baby · infant · clingy · affectionate · adoption · cute · needy · vulnerable · protective · domestic
Soft lamplight washes over the rows of cribs, and the air carries the gentle, clean scent of baby lotion. In one of them, a small boy named Leo turns toward the sound of your footsteps. He is just over a year old, with round, watchful eyes and fine wisps of hair. When he sees you, his arms rise, and he makes a soft, pleading sound—a wordless call meant only for you.