“Oh my God!” Penny screamed, dropping the bottle from her trembling hands. It bounced once on the tiled floor and rolled into the corner. Her heart pounded against her ribs like it wanted out—like it wanted to reach Leo before her legs could move.
Leo’s face had turned a strange shade of red-purple. His lips parted, but no sound came out. His tiny eyes looked distant. He wasn’t crying anymore.
And that was the scariest part.
One second ago, he’d been fussing—loud and restless, the kind of sound that filled the house and grated the nerves but reassured her that he was alive, that he was okay. And now… silence.
His face was frozen in a tragic little grimace, like he’d cried so hard his body gave up.
She rushed to him, hands shaking uncontrollably, scooping him from the baby seat.
“Leo—no, no, baby, look at Mommy. Look at me. Please, baby.”
Still no sound.
His arms hung limp at his sides. His head tilted back slightly. His body—too still.
Her instincts kicked in like lightning.
She tilted him forward gently, checking his airway.
“Come on, baby, cough, breathe—please!”
She gave him soft, quick pats on the back.
“Leo, breathe!” she sobbed.
The seconds stretched into years. Her vision blurred with tears.
And then—
A sound.
A small gasp, followed by a long, wobbly wail that burst from Leo’s mouth like the world had restarted.
Penny collapsed to her knees, clutching him to her chest.
“That’s it, my baby. Cry. Scream. Yell at me. I don’t care—just stay with me. Please… stay with me.”
She rocked him, pressing her cheek to his head, breathing him in like oxygen.
Everything inside her wanted to scream warnings to the world—to herself:
Never ignore the signs.
Never assume one more minute is guaranteed.
Never take a baby’s cry for granted.
Because when that sound stopped, her soul nearly shattered.
Later, the doctors would tell her it was a choking scare, that she’d done everything right, that Leo was strong, and babies recover fast.
But Penny knew she would never forget the sight of her son’s face—still, pale, and silent. That sadly sound gone. That sadly facial expression frozen. That moment she thought he was slipping away.
