"You'll be fine," Lauren promised a very nervous Camila as they approached the leisure centre.
"I can't swim," Camila pouted, thumb in her mouth.
"I'm going to teach you, angel," Lauren promised as she signed them both in.
Camila clutched her bunny closer to her chest, pressing into Lauren's side.
"I can't change on my own," Camila mumbled as they walked into the changing rooms.
"I know," Lauren said, pushing a coin into a locker. "Can you sit here while I go change?"
"Wanna come with you," Camila said, playing with Lauren's hand.
"Okay, nena," Lauren said. It wasn't ideal, but she didn't exactly want to leave Camila alone anyway. She grabbed her bag before leading Camila into a stall. "Sit here, doll."
"Is it going to be cold?" Camila asked nervously as Lauren started changing.
"Maybe at first, but you'll get used to it," Lauren said.
She had hoped that swimming would be a good energy outlet for Camila.
"And we can leave if you don't like it," she added, taking off her top and bra. She noticed Camila's eyes fixated on her breasts but she shrugged it off, dismissing it as curiosity.
"Paci," Camila whined.
"Uh, it's outside in your bag, honey," Lauren said, standing into her black one-piece. "I'll get it for you in a second."
"Now," Camila whined as Lauren lifted her into her arms to calm her down. She immediately starting sucking on the older girl's collarbone and using her hand to gently paw at Lauren's nipple which was outlined through her swimming costume.
Lauren quickly put Camila down when she realised what was happening.
"Hun, let's go get paci," she said, opening the cubicle door and letting them both out. "I need you to be a good girl while I change you into your swim diaper."
"I have to swim in a diaper?" Camila asked, her bottom lip wobbling.
"They don't let babies in without one," it slipped out of Lauren's mouth before she realised what she had said.
"I'm not a baby," Camila pouted, crossing her legs.
"I know, love, but you're incontinent so it's compulsory," Lauren explained.
"What's that?" Camila asked.
"It means you have accidents sometimes," Lauren said, putting her bag in the locker and taking Camila's out before sitting down next to her. "Can I ask you something?"
Camila nodded.
"I know your not going to like this, but the only place where they have changing tables is in the family changing room, do you think it would be okay if I take you there to change your diaper?" Lauren asked softly.
"But I'm a big girl," Camila whispered.
"Yes, you are, but the only other option is here with all these people so I'd rather take you to a changing table," Lauren explained.
Camila nodded, standing up and taking Lauren's hand.
"I'm going to teach you some really cool jumps," Lauren said, trying to distract Camila as she took her into the children's section.
"Butterfly," Camila whispered as quietly as possible.
"Right now?" Lauren asked, silently cursing Camila's bad timing.
The younger girl nodded.
"Honey, you're in a diaper and I'm about to change it anyway," Lauren tried.
"I want to go potty," Camila insisted,
"Okay, doll," Lauren sighed, lifting Camila onto a changing table. "Lie down and I'll get this diaper off."
"Are we going to go in the big pool?" Camila asked as Lauren took off her clothes.
"I'm sure we can, I have some armbands for you but you don't need to use them if you don't want to," Lauren said. "Right, do you need me to come with you?"
"I don't know," Camila mumbled.
"Okay, why don't we leave the door open a little so you can tell me if you need help," Lauren suggested, carrying the naked little girl off of the table.
"Is a swim diaper like a normal one?" Camila asked once she had come out of the stall.
"Uh, well this one has some fishies on it," Lauren said, taking the swim diaper out of the bag.
"I like fishies," Camila said, letting Lauren tape up the new diaper onto her hips.
"I know you do," Lauren nodded. "This was the only swimsuit that looked like it still fits," Lauren said, taking out a light pink bikini with frilly roses sewn into it.
"My diaper shows," Camila whined tearily once Lauren had finished changing her.
"I know, mija, but I don't think anyone will mind that you're wearing one," Lauren promised, leading Camila back to their locker. "Mr. Bunny needs to go in your bag, angel, but paci can come if you like."
"Yes please," Camila said, handing Lauren her bunny.
"Good manners, baby," Lauren praised, taking out the armbands before closing the locker. "Do you want these on?"
"Nuh-uh," Camila shook her head.
"Okay, come on then, my little flower princess," Lauren said, walking to the door that lead downstairs to the pool. "Careful, the steps are slippery," Lauren warned.
"I'm scared," Camila admitted, taking Lauren's hand. The pool was big and although it was't too crowded, the people swimming laps intimidated her.
"Don't be," Lauren reassured her. "Come sit here," Lauren said, sitting down on the edge of the pool and slipping in. "Put your legs in, doll," Lauren chuckled when Camila sat down at the edge of the pool with her legs crossed.
Camila giggled, putting her legs into the surprisingly warm water.
"Okay," Lauren said, reaching over and putting her hands under Camila's arms before lifting her in slowly.
Camila squealed, curling up and clinging onto Lauren.
"There we go," Lauren smiled once Camila was in the water.
"Don't let go," Camila instructed.
They spent some time just playing and with Lauren giving Camila piggyback rides before Lauren started trying to teach Camila to swim.
"I got you," Lauren quickly grabbed Camila who was spluttering having swallowed some water. "Hey, no tears, you're okay," she promised, carrying Camila to the side of the pool and sitting her on the edge. "Can I put your armbands on you now?"
Camila nodded, sucking fervently on her pacifier. Lauren blew up the armbands before pulling Camila back into the water.
"You're doing so well," she praised as Camila paddled about on her own. "Show me how quickly you can turn around."
"Excuse me, ma'am?" A lady's voice came.
Lauren looked up to see a lifeguard.
"We don't allow young children in this pool, but we have a paddling pool over there," she said with a kind smile.
"Oh, uh, she's 15," Lauren said. She had to admit that in the water with her armbands on and swim diaper puffing out at her waist, Camila really did look like a little child, especially because of her pacifier.
"Oh, uh, sorry for the confusion," the lady said before walking away.
"I'm not a baby," Camila started crying.
"Hey, it's okay," Lauren said, holding Camila. "I think it's time to get out," Lauren said, putting Camila on the side of the pool before hauling herself out of the water. "Shh," Lauren whispered as Camila continued to cry.
She quickly got Camila out of her swimming clothes and into a fresh diaper, by which point Camila had quietened down.
"Hold me," Camila insisted.
"No, nena, I need to get changed first," Lauren said. "I'm going to get you paci and Mr. Bunny first."
By the time they got home, Camila was practically asleep in Lauren's arms, tired out from all the swimming.
"What did you do to her?" Dinah joked.
"I took her for a swim," Lauren laughed, shaking her head.
"Hello, there," Dinah cooed as Camila blinked her eyes open.
"I thought we weren't babying her," Lauren hissed.
"You're the one carrying her," Dinah rolled her eyes, taking Camila from Lauren.
"And here I was thinking you'd never do well with kids," Lauren joked.
"C'mon, we're going to go play dress up, kid," Dinah said excitedly.
"Uh, it's nap time, Deej," Lauren reminded her.
"Oh, I'm not tired," Dinah dismissed.
"I meant the child," Lauren shook her head with a laugh.
"She's good too, just wait till you see how adorable she's gonna look in her halloween costume," Dinah said before rushing in with Camila.
"What am I going to be?" Camila asked as Dinah took her into her room.
"It's a surprise," Dinah winked. "Here, keep this in," she said, pushing Camila's pacifier into her mouth in hopes that Camila would stay settled with the soother in. "So, how was swimming?" she asked as she took Camila out of her clothes.
"I swum all on my own!" Camila said proudly.
"With armbands, you mean?" Dinah asked with a raised eyebrow.
"But on my own with them," Camila justified.
"Wow, big girl," Dinah said, not trying to hide her disinterest as she helped Camila into the costume she had bought. "Right, turn around, I need to put something on your back.
"I love it," Camila giggled, looking in the mirror.
"Right, let's go show LoLo," Dinah smiled. The two walked down to the living room together, and it was hard to tell which was more excited.
"Lauren!" Camila bounced down the stairs happily.
"LO?" Dinah called just as excitedly.
"I'm right he-," Lauren cut herself off when the two girls burst in to the living room.
"What do you think?" Dinah asked excitedly.
"Dinah Jane Hansen, you turned my child into A SNAIL?" Lauren asked in disbelief at the sight of Camila.
"Whatcha think?" Camila asked, spinning around.
"I thought we agreed on a dinosaur?" Lauren asked quietly.
Okay, so she had gone a little rogue, but what could be cuter than a little snail?
"She looks adorable," Dinah justified.
"Mila, wouldn't you rather be a ballerina? Or a little star, or a princess?" Lauren tried.
"Nope," Camila said confidently, jumping up and down excitedly.
"Right, baby snail, should we tell Dinah that it's nap time now?" Lauren asked, helping Camila out of her snail shell.
"Nap time for DJ," Camila giggled.
"Hmm, should I go make DJ a bottle then?" Lauren asked animatedly.
"I think I'm a bit too big for a baby bottle," Dinah played along. "Does anyone know someone who isn't?"
"Me!" Camila giggled, jumping up and down. "I can have bottles because I'm small," Camila exclaimed.
"Well, that settles it," Lauren smiled, picking up Camila. "Let's go make you a bottle."
"Baba," Camila said nestling into Lauren's arms, her hand somehow finding a particularly sensitive part of Lauren's chest once again.
"Camzi, do we need to talk about anything?" Lauren asked seeing as it was the second time it had happened.
Camila looked up at her with questioning, wide, innocent eyes and Lauren immediately brushed it off.
"Never mind, doll, should we go sit somewhere quiet while we do this?" Lauren asked, shaking the fresh bottle in her hand.
"Kay," Camila whispered.
"Give me paci, please," Lauren said, holding her hand out. "You know the rules, you can't have it while you're feeding," Lauren said, taking the object.
"Aah," Camila said, anticipating her bottle.
"There you go, munchkin," Lauren said, pushing the teat into her mouth.
"Sing," Camila murmured.
"Of course, angel," Lauren said, smoothening out Camila's hair.
Closed off from love
I didn't need the pain
Once or twice was enough
And it was all in vain....
Not quite the best lullaby, Lauren realised by Camila didn't seem to have noticed. Once she was asleep, Lauren got to thinking...was she really ready for a child of her own?