"A New Reality"

Two days had passed since Ashley and Kody had returned home from the hospital, and Ashley was slowly starting to adjust to her new reality as a mother. She sat on the sofa, gently cradling Kody in her arms as she fed him. He latched on easily, and Ashley felt a sense of relief wash over her as he began to drink. As she fed him, she gazed out the window, watching as the sun shone brightly in the sky. As Kody finished his feeding, Ashley carefully burped him and then placed him in his bassinet, which was set up in the living room. She smiled as she watched him settle in, his tiny chest rising and falling with each breath. Feeling exhausted, Ashley decided to take a nap. She lay down on her bed, feeling the softness of the mattress envelop her. She closed her eyes, letting the quietness of the house lull her into a peaceful slumber. But something inside of Ashley stirred, a nagging sense of unease that she couldn't quite shake. It was as if her body was trying to tell her something, but she couldn't quite decipher the message. She shifted in her bed, feeling a sense of discomfort, but she couldn't bring herself to get up. And then, suddenly, she was jolted awake. She sat up with a start, her heart racing as she looked around her darkened room. She rubbed her eyes, trying to shake off the haze of sleep. But as she looked over at the clock on her nightstand, she saw that only a short amount of time had passed. She had been asleep for what felt like mere minutes. Ashley threw off her covers and got out of bed, padding softly over to Kody's bassinet. As she approached, she felt a sense of trepidation building in her chest. Something was wrong. She could feel it. She reached into the bassinet and gently touched Kody's face, but as her fingers made contact with his skin, she felt a chill run down her spine. Kody was floppy, his body limp and lifeless in her arms. And his skin...his skin was a bluish color, a stark contrast to the healthy pink she had grown accustomed to. Ashley's heart stopped as she stared at Kody in horror. She felt like she was in a nightmare, unable to wake up. She gently lifted Kody out of the bassinet, cradling him in her arms as she began to panic. What was wrong with her baby? Why was he like this?