It couldn't have been more than three hours after Michelle went to sleep that she woke up with a sudden feeling of anxiety. More than a few nights a week for as long as Michelle could remember, she couldn't make it through the entire night without waking up. Once awake, she would lay there staring blankly into the darkness of her room trying to imagine what excuse she could use to go into her parent's room just around the corner and wake them up to ask if she could sleep with them. Michelle knew that she didn't even have to ask because once they heard her coming, her Mom would tell her Dad, "Michelle is here Dan." At that point her Dad would basically sleepwalk out of bed while Michelle jumped into the warm spot that her Dad was just in. Michelle didn't know what it was but it was something about laying next to her Mom that made her feel safe and warm and instantly calm and happy enough to fall back asleep without any problems.
This night was different however. Michelle still woke up at her usual time in the middle of the night, but while she was staring into the darkness deciding if she was going to say that she had a nightmare or that she fell off her bed, she heard soft crying coming from somewhere. At this point she was more than wide awake and wanted to just run out and find her Mom and make sure everything was okay. She jumped out of bed and moved towards her bedroom door when she tripped over Max. Max, Michelle's dog, was the most beloved thing Michelle had been able to call her own at seven years old. As usual, he was barely startled when her small frame tripped over him. Seeing that Max chose Michelle's room to snuggle up in for the night, her nerves were immediately calmed. She decided that she could listen for a bit longer before running to her mom, grabbing a blanket and laying on the wood floor snuggled against Max.
Once Michelle stopped moving around and got comfortable with her dog, she could really start to listen. The crying had not stopped, yet she heard something else now too. Her Dad was talking over the person that was crying, yet it was less like talking and more like scolding, he was angry. Michelle knew that tone and knew that it had to be her Mom that was crying. Michelle loved her Mom more than anything and couldn't control herself when she too started to cry and held Max even tighter. It seemed like a thousand questions started running through her sleepy head: Why was her Mom crying with her Dad in the living room in the middle of the night? Why was her Dad using that same tone of voice that he usually uses when they are in the middle of one of their countless fights during the day? Why wasn't her Dad trying to make her Mom feel better? Did he try and make Michelle feel better when she cried? Michelle couldn't even remember right now because her chest was so tight. She had this sinking feeling she couldn't explain and was so happy that she had Max with her at that moment. Michelle just wished that it was a regular night and she wished she could go and lay in the big warm bed next to her Mom and fall back asleep until she heard her Mom's alarm go off at 5:05. All that she knew was the Max hadn't even woken up yet so that must mean that everything was still okay.
This night was different however. Michelle still woke up at her usual time in the middle of the night, but while she was staring into the darkness deciding if she was going to say that she had a nightmare or that she fell off her bed, she heard soft crying coming from somewhere. At this point she was more than wide awake and wanted to just run out and find her Mom and make sure everything was okay. She jumped out of bed and moved towards her bedroom door when she tripped over Max. Max, Michelle's dog, was the most beloved thing Michelle had been able to call her own at seven years old. As usual, he was barely startled when her small frame tripped over him. Seeing that Max chose Michelle's room to snuggle up in for the night, her nerves were immediately calmed. She decided that she could listen for a bit longer before running to her mom, grabbing a blanket and laying on the wood floor snuggled against Max.
Once Michelle stopped moving around and got comfortable with her dog, she could really start to listen. The crying had not stopped, yet she heard something else now too. Her Dad was talking over the person that was crying, yet it was less like talking and more like scolding, he was angry. Michelle knew that tone and knew that it had to be her Mom that was crying. Michelle loved her Mom more than anything and couldn't control herself when she too started to cry and held Max even tighter. It seemed like a thousand questions started running through her sleepy head: Why was her Mom crying with her Dad in the living room in the middle of the night? Why was her Dad using that same tone of voice that he usually uses when they are in the middle of one of their countless fights during the day? Why wasn't her Dad trying to make her Mom feel better? Did he try and make Michelle feel better when she cried? Michelle couldn't even remember right now because her chest was so tight. She had this sinking feeling she couldn't explain and was so happy that she had Max with her at that moment. Michelle just wished that it was a regular night and she wished she could go and lay in the big warm bed next to her Mom and fall back asleep until she heard her Mom's alarm go off at 5:05. All that she knew was the Max hadn't even woken up yet so that must mean that everything was still okay.
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