"You look precious," Lauren smiled as she tied Camila's braids off with ribbon. "Did you finish packing your bag last night?"

"Yup," Camila smiled. "Look," she said, running over to her Winnie the Pooh themed bag. "Mummy helped me."

"Well now I'm worried," Lauren joked. "What have you packed?"

"A packet of chocolate milk, extra shoes, 3 packets of cookies, a slice of bread, a yoyo, shampoo, one sock...,"

"Uh, Mila we aren't feeding a third world nation," Lauren chuckled, picking up the food items. "An don't you think there's better stuff that we might be missing out on?" she asked as Camila followed her into the kitchen to put away the food. "You know, diapers, wipes, diaper cream, your paci, Mr Bunny, your bottle and sippy, some babyfood....,"

"You're boring," Camila wrinkled her nose.

"Maybe, but you'll thank me later when you need that stuff," Lauren smiled, throwing away the bread before opening the cupboard of baby food that had proved game-changing in improving Camila's eating habits.

"Do you want to choose?" Lauren asked, lifting Camila up so she could see.

"This one, please," Camila pointed at the packet of cheesy sweet potato.

"Okay, go tell Mummy to help you with your coat and shoes," Lauren said, putting Camila down. "I'm just going to finish packing your bag."

Camila ran off to find Dinah while Lauren quickly put away the children's shampoo Camila had packed, swapping it for diapers and other practical things they were bound to need.

By the time she got to the door, Camila was all zipped up and ready to go. Dinah, on the other hand, was sprawled across the floor dramatically.

"D, what are you doing?" Lauren laughed.

"Your mum hates

 me," Dinah whined.

"Don't be such a baby," Lauren rolled her eyes. "We're going to be late, come on."

"Fine," Dinah muttered, pulling on her shoes and standing up. "Kid, c'mere I'll strap you in," she said, picking Camila up and carrying her out to the car.

"I wan' sit in the front like a big giwl," Camila protested as Dinah put her in her baby seat.

"No you don't," Dinah feigned disgust as she helped Camila put her arms through the straps. "I'm gonna be stuck listening to Mama talking away the whole time while you get to have a nice nap!"

Camila giggled.

"I'm not going to sleep, silly," Camila said as Dinah snapped the buckle at Camila's crotch.

It was only ten minutes into the drive when Camila was sound asleep, causing Dinah to smirk triumphantly. Lauren remained quiet as she drove; to say the least, she was nervous about her mum meeting Camila. This definitely wasn't what they had pictured for her future and they already weren't the biggest fans of her and Dinah.

"I don't want to wake her up," Lauren sighed as they pulled into her mum's driveway. 

"Lo, they'll love her, it's fine," Dinah reassured her, glancing back at the little girl who was peacefully asleep.

"She can't take anymore rejection," Lauren sighed. "I just want to wrap her up and protect her from everything."

"I know," Dinah smiled sympathetically. "Do you want to get her or should I?" 

"I'll do it," Lauren said, getting out and walking around to the passenger side. "Hi, baby," she cooed, unbuckling the carseat straps and lifting Camila into her arms. "Shhh, don't cry," she said as Camila squirmed. Her body was warm from being tucked under her blankie and snuggled into Mr Bunny which Lauren found oddly soothing. 

"Look, we're here!" Dinah tried to excite Camila into waking up.

"Play time!" Camila giggled, swinging her legs.

"Lunchtime first, angel," Lauren reminded her.

"O'tay."

"Do you want to press the doorbell?" Lauren asked, waiting for Camila to nod before moving close enough for her to be able to reach it. "Good job," she praised, putting the little girl down and smoothening out her dress.

"Lauren!" Clara exclaimed happily as she opened the door, leaning over to hug her daughter. "Hello Dinah Jane."

"Hey," Dinah muttered.

"And you must be the little girl Lauren's adopting," she smiled at Camila.

"Mum, can we come in?" Lauren interrupted.

"Of course," Clara smiled, moving away from the door. "Taylor, Chris, Lauren's here!" she called. 

"Come on, it's okay," Lauren encouraged Camila who was hiding behind her with her thumb in her mouth.

"Lauren!" Taylor ran up to give her sister a hug.

"Hi, babe," Lauren smiled, hugging her back. "Camz, this is my sister, Taylor," Lauren said.

"Hi, Camila," Taylor smiled at the now-shy girl.

"I don't think we've ever seen her this quiet," Dinah joked, giving Taylor a hug.

"Are you a princess?" Camila asked shyly, taking note of Taylor's long wavy locks.

"She's just my sister," Lauren explained.

"Oh, I'm totally a princess," Taylor said jokingly.

"That's so cool," Camila giggled.

"Taylor, darling, come help me with the food," Clara said, turning to go to the kitchen. "Chris, set the table, please."

"Should we go sit down?" Lauren suggested, taking Camila's hand. "We don't have a highchair here so you're going to have to show me how still you can sit," she said as she led Camila into the dining room. 

"Can I sit in your lap?" she asked hopefully.

"Don't you want to show Princess Taylor how much of a big girl you are?" Lauren asked.

"Why don't you sit next to Taylor?" Dinah suggested, pulling a chair back.

"Wanna play," Camila said, pulling her arm away from Lauren and starting to run about the table, giggling as though it was the funniest thing in the world.

"Got you!" Dinah stood in Camila's way, scooping her up when she ran into her. 

"Down, Mummy," Camila squealed, wriggling in Dinah's arms.

"Here we go," Clara said, walking out with a tray bake of chicken parmagiana.

"Tay, Camila wants to sit next to you," Dinah said, still holding Camila who immediately buried her face in the older girl's shoulder in embarrassment. 

"Sure," Taylor smiled, sitting down and pulling out the chair next to her so that Dinah could put Camila down.

"Babe, sit straight," Lauren said, tapping Camila's knees to prompt her to not curl up on the chair. "What do you want to eat?"

"Baba?"

"Not now, princess, I want you to have some food first," Lauren said, worried that Camila was already rather cranky. "Here," she said, putting some chicken on Camila's plate for her as well as some broccoli. 

"What year are you in in school?" Taylor asked Camila while Lauren cut up her food for her.

"Year 10," Camila said confidently. 

"Wow, do you like it?" Taylor asked.

"No," Camila shrugged. "Do you have to go to school too?"

"No," Taylor laughed. "I'm in my first year of university."

"Lauren, you really should come visit more often," Clara said to her oldest daughter.

"I know, we've just been, uh, busy," Lauren lied. "Chris, how's football?"

"Same old," her brother muttered, not interested in making small talk. "I'm going to eat in my room," he stood up with his plate, walking away before Clara could interrupt.

"Since your dad moved out he's been having a hard time," Clara explained with a sigh once Chris was out of earshot.

"Mum, let's not talk about it," Taylor quickly interrupted. "Maybe we can take Camila to the park after lunch," she suggested.

"Park!" Camila bounced excitedly. "I like the park," she said, looking up and Lauren for approval.

"Let's just see how you're feeling," Lauren said. "Maybe you can go after nap time instead."

"I don't need a nap," Camila argued.

"She did sleep in the car," Dinah pointed out.

"Let's just talk about this later," Lauren said, trying to remain calm. 

"Darling, how's the chicken?" Clara asked, sensing the tension.

"It's good, Mum, thanks," Lauren said, eating a small bite of her food. 

"Dinah, how's the....uh, police work going?" Clara asked, always having been skeptical of the job.

"It's going well, thank you," Dinah pressed her lips into a thin smile. "Camila, don't suck your thumb right now," she said, leaning over to pull Camila's thumb out of her mouth.

"How old are you, Camila?"Clara asked curiously, noticing how young she looked for a child in year 10.

Camila shrugged, not replying.

"She's a young fifteen," Lauren explained. "Camz, say aah."

"Yucky," Camila spat out the chicken, her face scrunching up.

"Camila, it's not nice to spit out food," Lauren scolded.

"Doesn't she like chicken?" Clara asked Lauren.

"Depends on the day," Lauren muttered, pushing her chair back so there was room for Camila on her lap. "Upsie daisy," she sung, pulling Camila into her lap. "Can you be a good girl for me?" she asked,  taking Camila's baby food packet out of her bag.

Camila instantly turned into Lauren's chest, curling up in her lap.

"She's so cute, Lo," Taylor said softly.

"I know," Lauren said with a small smile. "Honey, I'm  going to give you your num num now," Lauren said, trying to get Camila's attention.

"Taylor, lookm" Camila said excitedly, opening her mouth widely and letting Lauren feed her a bite of the food.

"Wow," Taylor exaggerated. 

After another 45 minutes, the painfully long meal was finally over.

"Park!" Camila exclaimed excitedly, running over to Taylor.

"Can I hold her?" Taylor asked Lauren hesitantly as Camila reached up for her.

"Of course," Lauren nodded, smiling as she watched her sister lifting Camila into her arms. "This is so cute, take a photo, D."

"You think everything's cute," Dinah rolled her eyes, taking a picture anyway. 

"I think we're fine to go to the park," Lauren said, noting that Camila didn't seem all too tired.

"Uh, Lo?" Taylor asked unsurely as Camila pawed at her breast.

"Camz, baby, come here," Lauren quickly took the little girl back. 

"She hasn't quite understood that not everyone can breastfeed," Dinah explained quietly while Lauren tired to soothe Camila who was upset that she wasn't with Taylor anymore.

"Mama," Camila whined, squirming in Lauren's arms.

"We're going to the park, remember?" Lauren reminded her, hoping it would stop the oncoming tantrum. 

"I'm just going to go get ready, guys," Taylor said before jogging upstairs to her room.

"Are you going to the park now?" Clara asked, coming out into the living room. 

"Yes," Camila said, bouncing excitedly in Lauren's arms. 

"Should we make you a bottle before we go?" Lauren asked, wary of the fact that Camila hadn't eaten much. 

"I'll do it," Dinah offered, taking Camila's bottle which already had the formula powder in it.

"I don't like your Mummy," Camila said quietly as Lauren helped her into her coat.

 "She's not that bad," Lauren promised. "Do you know which foot this goes on?"

Camila hesitated before giving Lauren her left food, smiling when the older girl nodded.

"Here you go," Dinah walked back in, handing Camila the baby bottle.

"Camila, wouldn't you rather have a cup?" Clara asked in confusion, watching as Camila pushed the teat into her mouth.

"No, mum, she wouldn't," Lauren sighed. 

"Let's go," Taylor smiled, appearing at the doorway and taking Camila's hand. "Bye, mum!"

Lauren breathed a sigh of relief as they walked out of the house, slipping her hand into Dinah's.

"You're doing great," Dinah whispered, giving Lauren's hand a reassuring squeeze.

Lauren nodded, smiling slightly as she watched Camila talking animatedly to Taylor.

***

A/N: so...I know my books are all super repetitive in that they're all about eating disorders...but I'm likely gonna bring one into this too because it's just what I do 😂 Who do you guys think it should be?

Enjoy the chapter, all my love xxx