Losing hair

Laila woke up in the middle of the night and refused to go back to sleep.



She had all these excuses to stay awake. Dede. Weewee. Poopoo. Water. Dede. Weewee. I was trying to be really patient but I my head was spinning and I wanted to go back to sleep.



Then she let out a pained wail that jolted me up.



'Natanggal hair ko!' she cried in between sobs.



Half asleep, I thought i heard her say she said she pulled out a nail. I know how painful that would be. So I asked her again what happened.



Still sobbing inconsolably, she repeated: 'Natanggal hair ko.' This time she pointed to the top of her head.



She must've pulled out a strand of hair while she was fiddling with whatever it was she was fiddling with.



Fully awake now, I was keeping myself from laughing out loud. I didn't want her to think I was laughing at her. But she was so darn funny. It must have been her first time to experience a strand of hair being pulled out from the root and it scared her.



Laila eventually settled down, snuggled close to me.



I was sentimental at 3am because she came to me when she was scared. And I was there for her.



I'd like to be there for her every time she gets scared. That would be easier to accomplish if she gets scared only every 3am.