Page 54 of Princessa
Seated in a chair in between Finn and Camille, I watched, chest filled with emotion, as Grayson transformed into a graceful—still strong in appearance—prince as he read pages from Pinocchio, the children sitting and watching in awe.
Afterward, the children cleared out for classroom time, all hugging Grayson, me, Finn, and Camille as they left. I wanted to gather them all up and take them home with me, and got misty eyed again as they walked out.
“Come now, let’s head to the nursery and see the little one who’s currently with Sister Julie.”
The four of us followed Sister Roberta down the hall to a door labeledInfància, which in English means, nursery. Inside was Sister Julie, cradling a baby, all bundled in a fluffy, pink blanket. She was singing softly as she rocked the quiet baby in her arms.
“This is who we are calling Baby Amelia,” said Roberta. “She was left at the gate just a few days ago with a note that explained the mother traveled from Barcelona because she heard many good things about Castle Primo. She’d made a mistake and even though at eighteen is old enough to have a baby, her parents would never approve. She couldn’t raise a child alone and she prays we find her a good home. After our doctors examined her, they determined Baby Amelia is only about six days old.”
I felt cold, saddened by the story and the fact Baby Amelia had been abandoned after only a few days of life.
“Would you like to hold her?” Sister Julie motioned for me to take the baby.
I froze because really, I’d never held one and always thought the first one I’d hold would be Lauren’s after she’d given birth to Gigi. “Um, well, I’ve never really held one before.”
“Here, let me show you.”
Julie got to her feet, baby in her arms, and gestured for me to sit in the rocking chair. Once I got settled, she handed Amelia to me ever so carefully. “Just keep her head steady and you will be fine.”
Taking her in my arms, I felt a sense of something I’d never felt before. Adoration? Instant love? Who knows, but Baby Amelia was the most precious thing I’d ever held—a gift of life we all take for granted.
Grayson came over, knelt down, cooing, showcasing yet an even softer side that made my heart sing. “You ever want kids?” he asked me as he rubbed Amelia’s soft, little head.
It was one thing I’d never really considered, one thing we’d never discussed, yet something I surprisingly knew the answer to straightaway. “Yes, lots of them.”
A smile stretched across his face. “Good, me too.”
