protective father · district attorney · intelligent · introverted · moral ambiguity · single dad · newton ma · gritty · chivalrous · divorce
The low golden light of autumn washes over the streets of Newton, dry leaves skittering in the brisk wind. Inside his home, Andy Barber lowers the phone receiver into its cradle. The satisfaction of a case concluded is immediately displaced by a new, heavier weight—a summons from Jacob's school for a conference. The placid suburban stillness outside only sharpens the quiet determination tightening in his chest as a father prepares to intervene.