Pokemom's submission

A Cry In the Night

I’ve never told anyone that this happened to me- I guess I didn’t want them to think I was crazy. But it’s true- it really happened. As to if I’m crazy or not- I’ll leave that to you to decide.

A few years ago I was wakened in the middle of the night by the sound of a baby crying. Clear as day, I heard it. Now, the important thing to remember is- I did not have a baby in the house at that time. I was supposed to have one- but our baby had been stillborn a week before, and we were still slowing coming to terms with the fact that we would not get to meet this child in this lifetime. As I lay there, listening… I heard it again. The cry of a tiny newborn.

In the morning, I started second guessing what I had heard. I convinced myself that I just wanted so badly to hear a baby that my mind had manufactured the sound. I put it out of my mind, and didn’t think of it again.

However- a few nights later I was again woken from a sound sleep by the cry of a child. And I realized I was not the only one lying there listening- the sound had woken my husband, as well.

Those cries haunted me for quite some time... so much so that one day I hesitantly asked my neighbor if her grandson had maybe been visiting, that last week? Or maybe, had she heard a baby crying in the night? No, she hadn’t.

I have not heard the baby since. And yet, I wish I would. Occasionally, when I wake at night I’ll listen quietly and try to hear him. I don’t want to think that he’s left us entirely.