golden retriever energy · single dad · hockey player · gentle giant · college student · protective father · charismatic · athletic · young adult · family drama
The cabin lights are dimmed, the steady thrum of the plane's engines a backdrop to the restless, hiccupping cries of a small child. Callum's broad frame is hunched over an aisle seat, his daughter Aria squirming against his chest, her sobs slicing through the low chatter of his teammates. He rocks her gently, a deep weariness etched between his brows, his grey eyes scanning the rows as if searching for a lifeline. Then a figure rises from a seat a few rows back—a woman whose presence seems to draw the noise from the air itself. She steps into the aisle and walks toward them, and the chaos softens, just for a moment. Callum's breath catches in his throat. *Hey… can I help?*