Chapter 30 - Life

Michelle returned an hour after she left, smiling, and Cam breathed a sigh of relief. While her wife was gone out of the house, she had made some calls. Her mother would now be packing up the kids and heading to the airport.

Her babies would be here within a few hours, and she couldn’t wait to hold them again. There had been a small part of her that had worried before they were born that she wouldn’t feel like a parent the same way that Michelle would, but she needn’t have worried. The moment they placed those babies in front of her, she was a goner, heart and soul completely encompassed with these tiny little beings they’d created. She’d missed them when she was at work, and she missed them right now, but she couldn’t begrudge Michelle this time. She had needed it. They both had. Even Cam had been grateful for the good night’s sleep she had had, and then just lying on the couch with Michelle. They’d needed that. Now, as she looked up and into the eyes of the woman she loved, she saw how much they’d both just needed some time.

“Okay, how did it go?” Cam asked, swinging her legs off the couch and standing to greet her with a gentle kiss to the cheek.

“Really well. Storm is super excited, and we’re starting our coaching tomorrow after school,” Michelle explained as she pulled Cam back to the couch and fell into her lap the moment she sat down. “And I had a talk with Nicole about babies and I feel a little better. Did you speak to your mother?”

“Sure did, it’s all organized.” She checked her watch. “They should be on a flight just about now. I’ll go meet them at the airport later. Did you want to come with me?”

“Oh, I don’t know…” Michelle bit her lip as she considered it. “Yes, I think I should.”

“Great. So how about we head into town now, grab something to eat, and then go straight to the airfield from there?”

Michelle stood up and held out her hands to pull Cam up from her seat. “I think that sounds like a plan.”

“And you know how great I am at making plans!” Cam laughed, pulling into her arms. “Have I told you today how much I love you?”

Michelle looked into her eyes and shook her head. “You have not,” she lied.

“Oh, how remiss of me.” Cam smiled, leaning in to kiss her gently. “I love you.”

“I love you.”

* * *

Il Positano was a quaint little Italian bistro that had opened during the time that Cam and Michelle had been away, but from what Cam could see now, it looked like a popular venue already. There was an authenticity to it that Cam enjoyed; straight out of Naples, she thought. She’d gone there once to visit Pompeii. One day she wanted to go back and explore some more.

As they walked in, they were set upon by an exuberant waiter who led them straight over to a small table for two in the corner.

“Here ya go,” he said without the Italian accent that Cam was expecting or hoping to hear. He pulled the chair out for Michelle, but Cam beat him to her own and sat herself down. Next, a menu was thrust into their hands. “I’ll give you a few minutes to peruse the menu. Can I get you a drink while you wait?”

“Sure, just some water for me, thanks,” Cam said, indicating with her hands moving an imaginary steering wheel that she was the designated driver.

“Sure, and for you, madam, can I interest you in a house wine?”

“Oh, no thank you.” Michelle smiled. “I…” she was about to inform the man that she was breastfeeding when two things struck her. One, she didn’t need to give the waiter that much information, and two, she wasn’t so sure that she actually was now. She’d left her babies to fend for themselves. “Just water too.”

His brow raised and he backed away, leaving them to it.

Cam reached a hand across the table. “Are you okay?” she asked, her face frowning a little with concern. “Because I can see that something is bothering you?”

“Yeah, I…” She sighed. “Sorry, I just had this thought about breastfeeding and how I’m not, and then that led to another thought about how I’ve just left my babies to fend for themselves, and how awful a mother I must be.” Her thoughts and words rambled on and Cam let her, just listening. She suddenly stopped talking and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I know that’s not true. I’m not awful. I know that...I just need to keep reminding myself of that.”

Cam smiled at her. “It’s good to notice the difference between facts, and feelings, remember?” She didn’t want to push too much, so left Michelle to think about things in her own time. “So, what are you going to have? I’m thinking about the carbonara.”

“Sounds nice.” Relieved not to have to continue the conversation, Michelle glanced at her menu again.

Cam continued to ramble. “Hmm, well yes. Obviously, I have been to Italy and eaten the real McCoy, so they’re going to have to go far to beat that.”

“Oh well, let you be the connoisseur then.” Michelle laughed.

“You know that looks good on you?”

Michelle looked at her quizzically. “What does?”

“That smile, the laughter…happiness,” Cam said, reaching for her hand.

Michelle inhaled a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “It’s all I want, Cam. To be happy again.”

Cam squeezed her fingers. “We’re going to get there, I promise.”