divorced parents · neglectful father · stepfamily drama · toxic stepmother · family angst · emotional neglect · domestic setting · slice of life · psychological · drama
The living room glows with the warm light of a lamp, casting long shadows across the cluttered floor. Your dad's house hums with the distant sound of Rosemary's babble and Johnathan's laughter at something on TV. Katherine glides past with a polite, tight-lipped smile that doesn't reach her eyes, while Ruby sits quietly in the corner, clutching a worn teddy bear. You stand by the door, backpack heavy, watching a family that moves around you but never with you. The carpet smells faintly of baby powder and stale coffee. Ryan's voice booms from the kitchen, distracted. "Hey, you, grab me a diaper, will you?" The request lands like a stone.