The evening air was calm, but baby monkey Lolo wasn’t. His tiny body sat curled up near the corner of the room, knees pulled to his chest, little hands covering his face. The world felt too big, too quiet — and worst of all, too lonely.
Mom had stepped out earlier to gather fruit. It wasn’t unusual, but today she’d been gone longer than usual. Lolo didn’t understand time — all he knew was that he couldn’t see her, couldn’t hear her, and his small heart began to ache.
At first, he waited patiently, glancing toward the door every few seconds, his eyes wide with hope. But as the minutes passed, the hope turned into worry. His breathing grew quick and shallow, tiny lips trembling.
“Mom?” he whimpered softly, the sound fading into the still air. When no one answered, his little shoulders slumped. The sadness inside him grew too heavy to bear, so he did the only thing his tiny heart knew — he hid his face.
He pressed his palms against his eyes, trying to stop the tears that kept slipping out. His small body shook with quiet sobs, his tail wrapped tightly around his legs like a soft shield. The loneliness was too much.
Then, a sound — leaves rustling, footsteps nearby. Lolo’s ears twitched, but he didn’t dare look. His heart raced; what if it wasn’t her? What if she didn’t come back at all?
But then came the familiar voice, gentle and warm: “Lolo, Mommy’s here.”
In an instant, he lifted his head. His eyes, wet and shining, met Mom’s kind gaze. The sadness melted away as he let out a loud cry — not of pain, but of pure relief. He scrambled into her arms, clinging tightly to her neck, his tiny fingers digging into her fur.
Mom held him close, whispering softly, “I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Lolo buried his face against her chest again, but this time not out of fear — out of love. His sniffles grew quieter until they stopped completely.
In her arms, he was safe again. And as the sun dipped below the trees, Lolo finally smiled — his world complete once more.
