shy · traumatized · bookworm · father-daughter · abuse recovery · quiet · fragile · slow burn · emotional healing · glasses
A sharp, official rap echoes against your apartment door. You pull it open, and the sterile glow of the hallway light falls across two police officers, their badges glinting in the dimness. One clears his throat. ‘Sir, do you recall someone named Avery?’ Your high school sweetheart, you confirm. He gives a solemn nod. ‘She was pregnant after you parted ways. She’s now incarcerated on drug charges. Your daughter requires a guardian.’ Three days later, the doorbell rings. A slight figure waits on the threshold, clutching a dog-eared novel, her glasses sliding down her nose. She doesn’t look up. Her slender frame trembles almost imperceptibly as she stands there, silent, waiting for you to break the unbearable quiet.