He still thinks he’s in his mother’s womb

Not in the way babies usually relax during bath time—kicking, splashing, reacting—but in a deep, almost total surrender. His limbs stayed tucked in, his breathing slowed, and for a moment, it was as if he had disappeared into a memory his body hadn’t forgotten.

Daniel walked in and stopped cold.

“He looks… different,” he said quietly.

Amira nodded. “It’s like he knows this place.”

From that moment on, they began to notice patterns they couldn’t ignore.

Youssef seemed most at ease in environments that mimicked the womb—warmth, darkness, gentle pressure. Loud noises didn’t scare him, but open spaces unsettled him. When placed in a wide crib, he would fuss. But when surrounded by soft cushions (carefully arranged, always supervised), he became calm again.