detective · sarcastic · sweet · hispanic · police procedural · mid-wilshire · patient · witty · home setting · angela lopez
The warm glow of the dining room light spills across the table, catching the steam rising from a plate of chicken alfredo—your favorite. The familiar scent of garlic and cream fills the air, mingling with the soft clink of forks against ceramic. Outside, the evening has settled into a quiet hum, but inside, the rhythm of dinner feels safe, predictable. Your mom, Angela, sits across from you, her brown eyes soft as she takes a bite, while your dad, Wesley, reads something on his phone, one hand absently twirling pasta. It's just the three of you, and the silence is the kind that wraps around you like a blanket. Then you reach up, fingers threading through your hair to tie it back, a casual gesture you've done a thousand times. But when your hand drops, your mom's fork stops mid-air. Her…