Professor C (camren)

12 - Puzzles

A little over eight the next day, Dinah found Camila perched on a white bar stool at the breakfast table. It was actually the impeccably clean and astoundingly large white marble-topped kitchen island that Dinah wondered why they needed that dining hall.

Camila was sipping a cup of coffee, reading the business column of a newspaper. Before her was a plate sprinkled with crumbs from the toast she had consumed not long prior, and strawberry jam and silky butter stood right by.

They were actually adults now and Dinah smiled to herself at her mind's attempts at arguing she was still younger than Camila. So, technically, she wasn't as old as her friends.

Dinah's vision was overwhelmed with shiny stainless steel and white, and hints of brown, while her nostrils were captivated by the hypnotizing aroma of brewed coffee. Kitchen cabinets came in white with steel handles and shelving. Apart from the shiny and large refrigerator/freezer and stove/oven, the rest of the kitchen appliances came in white.

There were two other people in the spacious room that Dinah was yet to meet. One was to Camila's right, by the sink, cutting vegetables and significantly younger than the middle aged blonde, who was sitting with Camila - having her own coffee and reading material.

More people to talk to.

"Morning." Dinah announced, prompting three heads to look towards her. Blinking groggily, she offered them a closed-mouth grin, taking a deep breath as she rubbed her upper arms.

"Good morning!" Camila retorted, folding the newspaper and perching it on the table. "How was your sleep?"

Of course, Camila would ask that. It was what a polite host would have uttered first thing in the morning.

"It was good. The bed was really comfortable." Dinah informed with a smile; nodding to acknowledge the blonde woman who smiled her way.

"Great!" Camila cheered in relief. "Breakfast?"

"Oh, yeah, I'm starving."

Camila gracefully introduced the three women to each other, surprising Jean, Linda's cooking assistant with her cordiality and amiability. That had never happened before and if Camila had addressed any of them, save for Linda and really, the older staff, she would only speak of her requests. Camila would thank them but would never extend a smile towards them or any words more - not even their names.

Luca was their obvious favorite while they all had a soft spot for little Elf.

Camila had asked Dinah what she wanted to eat and the latter requested for what Camila's was having. Dinah made sure to thank the woman, who had kindly got up to prepare her food as she sauntered over to join Camila. She took the seat opposite the one Linda had vacated, leaning on it - albeit rudely, as she sniffled the remainders of slumber up her nostrils.

"You'll get used to it." Camila mumbled her consolation, laughing softly at how Dinah groaned in response. "Mornings aren't that bad."

"The problem is, Mila," She grumbled, raising her head and flashing her friend an unimpressed look, which earned her a much heartier laugh. She mockingly blinked repeatedly as she maintained a straight face. "I don't want to."

The Polynesian could remember all the years she spent, begrudgingly waking up to get ready for school. College was much easier when she was allowed to choose her own schedule. Her thoughts were easily veered towards a little boy, who was living the years that Dinah considered the beginning of an endless "nightmare". She had found the three colorful letters stuck to Elf's door upon exiting the guest room and had been meaning to ask Camila about him.

From Lauren's little tales, Dinah was quite excited to meet him and while she couldn't just yet, she thought she could get to know him through his foster mother and solve part of a puzzle she needed to piece together.

"What's Elf doing right now?"

Camila looked up, searching for the clock on their microwave oven to check the time. She found that she had been in that kitchen for almost an hour, talking to Linda and then reading the paper. Camila hadn't been able to enjoy slow days since accepting the job at the community college and most of the time, she relished in it. Having a packed day meant less time to think, and less time for her obsessive mind to tap onto her heart, twist it until her entire body is consumed with longing for yesteryears.

Up until that point,she couldn't decide if having Lauren back in her life was better or worse.

"He goes to this private school in the morning from 8:00 to 11:30." Camila began, smiling at how excited the boy was when she had brought the toy dinosaur. She shook her head in disapproval upon realizing the next information she was about to divulge, aimlessly waving her hand. "They're supposed to have the best teachers and because of that, they have stupidly high tuition. But kids are supposed to be ready and ahead of everyone else in their grade so that's fine." She shrugged.

"They don't officially start 'til 8:15 but he and Luca have this little ritual they do with Rudolph, our dog." Camila explained, raising her brows as she c****d her head slightly to see if Dinah was paying attention and she was. "They go at 7:00 or 7:15 and get there really early to walk Rudolph around until Les has to go in. Sometimes they don't take him, and I don't know what they do then. They're really close."

"They are." Dinah observed, nodding. She was frowning, and Camila was almost sure what her expressions meant. There was a reluctance to ask and Dinah struggled to formulate her questions for the impact to slam a little less forcefully. "How long do you plan on keeping him?"

"He was only supposed to stay with us for three months." Camila sighed, bowing her head down until her gaze met her empty plate.

She pursed her lips and her tongue poked out slightly, dampening the surface. Gently, her shoulders rose as Camila accommodated air in her lungs. She held her breath for a couple of seconds and slowly exhaled.

It was as if she was plagued with internal turmoil judging by her body language, and she was. Dinah couldn't be as gratified to know that she still knew her best friend enough with what she saw.

Camila seemed hesitant to provide answers given that she'd never really discussed the matter with anyone else but Luca and well, Linda. She had tightly sealed delicate information about her and her family's lives that she never expected to find the key she thought she had gotten rid of. But then again, Dinah somehow had a magic touch on her that she had no control over anything and it seemed as if she never even locked the chest of secrets in the first place. But Camila was sure that with every emotional cut she revealed, Dinah had bandages to cover them all up but not after stitching her back together into an imperfect broken piece that was perfectly whole.

Camila checked the room, grateful the Jean had left while Linda was sauntering over with Dinah's food and beverage. The two younger women immediately thanked Linda and Dinah was just too happy to have found food that she could hug her but opted not to. She, however, immediately reached for some sugar and cream, stirring them in her coffee as Linda carefully set the stack of toast close by.

The older woman checked to see if there were still butter, fruit jam and such for Dinah's toast. When she found them, she respectfully told Camila she was only a call away and subsequently left with a gentle smile.

"Luca knew a case worker and that guy had asked if we wanted to foster." Camila began upon hearing the door close, signaling that they were finally alone. She let out a huff, watching as an endless cloud of steam ascended from the hot coffee cup in front of Dinah and somehow, she felt as though the hot mist fed the furnace of her nerves.

"We were waiting for his supposed adoptive parents to finalize everything but they cancelled last minute after delaying so many times. It was unfair on Les' end." Her hand flew up to her forehead as her brown eyes conveyed the fire of her displeasure. The way her lips curved to portray a sinister smirk was unnerving while she continued to dissect the couple in her head; tearing them to little pathetic pieces.

"Maybe it was karma or just life teaching them a lesson but the husband actually got fired from his job for god knows what, and we didn't have the heart to just put Les back in the system, you know? He liked it here and just imagining his face if we chose to tell him he was going back killed me, and I think it was worse on Luca."

Camila would have preferred to have that little heart to heart while inhaling smoke and slowly consuming sticks of cigarette instead of having her fingers dig onto the porcelain cup she just grabbed. She held it tightly, a desperate attempt at garnering control over the looming chaos. She craved its hot, bitter taste; drugging her mental state into a temporary tranquil state. She was certain Dinah could smell traces of the white cloud from the smolder of tobacco leaves on her clothes that she had burnt first thing in the morning. She was certain she reeked of it the day before as well.

Camila didn't have to verbally confess her new addiction to Dinah but that didn't lessen the shame she felt. Uptight Camila had finally loosened her restraints; she would have been virtually unrecognizable to the people who knew her in Miami.

"It's been two years and three months since then." She breathed, feeling the prickle of sweat breaking out from her neck and forehead.

Camila's perturbed mind had braced for the most negative reaction from her best friend. She began to regret having a cup of coffee just because of her agitated pulse. For all she knew, Dinah could yell at her and deliver a barrage of hateful words. Heck, she could even slap her with those big hands while she's at it.

However, Dinah was understanding. She always was and Camila had forgotten the feeling of trusting someone with her heart and seeing no judgement flickering in their eyes. The intimacy of friendship was a safety net in the passion of a relationship that brought her to the clouds without a parachute.

Luca was a wonderful husband but there wasn't quite anyone like Dinah Jane.

"Do you know where his parents are?"

"Teenagers." Camila scoffed, roller her eyes in disgust. "Their own parents didn't want them to keep Les. But how they could have chosen to open their damn legs and stick it in, and not use protection is beyond me. But at least, they didn't abort him. We have that to be thankful for."

"Oh, yeah." Dinah agreed immediately, reaching to untangle one of Camila's hands and intertwine it with her own. She wanted to laugh at the little comment wedged within her friend's bitter, stern words but it wasn't the time.

Camila looked up, furrowing her brows in confusion. Sure, they both seemed a little too cautious to resume their rather severely intimate friendship after so many years but Camila was surprised that Dinah had taken a leap. She knew it was for comfort and yet she was still surprised to have felt the foreign hand in her, when she was cringing after seeing the Polynesian raise it. It gave her a renewed confidence in herself while taking a significant weight from her chest.

Dinah squeezed Camila's hand, offering her a very small smile as she looked at her with the most tender, loving gaze.

No words were necessary.

Camila hadn't realized how much she cared about the little boy until that conversation. She never knew how much she needed to feel more love until Lauren made Elf hug her. And she never realized how she needed someone to share her load, and as always, Dinah came to her aid.

So much for being self-sufficient. Then again, no one was supposed to exist alone.

Quietly, the pair finished their cups of coffee while Dinah ate her breakfast. The silence wasn't consuming for once and Camila was left to her own devices for an amount of time, which she spent reading about new economic trends she could use in all of her jobs. Her dedication had always been admirable.

"Where's...you know...your husband?" Dinah suddenly queried, voice bleeding with disdain that she knew she could not have been able to control if she tried to.

He was part of that enormous, intricate puzzle and the faster she figure him out, the easier it was to solve everything else. Well, until she reaches Camila's scattered pieces.

Dinah was quite successful in averting Camila's amused chocolate hues, focusing her own on the empty place where her plate used to be. It needed quite the restraint to keep from rolling her amber eyes, and she was grateful for the bolts that kept them in a neutral, non-threatening place.

After hearing of the man's infidelity from Lauren, Dinah's curiosity ran like a rabid beast. There was no way she could have suppressed it and being the amazing friend she prided herself to be, she was going to directly address her concerns.

"You don't like Luca very much, do you?" Camila observed, chuckling slightly at her friend amid her full-blown grin. "Did he do something - say something you didn't like?

"Maybe...maybe not." Dinah evaded the question, shrugging to convey nonchalance that she did not possess as of the moment. "Where is he anyway?"

"Work. If he's not in his office, monitoring the stock market, he'll be checking their family businesses."

"Their?" She raised her voice, genuinely appalled to learn about the information Camila had willingly provided her with.

Her amber eyes were set ablaze, gaping and fully exposed and the snarl that slipped out of her viciously curved lips was in a chorus with her ragged breaths. Dinah was furious and her apprehensive shoulders raised. Her entire body was leaning towards Camila, hands firmly planted onto the edges of the table to keep herself from physically squeezing answers out of her smaller friend.

"His parents.'" Camila clarified, smugly smiling at Dinah; prompting the Polynesian to retreat - sitting back onto her seat despite her displeasure with the inadequate, foot-high backrest.

"Does he ever stay here all day?" Dinah groused rather immaturely, perching her elbow onto the table and resting her head onto her waiting hand. Her features portrayed the conflict riddling her soul, tightening her irked lips.

"For Les, he does - when he asks him. Other than that, he works." Camila shrugged, playing the severity of the situation off and topped it by batting her lashes playfully.

"What about you?" The Polynesian furrowed her brows, framing her incredibly troubled eyes. A little more and she would have lunged at her friend and topped them both over into a pile on the floor.

"Dinah, I work as hard as him - maybe more. It would defeat the purpose of keeping him here if I wasn't, wouldn't it?" Camila breathed, raising incredulous and knowing brows at her disconcerted friend. "I'm trying to complete my final paper to get my doctorate. I teach in two schools plus the other stuff I have going on."

"Fair point." Dinah acknowledge albeit begrudgingly.

And in the same manner, she thought of the night that she had practically designed to be hell for the three people he had dinner with. While it was rewarding to find Luca shivering in fear, her quest to find truth only gave her more puzzles at how Camila reacted. The Clausnitzers seemed to have been hiding a very vital clue and despite Luca's obvious disloyalty, Camila was right there, supporting him.

What a twisted marriage, Dinah thought.

While the Polynesian racked her brain, thinking of every possible scenario, Camila was simply waiting for her to navigate the conversation. She loved her friend so much, it was eliciting an adoring grin to play at her lips. And if the battle evident in her features were to tell Camila anything, it was that Dinah was struggling with something concerning her pride.

"Sorry about dinner." Dinah finally relented, huffing heavily as she finally allowed her eyes to roll. "I sounded like an ungrateful b***h. This is his home and I'm just staying here."

"It's okay. He understands."

"You should have seen Laurenza." She giggled through the widest, amused grin that boasted the dimple on her cheekbone. Shaking her head, she repeatedly tapped the table in the sheer hilarity at the thought of Lauren's trepidation. "Her nose could have spit out a baby at how she flared it."

Dinah sent her head back, releasing an unbridled laugh, eliciting a needed song of glee from Camila as well. Camila argued against herself, claiming that she was simply laughing at the state Dinah was in but in her heart she knew that she, too, would have laughed at Lauren. It was always quite amusing to get a rise out of the psychologist and her unimpressed look had always been the funniest.

Sighing, Camila submitted herself to the truth. Her barren heart was yearning for its tenant that she was certain was the girl she met back in high school. Nothing ever hurt as much as Lauren but nothing and no one had ever made her as happy.

Dinah asked for Camila's itinerary for the day, and when she found that the latter was to collect the test questionnaires from both colleges she worked in, Dinah jumped at the chance to see Lauren. She was quite saddened to find that Camila had a deadline and needed to have everything settled before Monday, which meant less time for them to talk; which was essentially, less chances to dig for answers.

Over half an hour later, Camila stood by her car out front as she waited for Dinah outside with a cigarette between her fingers. She had finished preparing earlier than the Polynesian, and it may have been done on purpose. Camila practically breezed through her morning routine just to get enough time to collect herself. She wanted to be as relaxed as possible, knowing that Lauren would kill her with her eyes if she didn't come prepared. Those green gems she calls eyes were hypnotizing.

Upon arriving Lafayette Community College, the pair immediately wandered towards Lauren's office. Camila was about to knock when a blonde boy came out of the room, genuinely surprised to find her; well, he was more petrified.

The odd part about it was that Camila mirrored his shock. She could faintly remember the boy to be one of the students in her class. The problem was, the vague memory she had of him wasn't within the lecture hall.

"I-I'm sorry but...but Miss Lauren - she's in a meeting right now." The boy stammered, looking everywhere but Camila's eyes. He preferred Dinah's, they were lighter and it wasn't just the hue. Hers were quite warm and understanding. "I'm her student assistant and she asked me to lock up. I d-"

"Rob! Let's go, dude!" A male voice interrupted, attracting all of their attention and towards an impatient redhead, who shrunk when he made out the professor's features. "Sorry." He mumbled under his breath, slowly pivoting to take himself out of the situation.

"Robert McIntyre." Curiously, Camila whispered, slowly looking towards the wide-eyed boy who forcefully swallowed at her attention. She narrowed her eyes at him, breathing through her gaped mouth. "You're in one of my classes, aren't you?"

"Y-yes, Professor." Frantically nodding, he cleared his throat in another attempt at calming the storm brewing within his apprehensive soul. "Econ 102."

"Pebble." Camila mumbled to herself, as a realization dawned on her; not necessarily intending on speaking words formed out of her pensive mind.

Wild, feral thoughts raced and Camila could not help but assume that Lauren was involved with a student. That was quite disgusting to her, and that set-up made Rob a little opportunistic. He'd get a babysitter, a bank, and a smoking hot girlfriend. Not only that, it was illegal, too. Lauren could be sent to jail. Camila was beginning to feel anger boil from within, and her hand were unconsciously folding into fists.

Dinah didn't seem to be all that bothered by the petrified boy. In fact, she looked too amused while she typed a message in her phone. She had managed to send a smile Rob's way, prompting him to let out a huff to release tension bubbling within.

"She's my niece, Professor." He blurted out, squeezing his eyes out as he braced for some sort of impact - be it words or well, hands. "Miss Lauren offers to watch her when no one could. It's-it's just me and her - Pebble, Professor."

He was not dating Lauren and Pebble wasn't his child. The information presented to her released Camila from the bonds that prevented her from breathing. It allowed enough air to pass through, cooling her down significantly. Camila was inexplicably relieved, she allowed herself to sigh audibly before Dinah's observant eyes.

"Where are you? We're at your office. Mila looks so hot right now! You're missing out." Dinah hurriedly typed on her phone, barely able to stifle the laughter that had been knocking on the blockage she put up. Looking up, she remembered to add another message, just to stir things up a bit. "Oh, and we just met Uncle Rob!!! Professor C doesn't seem too fond of him and I think it's your fault ;) She's sooo jealous. I can't!!! Drama!!!!!"

Camila dismissed the boy not long after, deciding on contemplating about the strings that link him and Pebble to Lauren later. She and Dinah could see Rob visibly relax despite him bolting out of there almost immediately. It looked as if he was a little creature kept in the house for too long and it was the first time he had seen the light. He was that eager to flee the scene, prompting a laugh to resound from Dinah's lips.

Finally!

The pair continued with what they sought to do and retrieved the stacks of papers that Camila was supposed to grade. Subsequently, they travelled to Purdue with the same intention. Camila found that her second best choice of the day was asking Dinah to come along - after telling her about Elf. The Polynesian's extra hands only required a single trip to and from Camila's offices, saving them enough time.

Despite the conversations Camila was forced to engage in with her nosy, too friendly colleagues, they had enough time to head out to Elf's school and fetch him. Camila was intending on surprising her foster son, hoping that he'd be pleased to see her.

Fingers crossed.

They were only a couple of minutes away from their destination when Dinah's phone chimed, telling her a message had been received. A mischievous glint in her eyes immediately took shape as she settled to a much comfortable position in her seat as she found the sender's name.

"I was in a meeting. I'm part of a promotion committee for this someone left and we're awarding tenure to someone. I'll be here ALL DAY and I'm so hungry!!!!! We have free lunch, though, so, that's a plus. I hope I get the weekend off. And please stop teasing me!!!" Lauren's text said, eliciting a very pleased smirk on Dinah's lips that intrigued Camila. The psychologist quickly followed it with another severely hilarious reaction Dinah was hoping for.

"It's not like I don't already know!! Just stop it, Dinah!!! Wink at her for me? I'm kidding. DON'T!!"

Dinah had already been quite amused by the first message, the second one just cracked her up. Lauren still had it in her - her little playful side had just been tucked away way too long, and Dinah was determined to set it free.

She typed her response, unable to contain the broad grin pulling at her lips, prompting Camila to conclude that her friend was talking to Lauren - most likely teasing her.

"Lol! Never! I never knew how attractive little Mila would be until I saw her. ;) ;) ;)" Dinah cackled, barely covering her gaped mouth with her long fingers as she sent her head back - overcame by bliss. Her hand was quick to land back on her phone to continue provokint Lauren. "How does it feel? I'm kidding. She's driving and we're going to go see little Elf. But yeah, I understand. You have a job. If it was something else, I would have been mad at you."

Dinah had enough time to glance at Camila, seeing the professor's eyes intently focused on a moderately busy road. She would love to share her conversation with Camila and if it were 10 years ago, she wouldn't have hesitated. Their situation was fragile and Dinah needed to put up more defenses to keep their bond together.

"Please stop! Are you really? Please tell him I miss him. Thank you!" Lauren's next message read, warming Dinah's heart at how ginormous and gentle Lauren's is. "Is Rob okay? What did he do?"

"He came out of your office when we were trying to go in and I think Mila thinks you're only looking after Pebble because of your oh so secret relationship. ;) ;)" There was an urge to wink while Dinah looked down on her phone and she did, making it Camila's turn to laugh. She managed to throw her most sinister look at the professor, huffing in playful annoyance.

"I am not dating him!!!! You know that!!!!! Who even said that?? You? I do not wish to go to jail, thank you very much. Dinah, I'm sorry. I have to get back to eating - more meetings after. I'll see you when I see you!"

And that was why getting a rise out of Lauren was too priceless to pass.

"Yes but I'm sure you're only concerned about what Mila knows. And don't worry, he cleared everything up. Are you sure you're busy or just avoiding me? Lol!! Later, Lauren."

Dinah hummed, satisfied with her conversation with Lauren. Rob had managed to work Camila up, and she did the honors to Lauren. It was quite entertaining and she was hopeful that would kick the two up into working on their broken bond. She believed in the power of their love but she needed for the magic to commence sooner. She was getting impatient.

The car came to a halt not long after and before them was a wide open lawn, fenced and perfect for children to play around in. A white building sat in the middle, accentuated by colors in the shape of blocks climbing up the walls. The white structure was reserved for kindergarten and preschoolers while the rest of their students up until high school had a separate one. Within it was eight classrooms, a computer laboratory, lunch area and an indoor playground that was preferred over the one found outside. There were several other amenities but those were the only ones Camila had heard of.

There were a number of cars parked, parents of children dismissed during the lunch hour. Camila offered to fetch Elf by herself, leaving Dinah to wait in the car. She breezed through the colorful hallways, not as bothered by the delay brought about by security over at the front entrance. It was for the safety of their children, she should be grateful for it, and she was.

Camila could see Elf's teacher, Miss Annie Barton standing by the corridors, talking to a parent, who was in the middle bidding her farewell. The blonde woman's hazel eyes gaped at the sight of the professor, exposing her utter bewilderment to find her there. By her reaction alone, it was apparent that Camila barely came to pick Elf up - barely is an understatement even. She was quick to snap out of it, managing to smile at Camila and peeked her head in to find the five-year-old.

"Elf, your mom's here." She called, smiling towards Elf, who had ran towards the door with his things in tow. She glanced at Camila once more, nodding to acknowledge her and address her with the proper designation. "Morning, Professor."

"Good morning, Miss Annie." Camila retorted, cordially smiling at her.

The conversation would have extended longer - Camila dreaded it - if only Elf had not announced his presenced through an excited screech.

"Mrs. Claus!" Careening through the door, Elf exclaimed, scrambling to adjust the straps of his little backpack while doing his best to maintain the crispness of a sheet of paper in his right hand. His wide eyes glistened with excitement upon watching his foster mother kneel before him, arms wide open to accept him. "You're home! I'm happy you're home, Mrs. Claus!"

"Me, too. Me, too." Camila mumbled upon catching the boy, who was barrelling towards her. She sighed, squeezing the boy gently, genuinely surprised to feel her heart being filled up with love and adoration when she felt Elf clutch onto her tightly. "Did you have fun at school?"

"Yes!" Elf retorted, brimming with eagerness and enthusiasm as he pulled back show her his drawing. "Miss Annie let me draw a dinosaur! Look!"

"Wow!" Camila gasped theatrically, taking the colored sketch from Elf's grasp to inspect the long-necked and long-tailed green dinosaur. She tapped her chin, dramatically showing she was deep in thought. "Let me guess...brontosaurus?"

The way Elf's bright eyes gleamed with delight and sparkled with wonder gave Camila an incomparable satisfaction. She was just so happy he was happy.

By his reaction, she knew she was right. It was a brontosaurus.

"Are you impressed?"

"I know what 'impressed' is!" He earnestly raised his hand, standing on his tiptoes as if attempting to get Camila's attention and let him answer an implied question.

"You do?" Camila excitedly queried, tickling the boy while making sure the drawing in her hand was kept in its state.

God, she enjoyed hearing him laugh his little heart out. He screwed his eyes shut while flinging his arms to deflect Camila's prodding hand.

"Well, are you impressed?" She breathed, pleasantly worked up by the stunt she had pulled.

"Yes!" Elf gasped, grinning at his foster mother despite being out of breath. "I'm impressed, Mrs. Claus!"

"Me, too." Camila breathed, rubbing his chin slightly. "I want you to meet someone. She's your Aunt Dinah."

"Who's Aunt Dinah?" He adorably crumpled his features, tilting his head slightly to convey his puzzlement.

"My best friend from high school."

"What's high school, Mrs. Claus?"

"It's a school for big kids." She explained in the simplest terms she could ever think off, gently tracing his forehead to brush strands of his shorter mane away from his face.

"Can I go to high school?"

"When you get older." Camila chuckled. She slowly stood up as she felt the burn on her calves and thighs nut her gaze remained on the boy despite knowing of their solitary audience, Miss Annie's own confusion with their new dynamic.

"But I don't want you to grow up just yet."

"I'm only five."

"Almost six." Camila corrected, offering her free hand to the little boy, who gladly took it albeit hesitantly.

The jubilant smile on Elf's serene young features elicited a very content one from Camila.

"I'll hold on to this. We're putting it on the fridge."

Outside, where the clouds were dark and the persistent wind of spring blew, Dinah anxiously stood by the hood of the car; leaning against it while folding her arms. For some reason, she needed Elf to like her. It'd be more than a validation that she was the ultimate babysitter/caregiver.

But she wanted him to like her for Camila. It'd be easier to ploy little surprises for the foster mom with the foster son's help. And it was imperative that she or Elf elicit a laugh from Camila because in all honestly, she hated cominy to Lafayette and be greeted by a distant version of her best friend.

Chancho was fun and CheeChee missed her.

Dinah waved upon laying her eyes on the pair, ambling her way hand in hand. It was the sweetest sight; it reminded her of Camila and Sofia. Holding her chest, she feared that her heart would burst and spew glitter all over.

"Oh, my god! You're so precious!" Dinah kneeled down before the shy little boy, barely keeping her hands from grabbing him and giving him the best hug. "Hi, Elf."

"Go. That's Aunt Dinah." Camila coaxed, gently pushing him by his shoulder to envelope Dinah in an embrace.

With his foster mother's permission - more like encouragement, Elf wrapped his arms around Dinah's neck, briefly hugging her. The woman perfectly understood his hesitation, releasing him the moment she felt him pulling back.

"Hi!" Bowing his head down, he mumbled. Despite the hesitation, he managed to formulate the words of his riveting question. "Do you know Miss Mauwen? Mrs. Claus said she went to high school, too."

"Lauren." Camila mouthed as Dinah lifted her head up to seek for help. She poked the middle of her chest, exaggerating the movement of her lips further. "I'm Mrs. Claus."

"Oh!" Dinah said in the same manner; scrunching her features up in adoration. She just wanted to squeeze the boy's full cheeks. "Adorable!"

"I do." She addressed Elf, tenderly setting a finger beneath his chin to lift his gaze up. She needed to see his face when she tells him something. "She said she misses you and she can't wait to see you again."

"Really?! I miss her, too!" Elf mused, features lighting up at the news. He swiftly looked up to meet Camila's eyes. "When can I see her again, Mrs. Claus?"

"When she's not busy, Les." Camila smiled, stroking his hair lovingly.

The boy celebrated the professor's approval, hugging her legs. The gesture prompted the pair of friends to look at each other, quietly laughing at how happy he was.

Dinah helped situate Elf onto hiw seat in the back. She securely strapped him in, tapping his little nose when she was done.

While in the car on their drive home, Elf could barely contain himself. He mentioned a boy called Jacob, his best friend and proceeded to animatedly talk about dinosaurs, pouring his little heart out as he mentioned how he never found Godzilla in his books. He did mention how it looked like a tyrannosaurus rex with spikes on the back. Dinah meaningfully glanced at Camila; both sharing a look of adoration as they fed to the boy's excitement. He had never talked that much with Camila and the economist welcomed the change.

The moment Camila drove through the gates, their front doors were already open. Unfortunately, beneath the frame was a character that Camila had grown to despise - Elf's nameless nanny that she never bothered to get to know.

Dinah freed Elf from the belt straps and set him onto ground. The boy raced inside, only to be trampled by their excited dog - climbing onto him and licking his face.

"No, Rudolph!" He giggled, pushing the dog's nose as best as he could - squirming. "Bad dog! It tickles!"

Dinah was quick to rescue him amid her own laughter. She lifted to boy up to her arms, away from the dog's reach. Seeing as it was a lost cause, Rudolph moved to an irked, Camila, who bent to pet him regardless.

Camila was too busy watching the nanny's reaction, itching to put her in her place. She'd reduced men to tears; she should be easy.

"Les, are you hungry?" Camila looked to the grinning boy, who nodded eagerly.

"Can we have pizza? Please?"

"Of course, but you have to eat some of Nana Linda's food, too. She loves cooking for you." Camila suggested, raising expectant brows at him.

"Okay." He mumbled happily.

"Why don't you go upstairs and get changed. Aunt Dinah can help you." Camila suggested, reaching to set her hand on Dinah's arm - a silent request for her friend to take Elf up to his room

"Can she? Rudolph, too?" Elf's excitement was palpable and everyone but Dinah knew he was eager to show the Polynesian his toy dinosaurs.

"Of course." Camila grinned just for him despite the vile feeling of rage seething in her, consuming her. "I'll see you in a bit."

"Okay." He agreed, holding onto Dinah tightly as he called for the overly excited dog. "Come on, Rudolph! Here, boy!"

Dinah playfully stomped her feet, hurriedly trudging towards the stairs with a squealing boy in her arms. The dog's frantic little paws hitting the wooden surface of the foyer contested Elf's little voice, and for a moment, Camila smiled.

That was until she sensed movement. The nanny was about to follow but Camila set a firm hand on her shoulder, preventing her from advancing towards the stairs.

"You're staying." Camila gritted, eyes focused on Dinah climbing up the steps.

Camila took deep breaths, attempting to quell her almost irreversible frustrations over her foster child's nanny. She straightened herself, closing the heavy doors that served as a possible escape route for the nanny.

"Is there a problem you would like to tell me?" Camila began upon making sure she was out of Elf's hearing range. She was grateful that Dinah closed the door hard enough for her to know the little boy was secluded from her wrath.

The nanny quietly stared at Camila and the longer that she did, the less tenacity she possessed. Camila enjoyed seeing her swallow forcefully as those insignificant brown eyes flitted to the shiny hardwood floor.

"All these glares you've been sending me, are they supposed to be intimidating? Were they your pathetic attempts at silent threats? Because all I'm feeling is annoyed...and quite angry. If I'm being honest, I'm mortified for you." Camila raised a challenging brow, almost coaxing the nanny to engage in a fight against her.

It wouldn't lull the sore feeling in her chest but it would amuse her. Conflict gave her a thrill but Camila yearned for an altercation between her and another set of people. Those in her way were sparring partners to make her heart harder, resilient.

"What changed me? Or better yet, what possessed me to be nicer? Is that what you're trying to ask?" The dipped her chin, delivering her mocking features - needing for the nanny to look up just so she could defeat her in a staring match once more. "Even if you don't deserve it, I will tell you. For the record, I didn't change for anyone but Les. My ex is back in my life and she has a terribly big heart and she made me see that Les needs my love and attention. And what do I get out of this? The satisfaction of having that boy's love back. But that version of 'Mrs. Claus' is only reserved for him and you have to remember, I am the same old nasty b***h, who wouldn't hesitate to ruin you."

"It's not because I want anything from Luca or his family. You and I both know I have everything I want. And it's not because I'm cultivating enough good will to make up for something that would hurt them either. No, I'm not as heartless as you think I am. I may be a b***h but I'm not as cruel as you think; I care about them."

"Oh, my god, the b***h has a heart." Camila shook her hands in the air mockingly in an exaggerated manner, burning holes onto the nanny's head. Huffing and puffing, she took steps closer, to which the poor victim took corresponding ones away from her.

"You don't know anything about me. You don't know the things that happened to me that changed me into this monster you despise so much.

"Sure, you're all protective of my foster kid, who, by the way craves my attention. If I haven't been showing him love all this time, I know I should apologize. And I will, but to him and not to you." Camila crossed her arms, finally settling in one spot but her sharp stare remained. Her skin burned with adrenaline and the force at which she clamped her teeth could have very well broken her jaw. "And he may love you right now, but you will never replace me. I'm his parent, temporary or not, and you just watch him for us. Or maybe you're forgetting about your employment and how replaceable you are.

"While I appreciate you caring for him, I don't appreciate those looks you've been giving me. He wants to spend time with me and you're standing in the way. If you want to keep this precious job of yours in which you're highly overpaid, stay away from me. And if you ever do so much as punish him because of me, expect the absolute worst form of retaliation."

"Do we understand each other?" Camila raised her brows, challenging her to orate an answer but obtained a nod. She was quite pleased to find that her ruthless side was still there and her claws were as sharp as can be.

Camila could almost hear the nanny's clattering bones; music to her ears.

"Good." Camila blinked, unimpressed by the nanny's pathetic shape. She let out a bored sigh, untangling her arms and brushed her clothes to rid it of creases. "Go ask Linda if lunch is ready and ask someone to get pepperoni pizza for Les. There's a drawing on the dashboard of my car, I need you to put it on the fridge. I'll go see if he needs me."

Sending the poor nanny a menacing glare, Camila proceeded to climb up the stairs to join her friend and foster son - head held high.

Upon filling their bellies to the brim, Camila spent half an hour with Dinah and Elf, playing with the boy's toy dinosaurs. Camila was gratified to see her foster son smile with the knowledge that she was one of the reasons why it was there in the first place. And as much as she'd like to spend a lazy afternoon with the pair, she had loads of papers to grade and she had to have it done by Sunday evening. It wasn't like she couldn't get away with it though - she just hated being late with anything. She loved her spotless reputation.

Camila left the pair with Elf's nanny, smirking as she found her close to trembling in fear. The poor young woman could not even lift her eyes to see Camila's shoulders. It was such a pity actually but the professor's rage had not subsided just yet. She could not deny that it wasn't just the looks or the unsaid words that they implied. Camila acknowledged the fact that it bothered her, having her horrifying demeanor being blown up in her face by someone she found to be nothing but a nuisance.

It was easier to choose to ignore the harrowing truth of her cruelty than have to deal with it. And deep within her, she was aware that her anger was meant for several people and herself, and those individuals weren't in Indiana.

But that nanny was a nuisance, Camila insisted. And that's what she will remain to be. The problem was, she wasn't just any other pest that Camila could easily ignore. Just the thought of her was persistent and taunting, leading Camila to head to her room and pull out a pack of cigarettes just to blow off some steam, and well, blow out smoke. She could afford to lose a couple of minutes burning white sticks.

Dinah's extensive knowledge with children from her job and well, her younger siblings came in handy with Elf. The boy had asked her several questions about whatever this thing called "high school" was, how she met both Camila and Lauren, and such. Elf had quite the arsenal of questions.

The pair had watched movies in Dinah's temporary room, had some treats courtesy of Linda, napped together and played some more. Elf seemed to have the time of his life while Dinah relished in his joy. And every once in a while, someone would retrieve Rudolph and bring him back after some time.

"I take it you like Lauren?" Dinah prodded, watching the boy's reaction as they sat on the floor in Elf's room.

Elf nodded eagerly, looking up from the numerous miniature plastic dinosaurs in the middle of him and Dinah. He gave her a very pleased grin and subsequently refocusing his attention onto the triceratops in his hand.

"She came over and we played with Godzilla in the living room!" He informed his new playmate breathlessly in his sheer bliss thst worked him up in the best way. "And then, and then, she tucked me in and read me a bed time story."

"Have you met Pebble?" Dinah followed upon releasing a breath through her open-mouth grin.

"Uh huh." Elf nodded again, reaching for a plastic palm tree, bigger than the rest of the plastic rehistoric creatures to feed his three-horned herbivore. "We ate oranges."

Dinah's eagerness to uncover truths were easily holding her captive. The child was a perfect witness to interrogate; in the most subtle way possible, of course. From experience, she knew they were inquisitive and honest and while her curiosity ran lose, Dinah had asked a careless, almost idiotic question.

"Does Mr. Claus kiss Mrs. Claus?"

"On the cheek?" Elf lifted his gaze, puzzlement evident in his features. He nodded, still looking at Dinah inquisitively.

"What about on the mouth?"

"No." He shook his head, in turn, confusing Dinah endlessly. "Why don't they kiss, Aunt Dinah? Jacob's mommy and daddy kiss."

"Maybe they don't kiss when you're not with them." Dinah tried, caught in a corner with no escape. She held her breath, bracing for the possibility of being drowned by questions she had no answers to.

It was definitely a conundrum and she, too, wished he had an answer for the boy, who was looking at her as if she was his saving grace.

"But I saw Mr. Claus kiss Uncle Darnell." The boy countered defiantly, practically tugging Dinah's jaw down and lit the fire that heated the woman's blood up.

Elf's honesty wasn't a surprise to Dinah. What surprised her was how easily she obtained very important intel from boy. She almost felt guilty for somehow using him for them but had quickly changed her mind upon justifying that she needed to know and that her intentions of spending time with the boy were genuine.

But who the hell was "Uncle Darnell" and why was he kissing the infidel, Mr. Claus? And where did she hear that name from?

Most importantly, why was she out of breath?

Dinah's blood boiled, and it took a heck of a lot of self-control to keep herself in place when she was certain that if she were a kettle, she'd be whistling by then.

"Who's Uncle Darnell?"

"He gave me a mommy and a daddy." He explained as if it was any other boring subject of a conversation.

"And they love you so much, okay?" Setting her grievances aside, Dinah offered in consolation, planting a peck on Elf's head. Just in case he ever doubted the Clausnitzers.

"I know." He confidently concurred, pleasing Dinah with his answer while almost coaxing her out of her anger - almost.

During dinner, both Dinah and Camila made sure the boy ate enough and later, dressed him appropriately for bed. His day was filled with learning and games, and it wasn't any surprise that he had exhausted all his energy. He was spent.

In his queen sized bed, Elf laid in between Dinah and Camila. He was cuddled onto his foster mother as Dinah read him a bedtime story. And no surprise it was about dinosaurs.

There was something that bothered Dinah all throughout the day and as the hours drug on, it didn't look bright for whoever was on her hit list. She hadn't seen Luca and after hearing both Lauren's and Elf's words, she was almost certain where she'd find him. If only she knew where stupid Uncle Darnell lived.

Later that night, Dinah was tossing and turning in her very comfortable bed. Somehow, all the comfort and luxury in the world could not satisfy what her body wanted. She was restless and no matter what kind of position she assumed, she could not, for the life of her, fall asleep.

She reached for her phone, which was idly sitting on her bedside table in the hopes of entertaining herself. Candy Crush was the first thing her tired mind thought of but her gaze found the small white envelope icon, reminding her of a text message she had received some time during the day that she had not checked.

Curiously, she furrowed her brows and clicked on it, instantly smiling to find Lauren's name in bold. It was a message she overlooked, seeing as she was too busy having fun with Elf. Dinah felt a pang of guilt when she realized the message came around 6:00 and she was eight hours too late.

"How was your day? I'm so sorry I couldn't talk. You have no idea how much I needed to be entertained. I'm so sleepy, Dinah. I just got home."

Dinah frowned, having not been a fan of Lauren overworking herself. It didn't seem like a choice, this time and she was quite dissatisfied by it. She hurriedly typed a string of text messages, adding the little comments Lauren would expect from her.

"I'm sorry I couldn't get back to you sooner! Surprisingly, I was busy. Can you believe that?"

"I met Elf. We had the most fun. We played the entire afternoon and suddenly, I missed how little my siblings used to be. Lol! But you're right, I fell in love with him."

"He really misses Miss Mauwen though. She should visit him and Auntie Dinah."

"I'm pretty sure Mrs. Claus misses her, too."

"Hahaha! I'm sorry! I couldn't help it!"

"Good night, Laurenza."

"You better come through this weekend or I'm k********g you!"

Dinah chuckled, satisfied with her barrage of replies that would guarantee a blush to rise to Lauren's head apart from the flustered grin that would tug at the corner of her lips.

It was almost 3:00 AM and after reading Lauren's text, Dinah was aware she was not getting a reply. Desperate to fall asleep, she threw the duvet off of her body and ambled out of the door, making as little noise as possible. She tiptoed downstairs with her fluffy sock-clad feet with the intention of getting a glass of water, and if available, some caffeine-free tea. The liquid beverages sounded so appealing and Dinah began flapping her tongue within the uncomfortably dry crevice of her mouth. She wasn't opposed to having a bite to eat, though.

Apart from the low rumbling of the heating system, the house was asleep. The darkness wasn't all-encompassing with the light from bulbs surrounding the exterior of the mansion and the estate itself and a few lamp posts flooded through the smallest cracks and partially naked windows.

From the hallway, Dinah could see the dimly lit kitchen. She found it quite odd but concluded that it was helpful for when scavengers like her were searching for food and water. However, as Dinah came through the arch towards the room, she found the outline of a tall figure sitting around the kitchen island, hunched over with their hands cradling their phone. A cup stood close behind, and judging from the smell, Dinah could tell it was hot chocolate.

Now, she wanted hot chocolate but her cravings were put on hold when she realized who the person was. Her pulse spiked up, fueled with every passionate pent-up emotions she was forced to swallow just to be a polite guest. But being sleep-deprived, quite hungry and frustrated, Dinah could not hold it any longer.

"Mister...Claus." Through gritted teeth, Dinah's eerie, stone-cold voice rippled in Luca's skin, pushing him off the stool and onto his feet abruptly. "Just the man I've been looking for."

Luca's bones clattered as a blizzard withered all of his tenacity - not that he didn't have much. His own body was unforgivingly cold and as he stood there, watching Dinah stand tall with her arms crossed, he felt as if he would get frost bites all over his body. Making a conscious effort to avert her eyes, he ducked his head as he swallowed hard in the hopes of coping with his terror.

Luca was very aware he had no escape and frankly, he had been expecting Dinah to come up to him. But not during the night, when ghouls and ghost seem more real and his courage more fictitious.

Smirking, Dinah's eyes raked his body, practically tracing his the tip of his feet and up to the ends of his hair. She was satisfied with her "work". She still had it in her; daunting, fearless Dinah Jane. Slowly, she adjusted and put her weight onto one foot, boring holes onto Luca's face.

"We need to talk and you're going to be very honest with me."