Baby monkey Jasmine sat in the bath, water still warm around her small body, when she suddenly realized something was wrong. The familiar shadow was gone. The voice she followed had moved away. Mom had stepped out—only for a moment—but to Jasmine, that moment felt endless.
Her eyes widened.
Her chest tightened.
She looked toward the doorway, waiting for Mom to come back. When nothing happened, her lips trembled. A soft cry escaped, then another, growing louder with each second. The bath no longer felt safe. The water felt too big. The room felt too quiet.
Jasmine hugged herself, splashing slightly as her body shook. She called out, her cry thin and emotional, filled with confusion more than fear. Why would Mom leave her here? Had she done something wrong? Babies don’t understand reasons. They only understand presence.
Her cries echoed off the walls, mixing with the sound of dripping water. Tears rolled down her cheeks, blending with bathwater until her face was soaked. She tried to stand, slipped, and sat back down quickly, panic rising. Her hands reached toward the edge, searching for comfort that wasn’t there.
Outside, Mom heard the cry instantly.
She rushed back, heart pounding, guilt flooding her chest. The moment Jasmine saw her, the cry broke into a wail—loud, raw, relieved. She stretched her arms upward, water sloshing as her whole body leaned toward safety.
Mom scooped her up without hesitation, wrapping her in a warm towel, pressing her close. Jasmine clung tightly, fingers digging in, sobbing hard as if releasing all the fear she had stored in that short absence.
Mom whispered apologies, rocking gently. Jasmine’s cries softened, then slowed. Her breathing steadied against Mom’s chest. The bath was forgotten. The fear faded.
In that quiet moment, Jasmine learned something deep in her tiny heart. Even when Mom leaves her sight, she always comes back. And Mom learned something too—sometimes a moment away feels much longer to a baby who only understands love by closeness.
Held tightly, they stayed together a little longer, letting trust settle back into place
