Lauren nervously walked around her room, she had no idea why she had even got a room in the hotel, her house was only twenty minutes away.

She looked at herself one last time in the mirror before she left the room.

"Cindy, she's going to be here any minute now!" Camila knocked on the bathroom door.

"I'm almost done," Cindy's voice came from inside.

"Out now!" Camila shouted as there was a knock on the door, she walked over and opened it.

"Hey, is she ready?" Lauren asked.

"Almost. Come in for a sec," Camila opened the door a little wider, "Cindy, your mom's here."

"Hey..." Cindy smiled, walking out of the bathroom.

"Are you ready?" Lauren looked at Cindy. It pained her to know that she wasn't there for the last sixteen years of her life.

Cindy walked over to her mom and gave her a hug.

"Home by midnight," Camila looked at them, laughing as Lauren glanced at her, "bring her back whenever."

"Will do," Lauren smiled, looking at Cindy as they walked out of the room.

"Where are we going?" Cindy asked, getting in the car.

"I've got a lot in mind but our first stop will be Makoto for some sushi and then the arcade."

"The arcade?" Cindy raised an eyebrow. "You do know I'm sixteen, right?"

"Hey, the arcade is cool!" Lauren laughed.

They finally got to the restaurant and soon were seated in their seats.

"Why are you doing this?" Cindy looked at her.

"What?" Lauren wiped her mouth.

"Why did you take me out tonight? Did mom put you up to this?"

"No," Lauren shook her head.

"Is this someway to make you feel better because you're guilty of what you said?"

"In some ways yes but not completely no."

"Then why? Why'd you take me out tonight?" Cindy looked her mother in the eyes.

"Because I wanted to get to know my daughter."

Her words caught Cindy by surprise, "you don't have a daughter."

"I did. I lost her last night and I found her again today in her mother's heart."

Cindy looked up at Lauren tears welling up in her eyes.

"I didn't know about you. And I am so fucking sorry I caused you so much pain, but I didn't know. I lost your mother a long time ago and I know why you ran out last night."

Cindy nodded, quickly wiping her eyes.

"I had no intention to hurt you and I would take back every single word I said. I didn't know who you were, Cindy and I still don't... but I want to get to know you. I've missed sixteen years of your life and right now I just want to be there for you for the rest."

Lauren's words softened Cindy's heart. For the first time ever Cindy gave Lauren her first, real smile.

"There's this motherly instinct kicking in telling me that I love you whether I know you or not and I do. But I want to know you and I want to love you," Lauren finished her speech.

"Thank you," Cindy whispered as tears fell from her eyes as their food arrived.

"For what?"

"For returning the mom I never had but lost,"
Cindy smiled through her tears.

///

Camila tossed and turned in her bed but still couldn't sleep. There was a small knock on the door and she stood up to find Dinah and Normani standing in front of her.

"Oh hi guys, come on in," she walked back to her bed and laid down, "what brings you two here?"

"Nothing. We just really missed you," Dinah said, sitting on the bed with Normani.

"I missed you guys too," Camila sat up, pulling them both into a hug.

"Where's Cindy?" Normani asked.

"She's out with Lauren..."

///

Lauren and Cindy spent the next two hours eating junk food as they played in the arcade.

As they were leaving, Cindy spotted something that she wanted to do, "can we go in the photo booth?"

Lauren smiled at her daughter and they walked to the photo booth.

"Let's go and do my favorite part of the trip," Lauren took Cindy's hand and walked out of the arcade, passing the car.

"We're walking to the place?" Cindy questioned.

"The beach is only across the road," Lauren pointed towards the sea, Cindy laughed and clung onto Lauren's hand.

"Lauren," a voice interrupted, "Lauren Jauregui?" A woman approached them.

"Lucy! Holy fuck, it's been so long!" Lauren smiled at her.

"I heard you were getting married."

"I am."

"Lucy!" Someone called out.

"I've got to go... but call me... Wait, who's this?"

"This is Cindy, my daughter."

Cindy's heart soared when Lauren said that. For the first time in her life she felt like she could jump up and hit the sky.

Lucy gave Lauren a smile and walked away as Cindy continued to smile at Lauren.

"You've just made this the most memorable night of my life," she kissed her mom on the cheek, "who was she?"

"A girl I dated for awhile. We're just really good friends now."

///

"I'll see you two tomorrow," Camila smiled at her friends as they left the room. She glanced down at her phone, rolling her eyes at the time.

2:07

Cindy and Lauren walked into the hotel, A certain girl catching Cindy's eye. Cindy tugged Lauren's hand and they walked toward the girl.

"Oh my god! Madison!" Cindy let go of Lauren's hand.

The girl who heard her name called turned to Cindy and recognized her, "Cindy!"

"Shit, I can't believe it's you!" Cindy smiled at her friend after a long hug, "you look amazing."

Cindy and Madison had been friends since childhood. Cindy, Alissa and Madison used to hangout together all the time until two years ago when Madison moved to New York.

"Are you staying in the hotel?" Cindy asked.

"No, I live here," Madison laughed.

"Alissa is going to lose it when I tell her this. How come your in the hotel?"

"My cousins here on vacation."

"Oh, we really need to hang out," Cindy bit her lip, "are you busy tomorrow?"

"No, I'll have to bring my cousin though."

"That's okay," Cindy smiled.

"Cindy, we should go up."

"Oh yeah, Madison... this is my mom."