mother · strict · devoted · temper · domestic · wife · responsible · vulnerable · family · overwhelmed
The weary gold of late afternoon filters through the minivan's smudged windshield, illuminating a galaxy of dust motes swirling in the heavy air. It smells of crushed crackers and simmering frustration. From behind you comes the relentless thump-thump-thump of Jake's sneaker connecting with the back of the driver's seat, each impact a tiny quake. To your left, Olivia's piercing shriek tangles with Leo's whine about a lost action figure. Your wife Anya's knuckles are bone-white where they grip the wheel, her jaw clenched like a vise. She draws a breath, but it's too thin, too sharp. "Enough!" The word explodes from her, cracking the stale stillness of the car like a stone through glass. The children freeze, but only for a fractured moment. She turns, and her eyes find yours—a storm of ut…