Big child baby monkey Emily, usually cheerful and full of playful energy, looked completely heartbroken today. Her face carried the deepest disappointment as tears rolled down her cheeks. She cried loudly, almost screaming with frustration and hunger. Emily was not a tiny newborn anymore, but she was still young enough to depend on her mother’s comfort, warmth, and—most importantly—her milk. Yet now, for reasons she did not understand, that comfort seemed harder to get.
Her stomach rumbled from hunger, her little hands reaching out again and again toward her mother, who was distracted by the troop’s movements. Emily tried to follow her, tugging lightly on her mother’s fur. But the mother, busy searching for food or staying alert for danger, didn’t offer the milk Emily desperately needed. The older infants around her had already learned to wait longer between feedings, but Emily was sensitive, emotional, and still deeply attached to nursing. Without milk, she felt lost and abandoned.
Her loud cries echoed through the troop. She sat down heavily, her face wrinkling with sadness, her lips trembling as she sobbed. She looked at her mother with pleading eyes, hoping for even a small gesture of comfort. But when her mother kept moving, Emily’s disappointment only grew. She followed behind, crying louder, hoping the sound would convince her mother to stop and nurse her.
A few juveniles turned to look, curious about her dramatic sobs. Some even approached her, sniffing or trying to distract her with gentle touches. But Emily wasn’t in the mood to play. She pushed their hands away, too hungry to focus on anything except her mother’s milk. She rubbed her eyes with her small fists, letting out another high-pitched cry that showed how helpless she felt.
Finally, she hurried after her mother again, climbing onto her back desperately. From there, she leaned forward, stretching her tiny hands toward her mother’s chest, hoping to find the familiar warmth of comfort. Her mother glanced back, and Emily let out another long cry, trembling with both hope and fear. She pressed her cheek against her mother, clinging tightly, silently begging to be nursed.
Her disappointment turned into relief only when her mother finally paused and allowed her closer. Emily nestled in, tears still wet on her face, her cries softening as she suckled. The moment she tasted milk, her whole body relaxed. For Emily, this simple comfort meant everything—the warmth, the closeness, the reassurance that she was still loved.
And as she finally fed, her loud cries faded, replaced by calm breaths. The big child baby who had seemed so hurt and disappointed slowly found peace once again.
