As soon as I could get my bearings, I walked into the living room and sat in the chair next to the window.  On the wall above the man’s head was a picture of Robert in his full, formal uniform.  His eyes bore down on me just then, as if he was willing me to do or say something that would get the baby out of the horrible invader’s arms and back into my own.

What do I do? I silently asked.  How can I do anything? 

The man holding our son was twice my size and then some.  He towered over me in height and mass, and yet I knew that my husband was speaking to me, warning me that if I didn’t do something in the next few moments, I would never see my son again.

I began searching for an escape route without moving my gaze.  The man was turned from me, but not all the way.  I was sure that in his peripheral vision, any movement from me would be noticed.  To the left of where he sat was the front door and though it was unlocked, it was unlikely that I could make it there before he did.  Worse still was the fact that he’d drop the baby to get to me, not caring where or how he landed.  That was a thought I couldn’t bear. 

I knew that behind me was the kitchen door and the stone path led down to the river.  Could I make it?  What would he do to the baby if I did?

No, I stopped myself from even thinking about it.  I couldn’t chance it.  Robert could stare as much as he wanted to; I wouldn’t leave the house without my baby boy, no matter what happened.

Just then, the man stood up and looked down at me.  It was a maniacal face, twisted with rage.  I knew that he wanted something valuable, something that I didn’t know I had.  I knew that he wouldn’t leave until he got what he came for, but what could it be?  And how did this man know about it when I didn’t? 

Again, my mind went back to that conversation with Robert.  A woman in Afghanistan told him that because of him, she could sleep again.  What did that mean?  I could tell now that he was trying to tell me something, trying to get me to understand that it had nothing to do with a woman in Afghanistan at all.  It was the reason this man had broken into our home and was now threatening to steal my son away from me.