Eight and a half months. I was so close to the end of this journey, yet every day felt like a mountain I had to climb. My body was exhausted, worn thin by the relentless weight of carrying life within me, and each step seemed heavier than the last. But somehow, each day, I forced myself to get up, to move, even when my limbs begged me to lie down. Carlos hovered constantly, his concern palpable, a quiet reminder that he could see through my forced smiles and steady strides. But I couldn't let him see the extent of my struggle. I wanted to be strong, to show him—and myself—that I could endure this.
I slowly made my way down the hallway, my hand gliding along the cool marble walls, feeling their solidity ground me. Each step sent a dull ache through my legs, but as I felt the baby shift inside me, a small smile crept across my lips. This was our child—a little life that would soon join our world. Each sleepless night, every ache, was worth it if it meant bringing this child safely into our lives.
When I reached the grand staircase, I paused, gazing down at the familiar view. The stairs stretched down in an elegant split, with a small balcony overlooking the floors below. Sunlight poured in, casting a warm glow on the railing, giving the moment a rare sense of peace. I closed my eyes, breathing in the stillness, allowing myself a few seconds of calm.
But then, a chill crept down my spine, prickling at the back of my mind. I opened my eyes, the tranquility evaporating, replaced by an unmistakable sense of unease. Something felt wrong. I turned, intending to head back, to dismiss it as a fleeting moment of paranoia—when a whisper, low and chilling, broke the silence.
"Surprise."
My heart stopped. That voice—I knew it. The same one I'd heard at the party months ago. Panic flooded my veins, but before I could react, a hand pressed hard against my back and shoved.
I stumbled forward, my hand clawing for any support, my fingers skimming the edge of the balcony as I lost my balance. The world spun, tilting wildly, and I felt the pull of gravity taking hold, my stomach twisting with terror as I began to fall. My arms flailed, instinctively reaching out, but there was nothing to grab, nothing to stop the inevitable.
And then, all at once, the fall stopped. Strong arms caught me, steady and safe, pulling me out of the freefall and pressing me against a familiar chest. I clung to him, my heart hammering as my breaths came in shallow gasps, trying to process what had just happened.
"Lilith!" Carlos's voice was thick with shock and fear, his hands gripping me with an intensity that both frightened and comforted me. His face was a mask of worry, his eyes searching mine, and for a moment, I could only stare back, relief washing over me.
But then a sharp, searing pain tore through my abdomen, ripping a scream from my throat. I looked down, horror sinking in as I saw blood beginning to stain my clothes. The crimson spread, hot and terrifying, and I watched Carlos's face drain of color.
Without a word, he sprang into action, cradling me tightly as he turned and sprinted in the direction of the mansion's infirmary. My mind was a blur of pain and fear, my breaths coming in short, shallow bursts. The world around me dimmed, growing darker with each passing second as the pain pulsed, fierce and unyielding.
"Hold on, Lilith!" Carlos's voice, usually so steady, cracked with desperation, but his words sounded distant, fading with my waning strength. I could barely make out his pleas, his voice a mere echo as the darkness crept closer, pulling me under.
Just as we reached the infirmary doors, I felt my consciousness slipping, the last thing I saw was Carlos's face, a mixture of terror and fierce determination, before everything went black.
In the heavy silence of unconsciousness, fragmented voices drifted in and out of my awareness, distant and muffled. Each sound was blurred, tangled with the fog that clouded my mind.
"We'll have to do an emergency C-section, sir," I heard a voice say, somber and heavy.
"Do whatever it takes. I can't lose her," Carlos's voice replied, firm and unwavering, though there was a desperation in his tone that I'd rarely heard.
Time became meaningless, an endless stretch of darkness broken only by occasional voices, and flashes of pain and pressure. I felt like I was drifting, caught in a strange limbo, not fully aware but not entirely gone either. The only thing keeping me tethered was the faint sense of something more, something that needed me to hold on.
And then, after what felt like an eternity, a sound broke through—a baby's cry, high and clear, cutting through the fog with a brightness that seemed to pull me back, inch by inch.
"It's a girl, sir," the doctor's voice said, soft but filled with a quiet joy.
"Give her to me," Carlos murmured, his voice closer, warmer. There was a pause, the baby's cries softening, and I could almost feel his awe, the gentle reverence in his voice as he soothed her. "Bellissimo..." he breathed, the word wrapping around me, pulling me back toward the light.
•__________________________•
Bellissimo ~ beautiful in Italian
•__________________________•
"Her name is..." Carlos's voice was a quiet murmur, the words like a balm to my heart. "Lilly-Rae." His tone was filled with love, as if her name was the most precious gift he'd ever given.
"Good choice, sir," the doctor replied, his tone approving, but I barely registered it. I was too focused on Carlos's voice, his presence so close, so steady, as he moved nearer to where I lay.
A gentle hand brushed across my forehead, the warmth of his touch grounding me. "Lilith..." Carlos whispered, his voice thick with emotion, "Please, wake up."
The warmth, the quiet desperation in his voice, tugged at something deep within me, pulling me from the edges of the darkness. Slowly, I fought my way back, my mind clawing through the haze, willing my eyes to open, to see him, to see the child we'd created together.
With effort, my eyes fluttered open, the harsh light stinging them, but then his face came into view. Carlos was there, his expression a mixture of relief and awe, holding a small bundle in his arms. My heart swelled as I looked down at our daughter, her tiny face serene, framed by a wisp of dark hair.
"Carlos..." I rasped, my voice barely a whisper, each syllable feeling like a victory.
He looked down at me, his eyes softening, a rare vulnerability shining through. "Lilith," he whispered, his voice breaking slightly. "Look, our daughter." He leaned forward, and I reached out a trembling hand, my fingers brushing over the baby's soft cheek, a surge of love overwhelming me.
"She's beautiful," I whispered, tears blurring my vision as I traced the delicate features of our daughter, marveling at the tiny life we'd brought into the world. "Lilly-Rae."
Carlos's hand closed over mine, his grip warm and reassuring. "You scared me," he said softly, his thumb brushing against my skin. "Don't ever do that again."
A faint smile tugged at my lips, a soft laugh escaping despite my exhaustion. "No promises," I whispered, my voice laced with warmth and humor. The weight of fatigue pressed against me, but it was a comforting heaviness, one that came with peace.
As I drifted off, the last thing I felt was Carlos's hand holding mine, and the quiet presence of our daughter nestled close by. For the first time in a long time, I felt whole.
