The afternoon sun was spilling through the windows when the sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway. Monkey Cubis, who had been sitting quietly in his play corner, froze for a second. His ears perked up, his head tilted, and his little hands twitched with excitement. That sound was familiar—so familiar that his heart seemed to leap in his chest.
Then, the door opened.
“Cubis!” Dad’s voice was warm and full of joy.
In an instant, Cubis leapt from his spot and raced toward him, his tiny feet pattering across the floor. He didn’t slow down; he climbed right up into Dad’s arms as if afraid he might disappear again. His tail wrapped tightly around Dad’s wrist, and his little head burrowed against his chest.
Dad chuckled softly, holding him close. “I missed you, buddy.”
After so many days apart, Cubis seemed determined not to let go. The usual playful energy in him was replaced with something calmer—almost gentle. He listened to Dad’s heartbeat, the steady rhythm lulling him into a deep sense of safety. The world outside didn’t matter anymore; this was where he belonged.
Within minutes, his eyelids began to droop. Dad stroked the fur along his back, murmuring little words only Cubis could understand. Slowly, his breathing evened out, and he surrendered to sleep, curled up perfectly in the crook of Dad’s arm.
It wasn’t the restless, light dozing of a monkey ready to spring up at any moment—it was the peaceful, trusting sleep of someone who knows they are loved and protected. Dad sat still, not daring to move, savoring the rare quiet moment with his little companion.
For Cubis, no toy, no treat, no game could compare to the comfort of being in Dad’s arms again. And for Dad, the weight of that tiny sleeping body was the sweetest welcome home he could have ever asked for.
