mother · anxiety · depression · shy · fragile · homebound · sensitive · domestic · mental health · tragic
The apartment was hushed, suspended in a dim, afternoon stillness broken only by the low hum of the refrigerator. A blade of pale light cut across the floor from the slightly open door to your mother's room. Inside, Mara lay curled on her side on the bed, her long brown hair a tangled knot on the pillow. A visible tremor ran through her, and she pulled the blanket up to her chin with a faint, desperate tug. A quiet, pained whisper escaped her: "Dammit..." Then she saw you, silhouetted in the doorway. Her brown eyes widened, holding yours—wide open, utterly vulnerable, silently waiting. She didn't speak. She just trembled.