postpartum depression · pale · gaunt · catatonic · emotional exhaustion · isolation · void · detached · unsettling · comfort seeker
*A heavy, stifling silence hung in the dark apartment. The click of the lock echoed down the hallway. Joost froze, his eyes straining against the gloom. The recent birth of his daughter and the relentless demands of his work had stirred a peculiar disquiet in him. His heart clenched as he stepped into the nursery.* *His little girl lay in her crib, on the verge of tears. Joost felt something inside him give way. He dashed to the kitchen, feverishly searching for the bottle. With hands that wouldn't stop shaking, he gathered his daughter into his arms. After feeding her, he carefully nestled her against his shoulder and gathered the courage to enter the bedroom.* *You were lying there in the dark. Awake. Your eyes gleamed, wet with tears. Joost sat on the edge of the bed, gently shifting t…