I'm sitting on the porch, sipping my coffee and waiting for my husband to pull up. I decided to get my day started early since he said he'd be back around this time. I've already called my sons to let them know that they need to be here by noon. Davian has something important to tell everyone, and I'm both excited and nervous about what it might be.
The sound of the front gate opening breaks the peaceful morning silence. I set my cup down and walked off the porch to meet him by the car. As I get closer, the door opens and he immediately puts a finger to his lips, telling me to be quiet.
I'm slightly confused, wondering why the secrecy, but then I see her. A small, vulnerable figure lies draped over his shoulder, sound asleep. My jaw drops in shock. "Davian, did you steal someone's child?" I ask, trying to keep my voice down. "I know I'd support you through anything, but this seems a little extreme."
He shakes his head, a solemn expression on his face. "I didn't steal her, I found her alone at a park. She was sleeping under the benches, soaked from the rain. She was in a thin, holey shirt that was too big for her and barefoot. When I asked her if she was lost and if I could take her home, she got so scared."
I nod, feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes. I've always had a soft spot for kids, even now that I have some of my own. "So what are we going to do now?"
"We'll take her in until we figure out what happened to her and who her parents are," he says. "But I have a feeling there's something deeper going on, something that makes her not want to go home." As he finishes speaking, I hear movement coming from the living room.
I turn to see the little girl is now sitting up on the couch, rubbing her eyes. She looks around, taking in her new surroundings before her gaze lands on me. Her soft, chocolate-brown eyes lock onto mine, and my heart melts. "Hi, bambina," I say gently, trying to sound as non-threatening as possible. "What's your name?"
"Win...Winter," she stammers out, her voice barely above a whisper. I can hear the fear and uncertainty trembling in her words, but she's trying so hard to be brave. "My name is Adeline, but you can call me Ade since you're a special little girl," I tell her, offering her a warm smile.
"I'm starving," I tell her, trying to sound as friendly and non-threatening as possible. "How about you? Would you like some breakfast?" I suggest, hoping that offering her something to eat will make her feel more at ease.
She nods her head slightly, her eyes never leaving mine. I stand up, holding out my hand for hers. She places her small hand in mine, and I help her down from the couch, leading her behind me into the kitchen.
Once inside the kitchen, I gently lift her onto the counter so she can stay close to me. I begin gathering the ingredients we'll need to make some pancakes since it's still early.
After gathering all the dry ingredients and placing them on the counter, I turn to her. "Do you want to help me, baby?" I ask her sweetly.
She looks at me for a moment before nodding slowly, as if she's afraid I'll get mad at her if she says yes. "Okay, so we're going to pour some flour into the big bowl. Can you do that for me?" I ask her.
She nods her head and does just as I ask, pouring the flour into the bowl. "Good job, honey, you're a natural. Now, do you think you can do the same with the sugar, baby?" I say to her, watching as a soft blush begins to spread across her face.
She nods again, this time with a bit more confidence, and pours the sugar into the bowl. I can see the fear and uncertainty slowly leaving her eyes, replaced with a small spark of excitement. She's starting to feel safe with me, and that thought warms my heart.
"Thank you for helping me, Winter," I tell her, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "You're doing a great job. Now, can you pour the milk into the bowl for me?" I ask, handing her the small wet measuring cup.
She looks at the egg in her hand, then back at me, a look of doubt crossing her face. "I don't want to acc-cidently spill it," she says quietly. Her voice is so small, so innocent.
"That's okay, baby. Getting messy is the fun of baking." I explain, holding my hand under hers as she pours the milk into the bowl. Sure enough, a small amount spilled out but I quickly wiped up showing her it wasn't a big deal.
After adding the rest of the ingredients, I mix everything. The batter is a bit lumpy, but that's okay. It'll still make for some delicious pancakes. I heat the skillet and scoop in some of the mix.
As the pancake starts to bubble, I flip it over. The other side cooks for a minute before I remove it from the skillet and place it onto a plate. I butter it, then drizzle some syrup onto it. The smell is amazing, and my stomach growls in anticipation.
"Okay, Winter. You have to try the first bite," I tell her, holding the fork out to her. She looks at the fork, then at me, before taking a small bite. Her eyes widen in delight as she chews, and a smile spreads across her face.
"It's so yummy!" she exclaims, bouncing up and down in her seat. Which caused her hair to bounce as well. Her excitement is infectious, and I can't help but laugh at her antics. "I know, right? There's nothing like a homemade pancake," I say, taking a bite for myself. The pancake is fluffy and the syrup is sweet. It's the perfect breakfast.
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After finishing our pancakes, I clean Winter up and we head back into the living room. Davian is sitting on the couch, watching us with a warm smile on his face. "How'd it go?" he asks, looking at Winter.
"Good. She's a natural in the kitchen," I tell him, sitting down beside him and pulling Winter onto my lap. She snuggles into me, feeling safe and content. She's so small, so fragile, and my heart aches for what she's been through.
"I'm glad to hear that," he says, wrapping his arm around us and pulling us in close. We sit there in silence for a moment, enjoying the peacefulness of the morning.
