Camila's POV
Every day I did the same thing. I got up, made breakfast for Matthew and I, dropped him off at the subway, headed into the office for dozens of appointments with my child patients, ate lunch at a nearby café, finished work, then went right back home to wait for Matthew. And it was fine. Being a Pediatrician was my dream job ever since I could remember.
I could remember talking about my future aspirations with my friends, family and then girlfriend back in those days. When I was young, fresh and open to anything in the great big world. I remembered like it was yesterday.
"Where do you see yourself in life?" I unexpectedly questioned Lauren as we lay naked in bed one late night.
"With you," she whispered.
She earned a kiss for that.
As if I hadn't been kissing her all day since she graduated from high school today. I guess that just made me think about where I was going to end up later on as well. I had two more years but time wasn't ever slow.
"You're so beautiful," she breathed into my ear before hovering over me again. "I want to be with you forever. Like time doesn't exist and we have the rest of eternity to just be together.
I giggled at her also being a little drunk from her senior party. Luckily she always had a designated driver in me now that I had just passed my driver's test. "Oh you." Arms hooked around her neck to pull her closer into me. "I'll be here forever. Don't you worry."
"I never want a life without you, Camila Cabello. You are my whole life."
"You are mine as well. Nothing will change that," I responded truthfully, not holding back my soft smile since her eyes were astoundingly gorgeous in the moonlight.
"Which is why I'm staying in Florida for college. Just for you. Just for us and our future of forever," she met me in a kiss.
"Except that I'll have to drive seven freaking hours north for you," I pouted at the fact that she was going to FSU all the way in Tallahassee. She actually wanted to stay in Miami but it'd be dumb to turn down the full ride she received.
"I know. I'm sorry, baby," she pouted in return. "I can always buy you plane tickets."
"I don't want you to buy me anything. I'll still see you no matter how I get there. We'll figure it out," I kissed her for affirmation. It always made her feel better.
"You're the best thing that's happened to me. Hope you know that," she sweetly whispered.
"Oh yeah? How can I forget when you tell me that everyday?" I smirked.
"And I'll keep telling you that for as long as I live."
"Well, let me tell you something now," I started. "I plan to spend everyday with you for as long as I live. I want to wake up next to you each morning and go to bed with you each night. Build a family together in a quaint sized home somewhere in the Midwest, unbothered and safe."
"How many kids?" she grinned.
"Three or four," I shrugged.
"Only three or four? Damn, thought you'd want at least five or six."
"Nah. Two girls and a boy, or two girls and two boys will be just fine," I smiled, deep in thought about the family that Lauren and I will soon make.
"You call the shots, babe. I'm just here to make you happy."
But when I woke up every morning nowadays, I was met with a man and totally different aspirations. Well, we too wanted a family. But we were city people. I was changed, on a path to a new journey.
Sure, I was getting what I wanted with my ex, Lauren Jauregui. She was so lovely. God, she was everything one could want in a life partner. It was just me. It was my fault for walking out on what we had and what we wanted. And still to this day, I felt like a monster for it. But do I regret it for myself? I couldn't without denying my love for Matthew. He was the love of my life now. Ever since I was a scared, fragile 24-year-old just starting out medical school. He led me to be what I truly wanted to be which was overall to take care of children. To be there at their worst and help them to be at their best. Always.
But what I do regret is leaving behind the one little girl who barely ever left my thoughts throughout the day. Perhaps that was why I was ecstatic to see Bella again at the store. She not only had the name but the everything else. Everything I could've asked for in a child was right there in front of me. Probably sounded creepy but it was true.
Maybe... it wouldn't be too late. I was out of my mind at the possibility of it actually working, but if I had the chance to make things right with my Isabella, I would in a heartbeat. That was if I could find her again. Also meaning I'd have to find Lauren again. She was still in Miami. I knew that for a fact since she'd never leave. But I could very easily find her with the advanced technology we had today a.k.a. Facebook. Way too easy which made me way too scared. I could very well just message her and ask to meet our daughter... and her of course. But maybe she wouldn't want to. She'd just remember how selfish I was when I got up and left her and Bella that dreary, horrible October night. October 18, 2008 to be exact.
And would you look at today's date. October 18, 2018. Ten years ago today when I made both the best and worst mistake of my life. Yes, it was possible to do that.
_________________________
Lauren's POV
"Why do I have to go to the doctors? They're gonna hurt me," Bella pouted and refused to get up from the kitchen chair.
"Sweetie, no one's gonna hurt you. If they hurt you, I'll hurt them. I promise." Crouching down to her height, I faced her kindly and seriously. "How about I treat you with some candy afterwards?"
"Really?" she perked up.
"Sure. But just one kind," I pointed.
"Okay, I'm ready!" she gladly got down from the chair and started toward the door. Too easy.
I wasn't the bribing type of parent but when it came to things she had to do but absolutely hated, it wasn't the worst tactic to use. Bribing with good things was always better than threatening with bad things. It got the job done and everyone's happy.
"Good morning. New patient?" the front desk lady greeted the two of us warmly. Word was that Heights Pediatrics was one of the best in Brooklyn. Not to be that mom but yeah, I listened to the other moms. Especially since I was new to the area. And lucky enough it was less than a 10 minute drive. I loved how a lot of things were close together in New York.
"Yes, my daughter Isabella," I answered.
"Okay, we just need you to sign in and fill out some paper work. Do you know the doctor you'll be seeing?" she questioned.
"Oh uh.. sorry I keep forgetting it.. it's..." I tried to reach into my purse to see if I still had the card of the doctor written on it. "Starts with an H I'm sure?"
"Harrison, Hadley, or Hussey?"
"Hussey! That's it. Doctor Hussey," I nodded, causing Bella to laugh at my embarrassment.
"Okay, great. Fill out these forms and we'll let her know you guys are here," she gladly handed papers on a clipboard over to me so my daughter and I could sit down.
