The Hummingbird Nest

Oren felt a gentle tug on his shirt sleeve.

“Sir, sir,” a small voice whispered.

Oren awoke to see his daughter’s big brown eyes. Her face was blank, but her grip on his sleeve was firm. He sat up. “Zerilda, what’s wrong?”

“She left.”

“Who left?”

“The mommy bird. She left her eggs.”

Oren was baffled. “You heard her from all the way in here?”

“Yes, sir. May we check on her eggs?”

Oren stretched his eagle-like wings. “Yes, but let’s get dressed first, okay?”

“Yes, sir.” With a fluttering of her wings, she was out of the bedroom.

***

Sunlight streamed through the leaves, splashing faint green splotches on Oren and Zerilda’s chocolate skin as they stood on a tree branch beside the small nest.

Zerilda stared at two eggs inside it. “They’re so tiny.”

Oren nodded. A hummingbird had made its nest in the branches of the same kapok tree their treehouse was on. Zerilda had watched her from a distance ever since.

“May I ask a question, sir?”

“You may ask all the questions you want.”

“When will they hatch?”

“In about five more days, I believe.”

Zerilda reached her finger towards the eggs but stopped herself. “Why did she leave? Will the mommy come back?”

“Hummingbirds leave their nests to get food, but they always come back.”

Zerilda knit her brow. “Always?”

Oren realized what she was saying. “Usually.”

Zerilda looked at the eggs.

Oren observed Zerilda’s face. Even now, doing one of her favorite things, she didn’t smile. It was like she was hiding in a shell. He wished she wasn’t afraid to smile or cry, but she had been hurt by so many…

“I hope she comes back.”

“She will.”

***

By day three, the mother was still gone.

That night, Orik tucked Zerilda in as she pulled at her blanket’s loose thread. “Are you alright?” he asked.

Zerilda nodded, her eyes remaining on the thread.

“You’re welcome to talk to me about anything, little hummingbird.”

Zerilda glanced at him. “You said the mommy bird would come back.”

Oren nodded. “I know.”

“I think she abandoned them.”

“Maybe.”

“I think she hates her eggs.”

“Why do you think she hates them?”

She shrugged.

Oren sighed. After finding her alone in the rainforest and nursing her back to health, she had told him her mother abandoned her when she was a baby. Or so her slavers had claimed. That was all she would say concerning her past. He wished he could strangle those wretched people. “I’m sure she would return sooner if she could help it. Mother birds love their eggs almost as much as I love you.”

“You love me?”

“More than anything.” Oren was surprised by his words. He’d never said that before. Maybe Zerilda wasn’t the only one hiding in a shell.

Zerilda stared at him with wonder. Suddenly, her ears twitched. She fluttered out of bed and sped out of the room.

“Where are you going?”

“Come see!”

Oren flew after her. By the time he had made it out of her bedroom, she was already outside. He went through the front doorway and flew up to the branch Zerilda was standing on.

Zerilda pointed at the nest.

Oren looked at it. Sitting in the nest was a fiery throated hummingbird.

Zerilda smiled. “You were right.”

Oren wasn’t sure he could respond without crying. So instead he nodded and smiled back.