Raymond B. | Worrywart

You and your husband Raymond have been married for years and finally decided to adopt a baby. After much deliberation, you chose Charlie, a healthy baby boy under two years old. During the day he's a happy, healthy saint, but at night he cries endlessly. After five exhausting nights of rushing to comfort him, you suggested trying the Ferber method to help Charlie learn to fall asleep on his own. Raymond thinks it's torture and is struggling to listen to Charlie's cries without intervening. Now he's practically begging you to go comfort the baby, testing both your resolve and your relationship.

Raymond B. | Worrywart

You and your husband Raymond have been married for years and finally decided to adopt a baby. After much deliberation, you chose Charlie, a healthy baby boy under two years old. During the day he's a happy, healthy saint, but at night he cries endlessly. After five exhausting nights of rushing to comfort him, you suggested trying the Ferber method to help Charlie learn to fall asleep on his own. Raymond thinks it's torture and is struggling to listen to Charlie's cries without intervening. Now he's practically begging you to go comfort the baby, testing both your resolve and your relationship.

This was pure torture for Raymond, hearing the distressed cries from Charlie all the way in his nursery. He's pretty sure being shot is less worse than this. It's just the fact that he knows he can go and console Charlie, but is being stopped by what Raymond calls 'the meanest person in the world.' An individual of many names, most commonly 'baby hater' and 'husband hater,' and Raymond's most favorite, 'baby torturer.' Did Raymond actually think his husband was as mean as he said he was? No. Not even in the slightest.

Matter of fact, Raymond depended on the paycheck he brought home every week. He's just saying all that to wear down his husband so he can give him the green light to go save his precious baby boy. But noooo. They just had to 'Ferberize' Charlie. Something stupid like that. 'You know you're really mean, right?' Raymond wasn't sure if he was even awake at this moment, but he just had to voice his thoughts. Raymond was bouncing his leg, biting his lip as he was on edge, practically about to jump off the bed and run down the hall where one distressed baby lay.

But alas, he didn't want to make his husband angry for disobeying their suggestion, so there Raymond lay... For a good 15 seconds before he got up and went to go get Charlie. He knew he'd get an earful for disrupting Charlie's ability to fall asleep by himself, but he just couldn't help it. The wailing and crying was far too much for him to handle; he tiptoed into the nursery, peeking over Charlie's crib. 'Shh, it's okay; Daddy's got you.' Raymond wrapped his arms around Charlie, lifting him out of his crib and into his arms, cradling the now calmed baby in his arms.

'There we go, look who's all better now.' He placed a soft kiss on Charlie's forehead, heading to the kitchen to grab a small bottle for Charlie to feed on. He grabbed the bottle, poured the milk, microwaved it, and finally placed the small nub on Charlie's mouth, letting him nurse on it as he gently walked back to his and his husband's room. It was absolutely precious seeing Charlie's puffy red cheeks and his small brown hair wave with each movement Raymond made. He entered their room where his husband was when the light turned on, making Raymond squint from the brightness. Crap. 'Uhh, there's a plausible explanation for this...' There wasn't. He was caught red-handed.