24. Preparation

CAMERON'S POV

A couple of hours ago we had arrived in Paris for the trial and at this moment I'm watching Lara sleep. She had decided she wanted to come, and since she's almost eight months pregnant, we couldn't come by plane, so we took the car and came to Paris by road. Even though we would come in car, it would stress her out, she insisted on coming with me, since she wanted to be with me to support me, and although I told her thousands of times, I would be fine, she wanted to be with me, so I ended up suggesting we go by car.

"I thought Lara would stay home," my mother said at the bedroom door with a smile on her face. "And do you think I could convince her to stay home? I tried, but she wanted to come anyway" I pointed out and she nodded "I already imagined she wasn't going to want to be left behind. She wants to be there for you" my mom responded, and I nodded "I know, but I know I'll be okay. She's the one who gets worse in this whole situation. I don't care, I'm alive in the end and that's what matters."

"I know it's easier for you, but you must understand, at some point, we all thought you would die on the track, Lara the most and she was hysterical to go with you. I still don't know how we managed to make it not happen" my mother said, remembering that day. "I know she thought about it, but I'm fine," I repeated. "I know you're fine, but that fear doesn't go away, not that easy at least, and almost I can assure you that it will never go away."

I nodded, because at least it's something I could understand. I know I could have died in that car, but I also came out of it by being with Lara again. That's the only thing that had mattered to me. I had also done it for my mother, but especially for Lara because I know what would end up happening and she already gets it with her father, I didn't want to take away her passion for cars just because of my accident.

"If what you're worried about is that she'll get bad, I can assure you we'll do whatever it takes to prevent her from doing so" my mother said with a smile on her face. "I know, but what worries me is what Gallagher can do?" I responded, because threatening letters had arrived to Lara due to the car investigation, and the police assumed it was Gallagher since he was detained because of my wife. What I'm afraid of was he's going to do something to my wife at the trial.

"Does Lara know about the threats?" My mother asked, raising an eyebrow and I nodded. "I didn't want to tell her, but she took one of the letters one day," I said. "And how did she react? I suppose not good at all" my mother responded, and I denied "She didn't care. She didn't get sick or anything like that, which would lead me to think she's keeping it to herself, but her emotions are always on the surface since the pregnancy" I responded and my mother nodded "Well, I don't know how she does it, but it's good. Rest for a while, it will do you good" I nodded and lay down next to my wife who continued to sleep without caring about anything in the world and not long after that I also fell asleep.

I don't know how much time had passed, but when I wake up, Lara is no longer by my side, so I get up and leave the room to go in search of my wife, whom I find in the kitchen sitting with my mother, her sister and Eli. "Until the golden boy decides to wake up" Eli joked and what makes Lara turn in my direction with a big smile on her face "You could have slept a little longer, nothing would have happened" she said, and I denied, because I felt rested.

"You better tell me how the mood is for tomorrow's trial," Bianca asked, and I sent her a threatening look because the truth wasn't something I wanted to talk about right now, not now that Lara is calm. "The truth is, all I want is for this to end and go home" my wife responded, and we all turned in her direction, surprised that she had said it, and I was worried she didn't want to be here "Do you want to go back home? I'm sure one of them can accompany you" I said looking at the three women, who nodded even though it could only be my mother and Eli who took her home since Bianca is a witness.

"No, no, I want to be here right now and tomorrow. I'm just saying I want this to end as soon as possible" she answered, and I could see how Bianca nodded "Perfect. Do you want us to go one last time with the details of the trial?" she asked her sister and Lara nodded. "Then let's go to your room, so you can go to bed if you need to, and you can put your feet up." Lara nodded and both women left to our room to go over the details of the car.

"Do you think Lara will be okay tomorrow?" Eli asked next to me, and I shrugged, because the truth is, I had no idea. "I know she will be, at least until they make me tell the accident itself. If you see she's getting bad, take her out of the room to get some air" I asked, because even though I had already heard what had happened when I went to testify before Freda, I know it wouldn't be something she would take well. "We'll do it, so don't worry" she assured, and it's at that moment I hear Lara squeal, which makes me get up, run to the room and see her crying with her sister with a big smile on her face, but I decide to ignore her and go to my wife.

"Hey what's up? Are you okay?" I asked, trying to get her to calm down, and I could see how she's trying to tell me something, but she couldn't. "I thought we'd wait to tell them" Eli said from the door with a raised eyebrow but containing a smile. "You know what Lara is like, and she said I'm so happy... I had no choice but to tell her" Bianca defended. "Tell her what?" I asked, trying to understand what's happening to my wife. "Let's say a couple of months ago, Bianca and I started the insemination process and this morning they told us I'm pregnant" she said, and I stared at my best friend for a few minutes. seconds "And now we've broken Cameron" Elisabeth said jokingly.

I couldn't help but laugh while Lara continued with her face in the crook of my neck and her hand gripping my shirt "No, no. I'm happy for you. Congratulations, girls" I said with a big smile on my face, and if it weren't for the fact I had Lara crying in my arms, I would go hug them. "I'm going to get a couple of bottles of water, in the end we'll spend some time here" Bianca said, getting up from where she's sitting on our bed and left the room, leaving my wife and me alone.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked, pushing her away from me a little and wiping away the tears running down her face. "Yes... I'm just happy and excited," she finally said, and I nodded. "I understand, I'm excited too." I responded with a smile on her face. "No. It's something that I expected would happen now. I know they had been talking about it, Eli told me in Santorini, but I thought they wouldn't do it in a couple of years."

"I understood something like that from what your sister told me." We both remained silent and not much later, Bianca returned to the room to prepare for the trial. They spent hours preparing everything for the trial. Eli, my mother and I brought them food from time to time and whatever Lara wanted, and it must have been one in the morning when they finished and Lara fell into bed exhausted, probably dead of tiredness.

When I woke up again, I heard noise in the room, so I opened my eyes, and I could see Lara standing doing I don't know what. "Honey, are you okay?" I asked her and she turned in my direction. "Yes, I just can't sleep," she confessed, and I sat on the bed. "Is there something specifically bothering you?" I asked curiously, standing up and hugging her from behind, leaving my chin on her shoulder and my hands on her abdomen. "It's May 18" she simply said, and I couldn't help but bring her closer to me, trying to comfort her in a certain way.

"I'm sorry, I had completely forgotten" I responded since I know this day is one of the most complicated for Lara since it had been the day in her father, and she had had the accident and the first one had dead "What can I do to make you feel better?" I asked and noticed how she leaned back, leaning on me. "Don't stop hugging me" she murmured, and I nodded, giving her a kiss on the temple. "I'll never stop doing it," I murmured, and we spent a while looking out the window, until I got her to go to bed.

"Are you sure you don't want anything else?" I asked calmly and noticed how she shook against my chest "Okay, now try to sleep. I know it's not easy, but I will be here at all times for whatever you need, you just have to tell me and I will get it for you" I murmured and noticed how she nodded "I love you, Lara" I whispered and my wife gave me a kiss on the chest with which I know she meant that she loved me too and after a couple of hours, she fell asleep, luckily for everyone. I just hope the trial wouldn't affect her any more than the day itself would.