Romantic Camelot Cove

Though they were still very young, the relationship between the twins was stronger than even their parents had ever imagined it could be. They obviously loved one another dearly and were almost always found playing together in their bedroom or the living room, sharing secrets and generally behaving like sisters with a strong relationship. Neither of them required a whole lot of parental supervision either, and both Christy and Lancelot often felt that it was best to leave them alone to their play.

Neither of them, however, could avoid noticing the difference in Amelia after her fifth birthday had passed and Christy had made the announcement about the new baby. She seemed sullen and moody and rarely wanted to speak to either of them. Penelope didn’t seem at all affected by her sister’s changes and chattered on almost incessently about the upcoming addition to the family. The more her twin talked, the less time Amelia spent with her sister and the more she seemed to brood.

Clearly there was a problem.

For Christy and Lancelot, however, there were too many other things to worry about without having to deal with their daughter’s displeasure over the impending birth of a new child. While they both continued to try to spend as much time with their two older children as was necessary, they also realized that there was nothing they could do to reassure Amelia. They weren’t even certain what was bothering her so much that she had become so sullen.

But to the little girl’s mind it was obvious: With another baby coming her parents would easily be able to replace her.

Amelia was the golden child in the house. She was bright and friendly and got along with everyone. She could easily be called her parents’ favorite of the twins. It was a nice, secure place to be. But would that change if another child came along? Particularly if that child was a boy? These fears left her frazzled and insecure. Even now, with her mother only pregnant, it seemed as though they spent less time with her, leaving her more time to her studies. Even at five years old she was an avid reader and devoured every piece of information she could find. It was something that had always made both of her parents very proud.

What made the pregnancy even more difficult for Amelia was that her sister was eager to see the birth of their little brother or sister. She chattered on about it constantly and left no room for Amelia to voice her fears to her best friend in the world — her twin sister. It left the little girl feeling terribly lonely at a time when she needed her family most in the world.

As the pregnancy progressed Christy seemed less and less concerned with her daughters’ feelings about the upcoming birth. There was just too much to do, too much to prepare and that left little time for the twins. Secretly she’d been hoping for a boy from the moment she found out that she was pregnant and it excited her to think that she might give birth to the heir to the Du Lac fortune, if, in fact, the fortune was ever passed down to their family.

The company was still failing and Lancelot had yet to be allowed to find a position at his father’s company. In fact, Lance was doing well in the medical field and had made his way to the position of surgeon. Everyone was very proud of his accomplishments, especially his parents, but it wasn’t what he’d always dreamed of and that hurt Lancelot deeply. He meant to follow in his father’s footsteps and to pass the legacy of the company on to one of his own children. Who, he wasn’t sure yet, although Amelia already seemed like a strong canditate, with her zeal for learning.

Truthfully, were he forced to admit it, Amelia was certainly his favorite child and she reminded him in so many ways of the woman he loved and had chosen to marry. But he and Christy were by no means finished having children — in fact, they wanted a large family and were prepared now to achieve what had been a dream for both of them for quite some time.

While the girls were still on Lancelot’s mind, Christy was absorbed with her pregnancy. So far things had gone far easier than they had with the twins. She wasn’t sick nearly as often and she already felt a deep sense of relief that it seemed she would make it through the pregnancy without any of her previous depression. Perhaps she avoided depression simply by avoiding contact with the younger of her twin daughters. Or perhaps it was a genuine feeling of elation as she dreamed of and prepared for the birth of another child.

Dr. Portland had recommended that Christy rest as much as she could, and indeed she spent most of her time relaxing and reading on the bed she shared with her fiance or sleeping. Lancelot was certain that this change alone helped to ease the pains of her pregnancy and he was relieved to see the woman he loved so much happier.

Even the labor went more quickly on that night in early September. Lancelot was awakened by his fiance’s cries and quickly bolted out of bed to do whatever he could to help. In their room the twins were also awakened and stirred slightly in their bed. Penelope tried to rush into the room but was quickly shooed out by her father. Amelia simply closed her eyes and struggled to return to the bliss of sleep. Tomorrow her life would be changed, but for tonight she could enjoy a good night’s sleep and relax in her dreams — or so she thought.

Instead the little girl suffered with nightmares throughout the night, tossing and turning and crying out in harmony with her laboring mother until finally the cries of both stopped and were replaced by a small, juvenile scream of discomfort.

“It’s a boy!” Dr. Portland announced as he cut the cord and handed the baby to his mother. Amelia’s worst fears realized! The parents, however, simply smiled and shared an embrace as they gazed down into the face of their beautiful, infant son. With his red hair and dark blue eyes he reminded both of them of the twins when they had been born. Beautiful and fragile, he was a welcome addition to the family — a welcome addition for everyone but Amelia that is!

“We’ll name him Jacob,” Christy whispered to Lancelot, and both parents shared a wide smile.