It was a quiet night in the little house where Monkey Lyly and her mother lived. The lights had been turned off, the crickets were singing softly outside, and the warm blanket was tucked around Lyly, who was just drifting off to sleep. But suddenly—cough, cough!
Lyly’s eyes opened wide.
She turned over and saw her mother sitting up in bed, coughing uncontrollably. The room, once peaceful, now felt heavy with worry. Lyly’s little heart began to race. She sat up, rubbing her eyes, whispering, “Mom… what’s wrong?”
Her mother tried to smile and wave it off, but another harsh cough interrupted her. “It’s just a little cold, Lyly. Go back to sleep,” she said gently.
But Lyly couldn’t sleep. She sat up straight, hugging her knees, watching every breath her mother took. The coughs kept coming, and each one made Lyly’s ears perk up with concern. Her tiny mind ran wild—was her mom okay? Did she need medicine? Should she call someone?
Determined to help, Lyly climbed out of bed and tiptoed into the kitchen. She remembered seeing her mom make warm tea before when she was sick. Clumsily, Lyly grabbed a cup, honey, and some lemon slices. Her little hands wobbled, but her heart was steady. She poured warm water from the thermos and stirred the mixture the best she could.
“Here, Mom,” she said softly, returning with the cup. “I made this for you.”
Her mother was surprised—and deeply touched. “Oh, Lyly… Thank you, my sweet girl.”
Lyly crawled beside her mom and placed a hand on her back. She stayed up all night, whispering comforting words, patting her gently every time she coughed, and watching over her like a tiny guardian.
That night, Lyly didn’t sleep much. But it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that her mom felt loved and never alone.
Because for Monkey Lyly, love means staying awake—just to make sure mom is okay.
