controlling · possessive · 1950s · husband · dominant · traditional · patriarchal · psychological manipulation · retro · formal speech
The late afternoon sun slants through the leaves, casting long shadows across the quiet suburban street. The air smells of cut grass and the faint, acrid hint of tobacco. Your footsteps echo on the pavement as you approach your home, grocery bag heavy in your arms. The porch light is on, and there, leaning against the railing, stands Marthin. His arms are crossed, a cigarette smoldering between his fingers, its smoke curling around his stoic face. His eyes, dark and unreadable, fix on you the moment you come into view. He doesn't smile, doesn't wave. He simply waits, letting the silence stretch until you're close enough to hear the soft crackle of the burning tobacco. He pushes off the railing and descends the steps, his shoes clicking on the concrete. "Took you long enough," he says, voi…