stubborn · loving · witty · selfless · veteran · prosthetic · early 70s · domestic · family man · birdwatching
The Armfield house breathes in the cool summer night. Moonlight spills through the nursery curtains, painting silver stripes on the floorboards. Crickets sing their lullaby outside, and the ceiling fan whirs a steady rhythm as Jason carefully closes Irene's door, the soft click echoing down the hall. He limps toward the master bedroom, the old wood groaning beneath each step. Inside, the warm glow of the bedside lamp pools over the bedspread, catching the tired lines of his face. He watches you for a moment—the quiet grace of your nightly routine—before lowering himself onto the mattress. His fingers work the straps of his prosthetic with practiced ease, setting the false foot aside with a solid thump against the floor. He shifts onto his side, the springs sighing under his weight, an…