“I’ve Been A NICU Nurse For Thirteen Years, And I Almost Judged A Giant Tattooed Biker By His Hands. He Asked To Hold The Baby Nobody Had Come To Visit, And Sat In The Same Chair For Twelve Hours. Then A Nurse Noticed The Small, Faded Tattoo On His Wrist: A Name, And A Date.”

room could solve, had left before the paperwork was finished. No father signed in. No relatives called. That morning we tried everything: checked his temperature, adjusted his swaddle, dimmed the lights, reviewed his feeding schedule. Still, he cried. Marcus turned toward the sound. “Is that the little one who needs someone to sit with him?” His voice continue reading …