This is a non variegated young one at a nursery but when I looked at the base it appeared to have almost a dozen shoots coming out of the ground. It almost looked as if a V-shaped cutting was set horizontally under the soil. I went back the next day to get a closer pic of the base but it was gone: I'm new to these but this looked like a more than exemplary specimen. It's very tempting at $19 but I'm holding out for a variegated one due to space limitations. Here's a pic of it next to a Hope Philo (right side) unless that's not the correct name:

Pure water is fine. Start feeding after it potted with decent roots formed.

Haroldine, you misread my comment. I said "...it doesn't NEED a side node to grow". Regarding the side node, some are flat and hard to see, others are "born" slightly raised. I think I see the node in the top pic of the two Nicole took with her camera, a white area just above that dark dot. That said, and again, this cutting will grow from the tip, not a side node. It would be highly unusual for a side node next to the growing tip to become swollen and produce another lead, especially in monsteras which are not prone to branch spontaneously like some philodendrons and other aroids. I agree with you that a cutting without aerials takes much longer to root than one without them. In my experience they usually produce roots, then leaves, but not always if the cutting is vigorous and in ideal humidity, temp, etc. This cutting already has a leaf that will make energy. Leaves of some plants readily root and produce plants, within aroids, the tuberous types come to mind. Other genera are highly reluctant but might produce a plant in only 1 out of 50 or even 100+ separate attempts, this is my experience with hoya leaves. While science says it's in the realm of remote possibility, in my opinion monsteras, philodendrons, epipremnums and the like don't fall into either of these categories.

you may be failing because you are being to timid in trying to save it as a whole ... you might want to go much further up the stem ... with a sterilized of fresh razor and make ... you may be failing because you are being to timid in trying to save it ... actually i cant tell if there are two stems or not ... but you might remove those two lower leaves.. and work up quite a few inches... right now.. they are droopy and might be sucking the life out of the stem trying to save them.. but you have others above ... watch a few of the vids at the link below for guidance and wisdom ... i would favor wetted media rather than water ... and i would look to see if they recommend letting the callous dry before planting ... ken https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Monstera+propagation&t=ffcm&iax=videos&ia=videos