Two Families, No Home for Me Chapter 04

Two Families, No Home for Me Chapter 04

The next day, the Hayes family mailed me an entire box of supplies. 

Laura had packed my usual toothpaste, shampoo, stomach 

medicine, and everything else she knew I used. 

A note sat on top. 

[We raised you for eighteen years. You can’t just cut that off overnight.] 

I kept the old clothes that already belonged to me. 

Everything unopened went straight back. 

The Bennett family sent me money for living expenses. 

The note read: 

[Your first spending money now that you’re back with the Bennett family.] 

I declined it. 

Less than five minutes later, Rachel sent twice as much. 

This time the note said; 

[From Mother. To make up for what I missed.] 

1 declined that too. 

Eventually, all four parents came to campus. 

Visitor vehicles weren’t allowed past security, so they stood near the campus security desk with their arms full of things. 

The moment Laura saw me, she studied my face, then looked down at my empty hands. 

“Why did you send the box back? You need those things.” 

“I already bought everything.” 

Rachel held out a prepaid debit card. 

Then take this. You’re a Bennett. We should be paying your 

tuition and living expenses.” 

Daniel’s expression immediately darkened. 

Her last name is Hayes. You don’t get to use money to decide 

which family she belongs to.” 

She’s only a Hayes because she was switched at birth,” 

Michael said. “At some point, she has to reconnect with her biological family.” 

Laura immediately pulled me toward her. 

I gave her that name. I raised her. You’ve known her for a few 

days, and you’ve already driven her into a dorm. What right do you have to talk about which family she belongs to?” 

Rachel’s eyes reddened. 

“And you do? She walked out on her birthday right in front of you, and you didn’t even realize she was gone until the next morning.” 

Their voices grew louder and faster. 

As if whoever shouted the loudest could take the least 

responsibility for what had happened. 

pulled my sleeve out of Laura’s hand. 

“You’re not arguing over who loves me more.” 

They stopped. 

“You’re arguing over who failed me, because neither side 

wants to be responsible for why I left.” 

Daniel’s jaw tightened. 

Michael slowly lowered the prepaid card. 

After a long silence, all four promised they could still give me a home. 

Every promise came with conditions. 

The Hayeses wanted me to come home on weekends and 

keep calling them Mother and Father. 

The Bennetts wanted me to update my legal records, take 

their last name, and then slowly build a relationship with them. 

The homes they offered me felt like four doors. 

At every door, I had to hand over proof that I belonged there before I was allowed inside. 

“I have something to do this afternoon.” 

I checked the time. 

“Take these things home.” 

This time, no one dared accuse me of acting out. 

That evening, Sophie came to see me alone. 

She’d changed out of the pearl–trimmed dress and wore 

simple T–shirt. 

She carried two milk teas. 

There were no tables outside the dorm, so we sat beside the 

courtyard, each holding a cup. 

I really was happy at first.” 

She didn’t look at me. 

“Suddenly, I had another set of parents. They kept saying they 

wanted to make up for eighteen years of lost love. I was 

scared that if I pushed even a little of it away, they’d take it all back.” 

She pierced the lid with her straw but didn’t drink. 

“I saw you sitting in front of those birthday pancakes that 

night. I wanted to call you over, but everyone kept telling me 

to look at the camera. I thought I’d talk to you after the picture.” 

“And every time after that, you thought you could wait until after the next picture.” 

Her fingers tightened. 

A little milk tea rose through the straw. 

“Yes.” 

I didn’t tell her it was okay. 

“You were allowed to be happy. You were allowed to want 

both families. But they don’t get to prove how much they love you by ignoring me.” 

“I won’t play along anymore.” 

Her eyes were red when she finally looked up. 

Instead of arguing, she pushed her phone toward me. 

An appointment notification from the county records office filled the screen. 

All four parents had already scheduled legal name–change appointments for us. 

They’d even prepared two possible names for each of us. 

Sophie spoke quietly. 

They decided for us again.”