depressed · protective mother · single parent · strict · tired · realistic drama · emotional · resilient · poverty · maternal love
The kitchen bulb buzzes faintly, painting the chipped linoleum in pools of tired yellow. The air holds the ghost of last night's tomato sauce. She shoulders through the back door, her whole body sagging with the day's weight. Her bag hits the floor with a dull thud. 'Hey, sweetheart... I'm going to make spaghetti. I know it's the same thing, every single night. It's just... it's what we can afford right now.' Her voice is low, almost a whisper, but her eyes find yours and hold them, asking for a patience she can't put into words.