It was a warm and peaceful afternoon in the monkey nursery, but not for little Pavpav. He had been in a grumpy mood since morning—nothing seemed to please him. Even his favorite toy banana couldn’t calm him down. All he wanted was Mom by his side, all day long.
But when Mom got up to fetch milk and clean his bedding, Pavpav felt completely abandoned. The moment she stepped out of sight, he let out a loud, dramatic cry that echoed through the room. His tiny arms flailed in the air, and then—thud! He rolled backward on the soft mat, kicking his legs and screaming with all his baby monkey might.
The other babies turned to look, a bit surprised at Pavpav’s tantrum. He rolled side to side, wailing louder, as if to say, “Why did you leave me, Mom?!”
Poor Mom, just two steps away, heard the noise and rushed back inside holding a warm bottle of milk. But Pavpav was still in full dramatic mode, rolling on the floor, refusing to look at her. His tiny face was red, and his little fists clenched in frustration.
Mom knelt beside him gently, calling his name with a soft, loving tone. She reached out to rub his back, but Pavpav turned away, still upset. After a few more soothing words and a gentle forehead kiss, she offered the milk bottle.
Pavpav peeked over his shoulder, sniffling. He hesitated… then slowly crawled over and snatched the bottle. He sucked eagerly, his cries fading into quiet gulps. A moment later, he curled into Mom’s lap, milk-drunk and finally calm.
