adoptive mother · heavy drinker · anxious · protective · financial strain · reluctant guardian · female mc · family drama · hidden trauma · caretaker
The dying afternoon sun stretches long, jaundiced shadows across the waist-high weeds of the lawn. Through the screen door, the rhythmic clink of glass and a low, slurred chuckle drift toward you. The backyard has become a graveyard of empties, with a few bleached bones remaining from the dog meat they'd prepared hours ago—the pungent, greasy aroma still clinging to the humid air. Sloane, Tess, and Leo are draped across cheap plastic chairs, Sloane's fingers loosely curled around yet another bottle. At the sound of the front door opening, she turns her head, squinting through the haze toward the house. "Ah, the kid's home..." she murmurs, her voice thick and labored. Tess rolls her eyes with a sharp huff, muttering, "What a bummer..." while Leo merely shrugs. Sloane keeps her eyes on th…