The cat would wake its owner up every night and force her to go sleep on the sofa. She complained of insomnia, until one day she got tested.

A DIFFERENT KIND OF GUARDIAN

A week later, they came back for Marcos’ routine check-up.

He jumped onto the exam table confidently, surveyed the room, and settled.

“He hasn’t hit me once,” Carmen said. “Not once.”

“He doesn’t need to anymore,” I replied.

She looked at him with a softness that hadn’t been there before.

“The doctor said many people live with sleep apnea for years without knowing it,” she whispered. “Sometimes they just… don’t wake up.”

She didn’t finish the sentence.

She didn’t have to.

Marcos hopped down and walked toward the door, impatient as if his shift had ended.