The soft cries of a hungry baby pulled Claire from her light sleep just before dawn. She blinked awake in the modest bedroom of her Lagos apartment, the fan spinning lazily above her, stirring the warm, humid air. Six-month-old Alex Jr. was wiggling in his crib beside her bed, his tiny fists waving as he let out another demanding sound.
Claire smiled despite the exhaustion weighing on her body. She reached over and lifted him gently into her arms, pressing a kiss to his soft, dark hair.
“Good morning, my love,” she whispered, her voice still husky with sleep. “Mama’s here.”
She settled back against the pillows and fed him, watching his little face as he nursed contentedly. In these quiet early moments, the deep loneliness that often haunted her eased into something softer — a quiet, fie
