said. "I'll call Alice and Silas and see if they can watch the kids."
Lauren nods her head without thinking.
"Okay. I'm going to hang up now." Remi said as she put her daughter in the car.
Curling in on herself, Lauren gasps in pain.
Five minutes later.
Remi pushed the front door open to Lauren and Lucy's house. She entered followed by Alice, who was holding her five year old son, James, hand and Silas, who was holding his two year old daughter, Kendall.
Lauren was curled up on the couch with Grace who was crying.
"Mom?" Remi called. "Where are you?"
"Living room," Lauren breathes out.
Remi, Alice, and Silas followed the sound of Lauren's voice.
Grace was in the playpen crying loudly.
Kendall covered her ears with her hands and frowned at Grace. "Shh." She mumbled.
Silas rubbed his daughter's back softly and kissed the side of her head with a soft, fond smile.
James pulled away from Alice and ran off to occupy himself with the toys scattered around the room.
"Mama," Grace cries out, she was reaching for Lauren who was still curled up on the couch.
"Mom. We are here, let's get you up and to the hospital." Remi said softly.
Slowly, and with help, Lauren gets up.
Remi helped her mother to the car.
"Call Camz," Lauren gasps out as she leans back in the passenger seat.
"I'll call her on the way." Remi said softly. "Just don't you dare give birth in my brand new car."
Lauren forces out a laugh and shifts slightly. "I'll try."
Remi smiled softly as she closed the passenger door.
Closing her eyes, Lauren takes a deep breath.
Remi climbed into the car and turned it on. She texted Lucy before calling Camila.
"Please don't tell Lucy." Lauren breathes out.
Remi looked at her mother. "Too late." She said.
Fear flashes in Lauren's eyes before she masks it.
"Mom?" Remi frowned, noticing the flash of fear. "What aren't you telling me?" She asked, backing the car out of the driveway.
"Nothing." Lauren says quietly.
"Mom. Don't lie to me. I'm not a child anymore." Remi said.
Taking a deep breath, Lauren goes to speak only to scream as pain rips through her stomach.
"Breathe, Mom, breathe." Remi said as she stopped the car at a red light.
Lauren forces herself to take a deep breath. "Please call Camz," she begs.
"I'm trying." Remi said, she pressed a button on her phone. "Call Mama."
"Calling Mama," a robotic voice says in response before it begins to ring.
Camila answers after three rings. "Hey, how is she?"
"Camz." Lauren breathed.
"Laur, we're waiting to get on a plane now." Camila promises softly.
Lauren groaned quietly, gripping her stomach.
"I promise, I'm on my way." Camila says softly.
Lauren nodded even though Camila couldn't see her.
"I have to hang up, we're boarding now." Camila says just as Marley mumbles something in the background.
"Okay. We are at the hospital anyway." Remi responded.
****
Nine hours later
Camila smiles softly as she holds one of her and Lauren's new babies, Lauren had twins.
Lauren was in surgery, there had been a complication with the birth and she nearly bled to death. Their other baby was lying in a bassinet, sleeping soundlessly.
The little girl releases a soft whine as she shifts in Camila's arms.
"Shh." Camila cooed softly, rocking the little girl.
Remi came into the room with a bottle of water. "Here." She held the water out to Camila.
Looking up, Camila takes the water and smiles softly. "Thanks Rem,"
"I want to know why you left mom for Marley?" Remi asked, sitting down.
Swallowing thickly, Camila looks down. "I know it's wrong, but I fell in love with her."
"That's not an excuse. She was a child. You should have stopped it." Remi said. "Not only was she a child... she was your daughter."
Closing her eyes, Camila takes a deep breath.
"You were the adult in that situation, you should have stopped it. The only reason you are here right now is because Lucy has been beating the crap out of mom." Remi said.
Shifting the baby in her arms, Camila looks at her oldest. "That is not the only damn reason I am here."
Remi raised her right brow. "Do you see Lucy anywhere? Mom wouldn't have gone crawling back to you if Lucy hadn't flipped out."
Narrowing her eyes at Remi, Camila takes a deep breath. "That's enough."
"I'm just telling you the truth." Remi responded.
"I'm not here to argue with you, I am here for the birth of my children." The brown eyed mother responds calmly.
Remi rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Just don't hurt her again."
"I don't plan on it." Camila responds calmly, laying the now sleeping baby in her crib with her brother.
"You might not... but what about Marley." Remi asked.
Camila frowns and looks at Remi. "What do you mean?"
"Marley gets really jealous." Remi shrugged.
"I know, but I've already explained everything to her." Camila responds softly, running a hand through her hair. "Your mom has been and always will be the first person I've ever loved."
"Bullshit. If you truly loved her, you wouldn't have fallen for Lucy or Marley." Remi argued.
Closing her eyes, Camila takes a deep breath. "I already told you, I wasn't fighting with you."
"That's because I'm right." Remi responded.
Marley walks into the room and curls into Camila. "I don't want to be on tour without you for the rest of it."
"Marley, you're an adult, not a child anymore. You can do it without me." Camila said.
Shaking her head, Marley buries her face in Camila's neck. "What about our baby?"
"You're not due for another month." Camila responded.
"I still don't want to be alone." Marley responds calmly.
"You won't be alone." Camila responded.
"Yes I will, you won't be there." The younger girl mumbles.
"You've got your friends in the crew and your manager." Camila responds.
Marley shakes her head. "It's not the same."
Camila sighed. "What do you want me to do?"
"Come with me." The younger girl mumbles.
"I can't... Lauren just had twins. She in surgery. Lucy's been hurting her... I can't just leave." Camila argued.
Sighing, Marley pulls away and crosses her arms. "She's all you care about anymore."
"That's not true." Camila responded.
Tears fill Marley's eyes and she rushes out of the room.
Camila sighed heavily.
"How's that going?" Remi asks softly, watching Camila.
"What?" Camila asked, looking up. She narrowed her eyes at Remi.
Rolling her eyes, Remi shakes her head. "She's jealous and you don't even realize it."
Camila rolled her eyes. "I can't just leave."
"Did I say leave? No. I said she's jealous." Remi responds before leaving the room to call Alice.
Camila sighed heavily. She looked down at the two tiny babies.
They were both sound asleep, neither had names yet.
She couldn't believe how much the two tiny babies resembled Lauren.
She was happy with the fact they had two healthy and beautiful children, but she was extremely worried about Lauren.
Nobody had come to tell her what was going on and she hadn't seen or heard from Lucy.
"I'm here." Camila says softly as she looks at the babies.
The two babies were sound asleep.
****
"Mar?" Camila asks softly, seeing the younger girl curled up on the bed and in tears at their hotel.
Marley didn't respond, sniffing.
"What's wrong?" Camila asks softly, climbing onto the bed and pulling her close.
Marley rolled over and faced away from Camila, wiping her eyes.
"Mar, talk to me please?" Camila asks softly, her hand resting in Marley's rounded stomach.
"Leave me alone." Marley mumbled, pushing Camila's hand away.
Rolling Marley onto her back, Camila looks into her eyes. "No, not until you tell me what has you so upset."
"What the fuck do you think is wrong?!" Marley snapped.
Sighing, Camila leans their foreheads together. "I know you want me to go with you, and I get that. But Mar, I've been away from the kids for so long that they barely know who I am."
"I don't even know who you are." Marley mumbled, she got up off the bed. "You've been distant." She left the room.
Getting up, Camila immediately follows her. "I've been distant?" She asks in confusion.
"Yes. The whole time we were on tour after you got Lauren pregnant, you couldn't stop thinking or talking about her." Marley responded.
Sighing, Camila grabs Marley's hand and spins her around, looking into her eyes. "I'm sorry, it's just the last time she was pregnant she had complications and I was worried."
"You should've just stayed at the hospital with her." Marley muttered, pulling her hand away from Camila's.
Frowning, Camila grabs Marley's hand and pulls her back, leaning their foreheads together. "I'm not going anywhere, I love you."
"Let me go." Marley wriggled in Camila's grip.
"Stop, I need you to look at me." Camila says softly, lifting Marley's head.
"Why?" Marley continued to wriggle.
Camila just pulls Marley closer and took a deep breath. "Mar,"
"What?" Marley snapped.
"I need you to calm down and look me in the eyes." Camila says softly, she was used to Marley's insecurities by now.
"Why?" Marley wriggled. "Let go of me."
Closing her eyes, Camila takes a deep breath. "Just do it Marley."
"No. You're hurting me." Marley wriggled.
"You're hurting yourself, I'm barely even holding you." The older girl responds calmly.
"Let me go." Marley wriggled.
"Not until you calm down." Camila says softly.
"Let me go." Marley growled quietly.
Camila shakes her head. "Calm down first and we'll go back to our room."
"I'm fine." Marley responded.
Nodding her head, Camila releases Marley. "Then let's go back to our room." She says softly.
"I want to go for a walk on my own." Marley responded.
"And I want to have a talk like civilized adults Marley." The older girl responds, giving Marley a look.
"We can do that later." Marley said. "I just need some time to myself."
Sighing, Camila nods her head. "Just let me know."
Marley nodded. She turned and walked away from Camila.
Running a hand through her hair, Camila makes her way into their hotel room.
She sat down on the edge of the bed and sighed heavily. She pulled her phone out of her pocket to see if she had any news about Lauren. There was nothing.
Sighing, she tries to find something to occupy her until Marley comes back or until she gets news on Lauren. Leaning back on the bed she reached for the television remote.
Maybe she could find something good to watch.
She flicked through the channels as she tapped her foot on the floor.
****
Camila flinched awake when she felt the bed shift as someone climbed onto it.
Marley curled up on the bed, facing the wall.
Sitting up, Camila looks over at her. "I guess you came back this late to avoid talking."
Marley sighed heavily. "I lost track of time." She muttered.
Shaking her head, Camila lays down and faces the opposite wall. "You don't lose track of time like this, never have."
"Well, this time I did." Marley muttered.
Sighing, Camila sits up again and shifts so she can look at Marley.
"I was too busy thinking and just walking." Marley mumbled, still staring at the wall.
Moving so she's above Marley, Camila looks into her eyes. "Can we talk now?"
"I guess." Marley mumbled, looking away.
Sighing, Camila leans their foreheads together. "Why were you so upset earlier?"
"Hormones... I don't know." Marley mumbled.
"And now? You won't even look at me." Camila says softly, confusion in her eyes.
Marley looked up at Camila. "Happy now?"
"No, I'm not happy. You're upset and I don't know why." Camila says softly, trying to understand.
"I'm fine." Marley responded.
Shifting, Camila releases a soft sigh. "I'm sorry."
Marley sat up. She pushed her hair out of her face.
Sitting up, Camila bites her lip. "I just don't want you thinking that I don't love you."
"I don't think that." Marley rubbed her stomach.
Nodding, Camila places her hand over Marley's stomach. "I love you."
"I love you too." Marley mumbled.
Leaning down, Camila kisses her slowly and passionately.
Marley's eyes fluttered closed.
Cupping her cheek, the older girl deepens the kiss.
The baby kicked in Marley's stomach and she pulled away, wincing.
Reaching down, Camila gently rubs her stomach until the baby settles down.
Marley relaxed against the bed and yawned.
Laying down beside her, Camila pulls Marley close.
Marley curled into her mother's side and sighed. "You need to find out what happened between mom and Lucy." She mumbled.
"I know, I'm waiting for Remi to text me and let me know she's awake." Camila says softly, rubbing Marley's back.
"At least she's out of surgery." Marley said quietly. She might not get along with her mother anymore but she still cared.
Camila nods her head. "That's a plus." She says softly.
"I'm scared." Marley whispered. "For her."
"Me too." Camila says softly, shifting slightly. "When she wakes up I'm going to talk to her "
"About what?" Marley yawned.
"What happened with Lucy." The older girl responds, relaxing on the bed and closing her eyes.
Marley nodded as she drifted off to sleep.
****
"Hey," Camila says softly, gently running her fingers through Lauren's hair.
Lauren groaned quietly, shifting on the bed.
Kissed her forehead, Camila sighs softly. "Can you tell me what happened?"
Lauren pointed to the glass of water beside the bed. "P-please." She croaked, her hand shook.
Grabbing the water, Camila helps Lauren sit up slightly and lifts the cup to her lips.
Lauren took a long drink of the water, her body trembling.
After a moment, Camila put the water down and looked into Lauren's eyes. "What happened?"
Lauren took a deep breath and swallowed. "Lucy... hurt G-Grace." She explained.
Nodding her head, Camila runs her fingers through Lauren's hair. "You said she was hurting you as well."
Lauren nodded slowly. She lifted her shirt to show Camila the massive bruises and then pointed to the x-rays of her ribs - three were broken.
Taking a deep breath, Camila runs a hand through Lauren's hair. "I'm sorry I wasn't here."
Lauren shook her head slowly.
Leaning down, Camila gently kisses her.
Lauren's eyes fluttered closed. She groaned quietly when Camila accidentally rested her arm on her ribs.
"Sorry," Camila mumbles against her lips, moving her arm to rest on the bed, deepening the kiss.
Lauren's heart sped up in her chest causing the heart rate monitor to speed up as well.
Their lips were locked in a passionate kiss before Camila slowly pulled away.
Lauren relaxed against the bed, opening her eyes slowly. She swallowed thickly and took a deep breath.
"Do you want to see the twins?" Camila asks softly, tilting her head to the side.
Lauren nodded slowly.
Moving over to the bassinets, Camila gently picks up the twins and moves over to Lauren.
Lauren turned her head to get a better look at her children.
"Don't push her too far, mama, she's just woke up remember." Remi said from across the room.
Camila flinches, having not heard Remi walk in. "I know, I just can't move them both close enough." She mumbles.
Lauren lifted her arm and reached out to gently touch her son's head. Her arm shook the whole time.
The little boy releases a soft coo, kicking his feet while his sister begins to softly whine.
Lauren moved her hand over to her daughter's head and gently brushed her fingers over her daughter's head.
Relaxing, the little girl closes her eyes and starts to fall asleep.
Lauren smiled slightly at the sight of her two children.