Camila was 10 and was anxiously waiting at the waiting room in the hospital with her papa.
Her papa looked nervous and it made her feel all the more nervous. She was scared for her mama but at the same time, she was excited for her new baby sister.
"Mila, are you excited?" Her papa asked as he held her small hands. Her papa had been learning English and Camila took pride in the fact that she was helping her papa with it.
"Yeah but you seem nervous that's why I'm nervous too." she pointed out.
Her dad kissed her cheek and smiled. "It's normal, don't mind me. You should be excited. Our newest princess Sofia is coming."
Camila smiled at the thought. Being an only child after so long and then finally having another sibling felt so new to Camila.
"When are we gonna see her?" she asked looking at the doors of the room where her mom was situated at.
"I don't know yet Mila but I know one thing for sure. I already love our little Sofi." He said with a smile as Camila looked puzzled.
"Isn't love about sacrificing?" she remembered that night years ago with her mom.
Her father shook his head. "Love is unconditional as well. When you see someone and you already know you love them, just like when you were born."
Camila's train of thought was interrupted when the doctor came out of the room with a baby bundled up in his arms. Her papa approached the doctor and she trailed behind carefully.
Her papa sat down on one of the chairs and Camila quickly followed and saw a rosy-cheeked baby who was fast asleep, in her papa's arms. Camila couldn't stop staring at her little sister bundled up in sheets.
"Hello, my little Sofi," her papa said smiling, gently stroking the cheeks of the baby.
Camila said she wanted to hold her sister so her papa gently transferred Sofi in Camila's arms. Camila just watched her baby sister in her sleep with a smile in her face. What she felt inside was exactly what her papa had described.
She loved Sofi already. She didn't know how but she did. She was only ten but she knew it to be the best day of her life already, thus far. It was the day her baby sister came into the world. It was the day her eyes were opened to a new kind of love. It was love that didn't come at a cost, and she liked it.
/
"Kaki!" a small voice pierced into the air.
Camila turned around and saw her younger sister, Sofi, who was already 4, at the swings in their local playground.
"Push me Kaki!", she called out. Camila smiled and went over from the bench she was sitting at, to the swing set. Sofi barely reached half of Camila's height but her fun spirit made up for her size.
Camila held onto both sides of the swing and pulled and pushed Sofi in one swift move.
Her younger sister gave out a cheer as she swung up, then back.
Camila went back to the bench where she was at, writing some poetry at her notepad. She called out to Sofi, "Be careful Sofi, not too high!"
Camila settled back comfortably, her pad in her lap, pen in her hand when she heard her sister scream out. She quickly got up to her feet and ran to her sister who was on her knees in the ground.
"What happened?"
Sofi looked up, tears in her eyes. "I fell off the swing."
Camila kneeled beside her and looked at her knees where you can see there was a little graze. It wasn't too serious, nothing an ice pack and some band-aids couldn't handle. She sighed in relief to herself, fearing she would be in trouble from both of her parents for not keeping a better eye on her sister.
"Sofi, it's not that bad. We can go home, wash up and you'll be okay." Camila held on her sister's arm to pull but Sofi stayed put. "What's the matter?"
Sofi sniffed and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "You're mad at me."
"Sofi, I'm not. It's fine." Camila nudged again but to no use.
"I didn't listen and now you're mad you don't love me anymore." Camila felt her heart grow heavy. She made her younger sister turn to her and look her in the eyes.
"How can I be mad at you? It's nothing serious. I love you more than that, you're my sister." She said and to Camila's relief she saw a smile start to form at her sister's face.
"Really?" she asked in a sweet voice and it was so endearing to Camila she couldn't help but laugh.
"Of course. We're sisters. It's really you and me against the world, I'm always by your side whether you like it or not." Sofi jumped into her arms and they hugged it out.
Soon they were leaving the park, notepad in one hand, Sofi's hand in the other. Camila was swaying her hand as she walked which entertained her sister.
When they were in eyesight of their house, Sofi turned to Camila. "Always got my back?" She held out her pinky finger.
Her sister looked so cute then, she couldn't help but have a flashback of when she first held her in her arms the day she was born. It was the best day of her life then. A smile spread on her face. She locked her pinky finger with hers.
"Always".
