Professor C (camren)

6 - Ordinary

The day started out as nothing but ordinary to Lauren.

It was another weekday and she practically followed through with a routine that was easily becoming tedious. Her day began by her clocking in to the machine that was closest to the chairman's office, where she would greet his secretary, Ida Greene. From there, she would saunter into her own and inhale the freshly cleaned space, and silently thank the college janitors for a job well done.

She'd approach her desk and set her backpack on her office chair, subsequently stripping off her leather jacket and hung it over the backrest. She then would open and turn her laptop computer on; finally ready to begin her day.

Of course, she'd be exchanging pleasantries with students along the way. She was practically a favorite among the faculty and staff.

There was a multitude of duties and responsibilities that her job entailed but twice a year, Lauren would be occupied by the admission process. It was past February 1st and it was then that the barrage of envelopes would cease for the term, the deadline.

Since the beginning of the semester, Lauren had been dealing with the barrage of documents submitted by prospective freshmen considering she doubled as an Admission Specialist. The office of the Admissions Department was right next to hers for convenience and the bulk would be divided among four, including the Lead Admissions Specialist.

Lauren genuinely loved her job and the responsibilities that came with it. While the pandemonium of packets would be nothing but a nuisance to some, she relished it. Somehow, she'd seen those documents personify a human being that she had not met, and yet, knew quite a lot of information about.

Regardless, Lauren was grateful for the checklist they require to ensure all the necessary documents were accounted for. If not, she'd have to notify the applicant and inform them of the missing papers. She would check students' partial GPA, SAT scores, current courses and such but the psychologist took her time assessing their essays.

They were her favorite.

There was just something about a person's writing prose that spoke to her. Apart from the usual necessary information to be included, Lauren could tell if a person was merely gloating or making up for what they lack but she'd been heartbroken for those that doubted themselves that even the way they composed a sentence screamed it. Lauren had always allowed space for compassion for whatever reason that shaped that certain person into who they became.

Being hypercritical was a nuisance to the world, Lauren thought.

As for her daily routine, if there was anything that wasn't dreary, it would be her professional conversations with students that were earnestly seeking her guidance and maybe a little bit of love they couldn't find elsewhere. Each person and their story are unique and even when certain aspects coincide with what most others go through, there will always be an overall disparity.

Albeit masochistic or sadistic, tragedy is beautiful.

There is a new person that emerges after they endured a beating. Some might put up a resistance and persevere, to fight but others merely stand until they are brought to their knees and drenched in agony. Regardless, people change after the battle and a common disaster usually brings souls together, a common understanding.

No one really goes through life unscathed.

It would justify that there is indeed a reason for everything; it's just that, it may not always be a good thing.

Lauren had had a couple of students come in not just to discuss their future plans and options; a lot of times, they go beyond the professional dreams. Students seem to always gravitate to her; she would even be awarded with stories that most people deem uncomfortable to share with most everyone.

She felt needed and that was what mattered to her.

Lauren needed to feel needed. She knew that. Maybe her devotion for her students wasn't as selfless, after all.

Family life is unique from person to person, Lauren discovered early on. From her point of view, family meant love and supporting each other, and enough struggles that are supposedly meant to superglue everyone. The more she grew up, the more she realized the hostility that existed even in the most sacred, paramount bond given to a person entering the world – some so strong, they release bonds that weren't supposed to give out.

Family was a common issue that Lauren was usually approached with and she'd know all of them by their names. And one of them was Robert McIntyre.

There was a timid knock that drew Lauren's attention from the third packet she'd opened. It was of this girl called Hanna Jones from Indianapolis and wished to pursue a career in Economics. The psychologist was impressed by her achievements and there was no doubt in her mind that the applicant would manage to snatch a degree.

But then, Lauren's thoughts were contaminated by a specific horrifying Economics professor and that made all the difference.

She scoffed, mumbling, "Good luck with that."

Camila had been a common complaint among the inhabitants of Lafayette Community College. Apparently, she'd stared at people "the wrong way" and had dropped some particularly offensive comments here and there. They weren't too serious to press charges and the chairman was adamant about keeping the brilliant professor which meant there wasn't even a penalty bestowed upon Camila, much to everyone's dismay.

Camila was even set to be offered tenure, which would render her untouchable.

With that, Lauren was left to coax everyone into merely turning the other cheek and offering her ear should anything happen again.

"Come in!" Lauren invited, not bothering to lift her gaze from the essay before her – instead, running a frustrated hand through her hair due to the interruption.

She would never voice her grievances though, not at all. She thought she'd manage to salvage the measly seconds for the intruder to hear her and make a move upon her permission. It didn't really do much; it took just 3, 4 seconds.

The little creak of her door prompted the psychologist to look up and acknowledge a very tired-looking, Robert McIntyre. Shoulders slumped; his usually unkempt mop of hair was worse, like he'd just woken up from a lifetime of sleep and his evading eyes reflected a turmoil he'd been suffering.

He looked conflicted, like he was in trouble but those orbs burned with determination despite the hint of uncertainty. He had an everlasting sullen expression but this time, it looked different; he looked more overwrought.

Lauren wanted to say something; to ask if he was alright. But before she could say anything, there was a pleasant interruption.

"Mauwen!" The unmistakable glee and enthusiasm that laced the tiny screech was too adorable for words. Not long after, the giggling little munchkin had managed to slip past her uncle, her pink backpack strapped, and clutching onto a coloring book and wearing her sweet, sweet grin that made Lauren's heart swell.

"Hi, Princess!" Lauren psychologist retorted eagerly, ascending from her seat and hurriedly approached Pebble, cheeks beginning to hurt from her muscles' overexertion.

"Mauwen! Mauwen! Look!" Pebble lifted up the item in her hands as high as she could, running towards the woman and meeting her halfway.

Sitting on one knee, Lauren faked a gasp and sold her shocked expressions gaping her features while a hand flew up to her mouth. She was great with children, a natural that Roby had always asked himself how the counselor never considered the possibility of bearing her own children with her husband.

Prior to knocking, Roby had been chastising himself, dreading the thought of asking for another favor from the woman who readily helped him with every request he made. He felt as though he'd simply been abusing the woman's kindness, which certainly wasn't the case.

Lauren wouldn't even think that.

Pushing the thought aside, the uncle watched with great fondness, feeling a hint of relief at how excited his niece was to have been reunited with Lauren and the latter mirrored the former's delight.

"You brought a book?"

"Yeah!"

"Can we color?" Lauren queried excitedly after reading the colorful font that hinted what kind of book it was; face split by the widest grin that ever settled on her face.

The response came with vigorous and eager nods which blurred that precious face and in turn, made Lauren chuckle in pure admiration. Boy, was Pebble a charming little girl and Lauren could not get enough of her. She wanted to squeeze those little cheeks and smother that little face with kisses but restrained herself, thinking it was better for Pebble.

"Come here. Give Miss Lauren a hug." Lauren opened her arms, folded and unfolded her hands to coax the little girl over eagerly.

Pebble was more than enthused by the invitation. She lifted her hands in the air, one holding the book securely and rushed to diminish the two feet that separated her from her precious "Mauwen." There were giggles from the two girls and the 20-year-old standing by them watched with a tender expression and a small genuine smile, sighing contently as he observed the delicate embrace.

"Okay, how about I take you to the other room and you can color while I talk to Uncle Roby? How is that?" Lauren suggested with the same level of excitement upon pulling away, making sure the little girl didn't feel abandoned.

The young toddler agreed easily but wanted to be carried towards the adjacent room. She wrapped her arms around Lauren's neck once more, showing no sign of releasing her grip. Lauren had no chance against her. She adored Pebble and would do just about anything to make sure the smile lingered, prolonging it as long as possible.

Since Pebble, Lauren made an investment on a small children's table with four chairs which had come in handy during days like those. The green eyed brunette had taught Pebble how to count to 20 and the Alphabet Song on that very table, and drew stick figures and colored outlines of animals and flowers. She'd been on tea dates and snack time, as well.

Pebble ran to the baby blue chair, her favorite, as soon as her feet touched the ground. Lauren helped her take the little backpack off and retrieved some crayons before setting it by the toddler's feet. A couple of reminders and a kiss on the head later, Lauren was out and asking the apprehensive uncle to join her around desk.

"Miss Lauren," Roby timidly began, wiping his clammy hands against his jean-clad thighs and swallowed particularly hard. "Is it a bother that you watch her sometimes?"

The question left Lauren confused. The boy's demeanor only exacerbated the impression she had observed minute prior. Sure, Roby was shy but he wasn't a nervous wreck around the counselor; he was usually comfortable.

Lauren could even make out the miniscule beads of sweat that scattered across forehead. Roby seemed restless, like there was a constant craving for movement that he'd ended up fidgeting, bouncing his knee incessantly. Lauren was forced to assume that he was under the influence but could not detect a change in his usual scent; to traces of smoke, alcohol and such.

"No. Not at all. You know I love her." She answered nevertheless but was still doubtful as to where the conversation was leading.

Was he abandoning Pebble? Lauren hoped not. It would crush what little light the little girl cradled in her soul. The miniscule flame would be deprived of oxygen and would die out.

"Are you sure? I mean, she's not getting on your nerves, is she?"

Lauren shook her head. She was too dumbfounded to answer, solving the puzzle on her own and the creases of curiosity on her forehead deepened as they delved into the conversation. As far as her professional assessment went, Lauren was almost certain Roby was in trouble. He might not be indulging on a drug, but he was definitely in trouble.

He had more to say but he apparently hesitated and there was a blatant aversion of connecting their gazes. His jaw had been clenching and unclenching while his hands had to be doing something, whether it was picking on the fabric of his worn out shirt or rubbing against his lap. It didn't matter, he just needed to keep them occupied.

Roby hesitated but proceeded to ask his precarious request.

"Miss Lauren, I need to ask a big favor from you."

"What is it?"

"I need a recommendation letter for this job." Hastily, he ridded his shoulder of the single strap of his backpack and brought it to his lap. He rummaged through his things and retrieved a crumpled piece of white paper that he attempted to straighten out, firmly brushing a hand over it.

"Sure. I'll write one up for you."

"I've already drafted it and I just need you to take a look at it." Unable to get rid of the creases, Roby slowly extended his arm with an apparent insecurity, handing the document over to the psychologist who had accepted it willingly. He didn't want to burden the woman any further and was yearning to offer her convenience amid his request. "I didn't want to take too much of your time, so..."

"Can I write here? For corrections?"

"Y-yes. Of course."

Yes, he was still shy but his introversion had never quite made him that edgy.

Lauren disregarded her misgivings for the time being, finding another important matter to devote her attention to. It was a professional request and she was more than willing to abide by it, trusting her general knowledge of the boy both in his school and his personal life. She knew she'd do anything to make Robert and his niece's life better.

They deserved it.

Taking her pen, Lauren looked over the A4-sized paper. She took each word on the rough draft seriously, taking note of the altered details to what seemed to be a template for recommendation letters Roby had picked up from the internet. She had altered a couple of phrases, finding a better arrangement or set of words to make it glide smoothly. Lauren, however, appreciated his every effort and admired the boy more with his quest for better opportunities. Roby wasn't just waiting and relying on chance, he was going after it.

"I think this'll do." The psychologist mumbled, eyes lingering on the sheet, just in case she missed anything but eventually met the boy's nervous, expectant eyes. She returned the document back to a trembling hand that elicited her concern back out. "I fixed a couple of punctuations and grammatical errors; nothing too serious."

"Thank you, Miss." He graciously accepted, nodding but was using the gesture to avert soft green eyes. "I think I should get to class."

"You're late." She playfully chastised, smirking at him to effectively give off the lighthearted vibe.

However, the joke was not shared by the other participant in the conversation. Instead of emitting a small chuckle or a timid laugh, maybe even a grin, Roby bowed his head in embarrassment. Lauren was aware he took his classes seriously and would not have risked joking about it at the expense of the boy if he didn't.

What was wrong? Lauren wanted to know. She would have strangled it out of him but knew she couldn't. She was unable to offer her professional, or personal, advise if Roby refused to even air his troubles out. That was the most frustrating aspect of her job.

"I tried to find someone who could look after Pebble...and I couldn't." He shook his head incessantly, eyes glued onto the floor. "Mrs. Villanueva was out with her family. I'm s-"

"Rob," She chimed in before the boy could finish, needing to soothe the tensed situation she unintentionally created. She persisted on her seat despite the need to round the table in order to remain less intimidating than she seemed. "I was kidding. I told you, it's fine."

It seemed to have worked but Robert was inhaling deeply, lip quivering, as if a dam barely managing to prevent an outflow. He was a trooper and kept his composure and his pride intact. Both index fingers incessantly scratched the side of his thumbs, seemingly digging for buried treasure filled with all the audacity he could find. Mouth dry, he visibly swallowed the largest lump in his throat; conflicted, now more than ever.

"Miss Lauren," He began upon running his tongue over his chapping lips, finally lifting his gaze up to the woman whose features were as soft as a kitten.

"Yeah?"

"You still remember that I listed you as our emergency contact, yeah?"

The question threw Lauren off, heart plummeting down into a rowdy abyss that would never let up, continually plaguing her. If his demeanor was bothering her, the question practically kicked Lauren off her seat.

His tone was crucial, bleeding with a desire for reassurance that only his college counselor could provide. Lauren was convinced he was facing a tumultuous future that was coming sooner or later. She was certain he was in trouble and not merely troubled by something per se.

Lauren knew Robert well enough to know that the boy valued his pride; Pebble first and then his pride – essentially, a close second. She knew that if she were to ask him directly, he would only back away and press his back further into the corner he'd been taking refuge in.

She could never really blame the boy though.

Robert had raised Pebble on his own; working for the both of them while striving to maintain his scholarship. His parents had abandoned him and his sister and was left to fend for themselves. They were doing quite well until three years ago. His sister died upon giving birth to the little girl who easily claimed him; having him wrapped around her tiny little finger, defenseless.

He only had Pebble and his dreams of getting an associate degree left. If he were to lose either one, he'd be devastated and even the thought alone frightened him to great extents that he'd stay up all night; racking his brain up for options to keep both and make their lives better.

Her heart was physically aching at the thought of the uncle-niece duo being separated. She was quickly lured into desolation, resisting the pull of a frown.

"How could I forget?" Lauren spoke with great confidence, desperate for the boy to accept help she'd be willing to provide. "You know you can always come to me if there's anything that's bothering you, right? It's not just about my job, too. I really care about you and Pebble."

"I know, Miss. I really appreciate it. Thank you." He acknowledged, nodding incessantly to further avoid her gentle gaze. He lifted his left and checked the time; he decided on hitting the library to catch up on the Economics class he had just missed.

"I'll just say goodbye to her before I get going. Is that okay?"

"Of course."

Lauren remained in her seat despite herself. There was an utter urgency to bring the boy into a hug but she feared he'd cry his eyes out when she did. It wasn't that she was repulsed by the notion. It was simply her, being sensitive to the boy's scarred pride. She didn't want to inflict more damage onto it which she deemed was better than trying to piece a shattered composure back together.

Lauren's ordinary day had been thwarted by her student's demeanor. She could not shake the thought of Roby away nor could she simply blink her worries into oblivion. The counselor was fearing the worst; whether it was Roby accidentally killing another person or losing their apartment unit and what little the family of two had.

Regardless, Lauren was prepared to cater to their needs should the time come. Her greatest and worst quality had always been caring a little too much about her students but had the softest spot for the McIntyres.

Lauren was quite amazed at how Robert raised his niece. The boy had taught the toddler well and had always behaved without fail, which allowed for the psychologist to concentrate on her job. When the chaos in her mind and heart was stilled, she was given the liberty to continue with going over the mountain of application packets that were beginning to taunt her.

The psychologist had created four different piles of packets to her right, on top of the long counter of the three-foot wooden filing cabinet pressed onto the wall; accepted, lacking requirements, for reconsideration and denied. Thankfully, her system was going well and she was on a roll, gaining her rhythm back.

It wasn't the highlight of her supposedly ordinary day though; Roby's restlessness or anxious disposition. Minutes before her lunch break, Lauren's next interruption came with a knock that rattled the glass panel that boasted her name.

It was then that ordinary turned into eventful, and eventful turned into hectic.

Lauren cringed fearing that the sound had woken up the sleeping toddler, who was within the play pen, covered in a blanket. Pebble had fallen asleep 30 minutes after 10, contributing to the peace and serenity in Lauren's heard. Thankfully, the three-year-old was sleeping soundly still.

Lauren guessed the applicants just had to wait until 1:30 before she could entertain more of them. She promised herself she would finish them all by the next day. Taking a deep breath, she ascended from her seat and darted towards the door, revealing a person she would never expect to be standing on the other side of the door.

It was a sheepish Luca Clausnitzer, who looked like a little boy, ready to confess a mistake he had done but bracing for his mother's wrath. He had the most awkward smile, eyes sparkling with guilt and embarrassment. His tensed shoulders were a telltale of his seemingly crippling nerves.

He looked...adorable in Lauren's eyes.

What was it with people magically transforming into bashful messes in Lauren's presence? The psychologist had no idea.

"Luca?" Lauren expressed in a questioning tone rather than a greeting. She had no earthly idea what the man could be needing from her but smiled regardless. "Hi. What brings you here?"

"Hi, Lauren." Luca muttered shyly, rocking himself on his feet as he clasped his hands together. Blood began to crowd his face and the tips of his ears, embarrassed and quite frightened by his wife's reaction to him purposely albeit hopelessly running into Lauren. "I'm really sorry to drop in on you unannounced. But I was trying to look for Cammie's office and well, we're lost. We found this door and I thought you knew where it is."

"We?" She pushed her door wider, coaxing Luca and his guests to step inside the threshold, regardless of the question she had just thoughtlessly uttered. She thought she was being intrusive. "Come in. Come in." She found herself grinning substantially despite the confused knitted brows, wondering what company Luca was talking about.

"We just have to be quiet though, I have a toddler sleeping." She requested, extending her arm towards the occupied play pen.

They followed her in but the crowd seemed to have remained close to the door, no intention of moving the conversation towards the desk where there were seats waiting for everyone.

"Aw." Luca cooed, finally releasing his shoulders and dropped them steadily.

The psychologist could not understand how she had no such contempt for the man who got to spend more years with her ex-girlfriend and ended up calling her wife. She wanted to figure out how he was able to keep Camila interested and challenged to remain in the marriage.

It would have been a conundrum but Luca and Camila's marriage lacked the greatest issue of Lauren and Camila's relationship that ultimately led to its demise.

Although, there was a prominent feeling lingering in her chest – jealousy. She was jealous that the man had every right to kiss Camila, hug her and have the professor come home to him every single day. Lauren was even jealous that he got to hold Camila's small hands. She refused to imagine another more intimate setting, knowing that she would only be plunging herself deep in desolation.

But she could not seem to get rid of the fact that Luca could call Camila his and the band on their ring fingers were too sparkly to ignore.

Lauren understood why Camila chose him out of all the other options she was presented with and it wasn't because of the money – Camila had more than enough of those.

Lauren was aware of the trust fund the Cabellos had set-up for their two daughters. Living together during their first year in college, the green eyed brunette was adamant about living in frugality, which contributed tremendously to their happiness, not to mention the great savings. They were quite content with the little apartment they shared and the meager furniture they owned, much like the studio unit Lauren currently dwelled in.

Lauren seemed to be living in the past.

Luca was intelligent, respectful; not to mention ridiculously attractive. He always smelled really nice and was always well dressed – a dashing gentleman who always wore a virile half smile that made those eyes glimmer quite mischievously. More importantly, he seemed to be treating Camila like a queen; regarding her with high regard albeit a particular hint of fear. If he had treated her poorly, Lauren could have swooped in to be Camila's knight in shining armor.

"Hi, Miss Lauren. How do you do?" Wide expectant eyes and chin lifted, Elf piped in as he stepped before Lauren in his small indoor voice that only made him more adorable than ever. His hands were tucked on his back, looking like a dapper gentleman, much like his father.

Gasping, Lauren's green eyes widened in both exaggerated excitement and pure bliss, much like she does for Pebble and she dropped to one knee. Her parted lips began to form a tender grin as she set her hands on his arms.

"I'm great. How about you, Mr. Elf?" She jerked her brows, smirking as she inspected his brighter eyes upon hearing the nickname. Lauren prodded the boy's ribs with her finger tips, eliciting small restrained giggles, wary of the slumbering toddler to his left and Lauren's right.

Luca watched closely as the scene unfolded before his eyes and felt a fondness and confidence in Lauren and the way he treated his foster child. If it were possible, he wished that the psychologist could inhabit his wife's body, even for a day, just to offer Elf the kind of love he'd receive from a mother. With Camila, it seemed hopeless and futile effort.

Luca concluded that Elf needed Lauren, the boy needed affection that he seemed to be craving.

"I'm okay." Unexpectedly, Elf wrapped his arms around Lauren's neck, prompting the woman to frown, protruding her bottom lip to reflect her deep awe of the boy. "I'm happy to see you, Miss Lauren."

"Aw...I'm happiest to see you, buddy." She cooed, sighing contently and squeezing the boy before pulling away to offer him the sweetest smile she could muster. "I'm glad you came by."

The room was wrapped in a little basket, stuffed with flower petals, stuffed animals and every beautiful thing in the world at how Lauren and Elf interacted. It was a strange phenomenon to Luca considering his boy had never said much to other people. With Lauren, it was simply magic and Elf was simply engaged in the conversation with a grown up, no less.

It could have been the bike rides.

"Oh, this is Darnell Price." Luca reluctantly interrupted, getting everyone's attention and lifted his arm to gesture towards the towering African American man next to him, the fluorescent light hovering above reflected on his shaved head and his pearly whites. "Darnell, meet Miss Lauren."

Lauren's instant reaction was raised brows but they slowly descended as her features collectively molded into the most welcoming expression; relaxed smile that reached her twinkling green eyes.

Uncle Darnell finally had a face and Lauren wondered who he was to the Clausnitezers.

Darnell extended his conspicuously muscular arm towards the ascending psychologist whose eyes were trained onto the veins that were bulging out, outshining his muscle mass. She accepted his hand and gave it a firm shake – the large ebony palm and fingers easily engulfed the porcelain one and Lauren feared he'd squeeze the life out of her.

Elf had swiveled and leaned back on Lauren's legs, loving the fact that he was close to the woman who had taken the time to show him kindness. He was even more elated when he felt Lauren's free hand, playing with his tresses and then settled down onto his shoulder.

Darnell looked intimidating. If it weren't for his grin, he would have scared Lauren out of her mind. The man was at least half a foot taller than Luca and was expectantly bigger considering his bulky physique. It was quite impressive, like he played for a football team and effortlessly swooned the ladies with his smile.

Without that grin, Darnell would have been a fearsome looking beast but Lauren's professional opinion, sizing him up only resulted into something along the lines of harmless and sweet in his own way.

"Hi. How are you?" The psychologist quietly sighed in relief amid her smiling features and dropped her arm limply on the side of her body, awkwardly forgetting how to make it look casual.

"Good. You?"

"Wonderful." She quickly retorted, remembering Luca's initial intent and was quick to set her gaze back to him.

"So, the professor's office? It's just down the hall, the last door to the right; number 128. But I'm not entirely sure if she's in there right now. You can ask the department secretary if she's not around. Their office is 127, right in front of hers." Lauren instructed, lifting her arms to point to the right directions and ensuring that Luca followed.

"Yeah..." Just like that, Luca's reticence resurfaced; unconsciously lengthening the pronunciation of the single word. He even went as far as dropping his apologetic head. A huff later, his gaze was back to the incredible confused psychologist. "Do you know where I can leave these two for a bit?"

"They can stay here." Lauren suggested instantly, secretly releasing a huff of reprieve as she realized the minor set-back. She was not ready to worry about another person's stresses when she was still preoccupied by whatever predicament was bothering Robert.

"Are you sure?" There was an apparent surprise in his tone but doubt was also present in Luca's inquisitive eyes.

Why would Lauren be willing to keep his son and Darnell for the time being? Luca was sure they, as a family, have not collectively offered the woman enough good will for her to even consider offering her aid. The woman's heart was just unfathomably beautiful and it was easily making sense to him why Camila left a part of her own with Lauren. She didn't want it back, even.

"Of course. There's a couple of coloring books here to keep Elf company." The counselor assured them which lit up the five-year-old's features.

Elf had looked up to Lauren, beaming an excited grin. It wasn't just the coloring books. He was genuinely pleased that he'd been allowed time to spend with the psychologist. He loved the lightness of her energy and the effervescence that came out of her supposedly "old" age.

"Thank you, Lauren."

"It's no trouble at all. Do you need me to show you the professor's office?"

"No, that's okay. You've done enough." Luca muttered gratefully and reached to set his hand over Lauren's arm just to show more sincerity, making an arch out of his brows. "Thank you again."

As soon as Camila's husband exited the office, Pebble stirred awake and immediately threw her hands up, silently asking the psychologist to pick her up once more. The little girl was uncharacteristically shy and buried her face deep in Lauren's neck, apparently using it as a shelter from harm.

With Pebble in her arms, Lauren led the two visitors to the adjacent room, where she provided Elf with coloring books and crayons, as promised. He sat on the red seat around the children's table and Darnell joined him, sitting on the ground and engaging him on a conversation about dinosaurs.

Curiosity claimed Pebble soon enough and finally allowed Lauren to set her down next to Elf. The boy was as courteous as his foster father, offering the little girl some of the crayons so they could color together.

Darnell soon brought Pebble in on the little chat, animatedly throwing his arms in all directions and features crumpling according to the supposed emotion he wished to portray. He was quick to praise the little girl verbally or in high fives, which Lauren appreciated immensely.

The light aura was readily welcomed in Lauren's usually bleak existence. She found herself glued to the ground, unable to tear her gaze or her feet away from the two children. The bigger surprise to her though, was that Darnell may have been better at parenting than Luca.

Lauren assumed the man had children of his own, or nephews and nieces – something that could explain his natural ability to deal with children.

In Camila's office, it was the complete opposite.

The professor was already bothered. Earlier that day, she had seen Lauren parading through the halls and smiling at everyone, or conversing with them but her. The woman figured that Lauren purposely wore the leather jacket, and the tight black jeans and single lose button on her button down was simply there to taunt her and remind her of what she could not have.

Stupid Mr. Tremaine, whoever he was.

Camila was barely able to concentrate on her job and the last thing she needed was a distraction.

Luca was close to trembling in fear when he knocked on the door and was met with a begrudging invitation to come in, unlike Lauren's seemingly perpetual friendliness. He peeked his head in upon pushing the door open and was met by a scowl. He was apparently disrupting something important.

Luca became an unknowing victim and recipient of Camila's wrath that was not intentionally for him but accepted regardless, due to the request he was about to make.

He had allowed Camila to unleash her frustrations on him, which was not his fault most of the time. He'd been exceptionally understanding until one day, he decided on simply having his fun and messing with his wife; teasing her relentlessly.

"What are you doing here?" Camila grumbled, slamming her pen down onto the pile of paper that was right in front of her. She was making the last changes to her midterm tests and always hated any sort of disruption while in the middle of her work, especially if the disruption came from Luca.

"Two things: I'm taking you out to lunch and my grandma is hosting a party this weekend." Luca rushed to sit himself on one of the particularly uncomfortable seats on the other side of Camila's table. He figured that if he were to take his time, his weakened knees would simply give out. "At our house."

Both their hearts were racing but were for entirely different reasons. Camila was incredibly frustrated, the heat of her anger exploding in her chest and rising up to her throat, leaving a noticeable trail and up to her reddened face and pulsing head. Luca was petrified. Sure, he'd seen his wife angry but he had not seen her in that condition and the last time she'd seen her that way was during their years in college and the beginning of January.

One culprit, Lauren Jauregui.

It wasn't just the chair that bothered Luca. Camila's four-walled space was not as inviting as Lauren's. Her office looked too professional and unwelcoming, and too figuratively cold that if he were stay there in half an hour, he would freeze to death but not after spewing some color out of his eyes, nostrils, ears and mouth.

However, the fire in Camila's darkened eyes could very well unfreeze him back to life.

To Luca, the walls were vomit beige and weren't concealed enough even with the two diplomas and three certificates that were hung to show off his wife's accomplishments. The tall book shelf filled with the multitude of books from Economics to Finance to Accounting and more plus the three filing cabinets were of no help with the room's aesthetics.

Surely, it wouldn't kill Camila to hang a painting or two. Luca would appreciate a couple of pictures and some statuettes, or a flower vase with flowers; anything that would add color to such a drab of a room. He had taken enough adorable pictures of Elf worthy of being framed.

Then again, Camila's office/bedroom was no different.

"You could have just told me over the phone. I could have met you at a restaurant." Camila blurted out in contempt, crumpling her features significantly which emphasized the lines that grazed the bridge of her nose and forehead.

The Clausnitzers hold a regular gathering to associate their children and grandchildren with each other and strengthen ties. If they were ever to sustain a strong empire, they were compelled to do so. It was mostly filled with business talk and dragging unwilling teenagers towards their older cousins, showing them an exemplary model on how their future would look like.

In the years that Camila had been associated with the family, she'd been on over 30 of those parties and took note of every expensive food and drink she had sank in her stomach. She loved the food but the pleasantries and forced smiles were just too overwhelming and incredibly annoying.

"Besides, you know what to do. You ask for the guest list and important information about them. Have our cleaners clean the ballroom and dining hall spotless. Make them clean all the other rooms and make sure all four guest bedrooms are inhabitable, in case, a couple of people sleep over." She flung her arms around, emphasizing her seething annoyance and dropped her hands to grip at the edge of the table only to lunge closer to shoot a debilitating glare but ended the chaos, crashing back down on her seat. "It's just hiring waiters, valet drivers, extra cooks and security from your companies. Bring out our best wines and make meal plans after taking everyone's restrictions. I want brandy – lots of it. If I'm ever going to survive your mother's cynicism, I need lots of them."

"You and me both." Luca rolled his eyes, thinking about all the times the woman had brought some the most miniscule issues he'd heard.

"You practically just have to talk. You know all these. You're the one who grew up a Clausnitzer, Luca Dietrich Clausnitzer. If you don't want to do anything, have your assistant do all the work. I don't care. Just get it d-"

"I want Darnell there." Luca interrupted as firm as his trembling resolve could congregate before he could lose his voice. Eyes closed shut, cringing as he anticipated the detonation of a bomb but only heard a heavy sigh that spoke more than words and the sound of skip against skin.

The professor slapped her forehead in pure disappointment, fingers finding her temples to give them a well-needed massage. "Well, he can't. Unless you want your father to die."

"Why don't we invite Lauren, too?" Out came the suggestion before he could even think about it. His shoulders were raised as high as they could go, hoping he could use both as a shelter from Camila.

Unconsciously holding his breath, Luca was finding it extremely challenging to swallow without drowning his ears. His awkward grin made another appearance while his hands reached down to the loops of his belt, unable to locate the hem of his tucked shirt.

"Sure, why don't you add Milo to the guest list, as well? We'll have a ball." Dropping her hand onto the table with a resounding thud, Camila menacingly rebutted with a glare and feigned enthusiasm that sold her sarcasm. Chest heaving, her eyes creepily widened as she uttered the single word with emphasis topped with an eerie grin. "It's the same thing!"

"No. They go together as each other's date."

"She is married and she might have other more important things to do. Like, I don't know, her kid and her husband? That child will keep Lauren busy all weekend if she's a good mother." She rolled her eyes at how stupid her husband's suggestion was to her, huffing her frustrations out and begrudgingly whispered, "Which I know she is."

"I will talk to her." He offered feebly, straightening his posture and desperately drenching his dried up mouth. "I think Elf could use a playmate."

"Where is he?"

Luca's tensed lips slowly formed into a guilt-ridden smile, ducking his head as he gulped hard to swallow the lump wedged in his throat. "With Lauren?"

"For a person whose huge inherited fortune pales into insignificance with your stock market wits, you're an idiot." Camila spoke rather calmly through gritted teeth, having to breathe deeply to cope with the overwhelming rise of her fury. The rapid and painful beats of her heart drummed against her ribs, reverberating her bones. "How are you even sure Lauren and Darnell will get along?"

The vile venom in Camila's tone was prompting shivers to graze Luca's spine as an icy breeze blew against it, eliciting goosebumps. Cold beads of sweat littered his neck and forehead, and he found himself rubbing his clammy hands against his pants.

If it weren't for Darnell, he wouldn't have taken all those demeaning words that he was bound to forget in the future. He never really allowed for Camila's angered comments to linger in his head. Luca is a very forgiving man.

"He's with her...right...now." He stammered, reluctant to divulge on the information with his fleeting courage. He just wanted to crawl in bed and retire for the rest of the month, curled up in a small, pathetic ball. "I saw her office first, okay? Yours is deep into this stupid building."

"You're just on a roll, are you?" Narrowing her eyes, she eyed the man as her hands absentmindedly folded into fists before swiftly pushing herself up onto her feet.

Her reddened face was incredibly hot and the confines of her office were becoming suffocating. She was aware her husband would somehow manage to weasel both Lauren and Darnell into the party and she was not sure as to how she'd react to that on the day but already hated the thought of it.

She just wished Milo wouldn't be able to make it should Luca decide to spite her and invite her college ex-girlfriend.

"Let's just go. I'm hungry and I need to be in Purdue at 2:00."

Camila was internally bracing for the time when she'd come face to face with Lauren. In all honesty, she was dreading it. She refused to see Lauren's bright and happy exterior fade into oblivion just by the sight of her again. Even with those timid smiles, Camila could see through and spot the discomfort, which in turn, made Camila hate herself even more.

It made her feel like the Grinch who was jealous of everyone else who had been blessed with Lauren's grace.

Meanwhile, Lauren had forgotten about the applications. She figured she had the afternoon to make up for her lost time and settled for living in the moment with the other three in the room. They had managed to make it back to her main office and the two children were in the play pen while she and Darnell constantly fed them oranges she had packed that morning.

Elf had finished his and Pebble was down to her last two, which were cradled in Lauren's left hand.

She had burdened herself with the knowledge that the two kids in her presence came from the same fate, they were without their birth parents but were living two different lives. Albeit abandoned, Elf was privileged and landed on caring hands apart from their spending power. By the way that Luca and Darnell handled him; Lauren was certain the boy was well off with his new family than risk being in the arms of the biological parents who never wanted him in the first place.

Pebble, on the other hand, was also privileged. His uncle did everything he could to provide for the both of them and she was well-loved by the few people that surrounded her. The difference was the opportunities that came with high spending power, which Elf was gratefully experiencing.

"Why does Pebble call you Mauwen?" Elf inquisitively looked to Lauren on the other side of the play pen and abandoned the toy train he'd been playing with to hurriedly crawl to the woman.

Lauren chuckled, caressing his cheek with the knuckles of her free hand and silently admiring the carefree look of his features.

"We met when she was really little and she couldn't say my name." She explained as simply as she could for a five-year-old to comprehend immediately.

His brows furrowed but no indentations or even a sign of lines grazed his juvenile skin. He was genuinely plagued by the answer, incredible curious and thirsty for answers. "Can she say it now?"

"I think so. You can go and teach her if you want."

"But I like it."

"You call her Mauwen, too." The little girl in question joined the conversation, having been eavesdropping on the pair as she played with the hands of her toy car. Apparently more intrigued by the plastic contraption, she merely looked up, and then look back down upon finishing her sentence.

"Can I?" Elf looked to Lauren, unable to stifle the wide grin that had been parting his features, enticed by the prospect of calling the woman by the adorable name bestowed upon her by an even more adorable little girl.

"Of course." Lauren permitted, laughing softly at how Elf celebrated the little victory by leaping in the air and then latching onto the unsuspecting woman; making do with the colorful railing that separated them.

Lauren's cheeks were beginning to feel unbearable sore but the perpetual grin she wore seemed to have been even more of a challenge to erase. She figured, she'd rather be physically in pain due to smiling profusely. Her heart was as light as can be, uncertain as to when she'd be landing back on the ground.

It was a satisfying discovery.

From where she stood, Camila could see the exchange between her foster son and her ex-girlfriend. She will never admit how it made her heart leap in both bliss and blues, musing over the future that they used to be looking forward to. She was silently happy that Lauren had provided the boy with the affection she could not seem to bless him with.

At least, Elf had Lauren.

What held her back, Camila didn't know and she would like to find out. She was more than convinced that it was due to the fact that she'd rather be a parent with Lauren or never being one at all. She'd been immensely bitter about her life that she forgot Elf could not understand her worries but would gladly love her anyway.

Camila wondered how a stranger could easily give so much love. She secretly worried about that day – the day she'd see how Elf fell for the psychologist's heart just like everybody else.

But there was something that drew her attention more than the affectionate hug before her eyes. Only a couple of inches away from her was the glass panel that proudly proclaimed Lauren's name to the visitors and wandering husbands who could not locate their wives.

115

Lauren M. Jauregui-Tremaine

Human Resource Administrator

Admissions Specialist

The last name irked Camila more than she was willing to admit but she was refusing the thought of interrupting the little moment the band of four were living within room 115. Her thoughts and intentions were thwarted by Luca taking the reins and simply knocking before twisting the knob open, but not without four heads whipping towards their direction; both Lauren and Darnell rising to their feet.

There it was, Lauren stiffening just as Camila expected. She was internally sullen and she would not be caught alive emanating it through her exterior.

However, it was nothing like Camila imagine. Lauren was simply taken aback by her ex-girlfriend and her beauty. She was pining over the professor's bare face, settling for the nude make-up she was usually wore. Lauren had taken the time to inspect Camila in her high-waist pencil skirt that wrapped Camila's body gracefully, accentuating the soft curves of her hips and hugging her bodacious behind flatteringly.

She was still attractive; it was heart shattering to find that her heart had been tainted.

Elf's fear of the professor became more apparent when he scrambled to his feet and tugged on Darnell's shirt to pick him up and subsequently set him on the same ground Camila's was standing on. He didn't wait for a command, he immediately raced to be between his parents who were standing in front of the closed door.

The boy's frantic actions broke Camila's heart and embarrassed her, cutting deeply. The remorse she'd felt for petrifying Elf was stronger with Lauren's green eyes albeit the utter lack of judgment. Maybe it was a needed epiphany.

It was as if Luca's previous mortification leaped inside another victim's body – Camila's.

Camila was forced in her shock, preventing her to speak. Instead, her mouth and throat immediately dehydrated by the scrutinizing gazes that were practically licking her skin and passed the moisture down to the soles of her feet and the palms of her hands.

Why was she even nervous?

"Thanks for watching him." Luca mumbled gratefully, hand resting on Elf's shoulder and provide him with a reassurance that he was not in trouble.

"It's no trouble at all." Lauren assured him, darting a glance towards Camila to acknowledge her presence with a nod and a small smile. Heart racing and lungs failing as if on cue and she was ready to inhale a deep breath, followed by another.

Lauren wouldn't have expected it, but Camila was in just as much trouble with her breathing and heart functions.

Staying true to her words, Luca was ready to exact a hilarious revenge on his wife and bit back an overpowering smirk that formed a lopsided grin. "Lauren, do you happen to be free this Saturday?"

"Yeah...I am."

"Perfect." Luca cheered, going as close as lifting his hands up to do a celebratory clap but managed to restrain himself by the last second. Instead, his hands found Elf's shoulders, squeezing and unknowingly treating the boy as a stress ball. "In that case, we would like to invite you to the party my grandmother is throwing on Saturday and Darnell will come pick you up at five."

Lauren's thick brows trekked up her forehead, surprised and both skeptical of the set-up. She was still unaware as to what the event was for but wasn't necessarily contemplating on it, rather obsessing on why she needed Darnell to get there.

Features ashen, Camila was anxious. She was almost certain that her olive skin had gone two shades lighter from her terror. She was becoming restless and was beginning to feel the rise of her irritation back again. She should not have went off on her husband. She should not have released those words out of spite. She should have just kept her mouth shut. And she should have seen it coming.

But there was no taking back and the nerves were raising her soul out of her body and she was bracing for the time when it had successfully plucked the life out of her and her limp form would simply fall to the ground.

Cause of death, husband's impaling revenge.

"I can drive." Lauren offered, suddenly aware of the orange segments in her hand that had been eliciting moisture to seep out of her skin.

"Will your husband be joining us?"

The question tensed the woman up, perceptibly cringing which lured Camila's curiosity. What was there to the stupid husband? Was Lauren hiding him from Camila? There was too many questions that needed answers but Camila's pride was hindering a deep conversation that would have discussed their past and present lives, including every intimate aspect.

Camila was still hurt by their failed relationship and the deep wound that she'd been nursing had not even been restored. She just watched it get deeper at the thought of Lauren's marriage.

Great. Just great.

"Uh...n-no, he's busy. I guess." Lauren looked away, finding a good excuse in checking up on Pebble, who conveniently wanted a piece of orange. She fought to urge to simply smother the baby girl with kisses in gratitude but opted to pop one of the segments in her waiting mouth.

Lauren was never a good liar.

Lauren was uncertain as to why she felt compelled to lie. It may have been sheer humiliation or the fact that she was maintaining a façade that would somehow offer the illusion that she was doing just fine –that her marriage was doing just fine.

Regardless, it never occurred to her that she needed Sean with her. She was elated at the thought and was even more certain that she'd made the right choice.

"That's settled then." Luca concluded with, beaming and ruffling his son's hair up. "May I have your number?"

Lauren sauntered over her table after mumbling an affirmative. She retrieved a pen and a card from the stack she had to the right hand side of her desk. She set the small, thick white paper on the smooth surface and wrote her personal number on the back before surrendering it to Luca.

"A Florida number." Luca raised his brows inquisitively, c*****g his head slightly upon inspecting the card he held with both hands.

Lauren felt the rapid descent of her heart, warming her cheeks up. She could feel sweat prickling at her skin, which was something that could blow her steady frontage. She could prevent facial expressions or the motion of her legs but she had no control over her sweating.

She chuckled awkwardly and was brought back to her conversation with a very perturbed Roby.

Oh, how the tables have changed.

She was beginning to obsess over what Camila would think upon admitting to the reluctance to change her phone number. She'd never expose the reason why, though. Lauren was adamant about keeping that to herself...and Dinah...and Normani...and Ally.

It wasn't only Lauren who felt in the hot seat. Camila could feel her husband's eyes, boring onto the side of her head and she'd desperately wanted to smack him from the back of his just to teach him a lesson. She wanted to admit defeat, to raise a white flag, anything just to cease the rapid fire of teasing she was not ready to face.

What's worse was the fact that Darnell was quietly chuckling to one side, slapping his hand over his mouth to stifle it. The children in the room looked as if nothing had happened, they figured that the conversation was never about them and lost interest instantaneously.

"Yeah. I never changed it." Lauren admitted, willing herself to keep her gaze onto Luca and chuckled nervously. "It's the same one from...high school."

Luca accepted the answer with a nod, only releasing a questioning hum. It may have been incredibly entertaining to mess with his wife but he'd handle Lauren delicately, he figured. It wasn't just because their friendship or acquaintance was simply in its beginning phase. He feared that he'd offend the woman with what little information she had of her; more so, he feared he'd strike a chord with what he knew from Camila's mouth and he wanted to be extremely sensitive of her feelings.

"We have to go, though." He announced apologetically, frowning as he did so and Camila was just exhaling heavily as she sealed her eyes to relish in the relief. "Thank you again, Lauren."

"What do you say, Les?" Camila raised an inquisitive brow at the boy, anticipating gratitude from her foster child.

"Thank you, Miss...Mauwen." Elf hesitated, bowing his head down albeit the liberty of finally employing the affection nickname. He unexpectedly darted towards the woman, running at her and came to a stop by her legs, hugging tightly.

The gesture caused another onslaught of warmth in Lauren's chest that made her heart an unhealthy fluff. She looked down on the smiling boy, chin up to meet her gaze and ran her thumb over his soft cheeks. The boy seemed to be in need of affection and the woman was prepared to give him everything she could muster, if not more.

"Anytime, buddy." She winked, much like she did at the sporting goods store which elicited a giggle from the boy. "Thank you for stopping by."

"Let's go, Elf." Luca coaxed gently and waited for him to release his hold on the psychologist and only continued when Elf joined the three other adults. "We will see you on Saturday?"

Camila was already close to the door, hand firmly wrapped around the door knob; ready to bolt out of there.

"Yes." Lauren answered, nodding affirmatively; having no words to utter.

"It was nice to meet you, Miss Lauren." Darnell acknowledged, subtly c*****g his head in a small bow it seemed.

Lauren accepted his praise with a grin plastered across her features. "Pleasure's all mine, Mr. Price."

Camila may have had enough of the multitude of pleasantries before her that went without a glitch and without her. Everyone seemed to have been doing well without involving her in the conversation, which was more her fault than anything. It was mostly due to her that Luca maintained his onslaught of questions, successfully avoiding some awkward silence that would have made Camila even more comfortable.

In reality, Camila should have been grateful for her husband and she was gradually getting there.

"Miss Tremaine." The professor finally spoke up, recognizing Lauren for everything she had done for the day, especially the one that she'd been unable to, or reluctant to, provide for Elf. The two words, to her, offered everything she'd wanted to tell the other woman; a hello, gratitude, and a bid farewell that Lauren somehow understood.

It seemed like they were still coursing through the same wavelength.

"Professor." Lauren retorted, offering a soft smile before walking up to the play pen where Pebble was on her feet, inspecting the events of the space. "Say goodbye, babe." She coaxed the toddler.

Camila looked up to Lauren only to find that she was not staring back at her and was addressing the little child. Heart speeding up and nerves seeping into her crumbling composure due to that dumb nickname she'd missed too much. She was losing the war she had waged.

"Bye!" Pebble abided, waving for good measure but looked onto Elf, whose hand was in his foster father's.

Luca and Darnell chuckled at the little ball of energy and Elf reciprocated with the same enthusiasm. Lauren was admiring how adorable the toddler was, grateful that she didn't throw a fit albeit her bashfulness. Camila didn't hate her but could not necessarily look at Pebble warmly. It wasn't the child's fault, and she knew that. And so, she resorted to merely nodding before they were out the door.

Lauren found herself watching at the closed door, wondering what she'd been expecting should the door swing open and reveal Camila. There was a ridiculously low, if not less than zero chance that it would but she could not pry her eyes away.

Camila had the same effect on her, knowing she had another person treating her like a queen made Lauren want her even more, and she already needed her but was forced to stay where she was as a sign of respect. She saw Camila as a cure, an antidote that would chase the darkness completely away with the knowledge that it wouldn't return, even in her physical absence. Everyone else who'd been a remedy simply carried their effects as they came and went with them.

It was different.

"Why Santa not wearing red?" Pebble broke through Lauren's musings, c*****g her head in utter confusion. The little girl had managed to stand on her feet and press her belly against the railings.

"Who?"

"Mister Claus." The toddler retorted earnestly, seemingly annoyed that Lauren didn't understand her clear implication. "He is not old and fat. Uncle Roby said Santa is old and fat."

The last sentence made Lauren release a resounding laugh that came from her stomach.

"That's because he's not Santa." She explained simply, sitting in front of Pebble once again to level their gazes. "He's Elf's daddy, princess."

"But Elf...Elf calls him Mister Claus." Pebble was not ready to let go of her case, she needed the issue to be addressed and she needed it soon. Her little frustrations were increasingly hard to bear, Lauren practically turning into mush as her youthful face crumpled in displeasure.

Lauren successfully stifled a laugh that time, seeing how critical the conversation was for the confused little girl before her. She'd manage to rebuild her self-possession, settling on flashing Pebble a grin.

"That's okay. Mr. Claus doesn't mind that Elf doesn't call him daddy."

"I don't have a mommy or daddy." Pebble mumbled dejectedly.

Something clicked in the child's brain as she bowed her head down in desolation. There was something that plagued her innocent little mind that no matter how many explanations were presented to her, she could not comprehend anything.

Why were children blessed with both parents when she couldn't even be blessed enough for one? Why did she only have an uncle while others were enjoying the company of relatives that could inhabit and fill a small island? Where were her parents? Did they love her? Was it her fault?

That was a child, one who hadn't necessarily been shielded from the lurking cruelties of the world. Her mother took her last breath while she was gulping her first. She and her uncle live in a shabby old apartment, far too hazardous for a child to roam with sharp, jagged edges and uneven floors. The fumes of the world outside, of pollution and the hostility of raised, tensed voices battling against each other lurked within their flimsy four walls.

Her life wasn't ideal but she was loved; loved by her uncle, by Lauren and the woman who lived down the hall that took her in while her uncle worked at night.

And Lauren was forced to be satisfied with that. It could have been worse; she could have been given away.

"You have Uncle Roby and Mrs. Villanueva." Lauren cagily presented, reaching to brush wisps of hair away from Pebble's little features before setting her palm flat against her cheek. "And Miss Lauren."

"Uncle Roby said my mommy is in heaven. Where is heaven, Mauwen?"

The psychologist fought against the flimsy floodgates, choking on herself as her empathy for the child strangulated her. What could she possible say to alleviate the sorrow that had been plaguing the juvenile mind who'd looked at her as if she held the answers she desperately needed? Lauren was baffled, dumbfounded by such a profound question and coming from a three-year-old, no less.

Pebble had absorbed the explanation her uncle provided her with and cradled it in her mind, left to handle the burden on her own.

"Heaven is everywhere you are because little kids like you are blessings, babe." Lauren cooed, eyes congregating excessive moisture that was bound to spill out if the conversation would not switch any time soon. "You may not see her but your mommy is always with you."

"Where?" Pebble frantically looked around, seemingly searching for a sign of heaven that people speak so highly of. She could not understand the concept and Lauren knew the little girl wanted to be in heaven and be with the mommy she never met.

"She's here." Lauren gently prodded the middle of the little girl's chest, watching as those hazel eyes widened in splendor at the discovery. She had heaven in her and that was an amazing finding to Pebble. "When you close your eyes and think really hard, you can talk to your mommy. She will hug you like Miss Lauren hugs you. Your mommy would want you happy, babe."

"Mauwen, why is she sad?" Pebble immediately shot, eliciting a fear within Lauren that there could be a ghost of the child's mother lurking about in her office and she would not, for the life of her, twist her head to the back and face a ghost's tear stained cheeks.

Lauren brought it upon herself.

"Who?" The psychologist queried, cringing at the thought of hearing the child mumble a noun she'd call her mother.

"Pr...prf..."

"Professor." Lauren finished with a much needed sigh that alleviate a speckle of anxiety that raised her shoulders. "Why do you think so?"

"No smile?" Pebble shrugged, having no other explanation for her question. "Is she mean to you? Are you sad?"

Lauren could not understand how the little girl deduced her observation. How the girl even correlated Camila's demeanor to her Mauwen was remarkable and yet, any soul would see the thick tension that cloaked the two women.

"I'm not sad. I'm happy with you." She poked at Pebble's little nose, who giggled in response.

"Me, too. I love you, Mauwen."

"I love you, too." Lauren sincerely reciprocated, leaning down to place a quick kiss on her head. She lifted the last orange segment up to level with Pebble's eyes, wagging it before her. "Finish this and if you do, we can go to McDonald's for lunch."

Lauren gasped, widening her eyes in mock disbelief and Pebble's features mirrored hers, only that the little girl's hands had flew up to her mouth, overlapping. She then remembered she had remove the obstruction for the condition to be met. Slowly, the toddler dropped her hands and revealed her monster mouth, leaving her caretaker giggling.

Ordinary and eventful slowly turning into incredibly vulgar by the time Lauren and Pebble made it to the faculty and staff parking hand in hand. The day hadn't even been slashed in half and Lauren was about to be met with the biggest bombshell of a revelation.

Standing right before Camila's parked car were two men Lauren was well acquainted with. They were too close, intimately close and one of them had their hands on the other's hips. Slowly, they diminished the distance and attached their lips together in a very brief lip lock; unaware of the pair of green-eyes zoning in on them.

It may have just been the force that propelled Lauren to leave the ground she was standing on and contemplate on fighting for the girl she was desperately in love with – figuratively.

It was merely a peck and some people would reckon it to be nothing more than an innocent kiss but male friends don't kiss each other on the lips and grin bashfully after, do they?