Professor C (camren)

8 - Secrets

Life is a story of battles and perseverance. It's a story of when a beaten person stands up after a withering storm, and a story of beautiful tragedies that reveal which combats are worth the battle wounds.

"An eye for an eye" maybe a little too harsh of a law but there is some form of justice to it. You get punished to the same degree of a wrongdoing you have committed in the past. That seems fair. You get what you give, they say but when a person is determined and passionately fighting for the things they desire, there is only so little that could deter their spirit, regardless if they have been only a nuisance to the world.

Karma can take care of them; granting, they believe in it.

And most times, the worlds is unfair, and even if you've done nothing but cultivate goodwill, you are rendered to your knees and delivered a punishment you were never warranted in the first place.

What did Camila do to deserve the degree of agony she was continually plagued with? It had been eight long years - four months shy of nine and she could still feel the stinging bite in the core of her heart. It may have seem a little too dramatic but Camila had invested her all in that relationship.

After all the things they've been through and all the right things Camila did, Lauren still left like they never made a difference.

Camila thought she had escaped a reality she deemed nightmarish, only to walk in on a surprise when she had already established a new norm, a routine she religiously followed. Lauren had infiltrated the pristine paradise with a working ecosystem and suddenly, nothing worked anymore.

After opening the door to Sean Tremaine that afternoon, Lauren jumped away from Camila in a sudden dose of paranoia, which came quite offensive to the younger brunette. It had nothing to do with her, but she wasn't aware of it. Camila couldn't really blame Lauren for being ravaged in irrational fear.

Sean could have followed Lauren. Who knows?

The distance allowed for the pair to find the damage of the beautiful wordless conversation they had just took part in and the ruins were palpable.

There was a person on the other side of the door, and they would be more than curious as to why their dark tresses were tussled and why their lips were swollen - not to mention their ragged breaths. Essentially, they were panting.

There were quite a number of sources that fueled Camila's racing heart and pushed her chest to be wadded, requiring a valiant effort to fight against its force.

It may be Camila's biggest fear; to be standing before a horrified-eyed, Lauren whose hand had been touching her lips, wondering if she was still coursing through the realms of reality. And Camila perceived that reaction as that of remorse and maybe...disgust.

Camila was still recovering from the frenzy and the wild rollercoaster ride she had just stepped away from. While most of her ire had been defused, Lauren's presence was quick to rattle it back to its original intensity; maybe even beyond it. She was elated, for sure, but upon disengaging her lips from Lauren's, she was headed back to the same treacherous path.

Lauren was in shock, and Camila should have know that. Given her usually mundane, problematic life, remote excitement came from children like Pebble. Lauren was, essentially, combing through the plethora of emotions manipulating her mind and heart.

To begin with, she was confused. She could not fathom how a heated conversation suddenly exploded into a kiss amid the distance that they have created, no less. The thought alone never crossed Lauren's mind. That was rather berserk but it happened and she was inindeed, lucid.

The night was progressing quite edgily between her and Camila; she understood that she was the Economist's source of frustration, and she thought it would be quite sensible to vacate the area where Camila breathed. It was the typical distant cordiality - nothing out of the ordinary until her Camila followed her into the bathroom.

Lauren's heart was still enjoying its drum solo as she slowly floated back down to her feet. Even with that and her breathlessness, she was still dumfounded and could not even convince herself that the kiss actually happened until she felt her pulsing, swollen lips. Camila had sucked on them, hard and may have sank her teeth, reacquainting herself woth them and delving deep into those soft, luscious lips that she had forgotten the taste of.

But no one could blame her for suddenly losing control.

The professor certainly did not forget how it felt to kiss Lauren Jauregui and it was still as breathtaking as she remembered - literally and metaphorically.

Connecting their gazes, both could see that their eyes were identical but not in color. They were of the same level of effervescence, or lack thereof. Oddly enough, neither of them recognized each other's orbs without the fire dancing about. It was as if every bitterness and resentments, all the pain and suffering had been overclouding their glimmering light.

But their pupils were dilated; a renewed vigor that proved their lustful desire for the other, and the love that had just been awoken.

It was as if looking at themselves in the mirror. They were both miserable and that made a difference in Camila. She always assumed that Lauren was having a blast without her, but not anymore and yet she could still feel the intensity of her anger - only that, she wasn't sure who to be angry with anymore.

But then, it was easier to be angry with Lauren. She had become the infamous Professor C because of that and that Economics professor is incredible - she is incredible.

Camila's lips had taken a darker shade and somehow, Lauren could smell faint remnants of stale smoke and therefore, taste it. Their make-up had effectively concealed the heaviness and the darker hue under their eyes and if weren't for those fake blushes and foundations, they could see the depth of the damage.

Lauren didn't know Camila's feelings - it was the latter's secret. Camila's hostility was an effective mask that shielded an identity of an emotion and it left Lauren to wonder what it meant - what the kiss meant for them. And why was Camila so angry with everyone, too?

The psychologist didn't understand the magnitude of her decision to leave; at least, not yet.

"Hold on." Camila's shaky voice surfaced after she swallowed, rubbing her suddenly clammy hands against her dress. She darted towards the mirror to frantically brush her hair haphazardly with her hands while Lauren mindlessly stepped out of the way, stuck in stupor.

"Cammie?" The soft, gentle undulation of Luca's vocal chords sounded off on the other side after another series of knocks; stiffening Camila up and snapping Lauren out of it just as both pairs of eyes widened in horror upon a realization.

Infidelity.

Camila had just cheated on Luca with Lauren while Camila assumed Lauren had cheated on Sean Tremaine with her. Right off the bat, it was a messed up situation - one that neither were expecting to be involved in.

The professor could not understand if she was supposed to be horrified, mortified or gloating in satisfaction as she felt the need to exact revenge on the man her ex-girlfriend ended up marrying. It was a definite ego boost that Camila needed. She even felt the need to climb the highest skyscraper and announce it to the part of the world who are listening.

Camila felt as though they were transported back in high school, where she and Lauren were in the latter's bed, simply talking about what made them happy until feelings blinded their eyes of judgment and pushed both their heads together - ending with Lauren cheating on her boyfriend at the time.

It wasn't in the best of situations but it stirred their hearts, solidifying the thought of them developing deeper feelings for each other. 10 years later, they have done it again. They were committing the same mistakes as before and Camila was more than convinced a reunion or a renewal of a relationship they once cherished was not a good option.

"Cammie, I know you're in there." Luca's voice had a hint of desperation and a hastiness in it, as if he was being chased by a perilous creature and it was imperative that he did not get caught. He sounded to be in a rush and somehow impatient but he didn't sound scornful or angry; Camila was sure of that but Lauren wasn't. "Open up. Please?"

"Five minutes." Camila barked angrily, teeth clenching as the ember in her eyes lit up once more when she stared at her reflection. Her fangs were back and she was not holding off on any kind of retaliation she could throw in her words.

However, the knowledge of Luca being on the other side calmed her down to a degree but shattered her resolve as she thought of another round of teasing courtesy of her stupid husband. Thankfully, he wasn't aware about the kiss that just took place.

Hastily, her fingers combed through her soft dark brown hair. Once satisfied, she yanked paper towels that were in a box to her right, crumpled them together haphazardly and drenched them in water. Camila leaned towards the silver plated oval wall mirror elaborately detailed with scrolls and leaves and proceeded to dab the wet sheets around her lips, erasing the red tint that definitely didn't belong to her nude lipstick, and getting rid of remnants of Lauren and what had just occurred minutes prior. She was careful not to mess her make-up further.

Dumping the towels to the bin beneath the porcelain sink, she went back to fixing her hair once more. It lacked her usual meticulous manner but it did the job.

"Hurry!" Luca demanded and before he could continue to pester his wife, the door had been swiftly yanked to reveal Camila and the only vestige of the kiss - her swollen lips, that prompted a knowing smirk to surface on his.

Camila had vacated the bathroom to prevent him from prodding, and subsequently and hurriedly, closed the door behind her - not allowing Luca to see who was inside. Camila grabbed her husband's hand but it was Luca who dragged her towards the dining hall that came in gold, white and brown. The first thing Camila noticed was the bottle of rum perched on the extra-long oak dining table that could sit 20 individuals, intricately carved with leaves and vines much like most everything in the mansion. The bottle was accompanied by two sweating highball glasses filled midway with a dark, almost black liquid and cubes of ice floating to the surface.

Luca was not an i***t. He was aware who was waltzing towards the bathroom and what his wife wanted to do upon noting the brown-eyed brunette's sudden movements. After Lauren excused herself, Camila was quick to make a phony one, saying she wanted to check on the kitchen to see if they had enough desserts.

"What were you doing there?" Luca asked upon closing the heavy doors and swiveling to find his wife sitting on the head of the table, elbows on the timber surface and hands cupping her face.

"Nothing!" came a muffled yet annoyed answer but was lacking its usual bite as Camila was lured into her thoughts.

Camila was thinking about the kiss. Of course, she was and she hated that even when she was merely skipping through her reverie, she could still feel heat rising from within. It wasn't the spirit of fury, too. It was simply the power that came with the feeling of Lauren's lips on hers.

The journey Camila took to the bathroom was a blur. She was simply guided by her distress; ready to raise hell on the woman who had tormented her enough, it was not in her plans to steal a kiss that was reciprocated with the same ardor. And it sure as hell wasn't in her plan for that kiss to last as long as it did.

But to Camila, it was an exhibition of dominance. After all, she initiated it. She needed to feel that she was still in control over what occurred between her and her ex-girlfriend and whatever bound them together. She needed it to convey that she could still do whatever she pleased with Lauren just because she wanted to; she needed to replenish her power.

The problem was, the kiss made her feel something she shouldn't have but it wasn't too surprising. All those years she was without Lauren, she missed her and her plan had backfired because her love for Lauren was back in action, awoken from dormancy and it was too mighty to suppress.

While Camila's disdain was powerful but she was simply making up for a responsibility she felt, a contribution to their break up that she could not fully blame on Lauren. After all, for every motion, there is an equal and opposite reaction. And if there was a human emotion easy to conjure up, that was anger and hatred, and that was how Camila reacted.

"I heard yelling and they were all your sexy, husky voice and none of them were Lauren's." He reasoned, carefully sauntering over to the large rosewood China display cabinet with gold outlines, boasting antique plates and cups, behind his wife. It was essentially behind the line of battle and he was almost certain Camila would deliver a beating should he stand close. "You do realize that I invited her, right? Why can't you two just be friends?"

"Making friends is easy." Camila began but had no intention of offering a reason for the shouting; lifting her head up and dropping her hands to the table. She let out a huff, jaw swaying from side to side as, seemingly stalling but was really finding a better set of words to convey her thoughts in one sentence - something to justify her behavior. "Becoming friends with the person who singlehandedly ripped your heart to shreds is difficult."

Unconsciously raising her left hand to obsessively fumble with her lower lip, Camila inspected the wrought iron and crystal chandelier hovering above, observing as the lights from other sources flickered against it. She dropped her gaze and met the long gold plated mirror on the opposite side of the room and the rosewood sofa table that was brimming with bottles of alcohol. The sight made her huff with an eerie, contemptuous grin as she thought of how her life had changed and how liquor became a significant part of it.

Averting the consuming thoughts, she twisted her head to inspect the array of windows to her right, where the curtains that always concealed them had been parted in the middle, allowing her a view of the night outside. Light from lampposts surrounding the entrance of their property reflected on the tinted windows and shiny surface of the various cars parked out. There were several out there, most of them too expensive.

With cars, came people and there were at least two or three in each of them. The mansion was overflowing with family and yet Camila felt so alone. It wasn't like that before and god, did she miss her simpler life. No matter how much she relished in her success and in the awe-struck and fear-ridden expressions she elected, it was never enough.

Camila craved the simple life and that was a little too farfetched.

Another movement of the head led her to the white fireplace mantel that crawled up to the ceiling. On the shelving were two brass candlestick holders but none, including the fireplace, were lit and it was oddly depressing to Camila. Warmth seem to have been fleeting in that room but her shivering heart had just been covered in a blanket of Lauren.

Lauren again; it was as if everything was associated to the psychologist and it was harder to overlook everything. Camila just really needed to stop thinking of her.

Camila's right hand was restless, clamping into fists to tapping her fingers, at times, successively on the table. The force had gradually increased and the sounds she was producing didn't quite register in her head while drilled through her husband's ears, making him cringe.

"But you can't simply forget everything that caused you pain. You also have to remember that they helped you grow. In fact, you should be glad for second chances, you have something to compare to - a guideline of things you should and shouldn't do again." Luca expressed through his gritted teeth, cautiously venturing towards the table to join his wife. He stopped to her right, blocking one window and holding onto the top of the white and gold fabric-cushioned chair's back rest - still wondering if he was risking his life or not. "You were happy with her. You two were in love. I'm pretty sure second chances will do more good than harm. Talking will help."

Camila was not ready for a good conversation that was supposed to brush the creases and mend whatever relationship they could salvage. Most of her was, but her pride wasn't. She was not willing to pour her heart and soul out immediately, that would be an insult to her. Lauren left, she should instigate it, she thought.

Lauren had not necessarily started a conversation about their past relationship and Camila was not sure if she should be elated or not. Surely, it would be nice to know what she did to finally push the green-eyed brunette away but she did have an idea.

"It's not that simple." Camila countered defiantly, snapping her head towards her husband who had jumped slightly in a jumbled feeling of fear and surprise. She had dropped her hand, almost lifelessly, onto the table. Her features looked dejected, wallowing in defeat and having no such hostility in her brown hues as Luca feared. "So, you're happy because the other person's happy but without them, what will you be? What will be left of you? Because that was her to me. When she left, I was left with emptiness and I'm not sure I can take another round of heartbreak from her. I barely made it out during the last one."

"Well, you can't depend on other people for your happiness." Luca reasoned, shrugging as he incessantly shook his head. He pursed his lips, exhaling deeply through his nose and raised his brows, evidently disappointed. "There are a lot of things to be happy for, and you know Elf is one of them."

"What if I never knew real happiness until I met her? What then?" Camila offered rather quickly but in a more timid, quiet voice.

There was only silence in the room as Camila had offered a good point that forced Luca into thinking about his strategy, a plan to tackle the situation. The man knew Camila enough to know that she was suffering and it used to be fun to poke fun at her, to rile her up and get a reaction from her because that was how he dealt with anger, laughter. And he couldn't just do it without regard for Camila's feelings. But he saw it as a way for him to confirm that his wife still had feelings for Lauren. Otherwise, there would have only been indifference, not a raging fury that a person would feel upon a recent break-up.

"Darling, when I met you, you were a mess." Luca sighed audibly and stepped to one side, finally pulling the chair back to sit. He perched his hands on the table and clasped them together, contemplating on Camila's thumping hand. "I think it was three months since you and Milo started that weird carnal relationship when we met and you continued with your exploit for three more months. I know you were miserable then and you were dealing with the break-up terribly but I still saw you smile and still made you laugh."

"Even for a fleeting moment, you were happy. You had the ability to be happy on your own. And you can't argue with me when I say that you can choose to be happy. So, if your happiness is with her, choose her. I will understand. I promise you." Luca concluded, reaching to still Camila's hand and squeezed it to show his support.

"But I've already lost her eight years and eight months ago. It took this long for us to meet again. Don't you think the world has had enough of an era of us being a couple?"

"The difference now is she's here." He ardently stated, leaning towards his wife who had her head bowed down. "Who cares about what the world thinks? People will always talk and they will always have an opinion. Think about what you want. Because, honestly, I think it's time that you become selfish and demand to have what you deserve."

"I know you're worried about me." Luca continued, running his thumb over Camila's fingers to draw her attention but the words he uttered were enough it seemed. Camila looked up and met Luca's determined gaze, matching with her own inquisitive ones, prompting the man to go on. "But it was only my grandpa we were trying to please and he's gone, Cammie. Without him, what we talked about eight years ago doesn't matter anymore."

"I'm sure everyone loved you two the first time. I think Camila and Lauren 2.0 will be welcomed warmly. She seems like an amazing girl. You can't pass the opportunity up."

Luca thought what he was saying was enough. Camila's eyes were prickling, a sign that tears were imminent and moisture was already crowding her eyes. She cried over that break-up; she had spent countless of nights awake with a pounding headache and the first night was enough to drive her away.

A couple of days after landing in Indiana, Camila wandered to a local bar and met Milo.

Milo was a great distraction.

They were seated on bar stools next to each other. Milo had offered her shots of brandy until both of them were giggling, thoughtless idiots. Inebriated judgment brought the pair to suck faces, hurry out to hail a cab and land in Milo's apartment, into her bed, naked.

The next day, Camila woke up to Milo smoking in bed; uncovered perky breasts pointed at her while lighter green eyes looked at her with a stupid grin on her face. Unexpectedly, Camila reached up to take the lit cigarette from the other girl's fingers and took a drag. It was the beginning of her smoking habit that she and Milo enjoyed together - brandy, too.

Camila left with Milo's phone number in tow and found herself coming back the next day, and the next, and the next. Within that month, they began "dating."

Camila could vividly recall how incredible the girl was in bed. The pleasure that rippled through her body was euphoria. And while it was merely physiological bliss, it was enough. Camila would return to her own apartment with the heaviest of hearts, and allowed tears to spill but would look forward to the seven hours, or so, she spent with Milo that reignited her fleeting bliss.

When Camila shook her head to will her tears away, Luca frowned. He had offered her every option there was but Camila was choosing to remain miserable. He understood that it hurt. But the years that separated the pair would have warranted a good conversation or two. But Camila had a different idea.

"Doesn't matter." She answered resolutely, telling her husband that whatever reason he could provide for her wouldn't mean a thing.

"So, be friends with her." Luca suggested, having nothing else in his arsenal.

"I can't."

Furrowing her brows, he pushed his head closer to his wife as if to inspect if Camila was not drunk, and most of her brain functions were actually operational. He was a firsthand witness to the multitude of filled wine glasses that left their table empty, all courtesy of his wife.

"Why?"

"You can never be friends with your exes." Camila simply retorted, rigid and emotionless and averting eye contact with the man's ever gentle blue hues. She had begun biting her lips, seeing as her hand had been apprehended while her left one found the edge of the table, nails digging on the hard timber surface.

In panic, Luca scrambled to find the right rebuttal to his wife's statement. He was desperate and didn't have much to say anymore. Somehow, he figured that if the mess that was Lauren and Camila would be mended, his wife would be happier. However, his nervousness about the situation clouded his better judgment, leading him to mutter,

"We're friends. We were boyfriend and girlfriend before."

"And then we got married." Narrowing her eyes, Camila conjured up her best condescending look but was betrayed by a c***k of a smile that warmed Luca's heart.

It was quiet for a moment, Camila sucked back into reading the pages of history that enclosed the last hour whole Luca was on the edge of his seat, waiting on his wife.

"Why exactly did you invite her?"

"I w-"

"Nope, not that." Camila lifted her free hand, index finger extended, warning the man. Her sharp stare was slicing his courage into tiny, insignificant pieces. "Try again. I do not have much patience for bullshit, Luca."

"I'm not sure you're ready for my answer, darling." Luca smirked mischievously, having an observation he kept to himself. He was enjoying his wife's current irritation, expressed through a roll of her eyes. "You know half of it but you're fighting it. But you know I know you and in the back of your most stubborn head, you know I'm right."

Camila raised questioning brows, tipping her chin downwards and looked at her husband through hooded, unimpressed eyes as she waited for his next "brilliant" words. She was quite frustrated and her clenched jaw muscles were perceivable.

Now, Camila really needed to do something - one of the only few things that helped calm her down and her dependence had grown exponentially, which was quite disconcerting. Her hands had been restless, searching for that white stick and she needed it, fast.

"I need a damn cigarette." Camila grumbled, huffing her words out.

"Sorry, honey, but..." Luca momentarily frowned but could not suppress his amused smirk that was more powerful than anything; recalling the day Camila met his parents.

"Do not remind me." She interrupted, not necessarily willing to hear what had went down on a very embarrassing day she wanted to bury with the rest of her horrible memories.

There was a chuckle, and it was Luca's. The motion of his shoulders jerked his hand away from Camila's and used both to cover his mouth, eyes widening in a horrified manner as he braced for his wife's outburst that didn't came.

"You were the b***h who insisted on pretending you don't smoke nor drink even when you smelled like a chimney that day." He reasoned, dropping his head low to hide his wild, untamable wide grin and shook his head; denying himself the satisfaction of rubbing it in Camila's face. "Honestly, I don't think my folks believed you. You just looked like a guilty little thing."

Camila doubled over and released an unbridled laugh - laughing her mortification away. It had been eight years since it had occurred and it was the first time she just chuckled about it and somehow, it was therapeutic. Luca soon seconded, making a chorus of merry resonances erupt in the large space. It was a long moment, the couple laughed their worries away until the sound dissipated into thin air, leaving them gasping for air.

"Rumcoke, my darling?" Luca reached for the bottle of rum and filled the highball glasses to the brim. He offered one to his wife and subsequently reached the other for him, as well.

Camila took a swig of the concoction, surprised that the taste was off. She flapped her tongue against the roof of her mouth, features crumpled. It was as if she had been tricked and was ready to render her complaints to her husband who had been shrinking in his seat, tightly wrapping his large hand around the glass. It was hilarious.

"We ran out of Coke. It's Pepsi." He explained, flashing a sheepish grin that was returned, surprisingly. "Rumpep? Rumsi? Rumpepsi?" The more he spoke, the farther he took his head back and the deeper the lines his forehead dove in skepticism.

Camila rolled her eyes, betrayed by her amused grin. Without another word, she took a huge gulp from her glass. If she couldn't get nicotine for another three hours, alcohol was going to do.

Lauren didn't even have time to admire the sleek bathroom she was standing in. Still French enthused, it was predominantly white, surrounded by some expensive white marble and completed by shiny silver outlines. It was sophisticated but was elegantly simple and Lauren was sure that every piece within that lavatory cost more than all her furniture. And just like every other room she had the privilege of visiting, it was shiny.

What did she even want to do there? It was a great excuse but she didn't have to relieve her bladder quite yet and she still found herself headed to that room just for consistency, at least. That would mean she didn't lie.

With Camila abruptly leaving her, Lauren was left to think. At least, the fuel that kept her heart rate up had been omitted and she was left with the liberty to take deeper breaths; with great difficulty in the beginning. Rational thinking could wait, her survival was more important plus the ringing in her ears needed to die down before rationing her thoughts.

Camila was confusing; god, was that woman confusing.

In all the month that Lauren had been blessed with her, albeit very minor bumps, Camila had been nothing but consistent with the great distance she set between her and Lauren. The psychologist could only recall seeing Camila's gentle, caring nature once and it was when they shared dinner with Luca and Milo. And she did not see that coming.

The kiss gave Lauren hope. It released necessary droplets of water on a cracked, barren land that was her hopefulness. It was as if fate gave her another reason to go after the woman she had left many years prior. If what she saw transpire Monday that week wasn't enough to drive her forward, that kiss was.

However, after what happened, what did she have on Luca or Darnell? Camila had practically leveled the field with that spectacular kiss that Lauren didn't push away from. Instead, she delved deeper and deeper until she was swimming in Camila's quintessence. Even with what she saw, Luca didn't deserve to be cheated on - well, despite thinking he deserved to be thrown into the pits of hell for what he did.

Following Camila's lead, Lauren fixed her make-up; thankful for the small pocket on the right side of her dress that held her phone, credit card and lipstick. Upon dabbing the area around her mouth and polishing her hair to the best of her abilities, she reapplied the red tint and headed out into the party she had vacated from, finding two empty seats that belonged to the young Clausnitzer couple. She was curious for a moment but was resolute on just calling it a night.

Lauren smiled brightly, connecting her gaze with the five individuals around the table who welcomed her with the same warmth. Her ears were once again filled with a menagerie of voices, conversing with one another while the classical pianist was now accompanied by a cellist. She had every intention of excusing herself and coming up with a phony excuse to head back to her small home but as soon as she sat herself back down onto the seat she had abandoned, a little five-year-old came rushing towards her, two plastic toys in tow.

"Play with me now? Please?" Elf begged, exposing his best puppy dog eyes and a pout that Lauren found extremely difficult to decline, it was almost impossible. One of his hands held onto a replica of the fearsome, Godzilla he had proudly proclaimed earlier that night and another toy dinosaur Lauren did not recognize.

"Please, Miss Mauwen?"

With a heavy heart, Lauren apologetically glanced to the other individuals around the table, fearing that she'd disappoint the older crowd that she had grown fond of - especially Patricia who was quick to encourage her, saying,

"Go ahead, Lauren."

Lauren didn't question it. In fact, she wanted to leap in the air and pumping her fist up. Upon the approval, the psychologist excitedly whirled her head towards the expectant boy - not having to exaggerate her excitement as she was quite thankful for the distraction. Playing with toy dinosaurs suddenly didn't feel as complicated.

"You bet, bud!" She announced, mouth parted in a wide grin and hands flying up to his cheeks, fighting the itchy urge to squish them.

Elf gasped upon hearing the answer, eyes widened in excitement as he leaped in the air, securing his oversized toys against his body. The celebration prompted admiring laughs to resound around the table, and Lauren appreciated that sound immensely. She needed it. Patricia was more than confident in Lauren's capabilities and she might have earned some points in the older woman's eyes.

"You can have him," Elf carefully delivered his new Godzilla toy towards Lauren, who accepted it and lifted the other one with both hands, doing his best to show it to the psychologist. It looked like triceratops, one that Lauren was familiar with, except its brow horns were longer and the large bony frill behind its head did not have spikes.

"I like my torosaurus, too."

Darnell was shocked by the proclamation. He knew that Elf almost always had the replica of the fearsome monster in tow and he was not too keen on allowing others to touch it. He didn't even get the chance to hold it for more than five seconds and to have the little boy entrust the scary little creature to Lauren spoke of his deep faith in the psychologist.

Darnell was even more intrigued by his date and he had all the time in the world to get to know her.

It wasn't long before Elf had grabbed Lauren by the hand and dragged her towards the living room. The coffee table, decked with three other toy dinosaurs, was pushed closer to the camelback sofa near the flickering stone fireplace, the flame dramatically swaying as soothing little crackles constantly sounded off.

It was significantly warmer within that space and Lauren had forgotten she was cold as the ardor of Camila's kiss left her body. She knew she missed that feeling, that taste, that smell but she didn't know it was that bad.

Lauren inspected the dark gray action figure in her hand, mindlessly descending to sit on the couch next to Elf who had grabbed a brontosaurus, the long-necked herbivore and allowed the two to "forage" side by side, making chewing noises. It surprised Lauren, to say the least. Most of the little boys she had seen would strike two things against each other, a hint of aggression that she didn't find in Elf.

Unconsciously smiling, her gaze wandered from the five-year-old to the teeth and menacing yellow eyes of the ferocious beast. Spikes that looked like crystals poked from his spine and she could feel the defined ridges of his plastic skin. Lauren wondered how such a destructive creature appealed to the peaceful little creature next to her and she was close to growling at it.

Elf introduced her to the other three plastic creatures and identified them as a herbivore or a carnivore just as the nanny appeared, a drink and towel for Elf in tow. She smiled lightly at Lauren, looking at her with awe. It was as if she had seen something too rare and spectacular that she stood for a moment, almost as if making sure Lauren was not a mirage.

The three of them played in the living room, most of the "dinosaur" roars and hisses coming from Elf and Lauren amid the giggles. Their conversations were lively and animated and the psychologist's smile could not be removed if she tried. Lauren never forgot to commend the boy, making sure he received as much affirmative words that she could offer.

It was over half an hour later that the nanny left the two to inform his parents that she was to take the boy to his bedroom. Elf had been yawning relentlessly and his precious youthful eyes had been glossed over. The boy had been tired and it was well past his bed time but he was a persistent little trooper, declining his nanny's suggestions to call it a night.

"He has a nanny, you know." Patricia's silky voice filled the space, prompting the pair to whip their heads towards the source. It sounded almost condescending and scornful that Lauren was certain she had overstepped her boundaries, cringing and waiting for the woman to unleash her wrath on her, and get banished from the estate for all eternity.

It made Lauren wonder how long Luca's great aunt had been standing by the doorway, wondering what she saw that made her sound unpleased by her.

She wondered if it was the same woman who had granted Elf and her permission to escape the formal party in the other room.

"He...uh..." Lauren stammered, clearing her suddenly crowded throat and braved enough to connect her gaze with Patricia's. She blindly reached for Elf's head, stroking it lovingly. "It's okay, Madame Patty, I love spending time with him. He's a very sweet boy."

"I was kidding, Lauren." The older woman chuckled, sauntering over to join her on the sofa. Chin held high and legs tucked in a sophisticated manner, she glanced at the boy and smiled at him - laugh lines permanently etched on her aging skin dug deeper. "The party is a little overwhelming, I can't imagine what it's like for Leslie and...you. How are you?" She paused but spoke up, remembering a concern she had needed to voice out. "And it's Aunt Patty, darling."

"I'm doing well." Lauren looked down on her black dress and sat Godzilla on her lap, looking over at Elf who had resumed his little roleplaying upon realizing his attention wasn't needed. "I'm just...not very big on dresses."

"Oh, you and me both. I only came for the booze." Patty's unbridled laugh echoed against the walls and into Lauren's apprehensive chest. The woman was too calm and too overcame with bliss that Lauren couldn't help but laugh along with her. "And my son is taking over the business. I'm retiring. I have earned money that I will never use - not in the lifetime, at least."

Lauren didn't know what that felt like - to have too much money she wouldn't know what to do with them. All her adult life, she lived in frugality; well, except her car. She bought what she needed and not thought of indulging with anything, apart from food. As far as her material possessions go, her Jeep was the only thing that would be appraised with a significantly higher value.

Meanwhile, Patricia couldn't figure out why Elf gravitated towards Lauren. Without her knowledge of the turmoil in the psychologist's heart, she had no other reason for such occurrence than Lauren's gentle soul. She had watched Lauren playing with Elf and was aware of the smile that still lingered her lips.

Camila was right, Lauren had won her husband's family's hearts.

"So, Lauren," Patricia spoke up, thinking that Lauren didn't have much else to say. She was curious and after what she observed earlier that night, she thought she deserved answers. "How is it seeing your ex-girlfriend?" She continued in a hushed voice, wary of Elf hearing.

The question surprised Lauren into taking a sharp breath as her brows shot up in disbelief. She could not believe how the woman obtained such information. If it was purely on observation, she needed to work on her subtlety. The college would not appreciate it if they could pick out the tension that always cloaked the two.

Mouth dry and prickling with nerves, the rapid beat of Lauren's heart could be heard from her ears but it was more of the fear that pertained to Camila and how she would react should she hear of Patricia's knowledge of their past relationship. She was not sure how much of those attacks in the bathroom she could take but she would take every opportunity to kiss Camila again. So, it was still a win-win.

"I know what you're thinking. What is this old woman doing, snooping in on my personal life?" The older woman explained, her flamboyant demeanor surfacing quite conspicuously. She laughed proudly, shoulders trembling as her hand reached to tap Lauren by the wrist, a soothing gesture to quell the psychologist's anxiety. Apparently, she knew something that Lauren didn't.

"You see, darling, Luca he tells me everything. Of course, he doesn't have a choice."

That explained it and clarity allowed Lauren to let out a deep sigh, attempting to extract her stresses that were tightly clinging onto her chest, tighening their hold on her and preventing her from breathing. Heat had rose up to her cheeks and if it weren't for the make up, she would have been a blushing mess.

"I think I'm managing." Lauren answered truthfully, averting the woman's gaze and instead, making eye contact with the lifeless yellow ones that are creepily staring right back at her. She saw no point in lying and instead surrendered to the fact that Patricia knew and didn't treat her any differently. "It could be worse."

"If you ask me, that girl needs a little swooning and lots of sex." The older woman whispered, as if she was an expert at gossiping. Her eyes remained intently on Elf to make sure the boy was not hearing their rather mature conversation. She scrunched up her nose as if to convey her disgust. She wriggled her winkled fingers in front of her, conveying a point. "You know, to soften her up. She's a little too stiff. Don't get me wrong; I love Cammie but she needs to get laid."

Lauren's brows were drawn to the middle, lines forming between them and she was certain that her facial expressions alone could talk to Patty and tell her that she did not understand, and she was incredibly surprised to hear those comments from her. But words were ready to spill out of Lauren's mouth and they came unrepressed.

"What are you saying? She's married."

Patricia laughed as if Lauren said something idiotic. Of course, even her laughter was classy. Hand behind her slightly gaped mouth and eyes closed tightly, the woman allowed the barrage of happy sounds to flow out of her lips.

"Dry spell. She has not done the deed since their marriage." She informed Lauren upon calming down just enough to speak, waving her hand dismissively.

Lauren would have said "that makes the two of us then", if only she could find her words. If she was confused by Camila's actions and if Patricia's knowledge of their past relationship muddled her thoughts, Lauren was practically speechless upon the revelation.

It wasn't just she and Sean Tremaine who practiced abstinence; apparently, the Clausnitzers did, too. What were the odds?

But why? Lauren wanted to ask but her mouth was just desperately opening and closing but no coherent husky sound could be heard.

Unknown to Lauren was a profound relationship linking Camila and Luca and without being told why, she would never understand.

"You see, darling. This family holds secrets and suppressed personalities to keep our reputation 'reputable' and Cammie had just been dragged into this. I, myself, do not support it." Patricia explained in a somber manner, gaze dropped in disappointment. "Darnell-"

"Miss Mauwen." Elf interjected, looking up to the adults, yawning and blinking his tired eyes. "Play again?"

"I think it's time for bed, buddy." Lauren tried, running her knuckles against the soft juvenile cheek. She could see Elf's resolve shatter as he sealed his eyes and leaned towards the psychologist's touch.

"Tuck me in?" The boy asked, wide, expectant orbs looking at Lauren as if she held the answers to the world's mysteries.

"You should." Patricia suggested before Lauren could say anything. She set her arm on the younger woman's leg and smiled at her. "Don't worry about Luca or Cammie. I'll tell them."

Lauren didn't put up a fight, instead, she obliged with Patty's suggestion despite her powerful curious heart. She nodded towards the woman and gratefully smiled at her, which was returned by a serene one - showing how at peace Patty was with her decision. Along with Elf, Lauren was escorted up the winding staircase to the second floor by the boy's nanny whose hands were full of inanimate reptiles.

Upon arriving the landing, the first Lauren saw was another living space - a little less formal than the one downstairs but not less magnificent. It was a wide and spacious, and multicolored U-shaped sectional sofa was facing the floor to ceiling glass windows that would lead to a balcony that would allow a person to bask in the glory of the vast Clausnitzer estate.

It careened Lauren down to memory lane as nostalgia swept her skin. It reminded her of Camila's old bedroom and all the days they spent there, watching the world outside in each other's arms.

Lauren's hand was suddenly tugged towards the left wing, luring her out of her thoughts. The lucidity allowed her to inspect the abundance of doors, sealing the rooms from the hallways. And while her feet mindlessly adhered to the direction of Elf's hand, Lauren wondered where Camila slept and how comfortable she was. Lauren was glad her ex-girlfriend met success. Camila deserved every ounce of it even when she was aware frugality suited them both.

Elf and his nanny brought Lauren to a door with the word "Elf" haphazardly stuck on the timber structure. There were only two doors left from where they stood, prompting Lauren to assume that one of those doors would lead to the master suite. She figured that Luca would want to be close to the child and she hoped Camila would, too.

Lauren was in for a surprise when the nanny pushed the door open, widening his green eyes in splendor.

The four walls of the boy's spacious bedroom was painted to depict the Mesozoic Era, complete with plants, trees, boulders and even volcanoes while friendly, cartoon versions of dinosaurs lived among them. From inside, the surrounding areas of the door they went through and the one that lead to his walk-in closet and bathroom were painted to portray caves.

It was amazing.

Elf asked her to wait for him and pulled her towards his queen-sized bed in the middle of the room that was dressed in blue but riddled with a plethora of dinosaurs. Elf's nanny had escorted the boy into the closet to change him into pajamas and subsequently led him to the bathroom to brush his teeth after arranging the five toys back to their rightful place.

Sitting on the bed, Lauren looked around, finding a tall shelf filled with his toy reptiles in the middle of two windows and another identical one on the other side that was filled with books, where a small desk for his homework stood close by.

The room required quite the effort, something that made Luca's evident love for the boy shine through. Elf was very lucky to have met the man. She wished she could say the same for Camila.

Lauren later found herself in Elf's bed, awkwardly sitting by the edge while her torso was leaning towards the boy she tucked in. Her body was supported by her right elbow and she could feel the strain on her back. With her free hand, she reached to pull at the boy's duvet, fixing it to cover most of his torso.

They were getting ready for story time and Lauren was about to reach for the colorful story book in front of her when Elf had requested for her to come closer. The woman obliged easily, releasing her feet from the straps of the unforgiving elevated shoes and climbed up the bed to search for a comfortable spot. Lauren extended her legs as she leaned against the headboard right next to the boy who had scooted closer, eliciting an adoring grin on her red tinted lips.

Unsurprisingly, the story the boy picked was of a lost dinosaur. Lauren would alternate between reading and checking on the boy, stroking his hair. The smile she wore was working her facial muscles and it wasn't long before her cheeks were sore but that didn't matter. Her heart was full and was the lightest in her broken state.

Lauren had read stories for Pebble while at the college. She would put her to bed, reading something about Care Bears and My Little Pony. The toddler loved the latter more and reading about the pony hundreds of times was nothing compared to what the psychologist would do for her.

"Where's Pebble?" Elf groggily queried while Lauren was in the process of closing the book she was reading. His lids were fluttering, remaining closed for longer than a blink.

"She's with her uncle." The psychologist retorted, reaching to put the book down to the nightstand - grunting as she did so. Looking up, she saw that it was inching close to 10 in the evening and thought it wasn't good for children to stay up that long.

"Can I see her again?"

"Of course." Lauren confidently assured him, ruffling his head gently and proceeded to soften his tresses out in a soothing manner. She was attempting to induce sleep through something that worked for her; gentle strokes on the scalp and feeling as nimble fingers course through the strands of her jet black hair. "Now, go to sleep."

"You're fun; unlike Mrs. Claus." Elf mumbled almost incoherently, fighting against the hands of slumber. The sand man must have already been frustrated with him. "I wish she played with me."

Lauren was immediately lured into sadness, prompting her to offer as much comfort to the boy, which ended up with her planting a gentle kiss on his forehead.

"Mrs. Claus is just sad, bud." Lauren defended quietly, stroking his head once more. She let out a quiet sigh, scrutinizing the boy's relaxed features. "Can you promise me something?"

"What?"

"I need you to give her those hugs you give me. It will make her happy."

"Like this?" Elf suddenly turned to his left and hugged Lauren to the best of his abilities despite his difficulty. He had wrapped his arm around Lauren's legs and pulled her towards him, stimulating a smile to form on Lauren's lips until a small chuckle could be heard.

"Yes, like that." She told him, setting her own hand on the boy's back and began rubbing it up and down. "Can you do that?"

Elf hurriedly, in his drowsy state, nodded his head upon returning to his previous position. The motion must have rocked his head into relaxation as the boys soon inhaled a yawn - mouth parted greatly. Watching the delicate sight, Lauren chuckled quietly and leaned to plant another gentle kiss on Elf's forehead.

"Go to sleep." Lauren commanded tenderly, voice hushed and soothing. "Good night, Elf."

"Good night, Miss Mauwen."