124 - Camilla Scott

124 - Camilla Scott
Camilla Scott

I woke up with a pain that seemed to come from everywhere at once. My body felt heavy, as if anchored to the ground, and my head was pounding. The first thing I truly felt was emptiness, a hollow void in my abdomen, as though something vital had been ripped away from me.

I tried to move, but my body wouldn’t respond. My eyes slowly opened, meeting a white ceiling and fluorescent lights above my head. I didn’t recognize the place immediately, and panic began to swell inside me. Where was I? Why couldn’t I feel my babies?

I felt my hand trembling as it moved toward my stomach. When my fingers finally touched the skin covered by bandages, I gasped. They weren’t there.

My children… my world… was gone.

“No… no…” My voice came out hoarse, a desperate whisper.

I fought to sit up, ignoring the pain tearing through my body. Flashes of the last thing I remembered returned like lightning: the sound of gunfire, Miley screaming my name, the sensation of warm blood running down my skin.

“My babies… where are my babies?” I murmured, frantically looking around.

The room felt like a prison. There were machines surrounding me, a monitor beeping steadily, and wires attached to my body. None of it was familiar. Everything felt cold and impersonal, so far from the safety of my home.

Suddenly, a nurse entered the room, likely alerted by the monitor reacting to my agitation. She approached quickly, her expression a mix of calm and concern.

“Mrs. Scott, please try to relax. You’ve just come out of a very delicate surgery.”

“Where are my babies?” I demanded, ignoring her words. My voice sliced through the air like a blade. “Where are they? Why is my belly…” My voice cracked, and tears started streaming down my face.

The nurse placed a gentle hand on my arm, trying to soothe me.

“They are fine, ma’am. Your babies are in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. They were born prematurely, but they’re receiving all the necessary care.”

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Those words hit me like a blow. The relief of knowing they were alive was immediately drowned by fear. Premature. So tiny, so fragile. And I hadn’t even seen them yet.

“I want to see them. I need to see them,” I begged, trying to remove the wires attached to me.

“You can’t get up yet, ma’am. Your body is still very weak.” The nurse gently placed her hands on my shoulders, keeping me from moving. “Please, try to rest.”

Rest? How could I rest when I didn’t know if my children were truly okay? Despair settled like a shadow, gripping my heart. Where was Benjamin? Why wasn’t he here with me?

“Benjamin, my husband, where is he?” I asked, my voice trembling.

“Your husband is with the babies. He asked us to notify him as soon as you woke up. I’ll call him right away, all right?” I saw in her eyes a silent plea for me to calm down.

Despite feeling a terrible coldness and overwhelming pain inside me, I decided it was best to believe the woman who was trying to reassure me.

I nodded, unable to speak. As the nurse left the room, emotions began to flow, and tears streamed down my face. It felt as if my entire body was crying, as if every part of me ached for their absence.

It wasn’t long before the door opened again. When I saw Benjamin enter, something inside me gave way. He looked exhausted, his face marked by lines of worry, but his eyes shone with relief as he saw I was awake.

“Camilla!” He rushed to me, holding my hand tightly. “Thank God you’re awake.”

“The babies… Benjamin, where are they? I need to see them, I need to know they’re okay…”

He kissed my hand, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.

“They are fine, my love. They’re as strong as you. I was just with them. They are beautiful, Camilla. Each one of them.”

The sound of his voice, the words he spoke, should have comforted me, but I still felt the vast emptiness in my belly, as if none of it was real. Not that I doubted my Bishop, but something still wasn’t connecting. I felt so alone at that moment.

“You need to take me to them, Benjamin,” I whispered, my voice faltering. “I can’t stay here without seeing how they’re doing. I need to meet my children.”

He nodded, leaning in to kiss my forehead.

“I’ll talk to the doctors. But please try to stay calm. They need you strong and healthy, Camilla. We need you, my love,” he said.

At that moment, our eyes met, and for a second, I saw all the despair Benjamin had felt during the time I was unconscious finally leave his eyes. The worry faded from his face, though it still bore the marks of exhaustion.

“How long have I been out?” I asked, cupping his face with my hands.

A grimace formed on his face, and I waited for him to sit beside me as he prepared to update me on everything that had happened while I was asleep.

“It’s been three days since you went into surgery. You experienced hypovolemic shock, and by great luck, the doctor managed to reverse the situation.”

“And our quartet?”

I saw him smile and kiss my lips gently before resting his forehead against mine.

“Julian was born first, in a hurry just like he was last week. He let out a strong cry. Right after him came Vincenzo, Will, and our beautiful little girl!”

I felt more tears welling up in my eyes and the desperation of not being able to see their faces. At that moment, I urgently needed to meet the four children who had turned my belly into a playground.

With my Bishop by my side, recounting everything I needed to know about our children, I heard the door open and looked toward the doctor, who sighed in relief upon seeing me awake.

The doctor entered the room with a professional expression, his eyes showing a trace of relief as he saw me conscious. He held an electronic chart, and behind him came a nurse pushing a cart with some equipment.

“Mrs. Scott, it’s a relief to see you awake,” he began in a gentle tone. “How are you feeling?”

“Weak, but worried,” I replied, trying to keep the emotion out of my voice. “My children, doctor, I need to see them.”

He nodded, as if already anticipating my anxiety.

“I understand, and I promise we’ll do everything possible to make that happen as soon as your condition allows. But first, I need to run a few quick tests to assess your recovery.”

I nodded, though every fiber of my being wanted to scream for him to let me get up that very instant. Benjamin still held my hand, his warm fingers offering a bit of comfort as the doctor began checking my vital signs, the bandage on my ribs, and even the incision on my belly.

“Your babies are true fighters, just like you,” he said as he made notes. “They are in the Neonatal ICU, receiving all the care they need. Though they’re premature, each of them is doing very well.”

Benjamin squeezed my hand as if to reinforce the doctor’s words.

“I’ve been with them, my love, and they’re incredible. Believe me, our quartet is strong.”

I smiled through the tears that refused to stop falling, feeling a mix of relief and impatience. The doctor finished his checks and gave a small, reassuring smile.

“Everything is progressing as expected. But I need to ask you to rest a little longer before you try to get up. Your body is still recovering.”

“And what about seeing them?” I asked, my voice trembling.

He paused before answering, as if carefully choosing his words.

”If she continues showing signs of improvement in the next few hours, we’ll do our best to transfer her to the Neonatal ICU. And if that’s not possible today, I can ask the team to bring one of your babies here for a few minutes so you can meet them.”

My breath caught for a moment, and tears began streaming down my face again. The idea of holding one of them, of seeing one of my children’s little faces, was everything I needed to hear.

Benjamin kissed my hand again, his voice soft in my ear.

“Everything will be fine, my love. Soon, we’ll all be together.”

The doctor said goodbye, promising to return soon with updates, and I leaned back against the pillow, exhausted but full of anticipation.

“Do they really look like me?” I asked, trying to lighten the weight in my heart.

Benjamin chuckled softly, his forehead still pressed against mine.

“Julian has my nose, but his eyes are all yours. Vincenzo has your dimples, and Will has a calm face, as if he already knows he’ll be the diplomat among the four. And our little girl, she’s your miniature, my little devil. Strong, beautiful, and with a special charm that’s already captivated everyone.”

“I hope she doesn’t have to go through what I did,” I said with a faint smile.

Benjamin had already assured me that he wouldn’t use our daughter to seal any agreements between the First’s mafia families, that our little girl would have the privilege of choosing who she wanted to marry.

“She won’t have to replay the story of Juliet, who had to die just to try to live her love!”

“But I played the role very well!” I replied, moving aside, so my husband could lie next to me.

“Rest now, my little devil. When you wake up, I’m sure one of them will be here with you.” I smiled and nodded, feeling a calmness settle within me again.

The emotion in his words warmed my heart, even amid the pain and anxiety. I closed my eyes, trying to imagine every detail he described, as if I could feel their little faces through the vivid images he painted for me.