Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Lucy still didn’t show up by nightfall. When they got home, the house was empty, but Robert and Yvonne didn’t seem surprised at all. They just started getting dinner ready like usual.
The backyard lights were already on, casting a warm glow. Robert set up a small folding table outside, while Nina helped Yvonne bring out the food.
There were western omelets, pickles, coleslaw, and green beans with bacon. Simple, everyday dishes-but to Nina, they tasted amazing. They tasted like home.
Robert and Yvonne were so happy watching her eat, they didn’t even pick up their forks. They just looked at her like she was the most precious thing in the world.
“Mom, Dad, you should eat too,” Nina said, a little embarrassed by all the attention.
They both lit up. “Okay. Nina, eat as much as you want.”
“Alright!” Nina smiled, but just as she lifted her bowl of soup, her left hand suddenly twitched, almost spilling it.
“What’s wrong, Nina?” Yvonne quickly took the bowl from her.
Robert looked worried too. “Are you feeling okay?”
Think something bit me,” Nina said casually with a soft smile, squeezing her left wrist with her right hand.
“Must’ve been one of those mean mosquitoes. They sting bad and itch in weird spots,” Robert said, already heading into the house. He came back with some ointment.
While gently applying it to Nina’s wrist, he reminded her, “Try not to scratch it too hard.”
“Got it, Dad,” Nina said sweetly.
Just then, Yvonne let out a small gasp. “Nina, that’s a beautiful piece you’re wearing on your hand.”
“It’s a gift from a friend,” Nina replied.
“From someone at the orphanage?” Yvonne asked gently.
Truth was, both Yvonne and Robert had noticed the delicate chain with a silver ring the moment they saw her. Wearing a ring on a necklace like that seemed unusual-and the jewelry looked completely out of place against her worn-out clothes from before.
“Yes,” Nina said calmly, following Yvonne’s lead. “She got adopted.”
“That’s wonderful,” Yvonne said sincerely, clearly relieved. “Did she leave you any contact info? Now that you have a phone, maybe-”
Nina’s eyes dimmed just a little. “No, there wasn’t time.”
“I see,” Yvonne said softly, not suspecting a thing. She reached out and gave Nina’s hand a gentle squeeze. “It’s alright. If it’s meant to be, you’ll meet again.”
Nina gave a faint, bittersweet smile. “Yeah, we will.”
The moonlight was soft, but when it fell across Nina’s face, it cast a fleeting veil of sorrow, gone almost as quickly as it
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Chapter 7
appeared.
Robert felt a subtle jolt in his chest. He didn’t know what it was that made his daughter look so sad all of a sudden. He couldn’t help but wonder what else she might’ve been through.
But not wanting to press, he simply smiled and steered the moment elsewhere. “Alright, let’s eat before it gets cold.”
The warmth at the table soon returned.
Folks in town tended to wind down early. Before it even hit nine, Nina was back in her room-her heart a whirlwind of
emotions.
The energy-saving bulb cast a bright glow. There wasn’t much in the room besides a wardrobe, an old desk, and a rusty oscillating fan. Even the curtains had clearly been made from cut-up bed sheets.
But still, it felt warm and safe to Nina. Because this was the room Robert and Yvonne had insisted she take. They had moved into the old food storage shed next door, saying it stayed cooler in there anyway.
The fan was noisy, but it did the job.
Nina reached into her pocket and pulled out a small gray plastic bottle, about the size of a pinky finger. She opened it and shook out three tiny pills. The label, though worn, still faintly read: strong sleeping pill.
Without hesitation, she swallowed them and turned off the light.
Just then, she heard faint voices coming from the room next door.
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