the arrangement | ethma

16

Ethan

Holding our daughter for the first time in her little life, I got goosebumps. This little human came from me.

She was mine.

I never thought that something as beautiful as Camille would come from me, but it wasn't a wonder. She was Emma's too. That's why she was so pretty.

Camille was perfectly healthy, and Emma was too. We went home exactly 26 hours after Camille was born.

It was nearly 2 in the morning when Emma and I arrived to our place with our newborn. I changed the baby's diaper after Emma fed her, and then we laid her down in her bassinet by our bed.

I helped Emma into some comfy clothes before I changed, and then we brushed our teeth and fell asleep. It had been a long two days.

Our daughter was perfect, but being new parents (especially the first two days) was exhausting.

Somehow, I found myself not wanting to even miss a second. I could've stayed up and watched the baby breathe all night. I could've held her all night, so she'd cuddle with me. I could've held her little hand all night.

I could kiss her little baby cheeks forever. She wasn't chubby yet because she was so young, but she was equally as squishy.

Camille was two weeks old, and Emma was sitting next to me as our baby studied both of us. I was laying on my stomach next to her while she was laying in front of Emma on the bed. Emma and I were trying our best to entertain her.

The baby smiled at me as I got closer to her face, then gently attacking her cheek with kisses. It was the anticipation that made her giggle so hard, and her little squeal whenever I finally gave her kisses was the cutest thing I had ever witnessed.

I gently squished her cheeks between my index finger and thumb, smiling at her little coo. Emma moved so she was laying down on her stomach before kissing the baby on the cheek. "You love your dada so much, don't you, babygirl?"

Camille squealed, but I just think it was because she liked hearing Emma's voice. She was more used to it than any other voice.

She gave a little grunt as she was making her poop face, so Emma scooped her up and went across the hall to the nursery, where the changing table was. After she was all changed, we played for a little while longer before she needed a bottle again.

Once Camille was asleep, I let Emma take a nap too. I stayed awake in case the baby needed me, but it was a pretty quiet afternoon.

Camille woke up three hours later, and so did Emma.

"How was your nap?" I asked my wife, leaning forward and stealing a kiss from her.

"It was nice. Thank you, love."

"Any time you need a nap, just tell me, okay? I'll always let you rest if you need to. I can handle taking care of the baby if need be," I said, kissing Emma on the cheek.

That was how most of our days were. We'd play with Camille until she needed changed, she'd eat and fall asleep, Emma would take a nap too, and they'd both wake up for dinner.

Camille was growing so fast, each week furthering her development as a little human on Earth.

Emma, Camille and I flew to California Island, so we could introduce the baby to her family. I could understand why Emma loved this island so much. It was beautiful, and her family was so loving towards us.

My family was loving, but they weren't exactly the closest friends of mine.

Emma was best friends with her sister Lia, and her other siblings were also really close to her.

The three of her siblings probably gushed over the baby for a good hour before they were distracted with dinner.

Of course Emma and Lia wanted to have a good chat about Lia's upcoming wedding. Those two could gossip like TMZ.

I just sat there and tried my best to quietly entertain Camille.

That is until she got hungry. Emma got her cover up, so she could feed the baby while still talking to her sister, and then Camille happily fell asleep.

She was still really little, and sleeping a lot. Luckily for Emma and I, she was pretty good about sleeping overnight now.

Emma and I got to the hotel kind of late that night, so we just went right to sleep.

Camille woke us up around 6:30, and Emma and I took turns showering and getting ready for the day.

Emma looked so pretty in her little light blue sundress.

We had breakfast with her family before we took a small detour to the private beach. We had a small little sun hat for the baby, and her little sunglasses were the cutest thing.

We spent the next few hours relaxing in the breeze, and listening to ocean waves crash. It was quiet and peaceful. In fact, Camille slept through the whole thing.

We then flew to New York island to visit my family.

My mother loved meeting the baby, and I congratulated my brother on his new position as next in line for the crown, and for his recent engagement to a girl from royal descent somewhere in the states.

I was still feeling relieved that I never had to go back again. Not back to New York, but back to the organization. I was free of it. No questions asked.

My children wouldn't go through what Grayson and I endured as young kids. My future teenage sons wouldn't be coerced into losing their innocence at such a young age.

I knew Emma was relieved of it to. Maybe our daughters would actually fall in love rather than marry someone they barely know.

Luckily, Emma and I were able to somewhat get to know each other before we said I do, but that was luck. Our girls would find their true loves the way they should.

I wouldn't trust myself to make that big of a decision for them.