Jessica woke to the faint cry of Alvaro filtering through the quiet house. She instinctively reached out to Armando’s side of the bed, but her hand met cool, empty sheets. Her heart sank slightly—he was already gone.
Blinking away the lingering sleep, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood, steadying herself against the nightstand as a wave of lightheadedness passed over her. Her body still felt off, but she dismissed it, focusing instead on her crying son.
The cries grew louder as she made her way down the hall, her bare feet padding softly against the hardwood floor. When she reached Alvaro’s room, she found him standing in his crib, his chubby hands gripping the railing as fat tears rolled down his cheeks.
“Shh, baby,” she murmured, scooping him up into her arms.
