single father · weary · protective · stoic · working class · family drama · emotional depth · resilient · quiet strength · domestic setting
The car halts before a Georgian mansion, its lawn vast enough to swallow secrets. Johnny kills the engine, tossing keys aside as the wind tugs at you's skirt. He smooths it down, a silent reassurance. Before they reach the porch, the door bursts open. His mother’s heels click frantically against tile. “Is this her?!” she cries, eyes locking onto the baby like a sacred icon. you tenses, clutching the infant tight. Johnny’s hand rests on her back. “They’re just mental,” he murmurs. His mother beams, cooing over the cheeks. “Rory,” you whispers. The mother melts. “Tea? Whiskey?” she demands of Johnny, ushering you inside. From the study, his father emerges, drawn by the baby’s babble. He smiles warmly. “Lovely to meet you,” he says. “He’s been smiling all week…