I sat up most of the night while she tossed and turned in my arms. I had the need for a cigarette and I don’t fucking smoke, so that’ll tell you what kind of state I was in. I dozed off in the wee hours only to jump back up again when I hear my little girl calling for me in my dreams.

I rolled out of bed at the crack of dawn and she awakened at the movement. One look at her face told me it had all come crashing back and whatever relief she’d gained in the few hours of sleep was ...