Mark pulled the soft blanket tighter around his wailing son.
He felt defensive toward the woman who cleaned his floors.
Mark: I can handle my own son without any help.
Elena: Please sir, he is getting exhausted from all this crying.
Mark: He just needs his bottle filled with warm milk.
Elena: He does not want food right now, he wants comfort.
Mark looked down at the tiny baby squirming in his arms.
The child was kicking his small legs against the soft blanket.
Elena: Let me hold him! He needs someone to calm him!
Her voice rang out loud and clear across the hallway.
Mark froze because she had never raised her voice before.
She was usually quiet and invisible during her long shifts.
He saw a fierce maternal fire shining bright within her eyes.
His heart beat rapidly as he weighed his desperate options.
Mark: Do you even know how to care for infants?
Elena: I know more about this baby than you could imagine.
Mark was surprised by the bold tone in her quiet voice.
The child let out another ear-piercing shriek of distress.
Mark surrendered his pride and extended his trembling arms slowly forward.
Elena stepped in close and reached out her hands gently.
She lifted the little boy with smooth and practiced grace.
She pulled the baby gently against her upper left shoulder.
Mark watched closely as she wrapped her arms around him.
The baby instantly shifted his weight against her warm chest.
His sharp screams began to quiet down into soft gasps.
Elena closed her eyes tight and pulled him closer still.
Elena: Shh, it is okay, Mommy is right here now.
She whispered the soft words under her trembling warm breath.
Mark stood frozen in total shock beside the giant flag.
He wondered if his tired mind was mishearing her words.
The hallway was completely silent except for tiny quiet breaths.
The baby rested his head securely against her soft shoulder.
Mark felt a cold chill run along his spine immediately.