Sleepwalker Wolf

Abandoned

Valery

   The hospital is pretty empty when we arrive and I slowly shuffle to a stop in the lobby, unsure where to go from here. If I want imaging done, I need to set up an appointment with my doctor, but how do I try to find information about abandoned babies?

   Travis places a hand on my back, rubbing his thumbs into my skin, and says, "Let's go try the maternity ward and the nursery."

   My heart is pounding as we head for the elevator. I worry this will just lead to dead ends and more disappointment. Travis lets go of my hand and wraps his arm around my shoulders. I suddenly feel like I can't breathe.

   "It'll be okay, sweetness, I promise," he whispers.

   "You can't possibly know that, Travis," I mutter as I hit the button for the floor the maternity ward is on.

   Sighing, Travis kisses my temple, but I just feel like I'm suffocating. I shrug his arm from my shoulders and chew my thumbnail with a soft growl. Travis' lips pinch together in my periphery and he ruffles his curls with one hand.

   "I'm just trying to help." His tone is soft like he's trying to console a child.

   I growl softly again. "You have a family that loves you, Travis, so I doubt you could help any."

   Travis clenches his jaw and leans back against the elevator wall. "Whatever you say, Valery."

   There's a pinch of guilt in my chest when he calls me my full name. He hasn't called me that all week, it's usually sweetness and occasionally Val, but never Valery. I want to apologize, but my brain is being pulled in too many directions at once. Instead, I squeeze his bicep when the doors open so he knows it's not really him I'm upset with.

   A young receptionist is sitting behind the front desk. Hallways full of doors stretch to either side with a short one just behind the desk. The girl has long brown hair pulled back in a tight ponytail, not even a flyaway present. She's wearing a peach blouse that shows a decent amount of tan breasts that look larger than mine.

   In a flash, I snatch Travis' hand in a tight grip, he looks at me slightly confused until he sees my unhappy gaze still settled on the pretty receptionist. I watch him bite back a smile as he squeezes my hand.

"Excuse me," I say as soon as we reach the desk.

She looks up from her computer screen, hands still positioned on the keyboard, and gives me a wide, friendly, smile. I suddenly feel a little bad for being so obviously jealous. "Hi! Can I help you with anything?"

"Yes, I was just wondering if there's anyone who might know about a baby abandoned here about twenty years ago," I ask tentatively.

The woman shifts in her seat and I can smell the sweat gathering on her forehead. This topic makes her uncomfortable. "There might be, but because of patient privacy, we can't disclose any information without that party's consent."

"You have it. The baby I'm looking for information on is me. I was left here when I was a year old."

The smell of nervous sweat gathers tenfold. I see Travis' head tilt as he studies her before understanding dawns in his eyes. His eyes grow a little sad with sympathy and suddenly, I understand. This woman abandoned a baby.