Abandoned

37

The morning after the egg reaction, the atmosphere in the hospital room felt different. Not tense, exactly, but heavy, like everyone was tiptoeing around the memories of yesterday. The nurses had been in and out quietly, checking vitals, adjusting machines, whispering instructions that normally would have been spoken in their usual friendly tones.

Sienna had slept curled so tightly against Zareya that her tiny fists were still wrapped around the woman's shirt when dawn light finally filtered through the blinds. She hadn't stirred when monitors beeped, or when nurses checked her oxygen levels, or when the on-call doctor peeked into the room. She was exhausted, a deep, bone-heavy exhaustion that only follows fear and physical distress.

And Zareya?
She hadn't slept at all.

Her eyes were shadowed, her curls messy, her entire body stiff from staying in one position for hours. But she still held Sienna close, one hand gently rubbing slow circles on the small child's back, grounding her with every breath.

The egg reaction had been a scare, a terrifying one. Rash, wheezing, swelling. Panic in Sienna's eyes. The way she had clung to Zareya as if her tiny body didn't know what was happening but knew who she needed.

Now, morning had come, but the fear hadn't fully left.

Sienna stirred, a small whimper escaping her throat as her fingers twitched against the fabric of Zareya's shirt.

"I'm here," Zareya whispered immediately, brushing her lips across Sienna's forehead. "It's okay, baby. Mama's right here."

Sienna blinked up at her with big, glassy eyes, confused, foggy, but comforted the moment she recognized the familiar face.

She burrowed deeper into Zareya's chest.

That alone told Zareya everything.
Sienna was still scared.

There was a soft knock on the door.

"It's me," came Dr. Harrison's voice, gentle, cautious. "May I come in?"

Zareya looked down at Sienna, whose body tensed slightly at the voice.
"Sienna, sweetheart," she murmured. "It's okay. Just Dr. Harrison."

Sienna didn't fully relax, but she didn't hide, either. She simply tucked her face into Zareya's collarbone and clung to her shirt with renewed determination.

"Come in," Zareya said quietly.

The door opened, and Dr. Harrison stepped inside, followed by Laila and a second nurse carrying a thick file. Their eyes all landed on Sienna first, curled, clingy, fragile.

The empathy in their expressions was unmistakable.

"How is she doing this morning?" Dr. Harrison asked softly, approaching slowly as if Sienna were a frightened animal he didn't want to spook.

"She's... shaken," Zareya admitted, gently stroking Sienna's hair. "She had a nightmare earlier. Woke up crying before she even opened her eyes."

"That's normal," Laila murmured. "Allergic reactions are traumatic, especially when she doesn't understand what's happening."

Sienna lifted her head just enough to peek out at Laila.
Her lower lip quivered.

Laila offered a small, warm smile. "Hey, sweet girl."

Sienna blinked, then tucked herself back under Zareya's chin like a turtle retreating into its shell.

"She's still really frightened," Zareya said quietly. "She wouldn't even eat breakfast. Just held onto me and refused everything except milk."

"That's okay," Dr. Harrison assured her. "That's more than okay. Today can be a low-demand day."

At that, the nurse with the file stepped forward.
"We've prepared an emergency allergy action plan," she said. "And updated her chart with egg and egg by-product allergies. No nurse will offer anything containing eggs. All meals will be fully screened and approved."