The cold wind brushed softly against Lisa's skin as she stepped out of the car. In front of her stood the small, aging building she once called home — the orphanage.
She hadn't been here in years.
Children's laughter rang faintly from the backyard, and her heart ached. It was the same sound she once found comfort in. Familiar. Safe.
She stepped into the building, greeted by the scent of old wood and warm porridge. Sister Mary, now older and slower, looked up from the hallway and gasped in delight.
"Lisa?"
Lisa smiled weakly. "Hi, Sister."
Sister Mary embraced her tightly. "My beautiful girl. Look at you... all grown up. What brings you here, dear?"
Lisa could barely reply. Her throat closed with emotion. "I... just wanted to visit. I missed it."
Sister Mary studied her face, then simply nodded, gently patting her hand. "You can stay as long as you want."
Lisa wandered through the hallways, the old rooms, and finally sat under the tree in the back garden where she used to sit and dream of having a family — a real one.
Some of the kids from her time had found theirs. Some had been taken in by loving couples. Some were even reunited with long-lost relatives.
But her?
I got taken in... into a beautiful home... but was I ever truly part of it?
Her hands cradled her stomach.
"All I've ever wanted was love. Not the kind you need to beg for. Just... quiet love. Steady love."
She closed her eyes, tears slipping down silently.
"All I got for almost all these years were haters, humiliation, and silence. No one truly loved me. At least, not the way I needed."
"And at last, I chose to run away."
"Goodbye, Mama. Goodbye, Papa. Goodbye, Eli."
"...Goodbye, Alex."
"I don't want them to find out about us. Or this child. I don't want them to hate me."
"It's better I go before they ask me to. It's better if I disappear quietly... while I still can."
"I love you all. So much. That's why I'm letting go."
As the sun began to set, Lisa stood up. Her face was pale, but her eyes held a tired resolve.
She had nothing left to offer. No more strength to fight for a place that didn't feel hers.
She was ready to disappear.