I went back into my room, still shocked by the photo. My eyes fell on Ashley, and a storm of emotions swirled inside me.
Right now, she was the only one who had answers to my questions.
Even though I couldn't expect too much from a child her age, I hoped she would give me some information about her background. If I could piece together even a small part of this mystery, I might find out who left her here—and, more importantly, who the woman in the photo was.
But for tonight, that was enough. My body couldn't take any more stress. I was exhausted.
So, I went into the bathroom, changed into comfortable clothes, and then slid into bed beside the tiny intruder.
I pulled the blanket over her small frame and instinctively drew her closer.
"I don't know why you came, but I'll make sure no harm comes to you," I murmured, as her beautiful smile flashed through my mind.
Early in the morning, I woke up to something poking my face.
"Argh… what?" I groaned, turning to the other side, hoping to escape whatever was disturbing me. But the poking continued.
"Mama?"
This time, a faint voice accompanied it.
I sighed, irritation bubbling up from being woken so early. Forcing my eyes open, I was greeted by a tiny face staring at me—one that looked just as annoyed as I felt.
"Mama, you sleep like a pig," the little devil declared, her expression full of mischief.
I blinked, still groggy, my brain struggling to process her words. Before I could react, she jumped off the bed, giggling.
And then, it all came rushing back.
Oh. Right.
I became the mother of a three-year-old last night.
I let out a deep sigh, rubbing my temples. What have I gotten myself into?
"Mama, wake up now! Ashley needs to go to the bathroom!"
Her tiny voice snapped me back to reality.
I blinked, still groggy, and looked at her. She was shifting from foot to foot, pressing her knees together, clearly trying to hold it in.
I nearly laughed at the sight but held it back. Something told me that laughing at this moment wouldn't end well for me.
"Alright, little Missy, let's get you to the bathroom," I said, scooping her up in my arms and carrying her toward the washroom.
Once inside, I set her down and placed a footstool in front of the toilet.
"Come, let me help you up—"
"No! You go outside!" she interrupted, crossing her little arms. "It's bad manners to watch someone while they use the bathroom. Stupid Mama, you forgot?"
I stared at her, stunned.
This tiny human—who barely reached my knees—was lecturing me on manners?
Well, I suppose after everything I had seen in my life, the world truly was ending.
"Alright, fine. I'll wait outside," I said, shaking my head. "Just call me if you need help, okay?"
"Mama, I'm done!"
After waiting outside for five minutes, I finally heard her call.
I stepped inside and found that she had already washed her hands, using the footstool to reach the sink.
"Now, let's get you freshened up," I said, turning on the tap to wash her face.
I considered giving her a bath, but I didn't have any baby products. Using regular soap on her delicate skin didn't seem like a good idea, so I decided to save the bath for later.
After taking a quick shower, I left Ashley in front of the TV and stepped into the living room. She was still in the same spot where I had left her, watching intently.
"Now, let's make some breakfast, shall we?" I said with a smile.
Her eyes lit up, and she jumped off the couch. "Yes! Breakfast! Let's make breakfast!" Her high energy surprised me, but I couldn't help but smile.
I lifted her onto the counter and started scrambling the remaining three eggs from my fridge, adding a little seasoning.
I warmed the milk and placed it on the table. I knew this wasn't much of a breakfast—just scrambled eggs and milk—but my fridge was nearly empty since I had been out of the country.
I made a mental note to go grocery shopping later. I also needed to buy some clothes and baby products for Ashley.
"Now, let's have our breakfast." I scooped the scrambled eggs into two small bowls.
Ashley looked at the food, then pouted. "But I want to eat cookies."
"You can't have cookies for every meal," I said firmly. I knew too much sugar wasn't good, especially for a child. I couldn't let her get used to eating only cookies.
"But Mama—"
"There's no but. You're going to have these tasty eggs, just like Mama." I dismissed her puppy-eyed plea.
She huffed, mumbling under her breath, "You're so bad. Dada always lets me have cookies."
I paused mid-bite.
"Ashley?" I called her name, making her look at me.
"What's your Dada's name?" I asked, hoping to get some answers.
Even though my hopes were low, to my surprise, she actually answered.
"Aaron Walker, stupid Mama! How could you forget Dada's name?"
Now we were getting somewhere. Aaron Walker. I needed to find a man with that name. If he had been in this building, I might be able to track him through the check-in registry. That could give me some answers.
Then, without thinking, I blurted out, "And what's your mother's name?"
Ashley looked at me as if I had grown horns.
"Mama, you forgot your own name? You're really getting stupid by the day!" She shook her head dramatically before saying, "Of course, it's Evelyn Summers."
A chill ran down my spine.
Evelyn Summers.
But… that's me.