Exhausted
After all those late nights, she felt exhausted. In the past three months, I've been surrounded by hospitals, diapers, and dogs.
There was a possibility that she was hallucinating. There was no way to tell. The smell, however, gave it away. It wasn't clear where it was coming from.
Something To Do With Noah?
As Henry James paces back and forth through the living room, Sparky howls relentlessly behind him. Henry would get chills whenever Sparky would let out a mournful howl when their three-month-old son, Noah, was near.
He had been trying to understand it for weeks, but the more he tried, the more confused he became. It was clear to him that Sparky's behavior had something to do with Noah's, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
Won’t Stop Whining
In the living room, Henry watched their dog, Sparky, howl unceasingly as he furrowed his eyebrows. Working at the New York Stock Exchange was demanding, and he looked forward to returning home to tranquility. However, he never received it.
Several months before Sarah gave birth, they got Sparky. While Sparky had always been a gentle and quiet dog, he began howling whenever Noah, their three-month-old baby, was near. Having grown up with dogs, Henry understood their behavior and found this deeply unsettling.
Catching Up With Work
Sarah, on the other hand, was working from home as an interior designer. Her laptop was always glued to her, as she typed away at her assignments.
In spite of Sparky's howling, she dismissed it as the dog overprotecting Noah. In spite of her love for her baby, she had a lot to catch up on after he was born. Perhaps she neglected to pay attention to his needs.
Vanished
A conference call was taking place one evening, and Sarah was sitting on the kitchen counter with her laptop perched precariously on the edge. Sparky, sitting at Noah's feet, watched the baby warily as he slept.
In the middle of juggling the phone call, Sarah noticed a brown stain on Noah's diaper. Her heart skipped a beat. It was unmistakably there, something she hadn't noticed before. Her mind raced with questions as she quickly excused herself from the call. Is it a stain? Where had it come from?
There, Then Gone
In response to Sarah's approach, Sparky let out a loud howl, his eyes fixed on her. Her heart pounded as she gently picked up Noah.
After changing his diaper, she noticed that the stain had disappeared. As quickly as it had appeared, it was gone. As she shrugged it off, she thought that the new brand of diaper would absorb stains and make them disappear.
Did You See It?
With a concerned look on his face, Henry joined her in the nursery. He whispered, "Did you see it too?"
Sarah's eyes were wide with worry as she replied, "Yes, but now it disappeared. What could it have been? Henry frowned. "I suspect it has something to do with Sparky's behavior. Let's try to figure out what it might have been."
Echoing Howls
He paced in the dim nursery with furrowed brows reflecting the concern etched on his face. Throughout the house, Sparky, their Maltese poodle, echoed with mournful howls.
As Noah lay in his crib, his fists clenched and his face scrunched up in distress. It took his parents a while to notice the baby's expression on his face. Growing up, they often saw him make weird faces.
Unable To Get Work Done
Noah was at home with Henry over the weekend. While working from home and trying to concentrate on her computer screen, Sarah wondered what was wrong with Sparky. “The noise makes it impossible for me to concentrate."
"I don't know, Sarah. He's been like this for days. I think it's because Noah is nearby. When Noah is around, Sparky howls like he's in pain." Sarah glanced up from her work with concern. Why would Sparky behave in such a way towards Noah? He has never acted aggressively towards Noah." "That's exactly my point," Henry said, confused. "I think Sparky can sense there's something up with Noah, and is trying to tell us."
A Woman’s Responsibility
There was an increase in the frequency and intensity of the howling. Noah refused to stop crying despite Sarah's efforts. There was no fever on him and he seemed fine.
Taking care of a fussy baby and balancing her work had left her exhausted. Although she often begged him to help at home, Henry always put his job first. Taking care of children is a woman's responsibility, according to him.
It’s Coming From Noah
It’s Coming From Noah
The next evening, as Sarah changed Noah's diaper, she noticed a brown stain on it that she hadn't seen before. The smell was unbearable, and she had to hold back her gag reflex. "Henry, come here!" Sarah called out, her voice trembling.
Henry hurried into the room and immediately wrinkled his nose at the stench. "What is that smell?" He told her to flip the baby over to check his diaper.
There Must Be More To This
"Sarah, something's not right," Henry said, his voice laced with worry as he glanced over at his wife, who was buried in her work at her home office. "Sparky won't stop howling whenever Noah's around. And Noah... he's been crying more than usual."
Sarah shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "I don't know. I just noticed this brown stain on Noah's diaper. I think he’s sick," she cried. She tried to get Henry to figure it out himself.
A Faulty Diaper
Sarah looked up from her computer, exhaustion evident in her eyes. "I don't know, Henry. Maybe Noah's just going through a phase. Babies cry, it's normal."
"But not like this," Henry insisted, his heart aching at the sound of his son's cries. "And Sparky... he's trying to tell us something." He was annoyed at his wife’s don’t care attitude; she could try harder. He suspected that she was using the wrong brand of diaper.
A Cause For Concern
Sarah sighed, pushing her chair back and standing up. "Alright, let's check on Noah together." She made it known that she was stopping her work to check on Noah.
As they approached the crib, a pungent odor assaulted their senses. Sarah's eyes widened in horror as she noticed a brown stain spreading on Noah's diaper. "Oh my God, Henry, I didn't see this before," she exclaimed, her hands shaking.
The Baby Is Sick
Henry's stomach churned with dread. "We need to see what's causing this. Maybe that's why Noah's been crying so much."
With trembling hands, Sarah carefully flipped Noah over, revealing a mess far worse than they had anticipated. Noah whimpered in discomfort; his tiny body wracked with pain. "He's got diarrhea," Sarah whispered, her voice trembling with fear. "Oh, Henry, what do we do?"
Parents In Action
Henry tried to take control of the situation but he didn’t know where anything in the house was kept. Sarah was already changing his diaper and cleaning him up.
"We need to clean him up and get him some medication," Henry replied, his mind racing with worry. "He must be in so much pain." He shuffled through the cupboards looking for things as Sarah instructed him.
Sparky Saved The Day
As Sarah tended to Noah, Henry scooped up Sparky, who had been anxiously watching from the doorway. "You've been a good boy, Sparky," Henry murmured, scratching behind his ears. "Thanks for letting us know something was wrong."
He gave his dog a treat because he was alert but also because it kept him quiet. He had bought a bunch of chew toys to keep Sparky quiet, and the trick was working.
Under Control For Now
With Noah cleaned and medicated, the household fell into an uneasy quiet. But despite their efforts, Noah's condition worsened over the next few days. His cries grew louder, his tiny body wracked with fever.
Sarah felt bad because she thought that self-medicating him would work. She preferred homeopathic remedies. But it didn’t seem to be helping the baby at all.
Noah Gets Worse
Henry was angry to see his baby suffering and he took it out on Sarah, he blamed her for not being a good mother. Sarah hurried to get Noah’s things together as they rushed to the hospital.
Baby Noah suddenly let out a lot of gas which they both heard. Henry's eyes widened in alarm. "That's not good, Sarah. We need to get him to a doctor right away."
A Dog Under Stress
As they rushed to the hospital in the middle of the night, Sparky's howling seemed to get louder and more frantic. He already finished two bone chews.
Sarah and Henry exchanged worried glances as they tried to comfort Noah, who was crying inconsolably. They attached another chew toy to Sparky’s collar for later and the dog hushed. They had to take him with them.
The Ride To The Hospital
In the car, Noah was crying because of all the commotion. The worried parents were stressed and arguing with each other. “You’re never at home anyway, I had him, can’t you see him?”
Henry argued with her about his job being more important than hers which only made her angrier. The two couldn’t seem to keep it together with the screaming baby and fussy dog in the backseat.
Tender Toddler Tummy
At the hospital, the doctors examined Noah and confirmed that he did indeed have diarrhea. It was very light as he was a baby and it’s the reason the parents didn’t really notice it in the beginning. “It’s the smell that will warn you,” the doctor said.
They prescribed him some medication and instructed Sarah and Henry on how to take care of him. The couple was relieved when Noah finally fell asleep, but their relief was short-lived.
The Parents Don’t Get A Break
A few days later, Noah's condition worsened. He developed a fever, and his cries became more intense. To make matters worse, Sparky got sick too and he was having runs all over the house. It was a mess. Sarah put a diaper on him too because she was tired of cleaning the house.
Sarah and Henry were beside themselves with worry, and Sparky's howling only added to their anxiety. They considered finding Sparky a new home until Noah got better.
Verge Of A Breakdown
Sarah could see that Henry was on the verge of a breakdown. His usual resolve seemed to have deserted him, and she couldn't help but worry about what might be coming next.
Her own sense of dread was growing stronger by the minute as she tried to figure out what was causing the strange problems in her house. It was as if they were being haunted the way her son wasn’t getting better.
Scared
Every little creak and groan made her jump, and she found herself constantly checking over her shoulder, unable to shake the feeling that something was watching her from the shadows.
Despite her fear, however, she knew she had to keep her wits about her if she was going to get to the bottom of this mystery. She needed to be the best mother possible for her child. But she had no idea what was about to happen next.
Searching For Answers
Sarah was in a state of panic as she desperately searched for answers. She had even considered consulting multiple doctors but she felt it would matter little. She was still in the dark about what was going on.
Frustrated and anxious, she decided to take matters into her own hands and investigate the matter herself.
Grave Danger
However, little did she know that a new challenge was about to arise, one that would not only intensify the existing strain in her marriage with Henry but also put their young son, Noah, in grave danger.
Just a week after she had taken Noah to the doctor, she walked into the nursery, expecting to see her son in his crib, perhaps sleeping or playing with his toys. That’s when she knew things were very wrong.
Not In His Crib
Tp her surprise, Noah was nowhere to be found. The nursery was eerily quiet, with no sign of the baby. Sarah began to feel a sense of panic rising within her as she frantically looked around the room, checking under the crib and behind the curtains.
However, Noah was nowhere to be seen. She couldn't help but feel a shiver go down her spine as she realized her baby was missing.
Looking For Him
Sarah's heart raced as she let out a blood-curdling scream. She frantically searched every corner of the room, but her baby was nowhere to be found.
Her mind was racing as she tried to think of where he could be. Suddenly, she heard barking coming from another room. Was it Sparky? Was he with Noah? She bolted out of the room, running as fast as she could to find out.
Hearing Sparky
Her heart pounding in her chest, she burst into the next room and stopped dead in her tracks. What she saw made her heart sink. Tears welled up in her eyes as she realized her worst nightmare had come true.
As soon as she heard her dog, Sparky, barking, the mother sprinted to the source of the sound. But it wasn’t going to be a happy ending once she found him.
Coming From The Bathroom
The barking seemed to be coming from the bathroom, which was quite unusual since she never kept Sparky locked inside.
However, what was even more perplexing was that the bathroom door was now closed, which was inexplicable since nobody had entered the bathroom for hours. How had they gotten inside?
Barking Incessantly
The mother could hear Sparky barking incessantly, followed by the faint cries of her son, Noah. She wondered how Sparky and Noah had managed to get inside the bathroom and why the door was now locked from the inside.
Sarah's heart raced as she realized her baby was in the bathroom alone. She knew she had to act fast before something terrible happened.
Not Wasting Any Time
Without wasting any time, she rushed to the bowl, where they kept all of the spare keys to the house. Her hands trembled as she rummaged through the keys, trying to find the right one.
She could hear her baby crying and calling out for her, adding to the sense of urgency. Finally, she found the key to the bathroom and quickly made her way to the door.
Something Wasn’t Right
With trembling hands, she inserted the key, but something was wrong. Sarah's heart raced as she fumbled with the key in her hand, trying to find the right one for the bathroom door.
She was anxious to free her baby, who was inside and needed her attention. As she tried the key, she was sure it was the right one, but to her dismay, it wouldn't turn the lock.
Something Blocking The Door
Panic began to set in as she realized that the door hadn't even been locked in the first place. She wondered what could be blocking the door from opening.
Fueled by a mother's instinct, she decided to take matters into her own hands. She started to kick the door with all her might, hoping to break down whatever obstacle was preventing her from getting to her baby. But she had more adrenalin than to know what to do with.
Kicking It Down
The door creaked and groaned but still wouldn't budge. Sarah was determined, and she kept kicking until, finally, the door swung open with a loud crash.
But what she saw inside the bathroom left her in shock. The sight was so unexpected and terrifying that she couldn't believe her eyes.
Entering The Bathroom
As she entered the bathroom, Sarah found Sparky sitting on the floor while Noah was propped up on the toilet. She couldn't help but wonder if Sparky had taken Noah there to help him go to the bathroom.
It was a surprisingly clever move for a dog, and Sarah couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for the loyal pet.
More Questions
However, the more pressing question was why both of them had stomach conditions. Sarah knew that something was off, and she couldn't shake off the feeling that there was a deeper underlying issue at play.
Despite her initial confusion, Sarah was certain that she was much closer to the truth than she knew. She took Noah back to her crib, but she had a lot to think about.
A Tough Situation
Sarah and Henry were consumed with worry, their once peaceful home was now filled with chaos and fear. They both weren’t eating or sleeping properly, it was taking a toll on their relationship.
Henry struggled to cope with the stress, his patience wearing thin as he watched his son suffer. He wanted a child with Sarah. loved his family, but this wasn’t the picture he had of how his home would be. He didn’t sign up for this.
Henry Can’t Take It
Henry knew that he had to get away for his own peace and sanity. "I can't do this anymore, Sarah, I’m cramped in this house, " Henry confessed one evening, his voice choked with emotion. "I need some time alone to clear my head."
He hung his head in shame, he knew that he was being selfish. He was leaving Sarah in a difficult circumstance. But he had to put himself first, for them.
Sarah Steps Up
Sarah's heart shattered at his words, but she knew he needed space to process his emotions. "Take all the time you need, Henry," she said softly, her eyes brimming with tears. "I'll take care of Noah."
Henry said he was going to stay with his parents for a few days. Sarah hated him for being so weak. But she had no choice but to be strong for her son. She could do it alone.
Finding Routine
Alone with her son and their faithful dog, Sarah found strength she never knew she had. She tended to Noah day and night, never once wavering in her determination to see him through this ordeal.
Even Sparky got accustomed to wearing the cheaper brand diapers which saved Sarah so much time. She was getting the hang of being a single mother.
A Happy Baby Again
Weeks passed, and Noah's condition finally began to improve. His cries faded, replaced by the sound of his joyful laughter ringing through the house once more.
Sarah started to feel that her life was finally reaching balance. She could enjoy things again and even took Noah and Sparky out to the park for the day. She didn’t even bother phoning Henry once.
A Coward Husband Returns
A month later, Henry returned, shame written across his face as he faced his wife and son. "I'm sorry, Sarah," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I should never have left you."
But Sarah merely smiled, her eyes shining with pride. "You're here now, Henry. That's all that matters." She was the bigger person, and now her family was healed and complete.
A Full House Again
Together, they watched as Noah and Sparky played on the floor, their laughter filling the room with warmth and love. They learned a thing or two about being parents and knew they had much more to learn too.
And in that moment, as they held each other close, they knew that their family was stronger than ever before. But one thing was for certain, they would have to get a bigger house for the four of them.