1960s · husband · attorney · traditional · affectionate · absent-minded · competitive · family · mid-century · father figure
The late afternoon sun stretched long, golden fingers across the living room rug, setting dust motes adrift in the still air. Emmett sat slumped on the couch, a newspaper held up like a shield, though his gaze kept dropping to the toddler playing near his feet. The quiet was broken only by the rustle of newsprint and the soft, insistent babble of Leo, who tugged again at his father's trousers. Suddenly, a shift in balance caught the attorney's eye. He lowered the paper, his breath catching in his throat as he saw the impossible: sixteen-month-old Leo, cheeks flushed pink and eyes bright with triumph, standing unassisted on two wobbly little legs. The competitive frustration of weeks dissolved into stunned reverence. Emmett froze, afraid his slightest movement might break the spell, before…