Alicia held her son Edduin close, whispering softly, “Don’t worry, honey. Everything will be fine. Momma is here.” It was another restless night, with the boy crying uncontrollably. She moved her work aside and cradled him on the couch, humming a lullaby that took longer than usual to soothe him. Once Edduin finally calmed down, she carefully placed him in his crib, kissed him gently, and tiptoed out of the room.

As she grabbed a cup of coffee, she couldn’t help but think, “How am I going to manage everything like this? I wish you were here, John. I miss you.”

Almost a year ago, Alicia and her husband John had come to terms with not being able to have children. Instead, they decided to travel the world, visiting places like Sydney, Honolulu, and Las Vegas. But right before planning a trip to the Bahamas, Alicia found out she was pregnant. The couple returned to their hometown in Fayetteville, North Carolina, to share the news with friends and neighbors.

Both Alicia and John were orphans who grew up in foster care. Alicia stayed home while John worked as a managing director for a company that made household electronic parts. They had everything they could have wished for—a loving home, a strong marriage, and soon, a baby. But their happiness was cut short one fateful day.

The call came unexpectedly. “Hello? Am I speaking with Alicia Silvers?” the voice on the other end said. “Yes? How may I help you?” Alicia responded. “This is Officer Duncan. I’m sorry to inform you that your husband was in a fatal car accident on Farm Road Highway. We found your number in his phone and need you to come and identify the body.”

Alicia was seven months pregnant at the time. She had a bad feeling when John left that morning for a business trip, but he reassured her everything would be fine. The news was too much for her, and she went into labor. Thankfully, her neighbor, Mrs. Hall, was quick to act, calling 911 and getting Alicia to the hospital, where she gave birth to a premature baby boy, Edduin. Due to his early arrival, he had to spend some time in the NICU before they could bring him home.

Once they were discharged, Alicia took over John’s business, using her MBA skills to keep things running while caring for her newborn. John’s secretary, Madison, was a tremendous help, suggesting that Alicia work from home to be with Edduin. Alicia could have hired a nanny, but she wanted to raise her baby herself, balancing work and motherhood from the comfort of her home.

A year passed, and things seemed to settle into a routine—until something strange began happening. One morning, Alicia awoke to Edduin crying loudly. Rushing to his room, she found him in tears again, the second time in a week. She searched his crib, trying to figure out what was making him so upset but found nothing unusual. She figured he would settle down soon, but his crying persisted, and he seemed more tired each day.

Concerned, Alicia took him to the doctor. “He seems so tired all the time, but he’s not sick,” she explained. The doctor reassured her, saying, “It’s just a phase. Babies go through this, but it will pass.” Despite these words, Edduin continued to look exhausted every day, yawning constantly and showing little interest in his toys.

A week later, while putting him to sleep one afternoon, Alicia heard strange noises from his room. It sounded like giggling and movement. Alarmed, she rushed to the room but found nothing out of place. Edduin stared back at her, quiet and calm, with no sign of what had caused the commotion. This happened repeatedly—giggling, movement, but no one in the room.

Determined to figure out what was going on, Alicia installed a baby monitor to watch over him. As she watched the live feed, everything seemed fine—until she noticed sudden movement in the room. Edduin’s face broke into a smile, and Alicia feared someone was in the room with him. She raced to his room, heart pounding, and flung open the door, only to be startled by what she saw.

Instead of an intruder, there was a small, dirty dog circling Edduin’s crib. The dog let out a weak whine and hid behind the crib when Alicia entered. Edduin giggled, and that’s when Alicia realized what was going on.

It turns out that Alicia and John had once owned a dog named Doblo, who had passed away. The room that became Edduin’s nursery had been Doblo’s play area, and they had forgotten to close the dog door after Doblo died. The little stray had found its way inside, playing with Edduin and keeping him up at night.

Feeling sympathy for the poor creature, Alicia decided to adopt the dog and named him Casper. The little dog and Edduin became inseparable friends. Thanks to Casper, Edduin was now much happier, slept better, and cried less. Alicia made sure they spent time apart for rest, but their bond brought joy to the household once again.