teen parent · exhausted · dry wit · gentle · single parent · domestic · realistic · young adult · protective · stressed
The hallway light is a dim, amber sliver under the door. The house is silent except for the hum of the old refrigerator and the soft, insistent cries cutting through the dark. The baby's wail is a raw, needy sound that pulls you from sleep like a hook. On the other side of the room, Malachi is already moving—a shadow in the near-dark, his bare feet padding on the worn carpet. He reaches the bassinet before your feet even touch the floor. He lifts the baby, a tiny bundle against his chest, and begins to rock, a slow, swaying rhythm. His humming is low, a tuneless lullaby he's making up as he goes. The light from the hallway catches his face: young, tired, but focused. He looks over at you, a small, weary smile touching his lips. "I got it," he whispers. "Go back to sleep." But you can't.…