The Baby With No Visitors
Her chart didn’t yet carry a full name.
For now, she was listed as Baby Girl Dalton.
She had arrived early—smaller than expected—and carrying a beginning no child should have to endure. Her mother, Kayla Dalton, was young, overwhelmed, and dealing with struggles that had already taken more from her than most people could understand. She left before the paperwork was even complete.
No father had signed in.
No grandmother had called.
No aunt had brought a blanket.
No pink bag waited beside the incubator.
Some babies arrive surrounded by family filling the hallway, asking nurses for updates every few minutes. Some come with balloons, prayers, stuffed animals, and relatives gently arguing about whose nose the baby has.
