A mother installed a baby monitor in her son’s room to keep an eye on him after noticing he was always tired and restless. Little did she know that the sudden movement she saw on the monitor would send chills down her spine…

“Don’t worry, sweetheart. Everything will be okay. Mommy is here,” Alicia whispered, cradling her son, Edduin, in her arms. He had woken up in the middle of the night, crying inconsolably.

Eventually, Alicia moved her laptop and files from the couch to the coffee table and sat down, singing a lullaby to comfort him. It took about ten minutes, but finally, Edduin calmed down, and Alicia breathed a sigh of relief.

She gently placed him back in his crib, kissed his forehead, and quietly closed the door, hoping he wouldn’t wake up again. Exhausted, she returned to her work.

“How am I going to manage everything like this? I wish you were here, John… I miss you,” she thought as she went to the kitchen for a cup of coffee.

Almost a Year Ago…

When doctors told Alicia and her husband John that they couldn’t have children, they decided to travel the world—shows at the Sydney Opera House, beaches in Honolulu, buffets in Las Vegas, and fjords in Bergen. It was during their preparations for a trip to the Bahamas that Alicia discovered she was pregnant. The news was unexpected but brought immense joy, and they returned to their hometown of Fayetteville, North Carolina, to celebrate with friends and neighbors.

Both orphans, Alicia and John had built a life they loved. Alicia was a stay-at-home wife, while John worked as a managing director at a company that made household electronics parts. They had a comfortable life and were thrilled to become parents. But happiness was fleeting, and Alicia’s world collapsed one fateful evening.

“Hello? Is this Alicia Silvers?”

“Yes, this is she.”

“This is Officer Duncan, ma’am. I regret to inform you that your husband was killed in a car accident on Farm Road Highway. We retrieved your contact number from his phone. Please come and identify the body as soon as possible.”

Alicia was devastated. That morning, John had left for a business meeting. She had begged him not to go, telling him she had a bad feeling, but he assured her everything would be fine.

Seven months pregnant, Alicia was overwhelmed by the news and went into early labor. Fortunately, she called her neighbor, Mrs. Hall, who immediately phoned 911. Alicia was rushed to the hospital and delivered her baby boy. Due to his premature birth, he was admitted to the NICU for some time.

When Alicia and her son were discharged, she took over John’s business, using her MBA to help manage things. However, caring for an infant while working proved challenging. Fortunately, John’s secretary, Madison, helped Alicia set up a workspace at home so she could be with Edduin.

Despite Madison’s help, Alicia refused to hire a nanny. She wanted to care for her baby herself, so she managed both her work and her responsibilities as a mother from home. Almost a year passed like this, but Alicia had no idea that a new challenge was coming her way.

The Present Day…

It was around 1 a.m. Alicia made herself a cup of coffee and returned to the living room to review her reports one last time. It took her about half an hour to finish, and she dozed off on the couch from exhaustion.

Suddenly, she woke up at 8 a.m. to the sound of Edduin crying. She jumped up and rushed to his room, where she found him crying with tears streaming down his face.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart? Are you hungry?” she asked, rocking him gently. This was the second time in a week that Edduin had been restless and cried uncontrollably in his sleep.

She checked his crib for anything that could be bothering him, but everything seemed fine. She decided to wait it out to see if the crying continued. Thankfully, the uncontrollable crying stopped after a week, but now Edduin seemed tired all the time. He would yawn frequently, rub his eyes, and even his favorite toys failed to cheer him up.

Worried, Alicia took him to the doctor, but even that provided no answers.

“I’m concerned because he seems calm most of the time, but he always looks tired in the mornings,” Alicia said.

“Don’t worry, Mrs. Silvers. Babies go through phases,” the doctor reassured her.

“But how long will it last? I’m really worried.”

“It varies, but he will be fine. Just give it time.”

Hoping it was just a phase, Alicia waited, but Edduin continued to look exhausted. One afternoon, after putting him to sleep, Alicia heard strange noises from his room—like giggling. She burst into the room, but no one was there. Edduin just stared at her, and the room was eerily quiet. She searched the room, but found nothing out of the ordinary.

The strange activity continued day after day. Edduin would jolt awake, giggling or staring around the room. Convinced something was wrong, Alicia installed a Wi-Fi baby monitor to keep an eye on him.

Everything seemed normal at first. She watched the live feed intently, but after ten minutes, she noticed movement. Edduin’s lips curled into a smile, and Alicia’s heart skipped a beat. Fearing someone had entered her son’s room, she dashed upstairs and flung the door open.

Her hands shook, and fear gripped her—until she saw what was really happening. A small, scruffy dog was circling Edduin’s crib, making soft noises that were barely audible. Alicia exhaled in relief.

The little dog hid behind the crib when Alicia entered, and Edduin began to giggle. That’s when Alicia realized what had happened.

Alicia and John used to have a pet dog named Doblo, and they had forgotten to close the dog door in the nursery after his passing. That room had been Doblo’s playroom before it became a nursery for Edduin. With everything that happened after John’s death, Alicia had forgotten about it. This little dog must have gotten in and had been playing with Edduin, keeping him awake.

Seeing the poor dog in such a terrible state, Alicia decided to adopt him. She named him Casper, and he quickly became Edduin’s best friend. With Casper around, Edduin no longer cries as much, sleeps well, and is much happier. Alicia ensures they don’t spend all their time together, but the bond they have is undeniable.

What Can We Learn From This Story?

Parenthood is never easy. Alicia’s journey balancing work and caring for her son shows how far parents will go for their children. And lastly, let’s be kind to animals—Alicia saw a dog in need and gave him a loving home.