That morning, Rania woke up earlier than usual.
Her body still felt tired after several days of working without much time to rest. But when she heard a small sound from the bed beside her, she pushed her exhaustion aside once again.
Alena was already awake.
Rania quickly lifted her daughter and carried her into the living room.
“Good morning, sweetheart.”
Alena moved both her hands while making little sounds.
Rania smiled.
“I know. You’re hungry, aren’t you?”
She then prepared everything Alena needed.
When she was finished, Rania sat down with her daughter in her arms. She watched Alena, who looked peaceful in her embrace.
Before she realized it, Rania was smiling.
“You’re growing up so fast.”
Rania stroked Alena’s cheek.
“It feels like I only brought you home yesterday.”
That afternoon, Rania finally returned from work.
Her job had been especially exhausting that day. She had not even had time to eat since morning because she had been in such a hurry to leave.
As soon as she arrived at Ms. Sari’s house, she went straight to see Alena.
“Ms. Sari, how’s Alena?”
“She’s fine. She slept for quite a while earlier.”
Rania let out a relieved breath.
She picked up Alena and kissed her forehead.
“Mom’s baby.”
Ms. Sari noticed how pale Rania looked.
“Have you eaten?”
Rania smiled.
“Yes, Ms. Sari.”
Ms. Sari frowned.
“Don’t lie.”
Rania gave a small laugh.
“I really haven’t eaten yet.”
“Why not?”
“I was in a hurry earlier.”
Ms. Sari shook her head.
“If you keep doing this, you’re going to make yourself sick.”
Rania only smiled.
“I’ll eat when I get home.”
Ms. Sari did not press the matter.
She knew Rania was trying hard.
But she also knew that the young woman often thought about Alena more than she thought about herself.
When she got home, Rania immediately prepared dinner.
She opened the cupboard.
They did not have much food left. Rania took a little rice and the remaining side dishes.
Then she prepared a meal for herself.
But when she checked the remaining milk and Alena’s supplies, Rania stopped. There was very little left.
Rania counted the money in her wallet.
Then she calculated how much Alena would need over the next few days.
She would not have enough money if she bought everything at once.
Rania stood still for a long while.
Finally, she made a decision.
She set aside money to buy Alena’s necessities first.
As for her own food, she could still cut back.
“It’s okay.”
Rania put the money into her wallet.
“I’ll find a way to earn a little extra later.”
That night, Rania ate only rice with a simple side dish.
Her portion was small, too.
After a few bites, she already felt like she had eaten enough.
Not because she was full.
She simply wanted to save the remaining food for the next day.
Rania then looked at Alena, who was nearby.
The little baby gazed at her mother with innocent eyes.
Rania smiled.
“Don’t worry.”
She stroked her daughter’s cheek.
“Mom’s fine.”
Over the following days, this became a habit.
Whenever Rania did not have enough money to buy everything they needed, she would choose Alena’s necessities first.
If there was only enough food for one person, Alena would get the best of it.
If clothes needed to be bought, Alena would be the one to get them.
If Rania needed something, she would put it off as long as she could.
It was not because Rania did not need anything.
She simply felt that her daughter’s needs were more important.
One afternoon, Ms. Sari saw Rania buying several baby supplies.
“Have you eaten?”
Rania nodded.
“Yes.”
Ms. Sari studied her face.
“Really?”
Rania smiled.
“Yes, Ms. Sari.”
In truth, since morning, Rania had only had a glass of water and a little food.
Ms. Sari did not know.
Rania had never told her.
That night, Rania sat beside Alena.
Her daughter had just finished feeding and was now asleep in her mother’s arms.
Rania gazed at the little face.
Her hand slowly stroked Alena’s hair.
“Mom might not be able to give you very much.
Her voice was very soft.
“Expensive toys.”
“Beautiful clothes.”
“A big house.”
Rania gave a faint smile.
“But Mom will make sure you never go hungry.”
She kissed Alena’s forehead.
“If we don’t have much food…”
Rania fell silent for a moment.
“Alena eats first, okay?”
Tears slowly welled in her eyes.
“Mom can wait.”
Rania held her daughter tighter.
She did not know whether Alena would ever understand all those small sacrifices someday.
Maybe not.
Maybe when Alena was still little, she would think everything Rania did was simply normal.
But Rania never asked her daughter to repay her for anything.
She only wanted to see Alena grow up healthy. That was all.
The night grew late.
Rania laid Alena down in her bed.
Before going to sleep, she checked her food supplies and her daughter’s necessities once more.
There was still a little left.
Enough for a few days.
Rania smiled in relief.
“Thank goodness.”
Then she turned off the light.
Inside that small house, a mother slept with a stomach that was not completely full.
But beside her, her baby slept peacefully.
And for Rania, knowing that Alena had everything she needed was far more satisfying than meeting her own needs.