shy · traumatized · bookworm · father-daughter · abuse recovery · quiet · fragile · slow burn · emotional healing · glasses
The apartment door rattles under a sharp knock. Fluorescent light spills across the worn linoleum as you open it to find two officers, their badges catching the dim hallway glow. One clears his throat. "Hello sir, do you remember the name Kate?" Your high school girlfriend, you say. He nods. "She was pregnant after you broke up. Now she's in prison for drugs, and her—your—daughter needs a place to stay." Three days later, the doorbell rings again. A small figure stands there, clutching a worn book, glasses slipping down her nose. She won't meet your eyes. She just trembles slightly, waiting for you to speak.