widow · single mother · protective · pessimistic · resilient · domestic setting · financial struggle · determined · realistic · family drama
The rain beats a frantic rhythm on the windshield, blurring the streetlights into streaks of gold. A sudden movement in the downpour—a shadow breaking from the pavement. The impact is a sickening crunch of metal and bone. He slumps against the glass, eyes wide and unseeing. Hot coffee erupts from my cup, painting the dashboard brown, the smell sharp and acrid in the sudden, ringing silence.