camercnbishop

[camercnbishop]

Having a local dance class had truly been a lifesaver. Not having to drive Juliana all the way to Charleston and back every time she wanted to dance saved Cam a ton of time — and the best part was, she absolutely loved it. He’d lost count of how many times she’d come home repeating, “Miss Char said this” or “Miss Char said that,” grinning ear to ear.

So as he made his way down the familiar halls of the Rec Center, a smile settled on his face, knowing he was about to pick up one very happy Juliana. He stepped into the studio, barely having a chance to look around before she came hurtling into his arms. He chuckled and scooped her up. “Hey there, kiddo — you gonna school your dear old dad?” "Duh, Daddy!" Juliana grinned up at him.

Setting her down, he watched as she skipped back to the middle of the room, falling right into the moves she’d practiced all afternoon. Keeping his gaze fixed on her, Cam stepped closer to Livia. “Thanks for making this such a fun space for the kids,” he said with a warm smile. “She’s been talking about it all week.”

Starter for: @camercnbishop Location: Briar Ridge Rec Center

Livia watched the little girls walking out of the class with their parents, all bouncing around full of energy despite the fact that they had just danced around for a full hour. It was fun to see how happy they were. It was that where she got the most energy from.

Her eyes got stuck on Juliana who was one of the last to leave and made her way over to the little girl. "Is your dad or mom not here yet?" She asked, but just as the last word left her lips Cameron walked into the room. Livia straightened up and smiled at him. "There he is. Do you want to show your dad what you've learned today?"

[camercnbishop]

Cam tilted his head, brushing a hand down the back of his neck as a soft laugh slipped out. “Trust me,” he said, voice low enough for only her to hear, “getting ‘sick’ of you is the last thing you’ve got to worry about.” His gaze held hers for a moment longer, warm and a little shy, before he glanced toward where Juliana was chattering away.

“They can have every excuse in the book to drag us closer, as far as I’m concerned,” he added with a crooked smile, brushing the tip of a finger down the side of her hand. “If that means more nights like this, where she’s happy and…you’re here? I’m all for it.”

He shrugged, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek as the teasing gave way to something softer. “Honestly, Vanna… I like having you in our orbit. And it seems like Juliana is on the way to feeling the same.” He tapped a finger over his heart, voice dropping just a fraction. “And that? That means more to me than I can ever tell you.”

With a wink that was equal parts playful and hopeful, he bumped her shoulder gently. “And besides, making you blush might be one of my favorite things to do."

The gentle brush of his shoulder ignited a warmth within her, and Vanna suddenly became acutely aware of the cool evening breeze swirling around them. His words were like a soft melody, causing her eyes to shyly flicker away, a blush creeping onto her cheeks at the unexpected compliment. Accepting such praise was a challenge for her, especially given her hidden intentions. With a playful nudge, she sought to deflect the moment. "Who's not good with kids?" she replied with a nervous chuckle, feeling as though she stood under a brighter spotlight than she was prepared for.

If Juliana were to throw a tantrum over something trivial, perhaps Cameron would reevaluate his impression of her competence. Yet deep down, a longing sparked within her—a desire to believe that she truly was a positive influence on Juliana and deserving of the honor of being the first person he introduced to his daughter. Although she had considered this before, hearing it voiced so plainly caught her off guard, leading to a wave of self-disgust.

She gathered herself, forcing a laugh, yet turning her face away from him after playfully nudging him again as he dropped another intimate compliment. Vanna couldn’t help the warmth blooming in her cheeks, rolling her eyes in feigned exasperation. "Shut up. You can't make me blush in front of my family members,” she teased, the hint of a smile playing at her lips. "If they see you being all charming with me, before we know it, they'll use Juliana's innocent curiosity as an excuse to bring her over to our side of town more often than you'd probably like," she warned, the playful grin on her face betraying the lighthearted nature of her concern. "And then you'll really start to get sick of me."

[camercnbishop]

If Gen chose Alex, would you be okay?

Not gunna lie, that'd be a tough pill to swallow. There's always going to be lingering feelings over that situation. But I care about both of them and want each of them to be happy, so if they found that happiness in each other again... well, I'd work on being glad for them. @genortiz @alex-caldwell

[camercnbishop]

👐 if you had to eat one thing off of luther’s menu for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I'm not worried about a heart attack, right? Cause then it'd be easy! The ribs! Those things are literally finger lickin' good!

[camercnbishop]

do you trust vanna?

What a strange question? Yeah, of course, I trust Vanna! I wouldn't bring her around my kid if I didn't. @vanna-huang

[camercnbishop]

Would you ever move back to New York permanently?

After living here, in town, with Juliana, I can see how much of a disadvantage it is to not live close by. I didn't before and thought I could still do a good enough job as her dad, but now, I don't know if that's really possible from that kind of distance. So permanently? No, I don't think so.

[camercnbishop]

At what lengths have you considered your relationship with Vanna?

I mean, I've had to think about it a lot, I did introduce her to Juliana after all. I don't know where things are going for us, but I do know that I've been really enjoying getting to know her the way I've been fortunate enough to do so, so far. @vanna-huang

[camercnbishop]

👐 are you the father figure you want to be to your child?

I mean, there's always room for improvement and I'd never ever dare to insinuate that I'm the best father Juliana could have, but since I came to Briar Ridge, I'd like to think I'm doing my absolute best for her and I hope that's enough.

[camercnbishop]

Did you feel the sparks at your dinner with Jiya?

While it was incredibly great to get to catch up with her and see her again, I think Jiya would kick my ass if she knew I was spreading rumors about the two of us around town. @jiya-santa

[camercnbishop]

What is one piece of advice that you would tell your daughter when she's your age?

Remember what's most important in life; family and love, whatever kind it is. Don't spend so much time worrying about proving yourself at the expense of either of those things.

[camercnbishop]

Who is your celebrity crush?

I spent too much time rubbing shoulders with 'celebs' and the 'who's who' of New York back in the day to really fall into all that, but... have you seen Gabrielle Union lately? That woman only gets better with age.

[camercnbishop]

Cameron’s grin deepened at Holly’s quip about the Tin Man. “You say that like I don’t still have the costume somewhere in my closet. All I’m saying is—if this turns into a full-on team theme situation, I’m not above breaking it out again. Glitter, silver face paint, the works.”

He leaned a little closer to the table, eyeing the chaos with amused curiosity. “And for the record, I would absolutely follow someone into battle if they led with ‘we’ve got fake grass and a dream.’” 

Turning toward Civan, Cameron nodded seriously. “Hershey kiss flowers? I like it. That’s the kind of functional creativity we need. It’s aesthetically pleasing and yummy. Can’t go wrong.”

He reached for one of the more neutral baskets, holding it up for the others to consider. “Alright, design queens, what do we think of this one? Too basic? Too beige for the TikTok mom crowd? Or just the right amount of understated charm to let the glitter do the talking?” @hollyparkcr

Holly couldn't help but laugh at Civan's reaction, clearly out of his element with a task such as this one. “Well, I hate to break it to you, but I don't know many kids who are into 'modern minimalism.' You sound like that TikTok mom that everyone hated on for repainting her daughter's Fisher-Price Christmas tree in shades of beige.”

The woman turned toward Cameron, shaking his hand as a warm smile spread across her lips. “You bedazzled a shoebox and voluntarily dressed in head-to-toe silver? Oh, you’re gonna fit in just fine. Honestly, that puts you a full mile ahead of this guy. My only complaint is that the Tin Man costume didn't make a re-appearance," she laughed aloud, trying to imagine the sight she had very clearly missed out on.

Surveying the mess on the table like a general preparing for battle, the red head was determined to lock in. “We’ve got fake grass, a bunch of candy that will 100% melt before noon, and enough fake flowers to build a garden. I think we can work with this. Now we just have to pick a basket.”

→ @civanguneri

[camercnbishop]

Cameron let out a quiet breath, watching her carefully. “You know,” he started, voice low as he leaned forward, elbows on the table between them, “it’s okay to not be fine. You don’t have to keep running that line with me, Jiya. I know it’s the one that keeps people from asking more questions, but I’m not people. And you don’t have to convince me.”

He let the words settle for a beat before continuing, his tone softening, but with a weight behind it. “I hate that he made you feel like this. Like you were supposed to carry all of it—his choices, his failures. Like you somehow drove him to what he did.” His hands were resting on the table now, fingers curling into loose fists. “You deserved someone who fought for you. For what you built together. And if he couldn’t handle life getting hard, that’s on him. That’s always been on him.”

There was a flash of frustration in his eyes, but it softened again as he looked at her, voice dipping warmer. “It sounds like you've spent so much energy trying to make sense of someone else’s cowardice. But none of it makes you less. It never did.”

He exhaled, leaning back slightly, as if trying to give her room to breathe. “But... I get it. We’ll table it for now if that’s what you want.” His smile was faint but genuine. “There's not much to say. I bought a diner when I moved back here, something to keep me somewhat busy, cause you know I'd go crazy without something to do. I get a lot of time with Juliana now. And that's about it.” He forced out a short laugh, oh how his life had changed from what it had been like back in New York. "I'm over my psychiatrist demanded year off, so now I'm just trying to figure out what I'm going to do about the company."

She knew there had been a whole other part to Alex's side but from the conversation they'd had, she had only really taken away a feeling of blame. She had blamed him, the affair was what had prompted him to ask her for a divorce and the reason she hadn't even thought to fight it, but the idea that she had even pushed him towards it had been tearing her up. "Whatever helps him sleep better at night, I guess. God forbid a girl try and cope with situations in a way that she can get through the day."

The comment for a second stopped her from breathing and it took every ounce of self discipline for her face not to break and for her regular breathing to start again. "He left and got everything he wanted, so that would suggest to me that it wasn't him as the problem there, Cam." She knew as her friend, Cameron would be in her corner, but there was no denying it to Jiya. "I couldn't give him what he wanted, so he found it elsewhere. I think it's almost the definition of not being enough."

Clinking her glass against his at their pretty sad toast, Jiya smirked a little before taking a sip. "We both know yours isn't as simple as it being all your fault." Their mutual divorces had been something they had originally bonded over and as much as Cameron would be in her corner, she would be in his. "Although maybe we should look into how we can remove these magnets, I'm not sure it's doing either of us any good."

Jiya kept her face completely neutral for a few seconds before she forced a small smile onto her lips. "I'm fine, but thank you, I do appreciate it." It was a line she had churned out countless times over the last couple of years, even more so over the last couple of months and she swore that each time she said it, she became slightly less convincing. "But can you please now catch me up on you? I think my sad hole of a life has swallowed up enough of our reunion, don't you?"

[camercnbishop]

Cameron swallowed, his chest tightening at her words. Hearing Genesis admit all of that — things he’d wondered about but never dared to ask — hit him harder than he expected. She wasn’t angry, but that didn’t mean it hadn’t hurt. And somehow, that made it even harder to hear.

He rubbed his hands together slowly, grounding himself before speaking, his voice low and earnest.

“Gen…” He let out a breath, eyes flicking up to meet hers. “I think part of me always was always scared of what it would feel like. Seeing you with someone else. And knowing that someday, we’d both eventually try to move on.” His lips pressed into a thin line for a moment before continuing. “But actually being in it? It’s so much harder than I thought it’d be.”

His fingers tapped an uneven rhythm against his knee. “You were my best friend too. And for a long time, you were my safe place, my home. Letting go of that version of us has been... harder than I’ve admitted to anyone. Even myself. I’m still struggling to actually do it.”

He exhaled quietly, forcing a small, wry smile. “And I know exactly what you mean about comparisons. I’ve done it too, probably more than I should. Because no one really knows me the way you do. No one has that history. And when you’ve shared as much life as we have, it’s not something you can just shut off. Seeing you with that guy at New Year’s, it felt like a bucket of ice water being dumped on me, reminding me of how much work I still have to do.” 

His gaze softened. “I’m sorry if any of this made things harder for you, even unintentionally. I never wanted to make anything messier than it already is. But I’m really grateful you told me all that. Because… yeah, this doesn’t come with a map. We’re figuring it out as we go.”

He paused, taking a breath. “But I do want us to keep figuring it out, Gen. For Juliana. For us. I want us to keep being honest. Even when it’s messy. Even when it’s hard.”

Genesis listened quietly, eyes fixated on the steam rising from her cup of coffee as Cameron spoke. His words were careful and considerate. But perhaps most importantly of all, he hadn't been dishonest.

When it was finally the woman's turn to speak, she kept her voice low and her tone even. She didn't want Cameron to think she was angry or that she'd lost sleep over the matter, even if she had. “You know,” Genesis began slowly, her fingers tapping slowly at the ceramic handle, “I used to wonder what it would feel like. Seeing you with someone else.”

She glanced up at him then, allowing their eyes to connect in the moment of honesty. “I mean, we’ve been divorced a while. And I know it’s natural, but it still caught me off guard. It felt like an alternate reality almost. Like suddenly, I was looking at you not just as Juliana’s father or my ex-husband, but as a man who could be somebody else’s partner. And that felt so incredibly weird, and maybe even a little scary.”

Genesis paused, drawing in a quiet breath. “I’ve tried dating too. Nothing serious. But I'm slowly trying to get out of my comfort zone and unlearn how to be alone. The problem is that sometimes I catch myself comparing other people to you. Which I know is unfair. To them, to me, and maybe even to you.”

She looked at him fully now, something soft and unguarded flickering behind her warm brown eyes. “We built a life together once. Even if it didn’t last the way we thought it would, it was still important and still life-changing. And I think I'll always carry a piece of that with me, especially when you were my best friend for so many years. So no, I’m not mad. I don’t feel betrayed. But I needed to say it out loud. Unfortunately, navigating this next chapter doesn’t come with a map or instructions. And sometimes it hurts. Even when nobody's doing anything wrong. But I really appreciate your honesty.”

[camercnbishop]

Waiting for Alex to respond, he couldn’t help but wonder if he’d pushed too far by bringing up the past. Maybe Alex just wanted someone to listen to what was happening now, not revisit old wounds. He braced himself to be brushed off — maybe even asked to leave — but finally, Alex spoke.

“We were kids, stupid kids who let a lot of hormones get in the way of being good friends to each other.” Cam replied with a shrug. So much time had passed and with that passage of time, he could realize how true his words were. He’d carried teenage resentment for far too long, and looking back now, it felt ridiculous. “And truth be told, I don’t think I would have been in a place to hear any of that if you had reached out back then.” 

He had been far too caught up in his own feelings to ever take Alex’s into consideration.  

With another shrug, he glanced up at Alex, “Besides, life has probably knocked both of us down enough now that we’re actually able to really take each other’s experiences and feelings into consideration.” It certainly had for him.

Life had dealt them both a couple raw deals, from the sounds of it, and now that it had brought them both to Briar Ridge, maybe it was a silent nudge to take advantage of having a friendly face around. He nodded along as Alex spoke, a lot of it resonating with him more than he could say. 

Clearing his throat, he offered a little of his own story. “I don’t know how much you’ve heard about why I ended up back here, but after my divorce, I did the same thing. I buried myself in work, trying to prove—to everyone, but mostly to myself—that I wasn’t broken by it all. And, well, I burned out. Completely. My psychiatrist literally ordered me to take a break from the one thing that made me feel like I wasn’t a total failure.”

He chuckled softly, shaking his head at the version of himself from a year ago. Hopefully, he’d grown a little since then. “So I know all too well how draining it is to feel like you’re hiding every second of the day.” 

Leaning back against the couch, he draped his arm over the backrest, hoping the gesture made it clear he wasn’t going anywhere. With a grin, he added, “And dude—Gen was, and still is, amazing. You really think I can blame you for shooting your shot?”

Alex stilled mid-pace, Cam’s words cutting through the static in his head. For a beat, all he could do was stand there, his back half-turned, shoulders tight with everything he hadn’t let himself feel until now.

He didn’t speak right away. The silence between them wasn’t cold—it was full. Heavy with everything unsaid and everything they’d both carried for years without knowing if the other still gave a damn.

Finally, he turned. The look in his eyes wasn’t quite surprise, but it was something close, like he hadn’t expected grace from this conversation, let alone forgiveness.

His voice was quiet when it came. “You sure about that?” He wasn’t pushing, not really. Just trying to make sense of the generosity Cam had just handed him. “Because I...” He huffed out a humorless breath, rubbed the back of his neck. “I blamed you for a lot of things that weren’t yours to carry. And I let pride, stubbornness, whatever, get in the way of reaching out when it still would’ve mattered.”

He sank down onto the armrest of the couch like his legs couldn’t be trusted, fingers laced tightly together. “I’ve had to unlearn a lot of shit in the last few years. About control. About guilt. About what it means to show up for someone even when it’s messy as hell.” He shook his head, jaw clenched. “I spent so long trying to prove I wasn’t broken by what happened with Gen, with my family, with Emmy... But all that time, I think I just got better at hiding it all.”

He looked at Cam then, something raw and honest behind his eyes. “I don’t know if I’m doing any of this right. But tonight? I didn’t want to pretend. I just needed someone who remembers who I was before everything got so damn complicated.”

Then, with a dry laugh that cracked a little at the edges: “And for the record, I always knew about the feelings. Not because you said anything, just… I saw it. I didn’t know what to do with it back then. But I saw it.”

Another beat. He let that sit for a moment, then offered a lopsided, tired smile. “Thank you. For showing up anyway.”

[camercnbishop]

“Yeah, fashionistas!” Juliana murmured, almost as if taking in the descriptor for herself. She was besotted. Cameron could tell by the way she lit up at Vanna’s wink. It warmed his heart to see the interaction. His heart gave an extra tight squeeze when Vanna encouraged her about doing things even when you felt anxious about them. The seven year old might not look like it now, with all the confidence she was exuding interacting with a new adult. But Cam had watched his daughter struggle with anxiety over her interactions with her peers and their perceptions of her a few times lately. And he couldn’t even begin to express how much it meant that Vanna was encouraging her in this way. Maybe this would sink in in a way that Cam & Genesis’ advice hadn’t. When Vanna sought out his gaze, he couldn’t have stopped the warm smile he sent her way even if he had wanted to, nodding his head in a way he hoped would reassure her she was doing great. 

As Juliana followed Simon with wide-eyed curiosity, Cam stepped closer to Vanna, their shoulders almost brushing. “You’re really good with her,” he said quietly, eyes following his daughter for a beat before turning to her. “I wasn’t sure how this would go—introducing you, I’ve never introduced her to anyone I’m…” his voice trailed off, as he tried to figure out how to define what was going on between them. In the end, he gave up, continuing on as if he hadn’t started that sentence. “But, she loves you already.” His voice held a note of awe, mixed with something a little raw. “And thank you. For what you said to her. She needed that more than you know.”

He paused, letting the quiet moment stretch between them, not quite ready to break it. “And for the record,” he added, mouth curving into something more playful, “I appreciate all the effort you put into your outfit.” His gaze dipped, taking in the details she’d so clearly chosen with care. “You look great.”

At his question, Vanna stood with a playful grin on her face. "Well," she shrugged, "when you think about all the different ways I paired things together to arrive at this look, it adds up to seven." She glanced down, her nose crinkling, but then smiled when Juliana mentioned wanting to look nice for the lanterns. Her brows knit together, finding Juliana absolutely adorable. "Only fashionistas get it," she winked at Juliana, nodding in her direction.

Vanna smiled as she gazed at Juliana, who began asking questions about the other children. She was so sweet and gentle. "I'm sure some of them feel nervous. It's normal to be anxious when you're trying something new, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it, right? It's okay to do hard things, even when you're scared." Although it took Vanna a long time to learn this lesson while living overseas, she hoped that sharing some of her advice would help her. She glanced up at Cameron, giving him a shy look, hoping her advice wasn't unsolicited.

She felt nervous when Juliana suddenly took hold of her hand. Vanna wasn't often around children, except for her nieces and nephews, and getting to know Cameron's daughter in this way felt very intimate. She tried not to dwell on it too much and looked up at him when he spoke. "Lanterns are magical, so I get it," she said, nudging him and giving him a wink as they approached their destination.

Vanna spotted them almost immediately: her cousin was struggling with a stubborn lantern that refused to stay upright. Her aunt noticed her too, gesturing to the group to indicate that Vanna had arrived, and she was with a man. They were gossiping in Mandarin, and even though Cameron couldn't understand a word, it was obvious they were talking about them. Vanna rolled her eyes and took a few steps forward, waving her hands for them to stop. "Hǎo ba, hǎo ba," she began. "This is my friend and his daughter," she continued in Mandarin.

She turned to Juliana. "Juliana, this is my cousin Simon and his mom, my aunt. They can help you pick out a lantern," she said with a smile, her hand gently resting on Juliana's back. It was pure luck that Simon had been assigned to manage the lantern supply this year. Vanna suspected it had everything to do with his criticism of last year's vendor, whose poor choices led to a series of failures; the lanterns had been made of heavy material that failed to take flight. Simon greeted Juliana with a warm smile and waved at Cameron. "Hi, Juliana! I love your top. Did you know that lanterns have a long history with lotus flowers?" He smiled, encouraging her to follow him.

[camercnbishop]

His brows drew together in confusion at Alex’s words. For a second, it looked like he might say more—something about Genesis, maybe—but at the last second, he held back. Was there something going on between Alex and Gen again? The ghost of old feelings stirred, threatening to claw their way to the surface, but Cam shoved them down. He’d come here hoping they could start fresh. He needed to mean that.

Letting out a slow breath—the kind that felt like it came from somewhere deep in his chest—he watched Alex pace, tension practically vibrating off him. And for a moment, all he could see was the kid he grew up with in New York—sharp elbows, always overthinking, the first to jump into something headfirst and the last to admit he was scared.

It had been years since they’d stood this close to the truth.

“I get it,” he said quietly. And boy, did he ever. He still remembered the day Genesis served him with divorce papers—just days after he’d realized that his father’s business dealings might not be as upfront as Cam had assumed they were. He’d probably looked a lot like Alex did now. Shaken. Frayed at the edges. Lost.

He shook his head in understanding, his voice low but steady. “Everything crashing down at once… it doesn’t leave a lot of room to breathe. And being a dad on top of that?” He let out a short breath. “There’s no manual. No reset button. Just a bunch of moments where you hope you’re doing more right than wrong.”

He gave a half shrug. “I don’t have any magic advice for your situation. But you don’t have to do this alone, Alex. Not tonight, at least.”

He meant it. He remembered how Cali had sat with him that night while he spiraled. She hadn’t fixed anything, hadn’t offered grand solutions—but she’d stayed. And that had made all the difference. If Alex was reaching out, Cam could be that person for him now. Maybe not petite or comforting in the way Cali had been—and definitely lacking in boobs—but still.

“Besides,” he said, brushing off Alex’s reference to their shared history, “you didn’t mess anything up with me. I let my own feelings for Gen—unspoken ones, at the time, for the record—get in the way of being your friend. That wasn’t exactly fair to you.”

Alex let out a rough exhale, his jaw flexing as he looked away, blinking fast like he was trying to hold something back. “Yeah, man,” he said, his voice a little hoarse, a little too close to breaking. “Something’s up.”

He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, running a hand over his face before dragging it through his hair. “Genesis, she—” His voice caught, and for a second, he just shook his head like he still couldn’t believe it. And yet he realized Cam wasn't the right audience for that revelation. “Just being around her again is weird.” There was a short, bitter laugh, but it was empty. “So much is happening, so many big things, and everyone is acting like it's just... stuff I can process between breakfast and a grocery run.”

Alex turned to him then, eyes glassy but sharp. He was pacing, when did he start pacing? “And I thought I could handle it. I wanted to be the guy who could handle it. But I’ve got Genesis back in my life, my ex-wife is here and we're just poking old wounds until we draw blood, and Emmy’s in the middle of it — all this mess I didn’t ask for, and I’m supposed to be the steady one now? I'm supposed to be someone's dad.”

He swiped at his eyes, frustrated, angry at himself for letting them burn in the first place. “I didn’t know who else to call. I didn’t even know if you’d pick up. But when it all started crashing down, you were the first person I thought of. Not because I expect you to fix it, not after everything, but I just..” He exhaled again, this time shakier.

Alex looked at Cam, tired and exposed in a way he rarely let himself be. “I know I messed a lot of shit up. And if you need time or space or whatever, I get that. But thanks for showing up. I don’t think I could’ve done this alone tonight.”