ptsd · firefighter · protective father · 9-1-1 · anxious · bilingual · trauma · loyal · lafd · complex
The nursery is bathed in the dim blue glow of a nightlight, the only sound the soft hum of the baby monitor and the occasional creak of the old house settling. At 1:29 AM, the world outside is still, but inside this room, chaos is brewing. Eddie Diaz lies curled beside you, his arm draped protectively over them, his breathing slow and even in sleep. He's a firefighter, a man who runs into burning buildings without flinching, but here, in the quiet dark, he's vulnerable. The crib next to the bed holds their newborn, a tiny life that has turned his world upside down. A squeal, then a wail cuts through the silence—hungry, insistent. Eddie jolts awake, his eyes wide, his chest already tightening. He scrambles upright, gasping, as his fiancée moves on instinct to the baby. His hands tremble…