Abandoned

25

Afternoon light poured through the window, casting golden stripes across the table where a small tray had been carefully set up. On it sat a divided plate with tiny portions: mashed sweet potato, soft banana slices, and a tiny square of toast with the crusts cut off.

Zareya sat beside Sienna, her voice low and patient. "We're just going to try some new things today. Nothing scary, I promise. Just little tastes."

Sienna sat stiffly in her chair, her fingers knotted in the hem of her shirt. Her eyes darted between the food and Zareya, uncertain. She glanced down at her stuffed elephant, safely propped up beside her with a napkin tucked under its chin, just like hers. Zareya had made sure of it.

"It's okay, sweet girl. We're just trying." Zareya picked up a tiny spoonful of the mashed sweet potato and held it out. "Look—it's soft. Like pudding."

Sienna frowned, suspicious of the unfamiliar color and texture. She rocked slightly in her chair, her legs tucked up under her, trying to make her body feel smaller. The smells were new. Not bad, but strange.

She leaned forward slowly, her nose wrinkling as she sniffed at the spoon. Then she pulled back again, uncertainty in her eyes.

Zareya didn't push. She set the spoon down on the tray and picked up one of the banana slices, offering it wordlessly.

Sienna watched. The banana was more familiar. She had smelled it before. She reached out hesitantly, fingers hovering—then snatched the piece quickly and held it like it might disappear. Slowly, she pressed it to her lips.

Zareya held her breath.

The banana touched Sienna's tongue, and her expression tightened. Her mouth puckered slightly at the mushy texture, and she made a quiet whine—but she didn't spit it out. She chewed slowly, awkwardly, but kept going.

Zareya smiled. "That's it. You're doing it. That's a big bite, Sienna."

When Sienna finally swallowed, she blinked and looked at her elephant, then at Zareya. Her eyes were wide with uncertainty—but also pride. Her body relaxed just a little.

Zareya beamed. "Would you like to try another one?"

Sienna didn't answer, but she reached slowly for the next banana piece herself.

Sienna picked up the next slice of banana more confidently this time, her fingers still clumsy but determined. She brought it to her mouth and chewed, slowly, her nose scrunching up again at the texture, but this time, there was a flicker of curiosity in her eyes. She didn't look away from Zareya, almost as if searching for approval—or reassurance.

"You're doing so well," Zareya said gently, brushing a crumb from Sienna's sleeve. "Banana's not so bad, huh?"

Sienna looked down, silent, but didn't pull away when Zareya placed the spoonful of sweet potato on the tray again. It sat there between them like a quiet invitation. Sienna stared at it, her fingers now curled protectively around her elephant's foot.

After a pause, she pointed—not at the spoon, but at the elephant.

"Does he want to try?" Zareya smiled, playing along. "Maybe just a teeny tiny bite?"

She scooped the smallest dab of sweet potato onto the tip of the spoon and gently tapped it against the stuffed elephant's stitched mouth. "Mmm, delicious," she said in a silly voice.

Sienna giggled, a rare sound that made Zareya's heart ache in the best way. The tension in Sienna's shoulders softened. Carefully, very carefully, she reached for the spoon.

She didn't go straight for her mouth—she touched the sweet potato with her finger first, squishing it slightly between her thumb and index finger. Her nose wrinkled again, but this time with curiosity instead of fear. She lifted her finger and hesitantly touched it to her tongue.