13. Back home

LARA'S POV

It was twelve in the morning when the plane landed at the airport and we would have about half an hour to go home since Eli didn't like to go fast on the roads, and I was tired enough not to drive.

"Hello Sam, good to see you" Eli greeted my boss's boyfriend "I say the same thing" he responded with a big smile and taking our suitcases since he wouldn't let me take a measly suitcase "And I was thinking that it would take you longer to get home. "When Bianca told me, I didn't believe it." Eli said, laughing and focusing on me, "I can get the idea." I laughed with her "Why did you decide to come back now?" He questioned closing the driver's door and starting the car. "You know I talked to Cam, right?"

"I know, I swear you almost lost your husband because he was so annoying to tell me that he had talked to you." He admitted and I rolled my eyes "I know, you have to thank Sam. "He was the one who gave me the last push," I admitted, listening to Sam laugh in the back seat. "I don't know what you told him, Sam, but I swear that if we had known that you would have been such a great help, we would let you join me to our operation" my best friend answered and I frowned "What are you talking about?" I asked curiously "You can say that at home we had something like an operation set up to get things between you and Cam back to how they were before" he admitted and I rolled my eyes "We would end up doing it on our own, but okay" I said.

"The thing is, since all this started, I haven't seen either of you as happy as you are now," my best friend admitted with a small smile on her face and I nodded, because it was probably true. "Sometimes I wish I could do the same." same with Bianca." My best friend sighed, "You can't compare my situation with Cameron to yours with Bianca. Is not the same." I answered honestly, because they were totally different stories. "But I miss her so much…" he murmured. "I know, and as I told you thousands of times, if you feel that you can start working on the couple with her, then go with her."

"Can I know what happened between you so I can give my point of view?" Sam asked, coming closer to us between our seats. "He cheated on me," Eli said quickly, letting out a sigh and I heard Sam sigh. "I can't really help you much with that, but I can shed some light on your wife." Sam responded and after a few seconds of silence, Eli nodded.

"Even though I have never seen you together at a time when you were together, I see how Lara's sister looks at you, and let me tell you, that girl is crazy about you. "How would you say I look at my wife?" He asked, referring to Serena, who despite the fact that they were not married, kept saying that she was his wife. "It looks like you love her," he quickly responded. "Well, that's how Bianca looks at you. "I can assure you that the girl is sorry for what she did," my friend assured, knowing what he was talking about. "And what happens if she does it again?" He asked with concern invading his voice "He won't. "I haven't seen her drink a single drop of alcohol since what happened that day." I quickly defended my sister. "That's true." He nodded "There you have your answer. Just let me know when you decide to do it and that's it. You know that you will always have me on the other end of the line for anything, and I will get on the plane without hesitation if I have to murder Bianca. I assured her and she laughed. "I really appreciate that."

"I'm serious." I responded "I know you are serious. What I wonder is why you didn't want me to tell anyone that you were coming." He questioned, glancing sideways in my direction. "Because it's a surprise."

"Wait, Cam doesn't know you're coming back?" He asked, braking suddenly, making both Sam and I put our hands up to avoid getting hit. "You don't have the slightest idea." I admitted with a big smile on his face "And your mother and grandmother? Or Cam's mother?" he asked. "Even less." I said, laughing, "You'll end up killing someone with a heart attack, what I'm not so sure about is who."

"None of that will happen. I only ask that, if I fall asleep, you wake me up before you arrive." I asked, because it was the most likely thing. She was exhausted after the practices and the hours on the plane. "I'll do it, don't worry." Even though I was tired and practically asleep, I couldn't do it at any time, so I opted to look out the window and wait until I got to my grandmother's house, where Cam was most likely to be.

When we arrived, Eli left the car in front of my grandmother's house and both she and Sam got out of it. It took me a little longer to get out, but as soon as I see my mother, grandmother and Cameron's mother at the door with a surprised look on their faces, it didn't take me long to get down, and it didn't take me long to be practically attacked by the three women.

"How did you not notice that you were coming back?" Grandma asked with a big smile on her face even though it hadn't been more than a few weeks since we had seen each other. "I wanted to give you a surprise." I admitted "Lara?"

As soon as I hear Cam, I turn around, allowing myself to see him standing on a crutch and planted without moving a single millimetre. I approached him and hugged him. It didn't take long for Cameron to hand it back to me, but then he pulls away and stares at me for a couple of seconds.

"What's the matter?" I asked with a frown, but it didn't take long for him to kiss me, and then he started walking in the opposite direction, leaving me more than confused, and from what I could hear, the rest were too.

"Where are you going?" I asked, confused by my husband's way of acting. "I'll come pick you up at eight, I hope you're ready by then. I will pick you up over the nine girls." She said with a big smile on her face "Ready for what?" I questioned, even more confused, "Surprise, Lara. I love you." He said, turning completely around and starting to walk towards who knows where, "Me too." I whispered.

After a few seconds, I turned to see if any of them could explain to me what had just happened, but between Eli having a big smile on his face, like my mother and grandmother, and Sam and Isabelle, I had the same face. , I still didn't understand what was happening, I decided I wasn't going to focus on that and spend time with my family and Sam. After a few more seconds Isabelle comes next to me and takes me inside the house so I can tell her what this time away from home had been like.

It was five to eight when someone knocks at the door and it's my grandmother who goes to open it to see who it is. After a few seconds, he appears with Cameron from behind, but this time without a crutch, which makes me look at him in surprise.

"I know I'm early, but do you think we should go?" He asked and I nodded with a small smile on his face. "Have a good time." I heard grandma say from the kitchen. We left the house and started walking to I don't know where, what worried me was that Cam would walk the entire distance to wherever we were going and then it wouldn't hurt.

"You should stop worrying about whether I'll get where we're going." He said with a small smile on his face "How…?" I asked, "Your look tells me so, but don't worry, we'll only go to the beach." He admitted and I sighed, because that was quite a distance from Grandma's house. "That doesn't put me at ease, Cam."

"If it starts to bother me, I promise we will stop, but at the moment it doesn't." He said, "You better be Edwards, because then I'll kill you." I said, trying to contain my smile. "It was more than clear to me." He responded laughing.

We walked in silence for a while, and it can be said that it is the most comfortable and pleasant silence in these last couple of months with Cam. "Where is your mind right now?" Cameron asked after I don't know how long in silence "What? Because you said so?" I asked, a little confused for a moment. "Because you can say that I haven't seen you so calm in months, and that was my fault. "

"It wasn't just your fault; it was the entire situation we were experiencing at that time." I admitted, because I knew that these months had not been easy for Cameron either, and I understood that. "I want to apologize for everything I put you through."

"I know you're sorry, but what I would like to know is why you changed suddenly if everything was going great the first few weeks." I asked, because I still don't understand what had happened. "Maybe it wasn't the best thing I could have done, but let's say I started to focus more on what the press was saying. Not everything that was said was great, which would be a burden for everyone. They also talked about the sadness they felt about the way my career had ended, but none of that is what bothered me the most, it bothers me."

"What is bothering you so much?" I asked, trying to understand what was happening. "That, because she was my wife and the accident, you would end up leaving your career." He admitted, "If it had been anything worse and you had to spend a lot of time in the hospital, I wouldn't doubt it, but that's not the case. I know you would be fine. You just have to do your part and let them help you, but nothing more."

"I won't be able to compete again." He whispered and I nodded, because that was more than clear to both of us and everyone else. "And what does that have to do with it now? You will find something else that you are passionate about, maybe not like driving, but there are other things that you like." I said "Won't you mind?"

"Why should I care?" I asked, annoyed that he thought I would care if he couldn't compete. "Thanks to the competition we met." He responded with a shrug. "We may have known each other like that, but that won't change anything between us, Cam. I love you for being you and not someone who likes the same thing as me or does the same thing as me. What I don't understand is why what people say about me bothers you."

"It bothers me because I know you like to compete, more than anything, and I want you to compete again one day." He replied, "And I will, you don't have to worry." I answered honestly, because I would not leave the competition for anyone, and that's more than clear to me "I try, but it's not easy."

"Why didn't you tell me before what was happening?" I asked after a few seconds of silence. "In my mind everything was different from what it really is. Somewhere in my mind it was more than clear you would leave me." He murmured the last part and all the air I had in my lungs came out "I wouldn't do it... not even dead..."

"I realize that now, but I don't know. That led to the fact that, for me, everyone felt sorry for the situation I'm in." He admitted "I just wanted to help, I still want to, but I can't do it if you don't let me help you." I said upset even though I wasn't upset with him at this moment, but rather with the situation. "I know, and I swear to you I regret everything I said to you, I don't like being without you at all and not knowing if you'll come back or not."

"I would return, but if it continued as you were months ago, I would leave. It would hurt, but I couldn't stay like this, not for any longer." I admitted, "How did it feel to ride in the car?" He asked, focusing his gaze on mine. "Great, it's true that it is weird, and there are potholes impossible to avoid and make you lose time, but it's fine anyways."

"And how did you feel when you got out of the car?" He asked "I already told you I was fine." I answered as honestly as I could, "It's not what they say." He mused, "What are you talking about?" I asked curiously, "I didn't read too much into what was said, but from the video I saw, it seemed like you got dizzy." He answered and I nodded, because that had happened when I got out of the car. "It may be that when I got out of the car, I got a little dizzy, but nothing out of this world. It's not the first time it happened to me either."

"But this time the difference is you're pregnant. Are you sure everything is okay with both of you?" He asked and I nodded "It is. Still, tomorrow I will go for a checkup." I stated "Will I be able to go with you?" He asked in a hopeful tone. "If that's what you want, of course you can." I said with a small smile on my face "Of course I want to go. Now can I ask you a question?"

"You know you can." I responded, "Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant?" He questioned and I stood up so I could focus my gaze on him. "Do you think it would change our situation?" I returned the question and he shrugged, "I don't know." He admitted "I don't think things would have changed."

"Why?" Cameron asked curiously. "I know you Cam, and even though I'm completely sure you'd be happy, I didn't want you to change because of anything I told you, I wanted you to change because you wanted to." I sincerely said, "In case I didn't find out, would you tell me?" He asked and I nodded, because it wasn't something I would hide from him, he's its father too.

"It wouldn't be something I would hide from you forever Cam, I just considered it wasn't the moment I should tell you, that's all," I stated, even though he already knew it. "How far are you?" He asked and a small smile appeared on my face "Almost three months" I answered and I could see how his whole face lit up "Does that mean we will be parents in six months?" He questioned, trying to contain all his joy. "If everything goes as it should, yeah," I laughed. "Oh shit, I haven't thought about it before. Can you walk for a long time? The last thing I want is for you to get tired and I don't think I'll be able to carry you right now," he said, speeding up his pace a little. "Are you saying I'm fat?" I asked, raising an eyebrow and trying to contain my smile. "What? Of course not! I'm just saying that I don't want you to tire yourself out or try too hard," he said nervously and now I couldn't help but laugh.

"Cam, I wasn't being serious, and yes, I can walk as far as I want, which I plan to do until I practically can't stand on my feet," I assured, because from what both my mother and grandmother had told me, it's going to be practically impossible to walk in the last two months.

"Okay, great... But if you get tired, tell me and we'll stop wherever" Cam assured and I laughed again. "I won't get tired, but I will do it if I get tired," I assured, because I knew he's being serious. "How is your recovery going?" I asked after a few minutes of silence "Good. I still haven't adapted completely well to the prosthesis and driving, but that's where I'm going" he said proudly "I could help you with that" I responded even though it wasn't what I'm most enthusiastic in, especially if we take into account he's riding in a normal car "We both know you'll never be calm in a normal car, Lara"

"Maybe, but we can try anyway. And if not the best for you, we will talk to Bianca to see if there is any way we can adapt the cars or buy one directly" I answered and he thought about it for a moment "I had thought about it, but first I want to make sure I can still do it with a normal car. If I see that I'm not capable, I promise you we'll do it" he responded with a big smile on his face. "Are you going to tell me where we're going?" I asked, taking his hand and intertwining our fingers. "No, I won't tell you, you'll see soon" my husband responded with a big smile and I rolled my eyes, but equally happy to be able to spend time with him.