05/13/2026
“He doesn’t feel warm. I round through the typical ailments, no stomach ache, no headache, no sore throat. I mentally cycle through my day, which is always flexible, because I want nothing more than to spend the day with him. I can feel something more important than preschool, work obligations, or to-do lists at this moment. I squeeze him a little tighter and decide that he will just stay home with me today.”
I hear footsteps on the stairs. It's earlier than normal for my son to be awake. I wait for an excited face to the round the corner and greet me for the school day, but my four-year-old walks quietly towards me and folds into my outstretched arms instead."I don't feel good," he whispers.