The Prostitute

Part 14

"I can't just do that." Dinah argued. "That's not an information that is mine to give, and you agreed not to see her again."

"I can change my mind whenever I want." Lauren huffed. "The things I say are not set in stone. And I realize now that it's not that easy to keep me away from someone like Camila. Someone who makes me feel amazing in more ways than one." Lauren closed her eyes, memories of Camila's effect on her thundering through her like a shotgun to her chest. "With Camila it's not just happy or sad or pleasure or pain. It's always both. Something complex and hard to name." Lauren raised her eyes to Dinah's and saw her eyes, stark and bright and sympathetic. "Dinah, please."

"Oh god, alright already! You should stop playing on my weakness for happy endings, Lauren. It's not fair." Dinah huffed as she scribbled down Camila's address on a napkin. She slid it across the table and Lauren immediately snatched it up.

"Thank you, thank you, thank youu!" Lauren lunged over the table and hugged Dinah, her elbow almost tipping the ketchup bottle if it weren't for Dinah's lightning fast reflexes. "You're the best, Dinah."

She chuckled and patted Lauren on the back. "I know."

Despite Lauren's enthusiasm upon receiving Camila's home address, she was unable to muster up the courage to ride the train to visit her. It took her three days of staring at the piece of crumpled paper, debating and arguing with herself as she paced around her home on whether she should pay Camila a visit or not.

She understood then that before going to see Camila, first she must have a conversation with certain people. Like Steven and Elle, for example.

The conversation with Steven was easier than singing notes in their perfect pitch. He continued to support  Lauren and her romantic endeavours, no matter how small. And when Lauren told him that she made up her mind and that she was ready to see Camila again, he was nothing but smiles and hugs.

"I'm so proud and happy for you," Steven said after squeezing the air out of Lauren. "And I want you to go for it. Let's deal with any dumb scandal—if they even come—later. Besides," he grinned and rubbed the back of his neck. "I kinda just met this girl and we hit it off, so. This is good news to me. I'm still really happy for you, Lauren!"

The last person on her list was Elle. Lauren bucked up and headed to her office on a particularly warm mid-morning. She unwrapped her scarf from around her neck, regretting missing her train because of her desire to be prepared. The elevator doors hissed open, and Lauren rode it up to the highest floor. The marble floors clicked beneath her heels as Lauren approached Elle's secretary who nodded to her in acknowledgement.

Lauren was allowed in Elle's office within the minute, which was surprising since she was a very busy woman. She sat down on the leather couch and eyed the woman who eyed her back. "It's nice to see you, Lauren." Elle began. "How's Steven?"

"Steven's fine." Lauren said. "I'm here to simply tell you something, and I don't care what you think or say."

Her thin eyebrow raised, Elle tapped her lacquered nails against her desk. "But by coming here, you obviously need me to hear what you have to say. You made an appointment and everything. How interesting."

Lauren clenched her fist, urging herself to not lose control. "I'm going to see Camila again," she said without any preamble. She was done toeing the lines of what was expected of her and what she wanted to do. She waited long enough. "I missed her. I know she feels something for me, and I want to have her in my life."

Elle sighed, her fingers massaging her temples. "As you said, you don't care what I say or think. You don't care that I know more than you. The fact of Camila's career alone is enough to ruin you, Lauren. Do you understand me? News of what she is will leak—jealous ex-girlfriends, her clients… Did you think this through?"