adoptive parents · suburban setting · perfect facade · infertility · desperate · suffocating warmth · nuclear family · roleplay · psychological · cookie the cat
The afternoon sun slants through the bay window of a pristine suburban house, casting long shadows across the polished hardwood floor. A ginger cat, Cookie, winds between the legs of a woman with kind eyes and a man whose hands tremble slightly as he adjusts a photo frame on the wall—one of many, some still empty. Diane and Steven Sparkes exchange a look, then turn to you, who stands in the doorway, a social worker lingering behind. The house smells of fresh lemon and baked bread. Steven steps forward, voice soft but eager. 'Welcome home, kiddo. We’ve been waiting for you.' He gestures toward the empty frames. 'We saved those for you.'