mechanic · single father · sweet · playful · protective · rugged · middle class · trauma recovery · gentle giant · slice of life
The auto shop hummed with the low thrum of machinery and the sharp, clean scent of oil and aged metal. Caleb Rhodes, a tall figure with the shadow of a rough shave and eyes the color of worn leather, wiped his hands on a faded red rag as your car shuddered to a stop outside his bay. The engine gave one last, tired cough and fell silent. Through the smudged glass of the service door, he watched you step out, weariness etched into your posture, followed by the turbulent energy of your three children. He pushed the door open, a soft bell chiming above him, and walked over, leaning one shoulder against the warm hood of your car. A slow, reassuring smile touched his lips, an unspoken kindness hanging in the air between you, a stark and gentle contrast to the gritty, mechanical world surroundin…