Seraphina's POV
Morgan brought me to my feet, clear concern showing all over her face. Her brows were both drawn together and her hands shook slightly as she held my own arms.
"What are you doing out here?" she asked, almost breathless. Her eyes looked around me in panic. "Oh my goodness, you're arm!"
I turned slowly, only to just realize the sharp sensation. Red liquid oozed from the wound, not too fast but enough to make anyone worried. The wound was wide and angry looking and definitely deep enough to catch an infection.
Without waiting another second, Morgan grabbed my suitcase and threw it into the back seat.
"Get in," she said, opening the passenger door for me. Her tone gave me no room to argue with her.
I didn't hesitate. I got into the car.
She drove straight to her home, and the whole drive stayed quiet. None of us was ready to speak. Not yet.
The silence wasn't awkward, it was just heavy. Like both of us were waiting for the right moment when all the words would make sense.
When we got to her house, it was empty. Her parents weren't back yet.
Morgan led me to the living room and I slowly sat down on the couch. Without a word, she disappeared down the hallway and returned moments later with a first aid kit in her hand.
She knelt in front of me and got to work, cleaning the wound carefully, bit by bit. Her hands were steady, focused, but her eyes never looked up to mine, not until she was done attending to me.
Then she looked up at me, her eyes still holding that concern look on her face, her silence louder than any question she could have asked me.
And I knew.
It was my turn to explain everything.
And I told her everything.
From how I arrived at the house with the expectation of a warm welcome from my father, only to be disowned in less than minutes of entering the house. How my father threw me out like I was instantly a stranger to him, how I walked the streets with no direction, no purpose, just with a suitcase and nothing else.
The more I explained the whole thing to her, the deeper I fell into despair. My voice shook, cracking in some places, and by the end of it, my hands were gripping my jeans tightly.
"I was never truly a 'Hayes," I whispered, almost to myself, but she heard it.
Morgan's eyes were filled with concern. She stretched out and placed her hands slowly over mine. The feeling was warm, even sincere, but it did little to calm the emotions inside me.
"Hey...you can stay here with me," she offered softly.
Those simple words raised something inside me. My throat tightened again, and tears gathered again in my eyes.
"Really?" I asked, my voice trembling.
She nodded, her expression firm and kind. "Really."
That evening, Morgan explained to her parents that I would be staying with them for a while.
They didn't ask too many questions and Morgan didn't say too much to them either. Her story was just enough to make them understand it was serious.
After a few glances in my direction, both having curious looks, they agreed without protest.
Later that night, while sitting on her bed in pajamas I borrowed from Morgan, I made a silent decision to myself.
I was going to look for my real mother.
Maybe she knew how all this happened. Maybe she had the answers I needed to know, answers that could make sense of what is happening in my life. I needed clarity. I needed the truth. I needed to be put straight.
When I told Morgan about it, she didn't hesitate. Her eyes brightened up a little, like she was finally glad I had something to focus on or talk about. Something to do. Something that might help.
"I'll help you," she said with a wide smile. "Whatever you need."
I didn't know where to start looking for my mother.
I didn't even have her contact. No number. No address to find her. Nothing but just a memory of the hospital I was born in. It wasn't much, but it was all I had and that's where I would start from.
The next morning, Morgan drove me there without question. She kept looking at me during the drive, but said nothing. Maybe she knew I wasn't in the mood to say anything..
When we arrived at the large building, we walked through the sliding doors and towards the front desk. The scent of disinfectant filled the air.
"Um….. good morning," I said, my voice still shaky from yesterday.
"Good morning," the receptionist replied politely, her eyes looking up at us.
"We're searching for someone. Beatrice Hayes," I said, saying the name from my past memory.
The receptionist's expression changed slightly. She looked between us for a second, then shook her head.
"I'm unable to give out information like that."
"Please, it's urgent. She's her mother," Morgan cut in, trying to help.
I nodded my head quickly, my eyes wide.
"No, I'm sorry ma'am," the receptionist firmly said. "I can't give you any information regarding our patients."
"Please check," I added desperately, my voice still sounding cracked. "My name should be under hers…."
Tears gathered in my eyes again, blurring the woman's face in front of me.
The receptionist sighed, clearly confused, but still, she shook her head.
"Please…..i can't."
Morgan, seeing the receptionist wouldn't help me, gently placed her hand on my back and led me outside the building.
Neither of us said anything to each other.
We walked quietly back to her car, and once we were inside, we both sat in silence. For who knows how long, I couldn't tell. Minutes? Maybe an hour.
The feeling in my chest grew stronger with every second that passed.
Morgan looked at me from the driver's seat, her lips pressed. She didn't ask how I was, she didn't need to.
Then, without a word, she started the engine and drove us back home.
Upon getting back to her house, we stepped inside the house only to be met with her parents, both of them with a scowl on their face I now termed with rejection.
"I hear Seraphina's an orphan now," her father began coldly, not caring that I was standing right there, in front of them.
"Dad…." Morgan tried to speak, but her mother raised a hand, silencing her almost immediately.
"Is this the disgrace you bring into our family, Morgan? Haven't we taught you to avoid these things?"
I couldn't argue with them. I couldn't even defend myself.
Once again, I stood there…silent.
"Mom, it's Seraphina we're talking about," Morgan tried again, desperation in her voice.
"And so?" her father snapped, cutting her off. "Do you understand the disgrace she's bringing to this family? An orphan child, roaming the streets…..i can't have her around this house." He said coldly
"She has to leave," her mother added sharply to his words.
I turned slowly and noticed my suitcase already waiting by the door, ready to be carried away like I was never meant to belong anywhere in this life.
Without a word, I walked to it, gripped the handle, and pulled the suitcase outside the house.
Morgan ran after me, calling my name, but her father grabbed her arm and yelled something I couldn't hear. I didn't care.
Then I heard the door close shut.
And for the first time in a while, I broke.
Tears ran down my face as I walked with no direction.