New Adjustments to a Little World

31

A/N: I get really productive on the weekends to forget about how much of a lonely, pathetic loser I am, so that's why I update like four things over the weekends.

Read and enjoy.

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"What?" Normani asked, staring in disbelief at Dinah and Ally.

The two blondes had decided to wait and talk about Dinah's bombshell with Normani before telling Lauren anything. It wasn't until the two girls had run off to the playroom to watch a movie before bed that the three got a chance to talk.

Both Lauren and Camila had stayed pretty much glued to Dinah's side through dinner, neither wanting the taller woman out of their sights in fear she would leave again. After Dinah had assured them she wasn't leaving and would be there to get them ready for bed, the two disappeared to watch the chosen movie of the night, Toy Story.

"I met Michael Jauregui at my dad's function," Dinah answered, putting a hand to her head tiredly. "It was a dinner for potential partners, and I guess my dad has never actually signed any partnerships with him."

"A good thing, really," Normani muttered under her breath. "I'm assuming you didn't tell him you know Lauren?"

"Well, I couldn't just go up and say 'by the way, you're daughter's a little and I'm one of her caregivers', so no. I didn't."

"You know what, I liked it better without your sass, maybe you should go back," the dark skinned woman retorted, glaring at the younger woman.

"You should both go and then I'll no longer have a constant headache," Ally quipped, rubbing her temples. "Did your dad take him on as an partner?"

Dinah shook her head. "I think everyone really wanted him to, but when I said he shouldn't, Dad listened. Even when I said I couldn't tell him why."

"And that had to do with Lauren?" Normani questioned.

The younger blonde nodded. "I'm sure it would have been a really big partnership for Dad, but if I could have told him why I said no, he would have immediately said no, too. He wouldn't ever partner with someone who's abused their own child physically and emotionally," she explained. "Even if Lauren won't say it, that's exactly what happened. Dad would have never let Michael Jauregui near the dinner if he had known."

Ally nodded, and released a long sigh. "You know we're going to have to let Lauren know you've met him, right?"

"I don't necessarily want to," Dinah admitted, shrugging helplessly. "I know I should, and I will; I just don't want to bring back any unwanted memories for her. You know how she reacted just being in the area of his building. I don't know how she'll react to hearing I've met him."

"It's not like she has to see him, though," Normani reasoned. "She knows we would never make her go and see him, that's up to her when she's ready. This is just you letting her know that you've met him and you feel she deserves to know."

Dinah nodded, and leaned into the dark skinned woman. "She's just made a lot of progress in the time she's been with us. I don't want to do anything to ruin that," she mumbled.

The older woman wrapped her arms around the blonde. "Lauren is a hell of a lot tougher than even she knows," she replied. "I don't think telling her this will hurt her."

"Just don't overthink it," Ally stated simply. "Just tell her, and let her know that whether she decides to see him or not, it's completely up to her."

The youngest woman nodded. "Alright, I'll talk to her in the morning."

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After Dinah had helped Camila get settled into bed, she walked over to Lauren's room to do the same for the green eyed girl. She was a little surprised to see the girl sitting in the middle of her bed, anxiously fiddling with Nala's ear. She also noticed Lauren was dressed in a plain tshirt and a pair of sweatpants.