Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Hearts Must Part
Seraphina’s POV
I burst through the kitchen doors, and there he was.
Theo sat perched on a high stool beside a marble counter where three women worked, their hands busy shaping bread dough. His tiny legs dangled as he swayed back and forth, giggling at something one of them had whispered to him.
"Theo!"
His head whipped around so quickly that his dark ringlets bounced against his cheeks. Those familiar brown eyes went wide with recognition before he threw himself from the stool without hesitation.
"Mommy!"
I dropped to my knees just as his small frame collided with mine. My arms wrapped around him instinctively, pulling him close as I pressed my face against his neck. Nothing else mattered in that moment. The scent of him, warm and sweet and entirely mine, filled my lungs and steadied my racing heart.
He was unharmed. He was right here with me.
"I missed you so much, Mommy! The nice lady let me have three cookies!" His words came out muffled against my shoulder.
I held him tighter, afraid to let go. "I missed you too, baby. More than you could ever know." I eased back just enough to study his face before pressing a soft kiss to his forehead.
When I finally rose to my feet, every woman in the kitchen had stopped working. Their curious gazes fixed on us, questions practically radiating from their expressions.
Exhaustion crashed over me like a wave. I could not handle another interrogation today. One more explanation would completely shatter what little composure I had left.
Thankfully, they seemed to understand without words.
"Ladies, would you mind giving us some privacy?" I managed, fighting to keep my voice steady. "I just need a few moments alone with my son."
They moved without protest, filing silently through the swinging doors until the vast kitchen fell quiet around us.
Almost quiet.
Across the room, near a small prep table covered in vegetable peelings, Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins sat motionless.
They looked like survivors of some terrible accident. Side by side, fingers interlocked, they stared at nothing with hollow expressions. Their bodies remained unnaturally still, faces drained of all color.
I approached them slowly, Theo’s hand secure in mine.
"Ma, Pa," I said gently, lowering myself to their eye level. "You both look absolutely terrified. What happened?"
Mrs. Jenkins’s grip tightened around her husband’s fingers. When she spoke, her voice trembled like autumn leaves. "Seraphina, sweetheart, we are definitely not okay. What we witnessed today has completely turned our world upside down."
Mr. Jenkins nodded with grim seriousness. "It feels like we have been dropped into some bizarre fantasy novel, Seraphina. Nothing we saw makes any rational sense."
I remained silent, knowing what was coming but needing them to say it themselves.
Mrs. Jenkins leaned forward, her eyes bright with a mixture of terror and amazement. "We witnessed impossible things, Seraphina. A man’s eyes shifted from deep brown to brilliant gold in the span of a heartbeat. Two massive men stood twenty feet apart, clearly having an intense conversation, but their lips never moved once! They were somehow communicating directly through their minds!"
"And those wolves," Mr. Jenkins added with a visible shudder. "Enormous creatures roaming the grounds like they belonged here. Then we saw people, completely naked people, wandering around in broad daylight as if clothing was optional." His cheeks flushed red with embarrassment.
I sighed deeply, massaging my temples as the weight of the situation settled on my shoulders. Lying would be pointless now.
"I understand how overwhelming this must be," I said honestly. "I know your minds are probably spinning with countless questions right now. But in this place, survival depends on observing without questioning what you observe."
Theo, who had been listening intently to our conversation, suddenly looked up at me with bright, excited eyes.
"The wolves were amazing, Mommy! They reminded me of giant, friendly puppies! I watched them exploring all around the yard!"
Despite everything, a genuine smile crossed my lips. I planted another kiss on top of his head. "Of course you loved them, sweetheart. I would have been surprised if you felt any differently."
I chose not to elaborate on that comment. Not today.
Turning back to the Jenkinses, my expression grew more serious.
"I cannot express how grateful I am to both of you," I said, real warmth filling my voice. "You abandoned everything and traveled across the country because I needed help. That means everything to me."
I moved closer, lowering my voice to an urgent whisper. "But I need you to promise me something important. If another stranger ever contacts you with demands about traveling anywhere, you ignore that call completely. Do not even consider leaving your house. Promise me."
Mr. Jenkins bristled slightly. "Seraphina, dear, we are perfectly capable of making our own decisions about our safety."
"Are you really?" I challenged softly. "Do you honestly believe you can protect yourselves from people who might use you as leverage against me? You two represent my greatest vulnerability, and losing you would destroy me."
I stood and pulled both of them into a fierce embrace, my arms wrapping around the two people who had shown me unconditional love when I had no one else. They had become my anchor, my safe harbor in every storm.
"You need to understand something," I whispered against Mrs. Jenkins’s shoulder. "You stopped being just friends a long time ago. You are my family now, my parents in every way that matters. If anything happened to either of you because of the danger surrounding me, I would never recover from that loss."
When I stepped back, tears glistened in both their eyes.
"Now, about that trip you have been dreaming about for years," I said, deliberately shifting the conversation. "The one where you planned to see every corner of the world together?"
"Oh honey, that is impossible now," Mrs. Jenkins responded immediately, wiping moisture from her cheek. "We cannot abandon you and Theo when you need us most. We came here to help you through this crisis."
"That is exactly why you need to leave," I insisted, placing firm hands on both their shoulders. "Look at what you have already witnessed in just one day. This situation is incredibly dangerous and unpredictable. I need time to resolve everything, and I need to do it without constantly worrying about keeping you safe."
I crouched down once more, making sure they could see the determination in my eyes. "It would be much better if you were thousands of miles away from all of this. I know you two cannot sit still when you are worried about someone you love. The idea of you both out there exploring the world together, creating new memories, would give me such peace of mind."
They exchanged uncertain glances. "But Seraphina, we spent nearly all our savings getting here to help you," Pa admitted quietly. "That dream trip feels impossible now."
A genuine, relieved smile spread across my face.
"Money is not going to be an obstacle," I said, squeezing their hands one final time. "I already have funds set aside specifically for this trip. Enough money for two full years of first-class travel to anywhere your hearts desire. All you need to worry about is deciding which destination to visit first."
I watched hope slowly replace the worry in their expressions.
"Please go," I urged them. "Do this for me. Keep yourselves safe while I handle everything here. I will call you every single day, I swear. But you need distance from this place. I am going to fix this mess, and then we can all be together again very soon."
