125 - Camilla Scott

125 - Camilla Scott
Camilla Scott

I fell asleep with Benjamin's promise still lingering in my mind, like a warm blanket on a cold night. Exhaustion took over, and for a few hours, I lost track of time, sinking into a deep, dreamless sleep. When I opened my eyes again, the soft light of dawn filtered through the hospital room curtains, and my heart ached as I realized I was still alone.

I looked around, but Benjamin wasn’t there. He had probably gone to check on the babies or speak with the doctors. Before panic could settle in again, the door opened slowly, and a nurse walked in with a kind smile on her face.

"Good morning, Mrs. Scott. How are you feeling today?" she asked as she adjusted the equipment around me.

"Better, I think…" I murmured, my voice still hoarse. "Can I see them now?"

The nurse's smile widened.

"Mr. Scott asked us to bring you a surprise. I'll fetch it right away."

My heart raced, and my hands began trembling slightly as I waited. Seconds felt like hours until the door opened again, and this time, Benjamin entered, pushing an incubator. Inside was something small, wrapped in a white blanket.

"Look who came to meet Mommy," he said, his voice brimming with emotion.

He walked to my bedside and carefully placed the incubator close to my hand.

"Can I touch him?" I asked hesitantly, unsure of what to do or expect.

The nurse, who had followed my husband into the room, smiled and stepped closer.

"Of course you can; he’s your son. I’ll take him out and place him in your arms, alright?" Her reassurance somehow left me more nervous.

With enviable agility, I watched as she lifted the tiny bundle and placed it gently in my arms. My heart stopped for a moment, then began racing like never before. Benjamin sat on the other side of me while the nurse showed me how to hold him securely.

"This is Julian, our little impatient one," Benjamin whispered.

I turned the small bundle to face me, carefully resting him on my lap. I wanted to look at him, to ensure everything about his tiny body was perfect. I pulled back the white blanket covering him and saw him wearing nothing but a disposable diaper. I gazed at his tiny face, with rosy cheeks and closed eyes, and tears streamed down my face again. He was perfect. My little miracle.

"Hello, my love…" My voice trembled, and my hands couldn’t stop shaking as I gently caressed his delicate skin. "You are so beautiful, so strong."

Benjamin, sitting beside me, wrapped an arm around my shoulders as we admired our son together.

"He looks so peaceful, but he already has your determined look," Benjamin said with a smile.

I chuckled softly, unable to take my eyes off Julian.

"I hope he inherited more of your calmness than my temperament," I said, recalling our tumultuous history.

Benjamin kissed my forehead, pulling me closer.

"He’ll have the best of both of us, my little devil. And I promise, he, Vincenzo, Will, and our little girl will have everything they need to be happy."

I nodded, still unable to find the words to express everything I was feeling at that moment. Julian let out a soft sigh, and my heart nearly burst with love.

"Welcome to the world, my little warrior. Mommy’s here now, and she’ll never leave you."

Benjamin caressed my face as I remained captivated by Julian's beauty. He looked so small and fragile in my arms. The room was enveloped in a comforting silence, broken only by our baby’s tiny breaths. It felt as if the whole world had stopped to give us this moment.

"Are you ready to meet the others?" Benjamin asked softly, his eyes shining with the same emotion I felt.

My heart skipped a beat. The thought of seeing each of my babies, holding all of them, felt surreal.

"I want to…" I murmured, without taking my eyes off Julian. "But I don’t want to let him go."

Benjamin smiled, leaning in to kiss my forehead.

"He will always be yours, Camilla. They all will. I promise he’ll be alright."

With the utmost care, he took Julian from my arms, and tears filled my eyes again as I watched the tenderness with which he held him. My Bishop, my husband, the father of my children. The image of him with our baby was something I would never forget.

"I’ll ask them to bring the next one," the nurse said as she placed our baby back in the incubator.

A few minutes later, the nurse returned, this time carrying another tiny bundle in her arms. Vincenzo. He looked so much like Julian, yet he was unique. As I held him, I noticed he was a little more restless, his tiny hands constantly moving as if already exploring the world around him.

“Hello, my explorer…” I whispered, smiling as he barely opened his eyes. “You are so special, Vincenzo. Mommy already loves you more than words can explain.”

I looked up when I saw Benjamin entering the room, carrying another little bundle in his arms, he had come back holding Will. Still cradling Vincenzo, he handed me our other baby. He was the embodiment of peace, with a serene expression that melted my heart. I held him just as carefully, feeling every fiber of my being connected with him.

“You’re going to be the peacemaker, aren’t you?” I joked, smiling at Benjamin. “I can already tell he’ll be the one settling the fights between his brothers.”

Benjamin laughed, sitting down beside me again.

“With three boys, our little girl is going to need an ally.”

My heart tightened at the mention of her. I hadn’t seen my little girl yet, and the yearning to meet her was consuming me. Benjamin seemed to sense this because, as soon as Will and Vincenzo were taken back to the Neonatal ICU, he asked the nurse to bring our daughter.

When the door opened again, I felt the tears start even before I saw her. The nurse handed the pink bundle to Benjamin, who held it with such care that it seemed he was carrying the world’s greatest treasure. He approached and placed her in my arms, and I knew immediately that my life would never be the same.

She was perfect. Tiny, delicate, with a presence that already seemed to light up the entire room. Her eyes were closed, but I could see traces of both Benjamin and me in every feature.

“My little girl…” I whispered, letting the tears fall. “You’re so beautiful…”

Benjamin leaned in, kissing my cheek and gazing at our little one with pure adoration.

“She’s already got you wrapped around her finger, Camilla.”

I chuckled softly, stroking her delicate cheek with my finger.

“And she’ll have the whole world too. We’ll protect her, Benjamin. Her and all of them.”

“Always,” he replied, his voice firm, like a promise carved into eternity.

That moment, with my daughter in my arms and Benjamin by my side, was everything I could have dreamed of and more. My heart, once filled with fear and uncertainty, now overflowed with love and gratitude. Our family was finally complete.

I caressed her soft, fine hair, marveling at its unreal silkiness. My heart felt too small to hold so much love, so much emotion. The boys had already filled my world, but seeing my little girl was like holding a piece of my soul.

“Do you think she looks more like me or you?” I asked, still absorbed in her flawless little face.

Benjamin tilted his head, analyzing her with that meticulous gaze I knew so well. He smiled faintly, the kind of smile that always left me breathless.

“I think she has your chin and my nose. But those little eyes, even closed, look like yours. I’m sure she’ll have your determination.”

“Or stubbornness, right?” I teased, smiling through my tears.

“Determination,” he corrected firmly, though his eyes sparkled with humor and tenderness. “After all, she’s the daughter of the strongest woman I know.”

His words touched me deeply, and for a moment, it felt like all the exhaustion, pain, and fear had vanished. The warmth of Benjamin’s words and the sweet weight of our daughter in my arms were all I needed in that instant.

The nurse returned and, with a kind look, said we had to return our little one to the incubator. My heart clenched, and Benjamin must have noticed because he placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.

“She’ll be okay, my love. I promise,” he said, his voice steady, a safe harbor for my anxiety. “The hospital is completely secure and full of soldiers to protect them all.”

Reluctantly, I let the nurse take her, but not before kissing her tiny forehead and whispering,
“Mommy will always be here for you, my love. Always.”

As I handed my daughter to a stranger and watched the door close, I felt the emptiness of separation, even knowing it was temporary. Benjamin sat beside me, taking my hand and intertwining our fingers.

“I know it’s hard, but soon they’ll all be here with you.” He squeezed my hand. “And when that happens, you’re going to be the most incredible mom these four could ever ask for.”

“Only because they have the best dad in the world,” I replied, leaning my head against his shoulder.

For a moment, we stayed like that, in silence, sharing the happiness of making it to this point. Everything still felt like a distant dream, but we were together, and that was enough. I looked at Benjamin and saw something new in his eyes, a light that mixed pride, love, and an unshakable determination.

“What is it?” I asked, curious about that glow in his eyes.

“Nothing,” he said, smiling faintly. “I’m just thinking about how our lives are going to be from now on. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this complete before.”

“Me neither,” I admitted softly.

At that moment, as we sat there, exhausted and overflowing with love, I knew that no matter what lay ahead, we would face it together. Our family, our miraculous quartet, was proof that we could overcome anything.