2.11 Deciding our future

Cam woke the next morning feeling on top of the world. Madeline was living with him and she was his girlfriend! He felt as if he there was nothing in the world that he couldn't do. And then he saw his mother and Laura sitting at the counter eating yogurt for breakfast.

He needed to tell his mother about what he and Madeline had decided. Although he was the newly appointed Mayor of Newcrest and a Young Adult, the idea of letting his mother know that he wanted Madeline, his girlfriend, to stay with them... well the idea, was more than a little bit daunting. 

Adaleigh noticed him standing in the doorway. "Cameron, good morning, sweetheart. Are you going to join Laura and me for breakfast?" she said with a smile, oblivious to his thoughts.

He smiled back. "Yea, of course."  

Too nervous to eat yet, he plopped down on the counter next to Laura. Adaleigh raised an eyebrow. "Something on your mind?" she asked.

"Well," he grinned sheepishly. He couldn't help the smile.

Adaleigh took another bite of her breakfast and waited. Cam really didn't know what to say.

Laura looked over at him and grinned and then she looked at her mom. Apparently because of his inability to speak there was now an awkward silence filling the room.

Finally Laura sighed and bowing her head, she filled the silence. "Cam, just tell her that Madeline and you are dating already."

Cam jumped a bit. How did Laura know?

She looked over at him, the same hazel eyes as their mother looking at him with a pinch or irritation but lots of love. "Cam, she is one of my best friends, you really think I wouldn't know? Oh, you poor sad, little man." she turned her full attention back to her yogurt.

Cam looked up at Adaleigh who was smiling at him. "So you asked Madeline out yesterday?" she said.

"Yes, I, uh, well, I didn't plan it but we were standing by the lake...and I thought about the fact that it was the exact spot where you and Dad started dating.... and well one thing lead to another...." he smiled at her sheepishly.

Adaleigh shook her head. "I had a feeling that this was the way things were headed for you two. It's pretty clear that you're in love with her."

Cam frowned. "Am I really that obvious?"

Laura rolled her eyes. "You wear every emotion on your sleeve, big brother. It's both endearing and annoying." She scooped up the last of her yogurt. "I'm going to go out on the deck and paint for a little bit. Got to prep for my first day on the job tonight."

Adaleigh scooped up her plate and started towards the sink. "Just because your title is starving artist doesn't mean you can't clean a plate or two as well."

"I will, Mom. After I paint. Inspiration has struck!" Laura said as she scooted out the backdoor.

Adaleigh shook her head. "So now that you're dating, did you make a decision about the living situation?" she asked casually as she washed her dish.

"Well, I hope you don't mind but I thought since Madeline was already living here that I want her to stay. We talked about it and she understands she needs to pull her weight. She even said she would look for a job today after her check up with Dr. Riddle."

"Sounds reasonable." she turned around and then smiled widely. "Well, speaking of... Good morning, Madeline."

Madeline smiled tightly. "Uh... good morning...Mrs. McGinnis."

"How are you feeling today?" she asked sweetly.

"Much better." she went to the fridge and reached in for some orange juice.

"Good, Cameron was telling me that you two are official now." Madeline stopped mid-sip and looked over at Cam who gave her a sheepish grin. "Don't worry, Madeline, Laurent and I lived together well before we got engaged. I'm not living in the middle ages.

Madeline took a sip of her orange juice, she seemed a little loss for words. "Of course, if I live here I'm going to pay my own way." she said finally.

"Cameron said as much."

"I would even love to contribute to Cam's Newcrest Project. I'm pretty sure Dr. Riddle is going to clear me today and I did a quick search on my phone. I found a place to get a possible job at [The Diner] as an assistant Dishwasher. If I work hard, I could totally be a bar tender there.After I get cleared, fingers crossed, I'm stopping by there."

Adaleigh smiled. "We really appreciate the thought, Madeline." She looked from Cam to Madeline. "I think we got a good one, Cameron."

With that as her final thought, Adaleigh left Cameron and Madeline alone.

"OK," Madeline walked around the counter to stand next to Cam. "Could have used a little warning."

Cam shrugged. "Sorry, I don't keep secrets well. Besides, although I am the current heir and Mayor, this is still my mother's house. I needed to tell her."

She pursed her lips. "You could have at least waited until I came home from the doctor cleared and with a job."

"You're really certain that you can get a job?"

Madeline grinned and walked behind the bar in the living room. "I lived at your family park, remember? There's a readily available bar to practice on. I... have skills...."

She flipped a cup easily. "Besides, restaurants always need dishwashers. The real challenge is convincing them to let me bar tend."

Cam laughed. "Well if anyone can convince them, it's you Mads. I'm going to grab a change of clothes."

"Ok."

A quick change of clothes and he walked back to the living room to see Madeline staring at her phone. "Oh, that's my mom. She's here to take me to see Dr. Riddle."

"You sure that you don't want me to go with you?" he said standing to walk her to the door.

"Cam, you have done more than enough. Not to mention I need to talk to my mom about me staying here."

He took her hand in his and they crossed the room together. She stopped at the edge of the living room. "Cam, I will really be OK. I promise I'll fill you in tonight."

"Alright. I'll stop hovering."

"I will." she looked up at him. "Cam, I still can't believe you were able to forgive me. I want you to know that I am going to try my hardest to make this work."

Cam kissed her gently on the cheek. "I know, you will. Just text me OK?"

"I will promise." she waved cheekily and blew him a kiss from the doorway.

With Madeline gone for the day, Cam realized he wasn't sure what he wanted to do with his day. He needed to sit down and decide on the design for the first of the three houses he was set to build. Leaning against the counter, he glanced out at the window and saw Laura was still hard at work at her painting. She was apparently already gaining a following. She was discussing something with the gentleman so he didn't worry about her. Laura could hold her own.

His conversation with Madeline and his mother this morning made him think. Laura had gotten a job as a 'Hungry Artist' and even Collin had suddenly woken up this morning and decided that he was going to take up the violin again and try to became an entertainer.

His siblings all seemed to know what they wanted to do and where their lives were headed. He had his houses to build and the mayoral duties but was that all he had? His mother had never taken a job, but her task had been to build a public garden. It was something that he needed to consider. Madeline was doing her best for their future and it was time for him to decide what he wanted to contribute to their purposes.

Cam grabbed Laura's plate and washed it in the sink and then he headed down the hall to his room. He would start by putting together the first design together.
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He was still staring at the papers a few hours later. He had tried to draw a few designs but he really didn't know where to start. Adaleigh found him in his room doing exactly that, scrunched up paper littering the floor around him.

"It's difficult starting off isn't it?" Adaleigh said congenially as she walked in. "It will get easier. Once you start thinking about what you want in the houses. Just think about the families that you are designing them for."

"But I don't even know who might move in."

"So just think about what any family starting off might need."

"Yea, big bro, just use your imagination." Laura said strolling back into the house still in her robe. She had a sparkling water in her hand.

She plopped onto his bed nonchalantly.

"That's easy enough for you to say, Miss Inspiration-Has-Struck." Cam joked drolly.

Adaleigh crossed the room and sat delicately down next to her daughter.

"Well, it's not my fault that when I feel the inspiration I must paint. It's just the way I am." Laura said with a big grin. "You just need to find your inspiration and the designs will come easily."

"You're sister is right. You just need to find the right inspiration." Adaleigh said agreeing.

"Thank you, Mom."

Cam frowned. Frustrated he growled a bit and decided he needed some space from all this inspiration talk. "I'm going to get some air." he mumbled and Laura watched in amusement as he walked out of his room.

"Can't take good advice, big bro?"

"Just can't think!" he responded tartly but as he walked down the hall he couldn't help but smile.

He knew that Laura meant well and she really did believe that he needed to find his inspiration. But he just couldn't imagine what a new family would need. His mom and dad had always anything and everything he ever needed.

Stepping out onto the porch, Cam looked at his mother's small garden. A few of the strawberries was ready to be picked. Just being outside made him feel better. He decided that maybe he just needed to air out his brain.

A little bit of fresh air would get the "inspiration" flowing.

He knew that Adaleigh planned to go out with her best friend, Summer Huntington, to the opera, Laurent was already at work, as was Collin. His phone buzzed and he looked to see that Madeline had gotten cleared and was working the night shift as a dish washer because they needed someone immediately.

<I told you they always needed dishwashers. :P>

He smiled. So it looked like Madeline wouldn't be home until well after 1 am.

Plenty of time to clear his head and get a design together..... maybe....?

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Author's note: Another day, another post. Poses used for this chapter. Inabadromance's Cintiq Pose Pack and que's Computer Pose Pack. Mostly gameplay screenshots. Hopefully Cam will find his inspiration for those houses soon. We got three houses to build and a family to start soon.