I Know I Was for a While

Pulling a sweater on over her head, Camila brushed her hands down it, smoothing out the material as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. It had been a while, after Isabel and Victor had visited to meet Oscar for the first time, a couple of weeks had passed, and with Lucille having the morning off work, she had offered to watch Oscar for a couple of hours, something which afforded Lionel and Camila the chance to head out for a little time alone together. They hadn’t had much of it, since Oscar had arrived, Camila couldn’t quite recall the last time that she and Lionel had had more than a couple of hours to themselves, and whilst she was a little apprehensive about the prospect of leaving Oscar for the first time since the little boy had arrived, she had to admit that she was looking forwards to it, more than happy to get out of the house for a little while.

Tugging at the bottom of her sweater, she frowned a little at her reflection before let out a soft sigh, moving to pull it over her head again.

“You’re not dressed yet?”

Camila, who’d moved to toss her sweater onto the pile of clothes which sat at the foot of her bed, rolled her eyes before she turned slightly, sparing a look towards her mother who’d stopped in the doorway, a grin on her face. “I didn’t know that you were already here” she quipped as she stepped across the room, moving to flick through her wardrobe.

“Leo answered the door” Lucille replied “And he’s downstairs with Oscar, waiting on you, so I thought I’d come up and see how it was going. From the look of things, not well” she chirped, her voice warm and amused as she watched Camila hold another shirt up against herself.

Camila rolled her eyes again, not missing the chirpy tone of her mother’s voice, before she shook her head, allowing a soft sigh to fall out of her mouth. “I’m being stupid aren’t I?” she mumbled “I mean, we’re only going to breakfast together, but I’ve been up here for nearly forty five minutes trying to put an outfit together. Am I being silly?” she added, her dark eyes peeking towards Lucille who’d moved to take a seat at the end of her bed.

Lucille, who’d been thumbing through the clothes which sat on the bed, quirked a small smile before she shrugged. “A little” she replied “I mean, I honestly don’t think that Leo’s going to care all that much about what you’re wearing to go and get breakfast together, but I think the fact that you’re so nervous about it is so cute. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you as nervous about a date as you are when it comes to Leo” she added warmly.

Camila shook her head, but didn’t say anything to deny her nerves, something which made Lucille’s smile widen a little before she reached her hand out, gently pulling Camila into the seat at her side. “You really like him, don’t you?” she fussed gently.

Camila’s cheeks flushed a soft shade of pink before she gently nodded her head, a faint smile on her lips. “I do” she confirmed.

“Then relax a little, sweetheart” Lucille replied “I’ve seen him around you, I’ve seen how he lights up whenever you’re in a room, and I am sure that he’s just as crazy about you as you are about him. He’s not exactly subtle, Mila” she added reassuringly.

It wasn’t the first time that Camila had appeared a little nervous, ever since she and Lionel had started dating, the brunette had appeared a little worried or cautious when it came to the two of them being romantic, and Lucille wanted to assure her that she had no reason to be nervous, even if she and Lionel were still in the process of figuring things out. There could be no doubt that the argentine’s feelings for Camila were as strong as her feelings for him.

Camila looked at her mother for a few seconds, mulling over her words quietly, before the sound of a light knock against the bedroom door reached her ears, causing her cheeks to flush a soft shade of pink.

Lucille grinned at her, admiring the blush on her cheeks, before she turned back towards the pile of clothes, retrieving a sweater which sat near the top of it. “Put this on” she mused, placing the sweater in her hands.

Camila blinked a couple of times before she pulled the sweater over her head, turning to look at her mother once more. “I look OK?” she asked.

Lucille nodded. “You look beautiful” she enthused.

Camila offered her a slightly uncertain look, something which made Lucille laugh before she stood up, gently brushing the hair off of her daughter’s face. “Stop worrying so much” she mused “He’s crazy about you, Mila” she added before she leant up, pressing a soft kiss against Camila’s forehead.

Camila smiled a little at her mother’s words before she pulled back, moving to slip her feet into a pair of shoes. “You’ll call me if you need anything, right?” she mused, hurrying to wrap a jacket around her shoulders.

Lucille nodded. “Of course” she noted.

Camila spared her another uncertain look before she nodded her head, offering the older woman another gentle smile. “We’ll be back in a couple of hours” she mused as she stepped towards the bedroom door.

“Have fun” Lucille quipped.

Camila flashed her another quick smile before she ducked out of the bedroom door, leaving Lucille smiling after her gently.

~#~
“You know that we’re only a few minutes away, right?” Lionel quipped as he spared a look at Camila out of the corner of his eye, a grin playing at the corner of his mouth. it had been a good morning, even despite a few early nerves when they’d left the house, they’d both quickly relaxed into things, and Lionel was pleased that they had, even if he had caught Camila sneaking glances at her phone when she thought he wasn’t looking. He couldn’t deny that their second date, as informal and relaxed as it had been, had been as good for him as the first.

Camila, who was scanning the screen of her phone, looked up at the sound of his voice before she shook her head, moving to stuff her phone back into her jacket pocket. “I know” she mused “And I know that if there was something wrong, my mama would have texted, but it’s the first time. Can you honestly blame me for worrying?” she asked, her voice softening a little.

Lionel shook his head. “Of course not” he mused “But you said it yourself, if there was something to be worried about...” he trailed off, a reassuring smile on his face.

Camila looked at him, marveling at the smile that he wore on his face, before she turned back towards the car window, trying to stifle the wide grin which itched to spread across her features. Chewing on her lip, she watched Lionel pull the car into the driveway before she turned back look at him, her dark eyes meeting his as she allowed the grin to stretch across her features.

Lionel watched her smile grow before he shook his head, a familiar nervous laugh falling out of his mouth. “What are you smiling at?” he spluttered.

Camila shrugged. “I don’t know” she replied “I guess...I guess I had a good time” she added.

Lionel quirked an eyebrow. “You guess you had a good time?” he joked.

Camila feigned thought for a second, something which made Lionel roll his eyes before he pushed the car door open, moving climb out of it.

Camila mimicked his action, pushing her own door open, before she jogged to catch up him. Reaching his side, she gently knotted her fingers through his before she tugged him towards her, guiding him into a soft kiss that he didn’t hesitate in returning before she pulled away, gently pressing her forehead to his. “I had a wonderful time” she murmured between kisses.

Lionel smiled against her lips, kissing her softly for a few seconds before the sound of the front door opening reached his ears, causing him to pull away before he turned, spotting the expression that was spread across Lucille’s face. “Lucille?” he asked, a frown on his face.

“Mama?” Camila mimicked “Is everything OK?” she asked.

Lucille nodded. “Everything’s fine” she mused “You just...you have a couple of visitors” she added.

Camila frowned. “Visitors?” she asked.

Lucille nodded before she gently pushed the door open a little wider, allowing Camila, and Lionel who was quick to follow her, to step past her and towards the living room. Walking quickly, Camila reached the living room doorway before she shook her head, her eyes settled on Isabel and Victor who sat on the couch, talking quietly amongst themselves. “Isabel?” she asked.

Isabel looked up at the sound of her name before she quirked a pleasant smile. “I’m sorry for dropping by unannounced” she mused “We had no idea that you were out, and your mother said it was alright if we waited for you to get back. We were just hoping to see Oscar” she added.

Camila nodded her head slowly before she felt Lionel step up to her side, pulling Isabel and Victor’s attention towards him, something which caused a knot to form in the pit of her stomach.