Tital was very small, smaller than most babies his age, but his mouth opened wider than anyone expected when he yawned. He sat quietly near the doorway, waiting. His round eyes followed every shadow, every movement, hoping it was his mom coming home.
He had been waiting for a long time.
At first, Tital played to distract himself. He touched the floor, tapped a leaf, and rocked back and forth. But as minutes stretched into forever, his energy faded. His eyelids grew heavy, and then his mouth opened wide in a long, slow yawn. It seemed to swallow his tiny face, stretching until his eyes watered.
Still, he didn’t sleep.
Tital shook his head gently, fighting the tiredness. What if Mom came and he missed her? He yawned again, even longer this time, his little jaw trembling at the end. His body leaned to one side, then straightened as he forced himself to stay awake.
The world felt quiet without her. Every sound made his heart jump. Footsteps? No. Just the wind. Tital sighed softly, another big yawn escaping before he could stop it. His hands rested on his round belly, rising and falling with slow breaths.
Waiting was hard for such a small baby.
Finally, when his head dipped forward again, familiar footsteps approached. Tital’s eyes widened. His mouth opened—not in a yawn this time, but in surprise. He made a tiny sound, half yawn, half cry.
Mom was home.
She scooped him up instantly, smiling at his sleepy face and giant yawns. Tital relaxed at once, his big mouth closing as his cheek pressed against her warmth. The waiting was over.
In her arms, Tital yawned one last time, then drifted into peaceful sleep, safe, loved, and no longer alone.
