Chapter 12: 12. Surprise (Pt. 2)
CAMERON'S POV
As we were walking to my mother's house, some people had stopped to ask us for autographs, and it's not that I minded being stopped, but I wanted to spend time with Lara.
Once we got to my mother's house, I took the keys out of my pocket and let Lara in once the door was open. It was quite a big house if we compare it to the size of hers or her grandmother and mother's, but I wanted both my mother and sister to have the best, and it was my mother's dream house, so it was I bought it once I started competing.
"Welcome to my mother's house." I said letting it go first "It's big." he said looking around "I know. If you see the one, we lived in before I bought this one, you will see the difference."
"I hope to see it." Lara said looking in my direction "Well, I'll show you later." I assured him with a big smile, "I'm looking forward to it." He answered sincerely "I'm going to pack my mother's bags, you can stay or come. Or if you want, I can offer you something to drink or eat, I'm completely sure you haven't eaten anything since you left.
"True." She replied, nodding, "Well, I can't allow that, so tell me what you want to eat." She laughed and I started walking towards the kitchen "I don't care." she replied with a shrug, "Well, it will be a salad with baked chicken breasts and rice."
"Now you know how to cook." Lara said, but without fully believe it "Well, yes, my mother taught me." I replied "Uh, I have to see that." she said with a big smile on her face "Well sit back and enjoy the show."
Lara sat down in one of the chairs at the bar while I was taking out the things to make the food. Knowing she was here, with me, I liked it and the idea this could be repeated in my future made me even happier that at this moment I could do it in a race.
"You talked about how bad your mother has it if she comes here, but you don't talk about how you handle it." She said after a while in silence "What do you want to know exactly?" I asked without turning around "How do you feel being here, especially in the house where I suppose you spent a lot of time with your family."
"It's not easy, but at least I know they're not going to come after me, so better than my mother could take." I assured her "But hadn't they been arrested?" Lara asked "They were, but she's afraid of anyone. Above all, because the culprits were some of our acquaintances and we were close when we were little."
"That must be difficult for both of you." she said, more to herself than to anyone else, I think. "It is, but in time I'll get better, and I hope with time, my mother can too."
"You will be there to help her, and either I or anyone from home could help her." she assured, and I turned to give her a smile "I appreciate your help, I just hope she gets better now." I replied, picking up the knife to start cutting the chicken breasts. "What are you going to do when we race at Silverstone?"
"I won't bring her with me, in that time, I hope to have the house bought and her things there, so she could distract herself by tidying up the house." I answered and out of the corner of my eye, I could see her nod "If you don't have her by then, she can stay at my house. I'm even sure she could stay with my grandmother and mother so she wouldn't spend so much time alone."
"That would be really cool." I replied with a big smile on my face "Better have someone with her than no one. Why don't you tell me what your sister was like if you don't mind?"
"It doesn't bother me." I assured. I put the chicken down on the counter and went over to the fridge to get the picture my mom had of the three of us on it. I turned around and handed it to her, which she doesn't take long to pick up, but once in her hand, she just looks weird to it.
"She's your sister?" Lara asked and I could see how her face was slowly changing "Yeah, why?" I inquired unable to avoid frowning. "She never said..." she whispered.
The moment those words left her mouth, I stared at her with a stupid face and not understanding anything. Did she know Ellie? If she had met her, Ellie would have told me something, right? Thousands of questions were going through my head, and I had no idea where to start.
"Did you know her?" I asked astonished "I knew her, but with the name of Ellie Simons... I never... I never related her..." she whispered again, and I could see she's in shock "Simons is my mother's maiden name. Why would she never tell me anything?"
"No... she can't..." I noticed how her breathing began to become erratic, and even though at this moment I'm more than confused by the simple fact Lara knew Ellie, I had to focus on at this moment is she's fine.
I walked over to her and swivelled the chair around so I could see her. I took her face in my hands and made her look at me. "Lara, everything's fine." I tried to reassure her "No…she isn't…she…she…" she started, and I could see her tears beginning to pool in her eyes "I know, now relax. You don't have to stress about this. Take a breath in and out. Will you be able to do it?"
Lara nodded and started to do it. After a few minutes, it seems like she had calmed down, but I was hugging her anyway, I just hope it helped her a bit at least. "Are you better?" I asked and trying to understand what was happening "I don't understand..." she started, and I nodded, because I'm the same "I know... It's shocking when you find out like this..."
"Why didn't they tell me anything?" She asked more to herself "Who?" I inquired. "The police." she answered, without taking her eyes off the window, "Why?" I asked again "When both Bianca and I didn't hear from her for a while... We came to see if she was in her apartment, but... but they told us no one with that name lived there... we reported her missing and everything..."
I really didn't expect that, I'm really happy to know my sister had people who care about her apart from mom and me, but it was still weird Lara knew my sister during all this time.
"I guess because of the last name they didn't know..." I started and she shrugged her shoulders "I have no idea... I only know we also gave them a photo of her..." she continued remembering, I think to try to understand what happened "Well, I don't know what happened... If you want we can go home..."
"No, we can stay... just... I just wasn't expecting it... How the fuck am I going to tell Bianca?" she asked pulling away from me a little "Were they close?" I asked curiously "They were in something similar to a relationship, I'm not really sure about it, but my sister loved her."
"I can tell her." I said "No… I can handle it…" she assured. I separated from her and went back to make food, but not before assuring she would be fine. The minutes passed in silence, and from time to time I turned to see if she was okay, but she seemed lost in her mind, so I made sure her breathing was still normal.
"You're the grumpy brother..." Lara said as if something fit into what my sister said a long time ago "What?" I asked a little confused "Whenever we met, she talked about her little brother... who was grumpy... but deep down he was like a teddy bear... that she sometimes did whatever it took to get on his nerves and prevent him from working so hard... in that I was the same as him…"
"That fits more with my sister." I said with a small smile on my face "But she also said she loved you more than anything... you and your mother..." she answered looking directly at me "I love her too." I said grabbing the counter tight, because if not at any moment I would start crying, and it's not something I needed right now, honestly, I didn't want Lara to get stressed anymore, but after a few minutes I notice how she puts her hands on my shoulders.
"Come here." she said, and, in a few seconds, Lara was hugging me. At first, I'm a little confused, but then I hugged her and started crying like I hadn't in a long time. I don't know how long we spent like this, but Lara was running her hand over my back and sometimes through my hair. I've never had anyone besides my mom, Ellie, and Elisabeth at times like this, but it felt good to have someone, after a few minutes later, she pulls away from me a bit and stares at me.
"Better?" Lara asked and I nodded. I kept looking for her. She's one of the most beautiful girls I had ever seen in my life, but what I liked the most about her is her way of being, she's the best person I could have with me.
"How about we go take your mother's things and go?" she asked with a small smile on her face "You don't have…" I start, but she doesn't take long to deny "But I want to. We can eat somewhere and then you show me in the house where you lived. After all, we have a second date, right?"
I put the things I had taken back, took Lara by the hand and led her upstairs to get my mother's things so she could come with me for the rest of the season.
I went into my sister's room because she's the only one with too many suitcases, my mother always told us she didn't need suitcases since Ellie seems to have to buy a new one often.
I took the first suitcases I saw and went to my mother's room, but before I could enter it, Lara stops me. "What?" I asked, "This fell out of one of the suitcases, and it has your name on it."
As soon as she says that, I look at her hand which has a card, and it was my sister's handwriting, which makes me stop dead in my tracks looking at her hand. "I can pack your mother's suitcase while you read the letter." she assured, but I denied "No, it's not necessary, but will you be there?"
"You just have to sit down, and I'll be there." I nodded and went into my mother's room. I left the suitcases on the bed and sat next to it. It doesn't take long for Lara to sit next to me as well, passing me the letter and intertwining our fingers, giving me a little squeeze. I took a small breath and noticed how Lara put her other arm over my shoulders and rested her head on it.
Cam Cam
I'm sure by the time you read this I'll be dead, and you'll probably be taking my bags to leave the house. The thing is, I've been fighting cancer for a couple of years now. I know, I know, why didn't I tell you? Plain and simple, I wouldn't want to ruin the happiness we had after all this time.
It might be you're angry for not having realized it before, or because I didn't tell you, but I'm only telling you neither of you two is to blame for this, I did everything in my power and more, so you didn't find out.
At first when they told me I had it, I admit, I wanted to tell you, but then on the way home I decided no because I didn't want you to stop competing and I didn't want mom to stop doing everything she liked to take care of me. I just want you to be clear you're not to blame for anything that happened to me.
Now moving on to something that interests me more, and probably you too (since it's to your benefit) I've met Lara, clearly, she doesn't know I'm your sister because I don't want her to feel uncomfortable or something, but I have to say that I like that girl for you. She's attentive, funny, even if you don't think so, and she's someone I'm more than sure will be there for you when you need it, so I only ask you not to do anything stupid, because I know at some point, you'll decide to talk to her, and I know you will fall in love with her just like she will.
I know you'll make a good couple and that's why I don't want you to ruin it with your nervousness and stuff, because really, I want you to be happy and have the girl of your dreams, and one I approve of and not like Ashley. Although if there is the remotest idea you don't end up together (which will happen) I want you to know I will be happy you have someone you love and loves you in the same way.
I think I'm going too far and I'm just going to ask you a couple of things. The first is that neither of you blame each other, because if I didn't say it, it was so you wouldn't worry, it was my decision and mine alone, and second, don't show the letter to mom, I know how she'll feel.
Lara, if it happens, you're reading, I ask you to love my brother as I'm sure you do unconsciously and to prevent him from blaming himself for something he doesn't have to do. PS If you need to spank him, you have my permission, I'm sure you'll be right in whatever he does.
I love you Cam. Tell mom I love her too. And Lara, tell your sister I loved her a lot.
I love you
Ellie.
When I finished reading Ellie's letter, I'm crying and again, Lara was hugging me until I calmed down and stopped crying. After a while I got up and started to put my mother's clothes and other things in the suitcase, but I ended up not doing it because otherwise Lara would kill me because the way I'm putting the things, so she was the one who finished packing my mother's bags.
An hour later, we were leaving my mother's house, taking our bags with us. Lara said it was better if we left them at home, but right now I didn't want to go home, so I decided it was better to take them with us.
We started walking in the direction where our house was before, even though it was a bit far away, I know Lara wouldn't be too happy about having to get into a car, and honestly, I didn't want her to get more stressed than necessary, so I decided to walk.
All the way to what my old house was, we didn't let go of our hands, and from time to time, Lara made circles with her thumb, getting me to calm down more. We also didn't talk all the way to it and once we got to it, we stopped.
"So, this is the house you and your sister were running through?" she asked, and I nodded "Yes, and on the street too." I assured with some memories invading my mind "It's beautiful."
"It is, and it holds many memories for us." I replied, "Why didn't you keep it?" Lara asked turning to look at me "I don't know. My mother's house was her dream house, so we sold this one. We didn't need so many houses."
"I understand. If it were up to me, I would stay at my grandmother's house and I wouldn't really leave there." she assured and I laughed, because these days it had become more than clear to me, she would do it "I'm sure your grandmother would love it."
"She does, which is why Bianca and I keep our rooms. Most of the time we spend our vacation there." she said laughing "Then why did you buy the house?" I asked a little confused "Let's just say my sleeping routine isn't the best, and when I'm not asleep, I usually do things. I wouldn't want to wake up either of them, so I bought the house."
"But what we took on vacation you spent at your grandmother's and your mother's house." I said trying to understand her "Yes, but if I wasn't sleeping, I was reading." she assured, shrugging her shoulders, "That's why the bookstore you have at home."
"Basically, if I'm not working out, or at the beach, I read." Lara answered, "I must assume it's because of the insomnia, right?" I asked, almost sure that's the reason "Who…? Bianca." She snorted and I laughed. "She only told me, so you'd take your pills." I assured her.
"At some point sleep comes, I don't have to take them." She said stubbornly, "That's why she told me, I suppose. Do you ever take them?" I asked to see if I could know if she does or not "Sometimes on qualifying and race days, but if not, I don't take them."
"Why?" I asked full of curiosity "Because as I told you, at some point I'm sleepy. I only take them when there are many consecutive days and I must be one hundred percent." she replied, shrugging as if it were no big deal "Have you not slept well for many days?" I asked and she denied.
"Great then, how about I show you the park we played in?" I asked and her smile widened. "That sounds great to me."
We start walking again and we go to the park not too far from the house where we lived before. After a couple of hours, we decided it's better to go to the airport and Lara convinced the taxi man to let her drive, so we ended up going twice or more than the permitted speed. The driver who was next to her was holding on to the door and pale, I suppose he was afraid of the final state of his car, but Lara assured him she would pay him for any damage the car could have, the penalty fee and his driver license, the last two the most probable.
Once we got to the airport, I paid the taxi driver and Lara gave him more money for let her drive. Then, we entered the airport and went to the plane already waiting for us.
During the flight, Lara fell asleep after an hour of flight which left her almost an hour more to sleep. As we were about to land, I got up, buckled her seatbelt and then sat next to her doing the same with mine.
When we were about to hit the ground, Lara woke up, and once there, we left the airport and headed to the parking lot, which makes me confused.
"Where we go?" I asked, "To the car, why?" She returned the question "I didn't expect it..." I started, but without knowing how to finish "Just because I don't usually go in street cars, it doesn't mean I don't drive; besides, we won't last long on the normal road."
After a couple of minutes, we come to a red Ferrari, which I stare at for a while, because I had no idea which one it was. "What Ferrari is it?" I asked "The F8 Tribute."
"Wow, I didn't expect to see you with this car." I said surprised, at least if we consider that it's a streetcar "It's a fast car, and I like it, so I have it." Lara responded with a shrug. "Well, show me how fast you can go with it."
"Gladly, I just hope you don't scare easily." She said laughing "I drive cars faster than this." I assured with a snort "But not by the streets we will go." The smile she had at this moment confirmed I wouldn't have to worry about her having an anxiety attack or something, especially if we consider she was calm while driving.
By the time she pulled out of the parking lot you could tell she's going almost sixty an hour. It's a good thing it's a straight and no one's coming, because if not, I'm sure we would get in trouble. After a few minutes, she turned into a street that took the car and little else, but she didn't slow down and now I understand why she was good at narrow circuits, street is like that around here and she was going quite fast, more than anyone in their right mind would go.
After a quarter of an hour, we arrived at Lara's house, she pressed a button on the dashboard, and the door to the garage opened, where I could see a matte black Bugatti Pur Sport. "I hope you enjoyed the trip." She said with a big smile on her face "The best of all, now I understand why you pass cars on narrow circuits."
"Practice makes perfect." she assured, and I nodded, because it's true "It could be many hours now." I assured "And they are. Now let's take the bags to your mother." We got out of the car, and I took the suitcases out of the trunk. Once finished, we left the garage and started walking towards Lara's grandmother's house where I had left my mother this morning before leaving for Manchester. Now I just hope my mother isn't too hard on Lara and everything goes great between the two of us, because soon I would ask her to be my girlfriend and at least I would like to know my mother supports me.
When we got to the house, as soon as we entered, we could see Bianca on the floor looking for something, like we had found her a couple of mornings ago, so I guess she was looking for the dog again.
"Tiñas que ser un can endemoniado... Pareceste a Lara neso... endemoniada a máis non poder... (It had to be a demonic dog... You're a lot like Lara in that... demonic beyond belief...") It's at that moment the dog runs in our direction and Bianca notices him. She starts to follow it until I suppose she notices us and ends up looking up from the dog and looking at Lara.
"Canto escoitaches? (How far did you listen?)" Bianca asked practically holding her breath "Since you called her a demon dog and apparently, I'm the same." Lara said seriously, but she's probably holding back the urge to laugh at the situation.
"It wasn't…" she started, and Lara raised her hand and denied "It was what you wanted to say, but don't worry, could be true. You'll just have to wait and see. Better tell me where Grandma and Mom are."
"They are in the garden showing it to Isabella. I must assume you found her, I didn't think you would go with her, honestly." Bianca said looking in my direction "Doubt offends me, Bianca." I said putting my hand on my chest "You're right, you're right. You should get an award for putting up with Lara's mood when she leaves meetings."
"I'm not always in a bad mood, and we have to talk about that later." she replied calmly "Something important?" Bianca asked full of curiosity and some concern, I would say "Considering we have a new boss..."
"What? New boss? asked her surprised sister "I'll tell you later, first I'm going to make something to eat, because I'm hungry. Do you want something Cameron?" he asked turning in my direction "That would be great." I replied with a big smile on my face
Lara left the living room to go to the kitchen with the puppy behind her. I stare at them for a couple of seconds when suddenly, some fingers appear in front of my vision, making me look back at Bianca.
"So, she wasn't in a bad mood?" Bianca asked me, I think she didn't quite believe what Lara had said "She was, but I think not to the level you were imagining. Why would she be?" I asked confused, because I had the feeling I'm missing something "Let's say those who lead the team aren't so quite fond in Lara, and they don't always keep quiet about it."
"I know, apparently she's there for the sexual favours she does." I said, controlling my anger, "That's not… Wait, you know that?" she asked in surprise. "If it had been up to me, I would go in there and break the teeth of anyone who said so in front of me."
"I like you for my sister. And she seems to be in a better mood than she usually is. How do you do it?" Bianca asked, and now I'm confused "Do what?" I asked "For her to be in a better mood..."
"I'm doing nothing." I responded with a shrug. "You're the perfect guy for my sister." she assured, and even though it wasn't Lara who was saying it, it filled me with pride her sister thought so. "That's for her to decide."
"Trust me, she will. Now give me those suitcases so I can go leave them in the room where your mother will stay." She said, "I can take them myself." I assured her "It's not necessary. Better go to the kitchen with Lara, I don't want her to lose her good mood."
With that, I went to the kitchen where I could see Lara feeding the dog. The picture was very funny, and she didn't seem to notice I entered the kitchen, so she took her cell phone out of my pocket and took a picture of it. To my bad luck, the moment the phone makes the sound of the camera, Lara looks up at me with a frown.
"What are you doing?" she asked knowing full well what I had done "I couldn't help it." I replied with a smile on my face. Lara got up with the dog in her arms and approached me, leaving our lips a few millimetres apart, which I'm dying to close so I could kiss her again.
"Do you need a photo to appreciate me?" Lara asked, and I could almost tell she's flirting with me "No... I mean... I don't know." I started, because whenever I'm around her, I had no idea what to say. "Do I make you nervous Edwards?"
I didn't even answer anymore, because at this moment thousands of thoughts were going through my mind and the clearest was that I wanted to kiss her more than anything. I don't really know how long we were this close, but I know from one moment to the next I feel her lips on mine, but it doesn't last as long as I would have liked it to. She had a big smile on her face when she pulled away and put the dog down on the counter.
"You should name it. I would recommend Diabliña." Bianca said once she sat in the chair "I'm not going to put that name to my dog, I'm going to call her Lua." Lara said, going to where the dog was "Lúa Demo seems more correct to me."
"I'm not going to put Demo in the poor thing's name, so stop insisting and hold on to her while I finish cooking food for me and Cameron." I was still standing there and didn't know what to do or say, I was looking at Lara without being able to take my eyes off her, and it's at that moment Bianca's hand comes back into my field of vision.
"Cameron, this is the second time I've seen you in less than half an hour looking at sister's ass." Lara turns with a smirk, but soon turns back to focus on cooking and I focus on Bianca who's looking at me with another smirk just like her sister's.
"It's not what I was doing." I answered and she laughed "It's not what it seemed." I was going to say something else when Carmela, Rita and my mother enter the kitchen, the latter with a couple of things from the garden in hand. The moment she notices I'm here, she leaves everything on the table and came to my side and hug me, which I don't hesitate to return.
"I thought you weren't coming today." my mother said once she separated from me "I was going to do it. Besides, Lara finished the meeting with the team, so we could come earlier" I said with a shrug. "Where is the girl? I want to meet her." asked my mother without realizing Lara was a couple of steps away from her.
I pulled her away from me and turned her in the direction where Lara is, who was looking at us with a small smile on her face. "Mom, this is Lara Gallego. Lara, this is my mother, Isabelle." I said with a small smile on my face, but nervous for my mother to accept Lara "Nice to meet you ma'am, Cameron told me a lot about you."
"I was the one who heard about you, all the time." My mother assured, since she had heard all the times my sister had spoken of her, "I am flattered." Lara replied with a big smile on her face "You can call me Isa"
"Okay, do you want something to eat?" Lara asked and mom denied "Oh, no thanks dear, we ate a while ago." My mother replied, "It's okay." Lara assured "Lara, we are going to take Isabelle to see the village."
"Okay, are you going to go too Bi?" Lara said, looking in the direction of her sister "Yes, unless you need me for something." She answered "No, I don't need you at all, but later we have to talk about something."
"Okay, anything I need to worry about?" Bianca inquired and Lara denied "I'll tell you later." she said and her sister nodded, letting out a small snort "It's alright. Do you want me to take Lúa?"
"It will be great for her to walk, but don't lose her, because then we will have problems." Lara assured and Bianca raised her hand to her forehead. "At your service, captain."
With that, Bianca picks up Lúa and leaves the kitchen heading for the main entrance. My mother was going to go out with Lara and her grandmother when I remember Elisabeth was going to come with her too, or that's what she had said.
"Hey mom, before you go, did Eli come with you?" I asked confused "No, but she said she would arrive at night. She didn't have time to pack his bags." Mom replied and I rolled my eyes because she had had enough time to do them "She had two hours to do them."
"You know how your best friend is, I hope we can talk later." mom said with a smile on her face "We will. I love you mom." I said giving her a kiss on the cheek "I love you too Cam." They all left the kitchen, leaving me with Lara who, a few minutes later, puts the plate in front of me and sits next to me looking out the kitchen window.
"What are you thinking?" I asked curiously "In the future." she replied and now I'm more curious about what she was thinking "What exactly?" I asked again "One in which we're together."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone